WAYCROSS, GA (August 7, 2012) – The Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100, Presented by Lucas Oil will take place this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Florence Speedway in Union, KY. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned Crown Jewel event will pay $50,000 to win and $2,500 to start. This event, which began in 1983, is also a part of the DirtonDirt.com Crown Jewel Cup point standings within the LOLMDS.

Activity will get underway on Thursday night, August 9th with an open practice session. On Friday night, August 10th, activities will include Red Buck Cigar Time Trials, followed by a Red Buck Cigars Fast Dash for the top 3 qualifiers in group A and B (from time trials.) There will also be a post-race fan and racer appreciation party, sponsored by Red Buck Cigars. A live concert will be performed by Nashville recording group “Borrowed Blue”. “Borrowed Blue” is an up and coming band that is sure to kick off a great party at Florence Speedway. There is no additional charge to attend the post-race party and event tickets will remain the normal price for the weekend. The mega event continues on Saturday night, August 11th with the LOLMDS Heat Races, B-Mains, and the 100-Lap Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100, presented by Lucas Oil.

Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN, the reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion and current championship points leader, heads a strong field of the nation’s best dirt late model drivers into Florence this weekend. Owens has won the last two Sunoco North/South 100’s and is working hard to become the first driver in the history of the event to win three in a row. Only Hall of Famer and former Florence Speedway regular, Pat Patrick of Saylor Park, OH has won the event two years in a row, until Owens matched that a year ago.

Owens, who also captured the race in 2007, can also become the first driver to win the biggest race at Florence Speedway four times. Only the late Hall of Famer Jack Boggs of Grayson, KY has won the North/South 100 three times.

Owens and the rest of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series regulars, including 2012 Ralph Latham Memorial Winner, Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN, will be gunning for his first career Sunoco North/South 100 win. O’Neal leads the series with 10 wins this season as he was victorious in the last LOLMDS event at Hagerstown, MD on July28th.

Owens and O’Neal currently sit first and second in the championship points standings with 2-time series champ, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN in third. Bloomquist is a 2-time Sunoco North/South 100 winner with those triumphs coming in 1988 and 2000. Home-state driver and LOLMDS competitor, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY, who currently stands fourth in the series points, will be looking for his first-ever Sunoco North/South 100 trip to victory lane. Francis will try to become only the second driver other than Jack Boggs from the Bluegrass State to win the highest paying dirt race in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

The many stars of the LOLMDS are excited to rejoin the tour this coming weekend and will be looking to take home the $50,000 first place prize including; John Blankenship of Williamson, WV; Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA; Tyler Reddick of Coring, CA; Eric Wells of hazard, KY; and Jared Landers of Batesville, AR.

Robby Hensley of Walton, KY currently leads the Florence Speedway weekly Late Model points standings, as the second-generation racer is looking for his first career track championship. The defending Florence Speedway track champion, Josh Williams of West Harrison, IN is second in the track points, followed by David Spille of Harrison, OH; James Rice of Verona, KY and Jesse James Lay of Verona, KY.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series would like to thank the Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport for being the “Official Hotel of the Sunoco North/South 100” and hosting the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for the event. There are still rooms available at the very special Sunoco North/South rate! Please call Molly Fruin at the Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport for more information and reservations. Her direct phone number is 859-746-5612. The hotel has rates so low, that we can’t even publish them here! These rooms are filling up quickly, so call Molly today and ask for the North/South rate for your stay. The Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport is only a short drive from Florence Speedway, and is located at:

Holiday Inn Cincinnati Airport
1717Airport Exchange Blvd.
Erlanger, KY 41018

For more information on the Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil you can contact the track office at (859) 485-7591 or visit the Florence Speedway website at www.florencespeedway.com.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series log onto: www.lucasdirt.com.

To keep up with all the action “Live” as it happens, click on www.lucasdirt.com/live.

Be sure to visit the series on our social media outlets as well at: http://www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and http://twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt

Previous Sunoco North/South 100 Winners

1983- Pat Patrick
1984- Pat Patrick
1985- John Mason
1986- Jack Boggs
1987- Jeff Purvis
1988- Scott Bloomquist
1989- Jeff Purvis
1990- Mike Head
1991- Rodney Combs
1992- Jack Boggs
1993- John Gill
1994- Jack Boggs
1995- John Gill
1996- Donnie Moran
1997- Rick Aukland
1998- Donnie Moran
1999- Bob Pierce
2000- Scott Bloomquist
2001- Rained Out
2002- Chub Frank
2003- Dan Schlieper
2004- Steve Shaver
2005- Bart Hartman
2006- Steve Shaver
2007- Jimmy Owens
2008- Darren Miller
2009- Jimmy Mars
2010- Jimmy Owens
2011- Jimmy Owens

Current Florence Speedway Late Model Points Standings

1. Robby Hensley (Walton, KY) – 1573
2. Josh Williams (West Harrison, IN) – 1496
3. David Spille (Harrison, OH) – 1447
4. James Rice (Verona, KY) – 1140
5. Jesse James Lay (Verona, KY) – 1105
6. Joe Janowski (Carmel, IN) – 1047
7. Brandon Green (Walton, KY) – 1022
8. Steve Landrum (Erlanger, KY) – 963
9. Jeff Simonton (Cleves, OH) – 957
10. Scott James (Lawrenceburg, IN) – 942

Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings

1. Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) – 5495
2. Don O’Neal (Martinsville, IN) – 5155
3. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN) – 5120
4. Steve Francis (Ashland, KY) – 5065
5. John Blankenship (Williamson, WV) – 4725
6. Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) – 4660
7. Jonathan Davenport (Blairsville, GA) – 4560
8. Tyler Reddick (Corning, CA) – 4440
9. Eric Wells (Hazard, KY) – 4275
10. Jared Landers (Batesville, AR) – 4275

Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Quarter Master Rookie of the Year Standings

1. Jonathan Davenport (Blairsville, GA) – 4560
2. Austin Hubbard (Seaford, DE) – 3380