Colorado Spring, CO -- December 3, 2004 -- By Chris Dolack
From conception to conclusion, the amazing debut season of World of Outlaws Late Model Series still has drivers and fans buzzing.
After campaigning in several different series in 2003, the 12 top dirt late model racers in the world joined forces with DIRT MotorSports. In two months, they built a series that packed grandstands. It competed on 40 nights in 14 different states with purses in excess of $2 million. And from the drop of the green flag in February to final wave of the checkers in October, this series was marked by fierce fender-to-fender competition at every bullring along the way.
In the final event of this historic season, Scott Bloomquist grabbed the pole and roared into Victory Lane for his series-high ninth victory. Even more important, it secured the inaugural championship worth $75,000 for one of the sport’s most decorated drivers.
“We’ve had the greatest racing I’ve ever seen,” Bloomquist said.
That’s no idle praise, either.
Bloomquist’s career numbers are astonishing. He has more than 400 wins and 12 series or track championships. He is not satisfied with anything short of a victory, leaving everything on the track in an effort to win. He was a driving force behind the creation of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series when not many in the industry gave the “Dirty Dozen” a chance. But Bloomquist and the 11 other rivals knew they had something special when more than 70 drivers showed up to race in February at Volusia Speedway Park.
“I think it brought racing to another level,” said Bloomquist, of Mooresburg, Tenn. “I think it made a lot of guys feel a little more like a team of 12, or even more. When we went to big events, if one of us couldn’t win it we wanted one of the other guys in the group to win it. And it ended up happening that we won them all. There was definitely some pride in that.
“Anytime you race against a certain group, you want people to view your group as the toughest or you’re not going to get the credit. To have these 12 guys win every major event in dirt late model racing shows there was nobody cherry picking, there was nobody running or hiding from competition. It was about stepping up to the plate every time you raced. You felt pride when you left an event after winning. It was pride equal to winning a major event.”
Bloomquist was not alone in his praise for the inaugural season. Drivers, owners, fans and promoters all reaped the benefits of being associated with the series.
“I think it came off really well,” said Mark Richards, owner of West Virginia-based Rocket Chassis and father of 16-year-old late model phenom Josh Richards. “None of the other series out there that are in existence today came about as fast as the World of Outlaws did. Most of the time it takes years to get to where the World of Outlaws got to in one short season. It will be the elite series in all of dirt track late model racing. “DIRT MotorSports stood up and did everything it committed to do, plus more. Going into February I wasn’t so sure, but a year later I can tell you they fulfilled all their commitments.”
After Bloomquist, Steve Francis was the most dominating driver on the circuit. He served notice in the debut he would be a contender throughout the season. Francis, of Ashland, Ky., led every lap of the inaugural feature in his first race after two years behind the wheel of the Rocket Chassis house car. The “Kentucky Colonel” would go on to win two more features -- including a $40,000 victory at Red River Valley Speedway -- and post a stunning 28 top-five finishes.
“To be able to get 12 guys to pull together that quick, that good and that fast is remarkable,” Francis said. “We’ve done some business ventures together as a group of 12 and I don’t think anybody ever thought that was possible. It’s a tribute to all the guys. We’re fierce competitors on the racetrack, but we’re smart enough to know we’re business partners in this thing, too.”
From its launch in Florida, the series still in its infancy snaked its way through Tennessee and Texas before hitting the heart of sprint car country. It left fans on their feet everywhere.
Dale McDowell, of Chickamauga, Ga., dominated a feature in April at Lernerville Speedway, where the World of Outlaws Sprint Series has raced since 1979. But crowd favorite Chub Frank, of Bear Lake, Pa., was waiting to make his move. On a track he knows well, Frank schooled McDowell by saving his tires and surging from deep in the field to the lead in the closing laps for his first victory with the series.
“What they accomplished in a short time was amazing,” Frank said. “It was two or three months from the time we started talking about it before the whole operation was up and running with schedules and drivers and everything lined up. I thought that was pretty amazing.”
It was just the beginning of a remarkable year for the Dirty Dozen in and out of Outlaws events. In fact, in every major non-sanctioned event, one of the 12 Outlaws drivers stole the purse. Bloomquist captured the Dream 100 and the Show Me 100. Frank topped a 215-car field to win the 34th annual World 100. And McDowell, a seven-time Outlaws winner, captured the Topless 100.
But the opportunity to win a championship in a series with the best dirt late model racers ever assembled is what these drivers were chasing. Down the stretch it was a rugged fight among Bloomquist, Francis, Rick Eckert, McDowell and Bart Hartman to decide the title.
Hartman, of Zanesville, Ohio, had the most to ground to gain. He struck first by scoring an impressive victory in the 16th annual Pittsburgher. Then the series shifted to West Virginia Motor Speedway for a two-night event and the top five pulled even tighter.
The Outlaws next invaded Fulton, N.Y., where Dan Schlieper earned his first victory and Francis closed to within three points of series-leader Bloomquist.
That set the stage for a two-night championship showdown at Delta Bowl Speedway in Tunica, Miss.
