By Roby Helm
WOODSTOCK, GA - The 2002 United Dirt Track Racing Association season saw another hard-fought battle for the championship, and for the second straight year, Rick Eckert of York, PA was crowned the champion. Eckert was able to clinch the UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series title after the 37th of 38 races in Cumberland, MD.
"It was nice to be able to clinch the championship in Cumberland, MD because it's close to home and a lot of my friends and family were able to be there to share it with us," Eckert said. "When you have the level of competition there is in UDTRA, it's quite an accomplishment to win one championship, but to win it two years in a row is something we're very proud of."
Although Eckert's title wasn't as tight as 2001 when he defeated Steve Francis of Ashland, KY by one point, Eckert battled hard throughout the season with the 1999 UDTRA Champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA.
Driving the Raye Vest Rocket/Cornett Taurus, Eckert finished the season with six wins, 23 top fives, 34 top tens, a series leading seven fast times, and earned $371,295 in prize money, point fund cash, and contingencies. Eckert is $42,660 shy of going over the $1-Million mark in UDTRA career earnings.
McDowell was the points runner-up with nine wins, 24 top fives, 30 top tens, two fast times, and earned $257,395 in cash and awards. McDowell was also the Muddslinger Magazine Most Laps Led Award winner, leading 524 laps of UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series competition in 2003 driving the Larry Shaw Race Cars Rocket By Shaw/Custom Grand Prix.
Although Mac Daddy had the most wins this season, Scrub had consistency going his way. Eckert's worst finish of the season was 14th in the season ending Hardee's Shootout at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA, and he completed 2,337 of a possible 2,340 laps of UDTRA competition this season.
The battle between Eckert and McDowell for the 2002 UDTRA Championship saw them swap the point lead eight times during the first 24 events of the season.
McDowell took the point lead after the second race of the season in Tampa, FL, but Eckert was at the top of the list after the fifth race of the season in Glenmora, LA. McDowell won the next race in Lancaster, SC to retake the lead. McDowell opened up a lead on Eckert during the month of May winning four out of five races.
Eckert kept pace, however, but it wasn't until Round 14 on June 1 that Eckert broke into the winners circle with a win in Florence, KY. The next event in Davenport, IA saw Eckert grab the point lead, and then he won the next two events in New Richmond, WI and Denison, IA. McDowell was able to close the gap with his sixth win of the season on June 28 in Lincoln, NE.
The point lead changed hands back and fourth between Eckert and McDowell after the first four races in the month of July. McDowell fought back to retake the point lead with a Round 21 win in Zanesville, OH on July 3. McDowell didn't have long to enjoy being on the top of the list, as Eckert dropped him back to second two nights later with a win in Conneaut, OH.
McDowell came back the next night in Parkersburg, WV to take a
one-point lead over his rival. Eckert took the lead for good after the 24th event on July 19 in Knoxville, TN, when McDowell was sidelined with a mechanical problem. That began a string of four DNFs in five races for McDowell.
After the 28th race of the season in Macon, IL, Eckert had pulled out to a 184-point lead over McDowell. The 1999 UDTRA Champion tried to rally with a couple of late season wins in Madison, NC and Rome, GA, but could not make up the difference on Eckert, despite eight straight top five finishes.
Eckert's final win of the season came on August 4 in New Richmond, WI and it was the richest one-day payoff in UDTRA history. Eckert's USA Nationals win was worth $40,000 plus another $101,000 in bonuses for winning the Great Northern Challenge. Eckert's other New Richmond, WI win and his
victory in Denison, IA gave him three wins in the five-race series.
Francis turned in his fourth straight top five points finish in UDTRA
competition with a third-place effort driving the Valvoline/Mopar Parts Rocket/Stanton Dodge RT. The Kentucky Colonel stayed in the championship battle for most of the year with two wins, 20 top five, 30 top tens, four fast times, and $171,330 in season earnings.
Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, WI was another title contender during the first half of the season, but had to settle for fourth in the final points tally. The Ice Man drove his Jimmy Mars Racing Mastersbilt/Pro Power Monte Carlo to two wins, 20 top fives, 30 top tens, one fast time, and earned $136,770 in 38 events.
After a slow start, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL came on strong during the second half of the season to wind up fifth in the UDTRA point standings driving the Lucas Oil/Dunn-Benson Ford Rocket/Eatmon Taurus. Earl The Pearl had one win, eight top fives, 22 top tens, four fast times, and $104,685 in season earnings.
The 1996 UDTRA Champion Freddy Smith of Knoxville, TN finished sixth in the UDTRA point standings. The Southern Gentleman drove his Christenberry Trucking and Farms Warrior/Gaerte Monte Carlo to one win, four top fives, and 20 top tens.
Smith was the Advance Auto Parts Hard Charger Award winner in 2002. The National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Member earned $89,270 in UDTRA earnings this season and needs another $37,805 to go over the $1-Million mark in UDTRA career earnings.
Randy Korte of Highland, IL improved on his 2001 tenth-place effort with a seventh-place points showing in 2002. The Highland Hustler drove his Mid-Continental Fuel Rocket By Shaw/Pro Power Grand Prix to two victories, four top fives, seven top tens, and two fast times. Korte earned $80,602 in 2002 UDTRA earnings.
For an unprecedented eighth consecutive year, Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC posted a top ten points finish with an eighth-place effort in 2002. Driving the Youngblood Concrete Mastersbilt/Cornett Taurus, the Tarheel Tiger had two top fives, nine top tens, one fast time, and $57,475 in season earnings.
Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, TN finished ninth in the 2002 UDTRA points chase and won the $10,000 Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year Award driving the Calhoun's Restaurant GRT/Clements Monte Carlo. Big O posted one top five, two top tens, and earned $49,980.
Shane Tankersley of Morganton, GA rounded out the top ten in UDTRA points and was the Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year Runner-Up. Tank had one top ten finish and $30,500 in earnings driving the American Race Tires Rocket/Custom Grand Prix.
There were several other notable names in the UDTRA win column in 2002. Some were regulars on the winners list, others were new, and a few returned after a long absence.
The 1997 UDTRA Champion and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Member Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR had three UDTRA wins in 2002 in Tampa, FL, Lincoln, NE and Macon, IL. Mr. Smooth is in a tie with McDowell for second on the all-time UDTRA winners list at 29.
Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA swept the three UDTRA Quad Cities events. Birky posted wins in Davenport, IA, East Moline, IL, and West Liberty, IA. Another National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Member, Four-time UDTRA Champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN, had two wins early in the season in Glenmora, LA and Lavonia, GA.
Three-time Renegade DirtCar Series Champion Chub Frank of Sugar Grove, PA was once again in the UDTRA win column taking the $55,000 top prize by winning the 13th Annual Hardee's Shootout in Woodstock, GA. Chubzilla also had a North-South 100 victory in Florence, KY.
The Real Deal Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN won his second UDTRA East Bay Winternationals in Tampa, FL and Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, WV was The Big Kahuna for the second straight year with a win in Cumberland, MD.
Three drivers returned to the UDTRA winner's circle after long
absences. National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Member Mike Duvall of Gaffney, SC secured a last minute ride in Barry Wright's "house car", and the Flintstone Flyer took the UDTRA win in Lawndale, NC.
The Chattanooga Flash Ronnie Johnson won for the first time since 1997 when he posted the victory in Rome, GA. Skip Arp took his first UDTRA since 1998 by coming from the 18th starting spot to take the win in Knoxville, TN. Skipper also had two strong second-place finishes, both in Woodstock, GA.
A total of 532 different drivers entered UDTRA events in 2002 competing for over $2.5-Million in prize money. There were also 235 different drivers that competed in the 38 UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series main events in 2002.
Three new drivers, Korte, Ogle, and Randle Chupp of Mooresville, NC went over the $100,000 mark in UDTRA career earnings to bring the total on that list to 31. For complete UDTRA statistics including points, series history, news and information visit the UDTRA web site at www.udtra.com.
