By Roby Helm
MOORESVILLE, NC - The next event for the Xtreme DirtCar Series will be the $10,000-to-win 8th Annual Maryland Silver Cup Nationals 50 at Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD on July 26. Four-time series champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN leads the XDCS points chase in his "Drive For
Five" by 108 points over Steve Francis of Ashland, KY.
Bloomquist won the Silver Nationals in 1996 and 1995, and has seven series wins in 2003 with 14 top fives, 16 top tens, and two Ringers Gloves Fast Time Awards in the first 22 events of the season. Bloomquist also leads the earnings list this season having pocketed $119,450. Francis has two wins this season with 11 top fives, 17 top tens, and one fast time.
Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, WI is still in championship contention after
leading the point standings earlier in the season. Mars has one win,
12 top
fives, a series leading 18 top tens, and two fast times. Mars sits in
the
third spot of the XDCS point standings, and is only nine points behind
Francis.
Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA is fourth in points, 48 points behind
Mars. Birkhofer has two wins, nine top fives, 16 top tens, and leads
the
fast time list with four. Ringers Gloves will award $5,000 to the
driver
with the most fast times at the end of the season.
Defending and two-time series champion Rick Eckert of York, PA is
still in
contention to make series history by becoming the first driver to ever
win
three straight championships. Eckert has also led the point standings
this
season, but going into the second half of the season, he has dropped to
fifth spot, 48 points behind Birkhofer.
Eckert has three wins this season with 8 top fives, 13 top tens, and
he is
second in money earned this season with $88,375.
Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL got off to a fast start this
season,
and also led the points chase at one point early in the season.
Pearson has
won races at Hagerstown Speedway in the past, and would like to add
another
victory on his stat sheet to go with his one win, seven top fives, 14
top
tens, and one fast time. Pearson is sixth in points, 64 points behind
Eckert.
The 1999 series champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA is seventh in
points, not that far out of the top five. McDowell has two wins this
season
with nine top fives, 14 top tens, and one fast time. McDowell is 35
points
behind Pearson.
The 1997 Silver Cup Nationals winner Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH is
eighth
in points, followed by Dan Schlieper of Pewaukee, WI in ninth, and
Lucas Oil
Rookie of the Year point leader Matt Miller of Waterville, OH is tenth
in
points. Miller is close to clinching the $10,000 prize from Lucas Oil
for
winning the 2003 rookie honors.
Other top entries expected for the Maryland Silver Cup Nationals
include
Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, WV, Jeff Smith of Dallas, NC, defending
Xtreme
Shootout champion and 2001 Silver Cup winner Chub Frank of Sugar Grove,
PA,
Randle Chupp of Mooresville, NC, and Rick Aukland of Zanesville, OH.
Former Silver Cup winners Gary Stuhler of Greencastle, PA and Rodney
Franklin of White Post, VA lead the local contingent challenging the
traveling pros. Stuhler, the 2000 Silver Cup Champion, has six wins
this
season in weekly competition Hagerstown Speedway.
Other Hagerstown weekly winners expected for the Silver Cup include
two-time winner Jeremy Miller of Gettysburg, PA, Charlie Schaffer of
Hampstead, MD, Andy Anderson of Martinsburg, WV, and Doug Burkholder of
Chambersburg, PA.
Also expected for the Silver Cup is seven-time Hagerstown Speedway Late
Model champion Nathan Durboraw of Hagerstown, MD, along with D.J. Myers
of
Greencastle, PA and Frankie Plessinger of Big Cove Tannery, PA.
For ticket and race day information call (301) 582-3618, or visit the
track
web site at www.hagerstownspeedway.com. Hagerstown Speedway is located
5.3
miles west of I-81 exit 6b on U.S. Highway 40.
BIG ROAD TRIP COMING UP IN AUGUST: The Xtreme DirtCar Series
competitors
will hit the road in August for five races in four states over 12 days.
The road trip will begin on August 1 at Tri-City Speedway in Granite
City,
IL, and then move to LaSalle Speedway in LaSalle, IL on August 2. West
Liberty Raceway in West Liberty, IA will host the series on August 5,
Cedar
Lake Speedway in New Richmond, WI has the USA Nationals on August 8-9,
and
the finale will be at Joplin 66 Speedway in Joplin, MO on August 12.
TRI-CITY ROAD TO THE BRICKYARD: The Xtreme DirtCar Series returns to
Tri-City Speedway for the first time since 1997 when Billy Moyer of
Batesville, AR won while on his way to the series title that season.
This
year's event on August 1 is the "Road To The Brickyard" 50 paying
$10,000-to-win race on the 1/2-mile dirt oval.
For ticket and race day information call (618) 931-7836, or visit the
track
web site at www.tricitymotorsports.com. Tri-City Speedway is located
1/2-mile south of I-270 exit 4 on S.R. 203.
