CLARKSVILLE, TN – The StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series National Tour is ready for their seventh stop of the 2006 season with a 75-lap $5,000-to-win two-day show at Swinging Bridge Raceway in Jackson, MS on June 9-10. Battles for point positions abound among the top ten in the championship fight.
Just 26 points separate the top three drivers in the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series National point standings with Shannon Buckingham of Morristown, TN leading David Gentry of Lewisburg, TN by 24 points, and Gentry leading third-place Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN by only two points.
Buckingham, Gentry, and Johnson represent the driver demographic of the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series, which, because of its use of economic GM Performance Crate Engines, has become the “melting pot” of dirt late model racing.
The GM Performance Crate Engines are built and sealed with special bolts at the GM Factory, which prevents competitors from making any high-dollar modifications. The cost of these engines is about one-tenth the cost of a specially built engine using aftermarket parts. With the engines being equal, more emphasis is placed on driving talent, and chassis setup ability.
The point leader Buckingham represents the young up-and-coming driver just getting started with his career, and looking to make a name for himself. Buckingham is fresh off his second win of the season on July 27 at Clarksville StormPay.com Speedway in Clarksville, TN. Buckingham, a Mod Lite graduate, is also the only driver to finish in the top ten in the first six races of the season.
Gentry represents the veteran regional star that has stepped up to the national level to show case the talent that only he and his local fans knew about. Gentry won the season opener for the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series on January 8 at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL. Gentry has four top five finishes in his first six starts.
Johnson is a National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee that is still showing that he can win races on the national level. Johnson has two wins this season and five top ten finishes. Johnson is looking to add the StormPay.com DLMS National Championship to his illustrious resume that includes Southern All-Star titles and Dirt Track World Championship Race trophies.
Behind Buckingham, Gentry and Johnson is a logjam for the fourth spot, with just 36 points separating the next five drivers in the point standings.
Jeff Smith of Villanow, GA is in the fourth spot with 482 points, followed by last year’s StormPay.com DLMS National Championship Runner-Up Jeff Fields of Aragon, GA with 468 points. The top Rookie of the Year candidate, 20-year-old Frankie Beard of Hartwell, GA is sixth with 462 points. Beard has been as high as second in the point’s chase this season.
Carnell Parker III of Clarksville, TN is seventh with 448 points, and Zach Nichols of Cedartown, GA is eighth with 446 points. The Defending StormPay.com DLMS National Champion Denny Slayton of Rossville, GA is ninth with 378 points.
Another National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee and former NASCAR standout Jeff Purvis of Clarksville, TN just moved into the top ten of the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series National point standings with a top five finish at his home track, Clarksville StormPay.com Speedway on May 27. Purvis has 354 points.
A seasoned veteran that has already had success with top five finishes in the StormPay.com DLMS is seven-time Mississippi Dirt Late Model Champion Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS. Stokes will take the night off from his promoting duties at the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series Columbus Speedway to compete on June 9-10 at Swinging Bridge Raceway.
Add one more ingredient to the mix of Hall of Famers, seasoned veterans, and Young Guns looking to make a name for themselves, and that’s the local talent at Swinging Bridge Raceway, for a treat of close racing action on the 3/8-mile clay oval on June 9-10.
Swinging Bridge Raceway is a part of the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series that awards local and regional points for drivers in the track’s Crate Late Model Division over a 24-week period. The State of Mississippi boasts a series high six tracks out of the 15 tracks in the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series.
Along with Swinging Bridge Raceway, Pike County Speedway in McComb, MS, Southern Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS, Whynot Raceway Park in Meridian, MS, and Columbus, MS tracks Columbus Speedway and Magnolia Motor Speedway are a part of the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series. Each track will give their StormPay.com WRS Division the night off to compete at SBR.
Landon Frith of Terry, MS and Doug Todd of Brandon, MS each have two StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series wins this season at Swinging Bridge Raceway. Herman Reynolds of Laurel, MS leads the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series West Region points, and Talbert Goldman of Meridian, MS is third in the StormPay.com WRS West Region points.
Seven of the top ten drivers in the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series West Region compete at Mississippi Weekly Racing Series tracks. Behind point leader Reynolds and third-place Goldman are Frith in the fourth spot, Kevin Watts of Denham Springs, LA in sixth, Owen Stockstill of Purvis, MS is eighth, and Todd is tenth.
Swinging Bridge Raceway will host a Media Day/Pit Party on Thursday, June 8 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The gates open at 4 p.m., with racing scheduled for 8 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights.
The StormPay.com Dirt Late Models will compete in Time Trials and Heat Races on Friday night, and on Saturday night they will run in the StormPay.com Lightning Quick 6 Dash, B-Mains, and the 75-lap $5,000-to-win main event. Swinging Bridge Raceway is located south of Jackson, MS on I-55 to exit 85, then 7/10-mile east on Siwel Road to Old Byram Road, then north 4/10-mile.