WOODSTOCK, GA - The 2002 United Dirt Track Racing Association season saw another hard-fought battle for the championship, and for the second straight year, Rick Eckert of York, PA was crowned the champion. Eckert was able to clinch the UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series title after the 37th of 38 races in Cumberland, MD.
"It was nice to be able to clinch the championship in Cumberland, MD because it's close to home and a lot of my friends and family were able to be there to share it with us," Eckert said. "When you have the level of competition there is in UDTRA, it's quite an accomplishment to win one championship, but to win it two years in a row is something we're very proud of."
Although Eckert's title wasn't as tight as 2001 when he defeated Steve Francis of Ashland, KY by one point, Eckert battled hard throughout the season with the 1999 UDTRA Champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA.
Driving the Raye Vest Rocket/Cornett Taurus, Eckert finished the season with six wins, 23 top fives, 34 top tens, a series leading seven fast times, and earned $371,295 in prize money, point fund cash, and contingencies. Eckert is $42,660 shy of going over the $1-Million mark in UDTRA career earnings.
McDowell was the points runner-up with nine wins, 24 top fives, 30 top tens, two fast times, and earned $257,395 in cash and awards. McDowell was also the Muddslinger Magazine Most Laps Led Award winner, leading 524 laps of UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series competition in 2003 driving the Larry Shaw Race Cars Rocket By Shaw/Custom Grand Prix.
Although Mac Daddy had the most wins this season, Scrub had consistency going his way. Eckert's worst finish of the season was 14th in the season ending Hardee's Shootout at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA, and he completed 2,337 of a possible 2,340 laps of UDTRA competition this season.
The battle between Eckert and McDowell for the 2002 UDTRA Championship saw them swap the point lead eight times during the first 24 events of the season.
McDowell took the point lead after the second race of the season in Tampa, FL, but Eckert was at the top of the list after the fifth race of the season in Glenmora, LA. McDowell won the next race in Lancaster, SC to retake the lead. McDowell opened up a lead on Eckert during the month of May winning four out of five races.
Eckert kept pace, however, but it wasn't until Round 14 on June 1 that Eckert broke into the winners circle with a win in Florence, KY. The next event in Davenport, IA saw Eckert grab the point lead, and then he won the next two events in New Richmond, WI and Denison, IA. McDowell was able to close the gap with his sixth win of the season on June 28 in Lincoln, NE.
The point lead changed hands back and fourth between Eckert and McDowell after the first four races in the month of July. McDowell fought back to retake the point lead with a Round 21 win in Zanesville, OH on July 3. McDowell didn't have long to enjoy being on the top of the list, as Eckert dropped him back to second two nights later with a win in Conneaut, OH.
McDowell came back the next night in Parkersburg, WV to take a
one-point lead over his rival. Eckert took the lead for good after the 24th event on July 19 in Knoxville, TN, when McDowell was sidelined with a mechanical problem. That began a string of four DNFs in five races for McDowell.
After the 28th race of the season in Macon, IL, Eckert had pulled out to a 184-point lead over McDowell. The 1999 UDTRA Champion tried to rally with a couple of late season wins in Madison, NC and Rome, GA, but could not make up the difference on Eckert, despite eight straight top five finishes.
Eckert's final win of the season came on August 4 in New Richmond, WI and it was the richest one-day payoff in UDTRA history. Eckert's USA Nationals win was worth $40,000 plus another $101,000 in bonuses for winning the Great Northern Challenge. Eckert's other New Richmond, WI win and his
victory in Denison, IA gave him three wins in the five-race series.
Francis turned in his fourth straight top five points finish in UDTRA
competition with a third-place effort driving the Valvoline/Mopar Parts Rocket/Stanton Dodge RT. The Kentucky Colonel stayed in the championship battle for most of the year with two wins, 20 top five, 30 top tens, four fast times, and $171,330 in season earnings.
Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, WI was another title contender during the first half of the season, but had to settle for fourth in the final points tally. The Ice Man drove his Jimmy Mars Racing Mastersbilt/Pro Power Monte Carlo to two wins, 20 top fives, 30 top tens, one fast time, and earned $136,770 in 38 events.
