CORONA CA (January 10, 2011)-The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will return for the seventh consecutive year to the East Bay Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL. The 35th annual event will be contested from February 7th-12th. There will be six straight nights of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series racing concluding on Saturday Night, February 12th with a $12,000 to win event to be taped for the SPEED Channel. Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, IL is the defending DART Winternationals point's champion.
"We are really working hard & looking forward to our Lucas Oil Week. This is always like opening our season with the NFL Super Bowl and MLB World Series combined. There is no other week in racing as busy and by the end of the week I am running on pure adrenaline. I do not get much sleep during this week, but it's always exciting & never predictable. I probably wouldn't live through it, but I would love to see 52 weeks of this kind of racing excitement." said Al Varadore President East Bay Raceway Park.
"It a great relationship we have between ourselves (East Bay Raceway Park) and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. We look forward to seeing all the fans and competitors again in 2011" said East Bay Raceway Park Vice-President, Todd Hutto. Hutto also said that discount pricing is available for general admission and pit gate admission during the week-long of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series racing action at East Bay. For discount ticket information you can call the track office toll free at 1-877-457-5611 between normal business hours or visit the track's website at www.eastbayracewaypark for more information.
At last year's DART Winternationals at East Bay the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series contested six events as 2010 LOLMDS National Champion; Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN scored two victories. Bloomquist who entered the 34th edition of the event with two victories total doubled that amount in the week-long competition. Bloomquist who went on to win seven more series events captured the series championship which was worth $75,000. Over winners in '10 at East Bay included Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR, who notched his all-time East Bay leading 20th career victory at the track, and Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN, who captured his first-ever East Bay win on the opening night a year ago was on the victory podium during the week which also included 4-time LOLMDS Champion, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL and Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN, who took the finale which paid $12,000 to win.
Dennis Erb Jr. is the reigning DART Winternationals points champion as the 38-year-old, second-generation racer claimed last year's title to go along with one he earned back in 2006. Also last year 2010 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Quarter Master "Rookie of the Year" Chris Wall of Springfield, LA got off to a solid start on his way to the rookie title as he set fast time three-times during the week, topped off by a new East Bay Raceway Park Late Model track-record of 14.022 seconds set on February 6th.
The tire rule for the East Bay Winternationals will be as follows in 2011; Hoosier 1100, 1200, 1300, LM 20, LM40, 1600 and the shoulder plated D55 will be allowed and the American Racer SD23, SD33, SD38, SD44, and MD56 can be utilized. Tires will be checked on the dimensions of circumference and width according to the LOLMDS Rule Book. Wheel widths will also be checked on the dimensions as outlined in the LOLMDS Rule Book. Additionally, each competitor must use the same set of 4 tires for both time trials and heat race in order to maintain their original starting spot in their assigned heat race. A Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Official will mark these tires prior to the competitor going out for time trials. If a competitor does not use the same tires that they qualified on for their heat race, the competitor will start the heat race from the tail of the field.
If a driver has a flat tire during their time trials, they must take that tire to LOLMDS Technical Director, AJ Bingham, for inspection. He will determine if the competitor will be relegated to the tail of the field or if the competitor will be allowed to used a previously used tire of the same compound and retain their assigned starting position in their heat race.
The use of head and neck restraint device/systems, certified to SFI Spec 38.1 is required, per the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rule Book. This rule went into effect on September 1st, 2010. Any driver that has not entered in an LOLMDS competition or has not reached their three-race grace period after this rule went into effect will still receive the three-race grace period or the remainder thereof, but must comply once they have exceeded the grace period during the 6 races that make up the DART Winternationals.
The 2011 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series body rules have not changed at this time. We will NOT be allowing any molded and/or handmade fender flares anywhere on the inside or outside of the front or rear wheel openings, all wheel openings/quarter panels are to remain FLAT and not flared. Molded and/or handmade rocker panels are permitted below the doors and quarter panels at this time. All body rules are subject to Technical Director, AJ Bingham's approval and discretion once we are on sight at East Bay.
For more information on the 35th Annual East Bay Winternationals you can log onto the track's website at www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
For the latest news and information regarding the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series you can visit the series website at www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.