For more information call Swinging Bridge Raceway at 601-373-0076, or visit the track web site at www.swingingbridgeraceway.net. For more information about the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series visit the series web site at www.stormpayracing.com.
Just 26 points separate the top three drivers in the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series National point standings with Shannon Buckingham of Morristown, TN leading David Gentry of Lewisburg, TN by 24 points, and Gentry leading third-place Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN by only two points.
Buckingham, Gentry, and Johnson represent the driver demographic of the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series, which, because of its use of economic GM Performance Crate Engines, has become the “melting pot” of dirt late model racing.
The GM Performance Crate Engines are built and sealed with special bolts at the GM Factory, which prevents competitors from making any high-dollar modifications. The cost of these engines is about one-tenth the cost of a specially built engine using aftermarket parts. With the engines being equal, more emphasis is placed on driving talent, and chassis setup ability.
The point leader Buckingham represents the young up-and-coming driver just getting started with his career, and looking to make a name for himself. Buckingham is fresh off his second win of the season on July 27 at Clarksville StormPay.com Speedway in Clarksville, TN. Buckingham, a Mod Lite graduate, is also the only driver to finish in the top ten in the first six races of the season.
Gentry represents the veteran regional star that has stepped up to the national level to show case the talent that only he and his local fans knew about. Gentry won the season opener for the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series on January 8 at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL. Gentry has four top five finishes in his first six starts.
Johnson is a National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee that is still showing that he can win races on the national level. Johnson has two wins this season and five top ten finishes. Johnson is looking to add the StormPay.com DLMS National Championship to his illustrious resume that includes Southern All-Star titles and Dirt Track World Championship Race trophies.
Behind Buckingham, Gentry and Johnson is a logjam for the fourth spot, with just 36 points separating the next five drivers in the point standings.
Jeff Smith of Villanow, GA is in the fourth spot with 482 points, followed by last year’s StormPay.com DLMS National Championship Runner-Up Jeff Fields of Aragon, GA with 468 points. The top Rookie of the Year candidate, 20-year-old Frankie Beard of Hartwell, GA is sixth with 462 points. Beard has been as high as second in the point’s chase this season.
Carnell Parker III of Clarksville, TN is seventh with 448 points, and Zach Nichols of Cedartown, GA is eighth with 446 points. The Defending StormPay.com DLMS National Champion Denny Slayton of Rossville, GA is ninth with 378 points.
Another National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee and former NASCAR standout Jeff Purvis of Clarksville, TN just moved into the top ten of the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series National point standings with a top five finish at his home track, Clarksville StormPay.com Speedway on May 27. Purvis has 354 points.
A seasoned veteran that has already had success with top five finishes in the StormPay.com DLMS is seven-time Mississippi Dirt Late Model Champion Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS. Stokes will take the night off from his promoting duties at the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series Columbus Speedway to compete on June 9-10 at Swinging Bridge Raceway.
Add one more ingredient to the mix of Hall of Famers, seasoned veterans, and Young Guns looking to make a name for themselves, and that’s the local talent at Swinging Bridge Raceway, for a treat of close racing action on the 3/8-mile clay oval on June 9-10.
Swinging Bridge Raceway is a part of the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series that awards local and regional points for drivers in the track’s Crate Late Model Division over a 24-week period. The State of Mississippi boasts a series high six tracks out of the 15 tracks in the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series.
Along with Swinging Bridge Raceway, Pike County Speedway in McComb, MS, Southern Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS, Whynot Raceway Park in Meridian, MS, and Columbus, MS tracks Columbus Speedway and Magnolia Motor Speedway are a part of the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series. Each track will give their StormPay.com WRS Division the night off to compete at SBR.
Landon Frith of Terry, MS and Doug Todd of Brandon, MS each have two StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series wins this season at Swinging Bridge Raceway. Herman Reynolds of Laurel, MS leads the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series West Region points, and Talbert Goldman of Meridian, MS is third in the StormPay.com WRS West Region points.
Seven of the top ten drivers in the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series West Region compete at Mississippi Weekly Racing Series tracks. Behind point leader Reynolds and third-place Goldman are Frith in the fourth spot, Kevin Watts of Denham Springs, LA in sixth, Owen Stockstill of Purvis, MS is eighth, and Todd is tenth.
Swinging Bridge Raceway will host a Media Day/Pit Party on Thursday, June 8 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The gates open at 4 p.m., with racing scheduled for 8 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday nights.
The StormPay.com Dirt Late Models will compete in Time Trials and Heat Races on Friday night, and on Saturday night they will run in the StormPay.com Lightning Quick 6 Dash, B-Mains, and the 75-lap $5,000-to-win main event. Swinging Bridge Raceway is located south of Jackson, MS on I-55 to exit 85, then 7/10-mile east on Siwel Road to Old Byram Road, then north 4/10-mile.
For more information call Swinging Bridge Raceway at 601-373-0076, or visit the track web site at www.swingingbridgeraceway.net. For more information about the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series visit the series web site at www.stormpayracing.com.
