BEDFORD, PA - May 24, 2010 - Rick Eckert is happy to be racing at his old stomping grounds this Friday night (May 28). He just wishes he was bringing more momentum into Bedford Speedway's holiday-weekend kickoff for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.
A regular at the half-mile fairgrounds oval early in his dirt Late Model career, Eckert is holding out hope that a 50-lap, $10,000-to-win show on familiar turf will help bring some salvation from his early-season struggles.
"We're in a slump," bottom-lined Eckert, a WoO LMS stalwart who is one of two drivers to start all 251 A-Mains contested since 2004. "Maybe a race at a track close to home will be what we need to get going in the right direction."
Eckert, 44, of York, Pa., has found the going rough in his first campaign as an owner-operator following the November 2009 passing of his longtime car owner Raye Vest. Though he does already have a WoO LMS win under his belt on March 26 at Battleground Speedway in Highlands, Texas – the earliest in a season he's ever reached Victory Lane on the national tour – that's largely the extent of the 2010 highlights for the veteran star.
"I'd give my season so far a D-minus (grade)," said Eckert, who lives about two hours east of Bedford. "It's been terrible, really. A lot of it is making bad decisions with our car, but we've also had more problems with breaking stuff than I've ever had in my whole life."
Eckert's 2010 performance record is by far the worst he's ever authored through the first 14 events of a WoO LMS season. Despite qualifying well enough to start inside the top five in seven A-Mains, he's managed to register just two top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He enters Bedford's action sitting a disappointing eighth in the points standings and facing a massive deficit of 206 points to leader Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va.; in comparison, the most points by which he had previously trailed the series leader after 14 events was 56, in 2009.
What's more, Eckert already has two DNFs on his '10 ledger, nearly matching the three he absorbed during the entire 2009 season. He dropped out of the 'Illini 100' on April 10 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway due to terminal engine trouble (finished 25th) and the last tour event on May 15 at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway as a result of a broken rearend (finished 17th after setting fast time and winning a heat).
"We just haven't had any consistency," said Eckert, who climbed as high as fifth in the WoO LMS points standings earlier this season. "Last week (May 13 at Delaware International Speedway and May 15 at Hagerstown) we set fast time both nights and it looked like we might be getting better and turning things around, but we were also running close to home. We're still missing something."
One of the primary things Eckert is missing is an engine program that's clicking on all cylinders. He noted going into this season on his own dime that his greatest fear for his financial well-being was a rash of motor woes – and, unfortunately, he's experiencing that nightmare right now. He broke two motors during the 'Illini 100' weekend at Farmer City and lost a third on Sunday night during an unsanctioned event at Susquehanna Speedway in Newberrytown, Pa., leaving his powerplant inventory virtually depleted before Memorial Day weekend.
"Right now I've got one motor for this weekend," Eckert said on Monday afternoon, shuddering at the thought of running a WoO LMS tripleheader at Bedford and West Virginia Motor Speedway (May 29-30) – two of the biggest tracks on the schedule – without a backup engine. "We're still waiting to get back the two motors we hurt at Farmer City and now we've had to send another one back. If we don't get at least one of 'em back before Friday, I'll just be hoping to get through the weekend."
And so it is that a victory on Friday night at Bedford Speedway would mean the world to Eckert. He needs a positive outing for his psyche and his checkbook, and running at a track he once dominated gives him the best shot at achieving just that.
Of course, it's been awhile now since Eckert experienced his best days at Bedford – the four consecutive points titles he won there from 1989-1992 before he began to travel extensively. He hasn't won at the track since April 25, 1993, though he still ranks fourth on the alltime win list with 22 career victories.
Eckert has run well in two of the three previous WoO LMS events contested at Bedford, finishing fifth in 2007 and third in 2008 (after setting fast time and leading laps 1-16). He finished 24th in last year's A-Main after dropping out early in the distance.
"Over the last five years they've worked miracles with that place," Eckert said of Bedford's current management team led by former racer J.R. Kiefer. "The shape of the track is still the same as when I ran there all the time, but now there's great lights and new dirt (surface) that's a lot racier."
Eckert will battle a talent-laden field on Friday night that includes former WoO LMS champions Richards, Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky. (2008 WoO winner at Bedford) and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky. The Outlaw roster will also feature Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y. (last year's WoO victor at Bedford)., Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa. ('07 winner), Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.., Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., 2009 Rookie of the Year Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Other standouts expected include Jeremy Miller of Gettysburg, Pa., who won last Friday night's feature at Bedford; Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa.; Gregg Satterlee of New Richmond, Pa.; former Bedford champs Scott Haus of Hamburg, Pa., and Jack Pencil of Bedford, Pa.; Jeff Rine of Danville, Pa.; and D.J. Myers of Greencastle, Pa.
Gates are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. on Fri., May 28, with hot laps set for 6 p.m. and racing to start at 7 p.m.
General admission is $30, with children ages 5-12 admitted for $5. Pit passes will be $40.
More information is available by visiting www.bedfordspeedway.com or calling 814-623-0500.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), SuperClean (Official Cleaner-Degreaser), VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and Chizmark & Larson Insurance; in addition to contingency sponsors Eibach Springs, MSD Ignition, Ohlins Shocks, Pink Carburetors, Pro Power Engines, Quartermaster, Rocket Chassis and Wrisco Aluminum.