After a slow start, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL came on strong during the second half of the season to wind up fifth in the UDTRA point standings driving the Lucas Oil/Dunn-Benson Ford Rocket/Eatmon Taurus. Earl The Pearl had one win, eight top fives, 22 top tens, four fast times, and $104,685 in season earnings.
The 1996 UDTRA Champion Freddy Smith of Knoxville, TN finished sixth in the UDTRA point standings. The Southern Gentleman drove his Christenberry Trucking and Farms Warrior/Gaerte Monte Carlo to one win, four top fives, and 20 top tens.
Smith was the Advance Auto Parts Hard Charger Award winner in 2002. The National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Member earned $89,270 in UDTRA earnings this season and needs another $37,805 to go over the $1-Million mark in UDTRA career earnings.
Randy Korte of Highland, IL improved on his 2001 tenth-place effort with a seventh-place points showing in 2002. The Highland Hustler drove his Mid-Continental Fuel Rocket By Shaw/Pro Power Grand Prix to two victories, four top fives, seven top tens, and two fast times. Korte earned $80,602 in 2002 UDTRA earnings.
For an unprecedented eighth consecutive year, Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC posted a top ten points finish with an eighth-place effort in 2002. Driving the Youngblood Concrete Mastersbilt/Cornett Taurus, the Tarheel Tiger had two top fives, nine top tens, one fast time, and $57,475 in season earnings.
Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, TN finished ninth in the 2002 UDTRA points chase and won the $10,000 Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year Award driving the Calhoun's Restaurant GRT/Clements Monte Carlo. Big O posted one top five, two top tens, and earned $49,980.
Shane Tankersley of Morganton, GA rounded out the top ten in UDTRA points and was the Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year Runner-Up. Tank had one top ten finish and $30,500 in earnings driving the American Race Tires Rocket/Custom Grand Prix.
There were several other notable names in the UDTRA win column in 2002. Some were regulars on the winners list, others were new, and a few returned after a long absence.
The 1997 UDTRA Champion and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Member Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR had three UDTRA wins in 2002 in Tampa, FL, Lincoln, NE and Macon, IL. Mr. Smooth is in a tie with McDowell for second on the all-time UDTRA winners list at 29.
Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA swept the three UDTRA Quad Cities events. Birky posted wins in Davenport, IA, East Moline, IL, and West Liberty, IA. Another National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Member, Four-time UDTRA Champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN, had two wins early in the season in Glenmora, LA and Lavonia, GA.
Three-time Renegade DirtCar Series Champion Chub Frank of Sugar Grove, PA was once again in the UDTRA win column taking the $55,000 top prize by winning the 13th Annual Hardee's Shootout in Woodstock, GA. Chubzilla also had a North-South 100 victory in Florence, KY.
The Real Deal Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN won his second UDTRA East Bay Winternationals in Tampa, FL and Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, WV was The Big Kahuna for the second straight year with a win in Cumberland, MD.
Three drivers returned to the UDTRA winner's circle after long
absences. National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Member Mike Duvall of Gaffney, SC secured a last minute ride in Barry Wright's "house car", and the Flintstone Flyer took the UDTRA win in Lawndale, NC.
The Chattanooga Flash Ronnie Johnson won for the first time since 1997 when he posted the victory in Rome, GA. Skip Arp took his first UDTRA since 1998 by coming from the 18th starting spot to take the win in Knoxville, TN. Skipper also had two strong second-place finishes, both in Woodstock, GA.
A total of 532 different drivers entered UDTRA events in 2002 competing for over $2.5-Million in prize money. There were also 235 different drivers that competed in the 38 UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series main events in 2002.
Three new drivers, Korte, Ogle, and Randle Chupp of Mooresville, NC went over the $100,000 mark in UDTRA career earnings to bring the total on that list to 31. For complete UDTRA statistics including points, series history, news and information visit the UDTRA web site at www.udtra.com.