2011 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series/East Bay Winternationals Schedule
East Bay Raceway Park-Tampa, FL
Sunday, February 6th
Open Practice Session
6-9 PM
Monday, February 7th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $5,000 to win
Tuesday, February 8th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $5,000 to win
Wednesday, February 9th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $5,000 to win
Thursday, February 10th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $10,000 to win
Friday, February 11th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $10,000 to win
Saturday, February 12th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $12,000 to win
"We are really working hard & looking forward to our Lucas Oil Week. This is always like opening our season with the NFL Super Bowl and MLB World Series combined. There is no other week in racing as busy and by the end of the week I am running on pure adrenaline. I do not get much sleep during this week, but it's always exciting & never predictable. I probably wouldn't live through it, but I would love to see 52 weeks of this kind of racing excitement." said Al Varadore President East Bay Raceway Park.
"It a great relationship we have between ourselves (East Bay Raceway Park) and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. We look forward to seeing all the fans and competitors again in 2011" said East Bay Raceway Park Vice-President, Todd Hutto. Hutto also said that discount pricing is available for general admission and pit gate admission during the week-long of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series racing action at East Bay. For discount ticket information you can call the track office toll free at 1-877-457-5611 between normal business hours or visit the track's website at www.eastbayracewaypark for more information.
At last year's DART Winternationals at East Bay the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series contested six events as 2010 LOLMDS National Champion; Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN scored two victories. Bloomquist who entered the 34th edition of the event with two victories total doubled that amount in the week-long competition. Bloomquist who went on to win seven more series events captured the series championship which was worth $75,000. Over winners in '10 at East Bay included Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR, who notched his all-time East Bay leading 20th career victory at the track, and Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN, who captured his first-ever East Bay win on the opening night a year ago was on the victory podium during the week which also included 4-time LOLMDS Champion, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL and Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN, who took the finale which paid $12,000 to win.
Dennis Erb Jr. is the reigning DART Winternationals points champion as the 38-year-old, second-generation racer claimed last year's title to go along with one he earned back in 2006. Also last year 2010 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Quarter Master "Rookie of the Year" Chris Wall of Springfield, LA got off to a solid start on his way to the rookie title as he set fast time three-times during the week, topped off by a new East Bay Raceway Park Late Model track-record of 14.022 seconds set on February 6th.
The tire rule for the East Bay Winternationals will be as follows in 2011; Hoosier 1100, 1200, 1300, LM 20, LM40, 1600 and the shoulder plated D55 will be allowed and the American Racer SD23, SD33, SD38, SD44, and MD56 can be utilized. Tires will be checked on the dimensions of circumference and width according to the LOLMDS Rule Book. Wheel widths will also be checked on the dimensions as outlined in the LOLMDS Rule Book. Additionally, each competitor must use the same set of 4 tires for both time trials and heat race in order to maintain their original starting spot in their assigned heat race. A Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Official will mark these tires prior to the competitor going out for time trials. If a competitor does not use the same tires that they qualified on for their heat race, the competitor will start the heat race from the tail of the field.
If a driver has a flat tire during their time trials, they must take that tire to LOLMDS Technical Director, AJ Bingham, for inspection. He will determine if the competitor will be relegated to the tail of the field or if the competitor will be allowed to used a previously used tire of the same compound and retain their assigned starting position in their heat race.
The use of head and neck restraint device/systems, certified to SFI Spec 38.1 is required, per the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rule Book. This rule went into effect on September 1st, 2010. Any driver that has not entered in an LOLMDS competition or has not reached their three-race grace period after this rule went into effect will still receive the three-race grace period or the remainder thereof, but must comply once they have exceeded the grace period during the 6 races that make up the DART Winternationals.
The 2011 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series body rules have not changed at this time. We will NOT be allowing any molded and/or handmade fender flares anywhere on the inside or outside of the front or rear wheel openings, all wheel openings/quarter panels are to remain FLAT and not flared. Molded and/or handmade rocker panels are permitted below the doors and quarter panels at this time. All body rules are subject to Technical Director, AJ Bingham's approval and discretion once we are on sight at East Bay.
For more information on the 35th Annual East Bay Winternationals you can log onto the track's website at www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
For the latest news and information regarding the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series you can visit the series website at www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.
2011 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series/East Bay Winternationals Schedule
East Bay Raceway Park-Tampa, FL
Sunday, February 6th
Open Practice Session
6-9 PM
Monday, February 7th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $5,000 to win
Tuesday, February 8th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $5,000 to win
Wednesday, February 9th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $5,000 to win
Thursday, February 10th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $10,000 to win
Friday, February 11th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $10,000 to win
Saturday, February 12th
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $12,000 to win