With 16 laps left in the season, Bloomquist was on the point with Francis and Eckert in tow. As he often does, Bloomquist jumped out to a big lead on a restart and left the field behind him to win the race and clinch the title.
“There was a lot of pressure and a lot of pressure on my help the last two nights at Tunica,” Bloomquist said. “We got through the first night and overcame Steve leading the most laps and us coming from sixth and winning the race. We gained a little in the point deal. After we accomplished that, the next day the track was a little different and there was the same pressure and the same things came back again. Usually you don’t have that kind of pressure two days in a row.”
Bloomquist was determined, more than he ever has been to win a championship.
“You basically just need to stay focused, especially when a racetrack is challenging like that one was,” he said. “You have to stay focused on finishing the event, first and foremost. Even though at one time in the race Steve still could have won the title, my real focus was leading the most laps. Once we got past halfway, my focus was not making a mistake.”
There were no miscues in what was a fitting conclusion to the 2004 late model season. It also leaves Bloomquist a marked man in 2005. The 11 other drivers now have an idea what it will take to become an Outlaws champion.
“It was just on the verge of being an unreal year,” Francis said of his season of runner-up finishes. “It was a great year, anyway, but it was on the verge of being an unreal year. There’s no doubt what our expectations are for next year. Win the championship, plain and simple.”
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series returns in February to beat and bang on the dirt speedways of the United States. And the drivers say the best is yet to come.
About Boundless Motor Sports Racing, Inc. d/b/a DIRT Motorsports
Based in Norman, OK, Boundless is a racing and sports entertainment company. Boundless is currently pursuing the acquisition of dirt motor sports racing sanctioning organizations, promotional organizations and racetracks in the United States. “World of Outlaws” is a registered trademark of Boundless.
For further information on Boundless or this press release contact Terri Metzger, Public Relations at 1-877-5RACING (1-877-572-2464) Ext. 113, email press@dirtmotorsports.com <mailto
ress@boundlessracing.com> or visit us online at www.boundlessracing.com <http://www.boundlessracing.com/> , , www.theworldofoutlaws.com <http://www.worldofoutlawsracing.com> , www.WoOLMS.com <http://www.woolms.com> and www.dirtmotorsports.com <http://www.dirtmotorsports.com/>
Safe Harbor Statement
This release may contain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are economic, competitive and technological factors effecting the company’s operations, markets, merger and acquisition activities, products, services and prices, as well as other factors detailed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact: Boundless Motor Sports Racing, Inc. d/b/a DIRT Motorsports, Inc.
Becky Houston, Public Relations
719.884.2141 ext. 2134
press@dirtmotorsports.com <mailtoress@boundlessracing.com>
From conception to conclusion, the amazing debut season of World of Outlaws Late Model Series still has drivers and fans buzzing.
After campaigning in several different series in 2003, the 12 top dirt late model racers in the world joined forces with DIRT MotorSports. In two months, they built a series that packed grandstands. It competed on 40 nights in 14 different states with purses in excess of $2 million. And from the drop of the green flag in February to final wave of the checkers in October, this series was marked by fierce fender-to-fender competition at every bullring along the way.
In the final event of this historic season, Scott Bloomquist grabbed the pole and roared into Victory Lane for his series-high ninth victory. Even more important, it secured the inaugural championship worth $75,000 for one of the sport’s most decorated drivers.
“We’ve had the greatest racing I’ve ever seen,” Bloomquist said.
That’s no idle praise, either.
Bloomquist’s career numbers are astonishing. He has more than 400 wins and 12 series or track championships. He is not satisfied with anything short of a victory, leaving everything on the track in an effort to win. He was a driving force behind the creation of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series when not many in the industry gave the “Dirty Dozen” a chance. But Bloomquist and the 11 other rivals knew they had something special when more than 70 drivers showed up to race in February at Volusia Speedway Park.
“I think it brought racing to another level,” said Bloomquist, of Mooresburg, Tenn. “I think it made a lot of guys feel a little more like a team of 12, or even more. When we went to big events, if one of us couldn’t win it we wanted one of the other guys in the group to win it. And it ended up happening that we won them all. There was definitely some pride in that.
“Anytime you race against a certain group, you want people to view your group as the toughest or you’re not going to get the credit. To have these 12 guys win every major event in dirt late model racing shows there was nobody cherry picking, there was nobody running or hiding from competition. It was about stepping up to the plate every time you raced. You felt pride when you left an event after winning. It was pride equal to winning a major event.”
Bloomquist was not alone in his praise for the inaugural season. Drivers, owners, fans and promoters all reaped the benefits of being associated with the series.
“I think it came off really well,” said Mark Richards, owner of West Virginia-based Rocket Chassis and father of 16-year-old late model phenom Josh Richards. “None of the other series out there that are in existence today came about as fast as the World of Outlaws did. Most of the time it takes years to get to where the World of Outlaws got to in one short season. It will be the elite series in all of dirt track late model racing. “DIRT MotorSports stood up and did everything it committed to do, plus more. Going into February I wasn’t so sure, but a year later I can tell you they fulfilled all their commitments.”