CAN ANYONE BEAT AUKLAND? The annual LaSalle Speedway Xtreme DirtCar
Series
run on August 2 might as well be called the "Rick Aukland Nationals" as
the
Zanesville, OH driver has won the last four XDCS events on the 1/4-mile
dirt
oval. The only other XDCS winner at LaSalle was Bill Frye in 1997.
For ticket and race day information call (815) 223-6900, or visit the
track
web site at www.lasallespeedway.com. LaSalle Speedway is located
1-mile
east of I-39 exit 57 on U.S. Highway 6.
SECOND WEST LIBERTY STOP ON AUGUST 5: The Xtreme DirtCar Series will
make
its second visit of the season to West Liberty Raceway on August 5 with
the
$10,000-to-win Isle of Capri 50. The 1999 series champion Dale
McDowell of
Rossville, GA took his first of two wins this season on the 1/2-mile
dirt
oval on May 20.
Other past series winners include Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA in
2002,
defending and two-time series champion Rick Eckert of York, PA in 2001,
and
four-time series champion and current point leader Scott Bloomquist of
Mooresburg, TN in 2000.
The Isle of Capri Hotel and Casino in Bettendorf, IA is the Xtreme
DirtCar
Series Official Host Hotel for the West Liberty, IA event. To make
reservations call 1-888-782-9582 and ask for the Xtreme DirtCar Series
special rate.
For race day and ticket information call (319) 627-2414. West Liberty
Raceway is located two blocks west of downtown on 3rd Street, then two
blocks south on Calhoun Street at the Muscatine County Fairgrounds.
USA NATIONALS PAYS $40,000-TO-WIN: The Annual USA Nationals on August
8-9
at Cedar Lake Speedway is the second richest event on the 2003 Xtreme
DirtCar Series schedule. The 100-lap main event pays $40,000-to-win,
and
the race will be taped by SPEED Channel for airing on August 21 at 9
p.m.
ET.
The defending and two-time series champion Rick Eckert of York, PA is
the
defending champion of the USA Nationals. Other former winners include
Rick
Aukland of Zanesville, OH in 1997, Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH in 1998,
Davey Johnson of Greensburg, PA in 1999, four-time series champion and
current point leader Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN in 2000, and
1999
series champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA in 2001.
For race day and ticket information call (715) 248-7119, or visit the
track
web site at www.cedarlakespeedway.com. Cedar Lake Speedway is located
one
mile east of S.R. 35 on S.R. 64, then 4.1 miles north on C.R. C, then
1.8
miles west on C.R. CC.
SCHRADER JOINS THE FIELD FOR JOPLIN: The Xtreme DirtCar Series returns
to
Joplin 66 Speedway for the first time since 2000 with a 50-lap
$10,000-to-win main event. Winston Cup star Kenny Schrader of Fenton,
MO
will be competing with the nation's top traveling Dirt Late Model pros.
Former XDCS Joplin winners are Steve Francis of Ashland, KY in 1999,
and
Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR in 2000.
Advance tickets, both general admission and reserved (top 8 rows of the
west
grandstands) are now on sale. General admission tickets are $20 in
advance
and reserved seats with backrests are $25.00 in advance. Advance
tickets
can be ordered via credit card by calling (417) 768-1149. Spectator
gates
open at 5 p.m., time trials at 7:30 p.m. and racing is scheduled for 8
p.m.
Joplin 66 Speedway is located on West 7th Street in Joplin and is 4
miles
north of Interstate 44 off of Exit 4.
TICKET ON SALE FOR XDCS EVENT IN ROME, GA: For a limited time, fans can
save
up to 25 percent on Xtreme DirtCar Series event tickets by purchasing
them
now. Advance general admission grandstand seats for the 100-lap
$20,000-to-win Xtreme DirtCar Series race scheduled for Rome Speedway
in
Rome, GA on Sept. 19-20 are only $35 per person for the entire 2 day
show.
Advance General admission seats for the 14th annual $55,000 to win
Hardees
Xtreme Shootout at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA on Oct. 10-11 are
only
$40 for rows 6-10 and also include both days. Reserved seats for rows
1-5
are also available for this race.
Tickets can be charged by phone for either one ,or both events with
their
Visa/MasterCard by calling (770) 926-5315 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. They
are
also available for purchase at each track on regularly scheduled race
nights
during the next few weeks. Tickets purchased at gate on race days will
be
priced higher for both shows.
NEXT SPEED CHANNEL XDCS RACE ON JULY 31: The Mopar Xtreme Heat 50 for
the
Xtreme DirtCar Series from KC Raceway in Chillicothe, OH will be shown
on
SPEED Channel on July 31 at 11 p.m. ET.