A regular at the half-mile fairgrounds oval early in his dirt Late Model career, Eckert is holding out hope that a 50-lap, $10,000-to-win show on familiar turf will help bring some salvation from his early-season struggles.
"We're in a slump," bottom-lined Eckert, a WoO LMS stalwart who is one of two drivers to start all 251 A-Mains contested since 2004. "Maybe a race at a track close to home will be what we need to get going in the right direction."
Eckert, 44, of York, Pa., has found the going rough in his first campaign as an owner-operator following the November 2009 passing of his longtime car owner Raye Vest. Though he does already have a WoO LMS win under his belt on March 26 at Battleground Speedway in Highlands, Texas – the earliest in a season he's ever reached Victory Lane on the national tour – that's largely the extent of the 2010 highlights for the veteran star.
"I'd give my season so far a D-minus (grade)," said Eckert, who lives about two hours east of Bedford. "It's been terrible, really. A lot of it is making bad decisions with our car, but we've also had more problems with breaking stuff than I've ever had in my whole life."
Eckert's 2010 performance record is by far the worst he's ever authored through the first 14 events of a WoO LMS season. Despite qualifying well enough to start inside the top five in seven A-Mains, he's managed to register just two top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He enters Bedford's action sitting a disappointing eighth in the points standings and facing a massive deficit of 206 points to leader Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va.; in comparison, the most points by which he had previously trailed the series leader after 14 events was 56, in 2009.
What's more, Eckert already has two DNFs on his '10 ledger, nearly matching the three he absorbed during the entire 2009 season. He dropped out of the 'Illini 100' on April 10 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway due to terminal engine trouble (finished 25th) and the last tour event on May 15 at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway as a result of a broken rearend (finished 17th after setting fast time and winning a heat).
"We just haven't had any consistency," said Eckert, who climbed as high as fifth in the WoO LMS points standings earlier this season. "Last week (May 13 at Delaware International Speedway and May 15 at Hagerstown) we set fast time both nights and it looked like we might be getting better and turning things around, but we were also running close to home. We're still missing something."
One of the primary things Eckert is missing is an engine program that's clicking on all cylinders. He noted going into this season on his own dime that his greatest fear for his financial well-being was a rash of motor woes – and, unfortunately, he's experiencing that nightmare right now. He broke two motors during the 'Illini 100' weekend at Farmer City and lost a third on Sunday night during an unsanctioned event at Susquehanna Speedway in Newberrytown, Pa., leaving his powerplant inventory virtually depleted before Memorial Day weekend.
"Right now I've got one motor for this weekend," Eckert said on Monday afternoon, shuddering at the thought of running a WoO LMS tripleheader at Bedford and West Virginia Motor Speedway (May 29-30) – two of the biggest tracks on the schedule – without a backup engine. "We're still waiting to get back the two motors we hurt at Farmer City and now we've had to send another one back. If we don't get at least one of 'em back before Friday, I'll just be hoping to get through the weekend."
And so it is that a victory on Friday night at Bedford Speedway would mean the world to Eckert. He needs a positive outing for his psyche and his checkbook, and running at a track he once dominated gives him the best shot at achieving just that.
Of course, it's been awhile now since Eckert experienced his best days at Bedford – the four consecutive points titles he won there from 1989-1992 before he began to travel extensively. He hasn't won at the track since April 25, 1993, though he still ranks fourth on the alltime win list with 22 career victories.
Eckert has run well in two of the three previous WoO LMS events contested at Bedford, finishing fifth in 2007 and third in 2008 (after setting fast time and leading laps 1-16). He finished 24th in last year's A-Main after dropping out early in the distance.
"Over the last five years they've worked miracles with that place," Eckert said of Bedford's current management team led by former racer J.R. Kiefer. "The shape of the track is still the same as when I ran there all the time, but now there's great lights and new dirt (surface) that's a lot racier."
Eckert will battle a talent-laden field on Friday night that includes former WoO LMS champions Richards, Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky. (2008 WoO winner at Bedford) and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky. The Outlaw roster will also feature Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y. (last year's WoO victor at Bedford)., Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa. ('07 winner), Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.., Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., rookie sensation Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., 2009 Rookie of the Year Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Other standouts expected include Jeremy Miller of Gettysburg, Pa., who won last Friday night's feature at Bedford; Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa.; Gregg Satterlee of New Richmond, Pa.; former Bedford champs Scott Haus of Hamburg, Pa., and Jack Pencil of Bedford, Pa.; Jeff Rine of Danville, Pa.; and D.J. Myers of Greencastle, Pa.
Gates are scheduled to open at 4 p.m. on Fri., May 28, with hot laps set for 6 p.m. and racing to start at 7 p.m.
General admission is $30, with children ages 5-12 admitted for $5. Pit passes will be $40.
More information is available by visiting www.bedfordspeedway.com or calling 814-623-0500.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), SuperClean (Official Cleaner-Degreaser), VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and Chizmark & Larson Insurance; in addition to contingency sponsors Eibach Springs, MSD Ignition, Ohlins Shocks, Pink Carburetors, Pro Power Engines, Quartermaster, Rocket Chassis and Wrisco Aluminum.