After Bloomquist, Steve Francis was the most dominating driver on the circuit. He served notice in the debut he would be a contender throughout the season. Francis, of Ashland, Ky., led every lap of the inaugural feature in his first race after two years behind the wheel of the Rocket Chassis house car. The “Kentucky Colonel” would go on to win two more features -- including a $40,000 victory at Red River Valley Speedway -- and post a stunning 28 top-five finishes.
“To be able to get 12 guys to pull together that quick, that good and that fast is remarkable,” Francis said. “We’ve done some business ventures together as a group of 12 and I don’t think anybody ever thought that was possible. It’s a tribute to all the guys. We’re fierce competitors on the racetrack, but we’re smart enough to know we’re business partners in this thing, too.”
From its launch in Florida, the series still in its infancy snaked its way through Tennessee and Texas before hitting the heart of sprint car country. It left fans on their feet everywhere.
Dale McDowell, of Chickamauga, Ga., dominated a feature in April at Lernerville Speedway, where the World of Outlaws Sprint Series has raced since 1979. But crowd favorite Chub Frank, of Bear Lake, Pa., was waiting to make his move. On a track he knows well, Frank schooled McDowell by saving his tires and surging from deep in the field to the lead in the closing laps for his first victory with the series.
“What they accomplished in a short time was amazing,” Frank said. “It was two or three months from the time we started talking about it before the whole operation was up and running with schedules and drivers and everything lined up. I thought that was pretty amazing.”
It was just the beginning of a remarkable year for the Dirty Dozen in and out of Outlaws events. In fact, in every major non-sanctioned event, one of the 12 Outlaws drivers stole the purse. Bloomquist captured the Dream 100 and the Show Me 100. Frank topped a 215-car field to win the 34th annual World 100. And McDowell, a seven-time Outlaws winner, captured the Topless 100.
But the opportunity to win a championship in a series with the best dirt late model racers ever assembled is what these drivers were chasing. Down the stretch it was a rugged fight among Bloomquist, Francis, Rick Eckert, McDowell and Bart Hartman to decide the title.
Hartman, of Zanesville, Ohio, had the most to ground to gain. He struck first by scoring an impressive victory in the 16th annual Pittsburgher. Then the series shifted to West Virginia Motor Speedway for a two-night event and the top five pulled even tighter.
The Outlaws next invaded Fulton, N.Y., where Dan Schlieper earned his first victory and Francis closed to within three points of series-leader Bloomquist.
That set the stage for a two-night championship showdown at Delta Bowl Speedway in Tunica, Miss.
With 16 laps left in the season, Bloomquist was on the point with Francis and Eckert in tow. As he often does, Bloomquist jumped out to a big lead on a restart and left the field behind him to win the race and clinch the title.
“There was a lot of pressure and a lot of pressure on my help the last two nights at Tunica,” Bloomquist said. “We got through the first night and overcame Steve leading the most laps and us coming from sixth and winning the race. We gained a little in the point deal. After we accomplished that, the next day the track was a little different and there was the same pressure and the same things came back again. Usually you don’t have that kind of pressure two days in a row.”
Bloomquist was determined, more than he ever has been to win a championship.
“You basically just need to stay focused, especially when a racetrack is challenging like that one was,” he said. “You have to stay focused on finishing the event, first and foremost. Even though at one time in the race Steve still could have won the title, my real focus was leading the most laps. Once we got past halfway, my focus was not making a mistake.”
There were no miscues in what was a fitting conclusion to the 2004 late model season. It also leaves Bloomquist a marked man in 2005. The 11 other drivers now have an idea what it will take to become an Outlaws champion.
“It was just on the verge of being an unreal year,” Francis said of his season of runner-up finishes. “It was a great year, anyway, but it was on the verge of being an unreal year. There’s no doubt what our expectations are for next year. Win the championship, plain and simple.”
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series returns in February to beat and bang on the dirt speedways of the United States. And the drivers say the best is yet to come.
About Boundless Motor Sports Racing, Inc. d/b/a DIRT Motorsports
Based in Norman, OK, Boundless is a racing and sports entertainment company. Boundless is currently pursuing the acquisition of dirt motor sports racing sanctioning organizations, promotional organizations and racetracks in the United States. “World of Outlaws” is a registered trademark of Boundless.
For further information on Boundless or this press release contact Terri Metzger, Public Relations at 1-877-5RACING (1-877-572-2464) Ext. 113, email press@dirtmotorsports.com <mailto
ress@boundlessracing.com> or visit us online at www.boundlessracing.com <http://www.boundlessracing.com/> , , www.theworldofoutlaws.com <http://www.worldofoutlawsracing.com> , www.WoOLMS.com <http://www.woolms.com> and www.dirtmotorsports.com <http://www.dirtmotorsports.com/> Safe Harbor Statement
This release may contain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are economic, competitive and technological factors effecting the company’s operations, markets, merger and acquisition activities, products, services and prices, as well as other factors detailed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact: Boundless Motor Sports Racing, Inc. d/b/a DIRT Motorsports, Inc.
Becky Houston, Public Relations
719.884.2141 ext. 2134
press@dirtmotorsports.com <mailto
ress@boundlessracing.com>