MOORESVILLE, NC - The next event for the Xtreme DirtCar Series will be the $10,000-to-win 8th Annual Maryland Silver Cup Nationals 50 at Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD on July 26. Four-time series champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN leads the XDCS points chase in his "Drive For
Five" by 108 points over Steve Francis of Ashland, KY.
Bloomquist won the Silver Nationals in 1996 and 1995, and has seven series wins in 2003 with 14 top fives, 16 top tens, and two Ringers Gloves Fast Time Awards in the first 22 events of the season. Bloomquist also leads the earnings list this season having pocketed $119,450. Francis has two wins this season with 11 top fives, 17 top tens, and one fast time.
Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, WI is still in championship contention after
leading the point standings earlier in the season. Mars has one win,
12 top
fives, a series leading 18 top tens, and two fast times. Mars sits in
the
third spot of the XDCS point standings, and is only nine points behind
Francis.
Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA is fourth in points, 48 points behind
Mars. Birkhofer has two wins, nine top fives, 16 top tens, and leads
the
fast time list with four. Ringers Gloves will award $5,000 to the
driver
with the most fast times at the end of the season.
Defending and two-time series champion Rick Eckert of York, PA is
still in
contention to make series history by becoming the first driver to ever
win
three straight championships. Eckert has also led the point standings
this
season, but going into the second half of the season, he has dropped to
fifth spot, 48 points behind Birkhofer.
Eckert has three wins this season with 8 top fives, 13 top tens, and
he is
second in money earned this season with $88,375.
Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL got off to a fast start this
season,
and also led the points chase at one point early in the season.
Pearson has
won races at Hagerstown Speedway in the past, and would like to add
another
victory on his stat sheet to go with his one win, seven top fives, 14
top
tens, and one fast time. Pearson is sixth in points, 64 points behind
Eckert.
The 1999 series champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA is seventh in
points, not that far out of the top five. McDowell has two wins this
season
with nine top fives, 14 top tens, and one fast time. McDowell is 35
points
behind Pearson.
The 1997 Silver Cup Nationals winner Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH is
eighth
in points, followed by Dan Schlieper of Pewaukee, WI in ninth, and
Lucas Oil
Rookie of the Year point leader Matt Miller of Waterville, OH is tenth
in
points. Miller is close to clinching the $10,000 prize from Lucas Oil
for
winning the 2003 rookie honors.
Other top entries expected for the Maryland Silver Cup Nationals
include
Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, WV, Jeff Smith of Dallas, NC, defending
Xtreme
Shootout champion and 2001 Silver Cup winner Chub Frank of Sugar Grove,
PA,
Randle Chupp of Mooresville, NC, and Rick Aukland of Zanesville, OH.
Former Silver Cup winners Gary Stuhler of Greencastle, PA and Rodney
Franklin of White Post, VA lead the local contingent challenging the
traveling pros. Stuhler, the 2000 Silver Cup Champion, has six wins
this
season in weekly competition Hagerstown Speedway.
Other Hagerstown weekly winners expected for the Silver Cup include
two-time winner Jeremy Miller of Gettysburg, PA, Charlie Schaffer of
Hampstead, MD, Andy Anderson of Martinsburg, WV, and Doug Burkholder of
Chambersburg, PA.
Also expected for the Silver Cup is seven-time Hagerstown Speedway Late
Model champion Nathan Durboraw of Hagerstown, MD, along with D.J. Myers
of
Greencastle, PA and Frankie Plessinger of Big Cove Tannery, PA.
For ticket and race day information call (301) 582-3618, or visit the
track
web site at www.hagerstownspeedway.com. Hagerstown Speedway is located
5.3
miles west of I-81 exit 6b on U.S. Highway 40.
BIG ROAD TRIP COMING UP IN AUGUST: The Xtreme DirtCar Series
competitors
will hit the road in August for five races in four states over 12 days.
The road trip will begin on August 1 at Tri-City Speedway in Granite
City,
IL, and then move to LaSalle Speedway in LaSalle, IL on August 2. West
Liberty Raceway in West Liberty, IA will host the series on August 5,
Cedar
Lake Speedway in New Richmond, WI has the USA Nationals on August 8-9,
and
the finale will be at Joplin 66 Speedway in Joplin, MO on August 12.
TRI-CITY ROAD TO THE BRICKYARD: The Xtreme DirtCar Series returns to
Tri-City Speedway for the first time since 1997 when Billy Moyer of
Batesville, AR won while on his way to the series title that season.
This
year's event on August 1 is the "Road To The Brickyard" 50 paying
$10,000-to-win race on the 1/2-mile dirt oval.
For ticket and race day information call (618) 931-7836, or visit the
track
web site at www.tricitymotorsports.com. Tri-City Speedway is located
1/2-mile south of I-270 exit 4 on S.R. 203.
