PEORIA, AZ – May 24, 2008 – An exciting new era for dirt Late Model racing in the Southwestern portion of the United States will begin this weekend.
The region’s popular Southwest Dirt Racing Association tour has been rechristened the Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series for the May 24-25 doubleheader at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Ariz., following an agreement reached Friday by DIRTcar Racing and SWDRA officials.
A stalwart on the Southwest’s dirt Late Model scene since 2001 under the SWDRA banner, the Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series now falls under the auspices of DIRTcar Racing, the brand name for the sanctioning body run by the World Racing Group of Concord, N.C. DIRTcar Racing is responsible for nearly 5,000 local and regional dirt track racing events each year at more than 125 tracks in the United States and Canada.
“We’re thrilled to bring the Southwest’s premier dirt Late Model series under the DIRTcar Racing umbrella,” said DIRTcar Racing Western Region Director Chris Morgan. “We are working with the officials of the existing series to accomplish a very positive transition, and we have a lot of support across the board to ensure that it’s done as seamlessly as possible.
“Our goal is to use DIRTcar Racing’s marketing muscle and organization to strengthen the Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series and provide the Southwest’s dirt Late Model team owners, drivers and fans more exciting races and opportunities.”
The agreement between DIRTcar Racing and the SWDRA promises to bring increased attention to dirt Late Model competition in the Southwest, a region where the full-fender division is just waiting to explode like it already has elsewhere in the country.
“Dirt Late Model racing in the Southwest has been fragmented and has suffered because of it,” said Manzanita Speedway general manager Steve Dunn, whose famed track outside Phoenix, Ariz., has four Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series events remaining on its 2008 schedule. “Having DIRTcar Racing get involved with the series is a big step to bring dirt Late Model racing in this region back up to where it needs to be.
“Now (the Southwest’s) dirt Late Model racing is under one banner, one group, and has a unified direction that will allow the division to grow. It’s going to be fantastic for dirt Late Model racing.”
The 2008 Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series boasts a schedule of 21 events at five tracks in the state of Arizona. Four races have already been run on the tour, which visits Canyon Speedway Park this weekend for a pair of $1,000-to-win A-Mains.
Canyon Speedway Park has six series events on its ’08 schedule, including the tour’s opener that was contested on March 8, a July 5 date and a two-day season finale set for Nov. 21 and 22. Details of the special season-ending program will be announced at a later date.
Other tracks that are part of this season’s Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series include United Sports Arizona Race Park in Tucson (March 29, June 14, Aug. 23, Sept. 27, Oct. 31, Nov. 1); Manzanita Speedway (June 28, Sept. 13, Nov. 14-15) Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande (April 5, April 26, Oct. 11); and Prescott Valley Raceway (July 19, Sept. 6).
Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Ariz., enters this weekend’s action as the hottest driver on the Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series. A four-time series champion and the tour’s alltime winningest driver, he has won three of this season’s four events and leads the points standings.
For more information on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing, visit DIRTcar.com.
About World Racing Group, Inc.:
World Racing Group, Inc. (OTCBB: WRGI), a sports entertainment company, is a world leader in the sanctioning and promotion of dirt track auto racing. WRGI, based in Concord, N.C., owns and operates the three highest profile national touring series for dirt track racing in the United States:
• The Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws® Sprint Car Series
• The World of Outlaws Late Model Series(SM)
• The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series™
World Racing Group sanctions more than 4,900 local and regional dirt track racing events in the United States and Canada at 126 tracks each year under the DIRTcar™ Racing brand. In addition, World Racing Group owns and/or operates seven premier dirt track speedways. To learn more about World Racing Group, visit worldracinggroup.com.
The region’s popular Southwest Dirt Racing Association tour has been rechristened the Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series for the May 24-25 doubleheader at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, Ariz., following an agreement reached Friday by DIRTcar Racing and SWDRA officials.
A stalwart on the Southwest’s dirt Late Model scene since 2001 under the SWDRA banner, the Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series now falls under the auspices of DIRTcar Racing, the brand name for the sanctioning body run by the World Racing Group of Concord, N.C. DIRTcar Racing is responsible for nearly 5,000 local and regional dirt track racing events each year at more than 125 tracks in the United States and Canada.
“We’re thrilled to bring the Southwest’s premier dirt Late Model series under the DIRTcar Racing umbrella,” said DIRTcar Racing Western Region Director Chris Morgan. “We are working with the officials of the existing series to accomplish a very positive transition, and we have a lot of support across the board to ensure that it’s done as seamlessly as possible.
“Our goal is to use DIRTcar Racing’s marketing muscle and organization to strengthen the Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series and provide the Southwest’s dirt Late Model team owners, drivers and fans more exciting races and opportunities.”
The agreement between DIRTcar Racing and the SWDRA promises to bring increased attention to dirt Late Model competition in the Southwest, a region where the full-fender division is just waiting to explode like it already has elsewhere in the country.
“Dirt Late Model racing in the Southwest has been fragmented and has suffered because of it,” said Manzanita Speedway general manager Steve Dunn, whose famed track outside Phoenix, Ariz., has four Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series events remaining on its 2008 schedule. “Having DIRTcar Racing get involved with the series is a big step to bring dirt Late Model racing in this region back up to where it needs to be.
“Now (the Southwest’s) dirt Late Model racing is under one banner, one group, and has a unified direction that will allow the division to grow. It’s going to be fantastic for dirt Late Model racing.”
The 2008 Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series boasts a schedule of 21 events at five tracks in the state of Arizona. Four races have already been run on the tour, which visits Canyon Speedway Park this weekend for a pair of $1,000-to-win A-Mains.
Canyon Speedway Park has six series events on its ’08 schedule, including the tour’s opener that was contested on March 8, a July 5 date and a two-day season finale set for Nov. 21 and 22. Details of the special season-ending program will be announced at a later date.
Other tracks that are part of this season’s Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series include United Sports Arizona Race Park in Tucson (March 29, June 14, Aug. 23, Sept. 27, Oct. 31, Nov. 1); Manzanita Speedway (June 28, Sept. 13, Nov. 14-15) Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande (April 5, April 26, Oct. 11); and Prescott Valley Raceway (July 19, Sept. 6).
Lonnie Parker Jr. of El Mirage, Ariz., enters this weekend’s action as the hottest driver on the Southwest DIRTcar Late Model Series. A four-time series champion and the tour’s alltime winningest driver, he has won three of this season’s four events and leads the points standings.
For more information on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing, visit DIRTcar.com.
About World Racing Group, Inc.:
World Racing Group, Inc. (OTCBB: WRGI), a sports entertainment company, is a world leader in the sanctioning and promotion of dirt track auto racing. WRGI, based in Concord, N.C., owns and operates the three highest profile national touring series for dirt track racing in the United States:
• The Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws® Sprint Car Series
• The World of Outlaws Late Model Series(SM)
• The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series™
World Racing Group sanctions more than 4,900 local and regional dirt track racing events in the United States and Canada at 126 tracks each year under the DIRTcar™ Racing brand. In addition, World Racing Group owns and/or operates seven premier dirt track speedways. To learn more about World Racing Group, visit worldracinggroup.com.