CAN ANYONE BEAT AUKLAND? The annual LaSalle Speedway Xtreme DirtCar
Series
run on August 2 might as well be called the "Rick Aukland Nationals" as
the
Zanesville, OH driver has won the last four XDCS events on the 1/4-mile
dirt
oval. The only other XDCS winner at LaSalle was Bill Frye in 1997.
For ticket and race day information call (815) 223-6900, or visit the
track
web site at www.lasallespeedway.com. LaSalle Speedway is located
1-mile
east of I-39 exit 57 on U.S. Highway 6.
SECOND WEST LIBERTY STOP ON AUGUST 5: The Xtreme DirtCar Series will
make
its second visit of the season to West Liberty Raceway on August 5 with
the
$10,000-to-win Isle of Capri 50. The 1999 series champion Dale
McDowell of
Rossville, GA took his first of two wins this season on the 1/2-mile
dirt
oval on May 20.
Other past series winners include Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA in
2002,
defending and two-time series champion Rick Eckert of York, PA in 2001,
and
four-time series champion and current point leader Scott Bloomquist of
Mooresburg, TN in 2000.
The Isle of Capri Hotel and Casino in Bettendorf, IA is the Xtreme
DirtCar
Series Official Host Hotel for the West Liberty, IA event. To make
reservations call 1-888-782-9582 and ask for the Xtreme DirtCar Series
special rate.
For race day and ticket information call (319) 627-2414. West Liberty
Raceway is located two blocks west of downtown on 3rd Street, then two
blocks south on Calhoun Street at the Muscatine County Fairgrounds.
USA NATIONALS PAYS $40,000-TO-WIN: The Annual USA Nationals on August
8-9
at Cedar Lake Speedway is the second richest event on the 2003 Xtreme
DirtCar Series schedule. The 100-lap main event pays $40,000-to-win,
and
the race will be taped by SPEED Channel for airing on August 21 at 9
p.m.
ET.
The defending and two-time series champion Rick Eckert of York, PA is
the
defending champion of the USA Nationals. Other former winners include
Rick
Aukland of Zanesville, OH in 1997, Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH in 1998,
Davey Johnson of Greensburg, PA in 1999, four-time series champion and
current point leader Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN in 2000, and
1999
series champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA in 2001.
For race day and ticket information call (715) 248-7119, or visit the
track
web site at www.cedarlakespeedway.com. Cedar Lake Speedway is located
one
mile east of S.R. 35 on S.R. 64, then 4.1 miles north on C.R. C, then
1.8
miles west on C.R. CC.
SCHRADER JOINS THE FIELD FOR JOPLIN: The Xtreme DirtCar Series returns
to
Joplin 66 Speedway for the first time since 2000 with a 50-lap
$10,000-to-win main event. Winston Cup star Kenny Schrader of Fenton,
MO
will be competing with the nation's top traveling Dirt Late Model pros.
Former XDCS Joplin winners are Steve Francis of Ashland, KY in 1999,
and
Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR in 2000.
Advance tickets, both general admission and reserved (top 8 rows of the
west
grandstands) are now on sale. General admission tickets are $20 in
advance
and reserved seats with backrests are $25.00 in advance. Advance
tickets
can be ordered via credit card by calling (417) 768-1149. Spectator
gates
open at 5 p.m., time trials at 7:30 p.m. and racing is scheduled for 8
p.m.
Joplin 66 Speedway is located on West 7th Street in Joplin and is 4
miles
north of Interstate 44 off of Exit 4.
TICKET ON SALE FOR XDCS EVENT IN ROME, GA: For a limited time, fans can
save
up to 25 percent on Xtreme DirtCar Series event tickets by purchasing
them
now. Advance general admission grandstand seats for the 100-lap
$20,000-to-win Xtreme DirtCar Series race scheduled for Rome Speedway
in
Rome, GA on Sept. 19-20 are only $35 per person for the entire 2 day
show.
Advance General admission seats for the 14th annual $55,000 to win
Hardees
Xtreme Shootout at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA on Oct. 10-11 are
only
$40 for rows 6-10 and also include both days. Reserved seats for rows
1-5
are also available for this race.
Tickets can be charged by phone for either one ,or both events with
their
Visa/MasterCard by calling (770) 926-5315 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. They
are
also available for purchase at each track on regularly scheduled race
nights
during the next few weeks. Tickets purchased at gate on race days will
be
priced higher for both shows.
NEXT SPEED CHANNEL XDCS RACE ON JULY 31: The Mopar Xtreme Heat 50 for
the
Xtreme DirtCar Series from KC Raceway in Chillicothe, OH will be shown
on
SPEED Channel on July 31 at 11 p.m. ET.
