By Roby Helm
MOORESVILLE, NC - North Dakota fans have been asking for it the past two years, and their wait will be over this Wednesday night when the Xtreme DirtCar Series comes to Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, ND for a 50-lap $10,000-to-win event. The top dirt late model drivers in the country will converge on the 1/2-mile clay oval as the XDCS May Madness continues.
For one of these drivers, Fargo, ND native Rick Aukland, the Wednesday night event will be a homecoming. Since beginning his career at Red River Valley Speedway back in the 80s, Aukland has gone on to win some of the more prestigious races in the country while competing with the Xtreme DirtCar Series, which has also been known as the Hav-A-Tampa and UDTRA series.
Known as the Badlands Bandit, Aukland ranks 10th on the all-time series career win list with 10 series wins, and he has won $359,530 in series career earnings. Aukland has won the USA Nationals and the Masters at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, WI. Aukland also has four straight series wins at LaSalle Speedway in LaSalle, IL.
Aukland moved to race out of Zanesville, OH a few years ago in order to be more centrally located to travel with the national circuit, but he will always be from Fargo.
"I'm glad the Xtreme DirtCar series has finally scheduled a race here, and I'm really looking forward to it," Aukland said. "I still have a lot friends and family here, and I'm looking forward to seeing them, and to spend some time with my daughter."
Joining Aukland on Wednesday night will be XDCS point leader Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, WI. Mars is the only driver on the tour to finish in the top ten in all seven events run so far this season. Steve Francis of Ashland, KY is 25 points behind Mars in the second spot. Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL is third in the XDCS points chase.
A pair of multi-time series champions hold down the fourth and fifth spots in the XDCS point standings. Four-time series champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN is fourth with two wins, and the defending and two-time series champion Rick Eckert of York, PA is fifth, also with two wins this season.
Other drivers in the hunt for the 2003 XDCS Championship are Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA, Terry English of Benton, KY, Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH, 1999 series champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA, and Dan Schlieper of Pewaukee, WI. Matt Miller of Waterville, OH leads the Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year point standings.
Other top drivers expected to make the trip to W. Fargo, ND are the 1997 series champion Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR, Shannon Babb of Decatur, IL, Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN, Shane Tankersley of Morganton, GA, Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, WV, and Jeff Smith of Dallas, NC.
On Wednesday, the pit gate opens at 1 p.m., the grandstand gate opens at 4 p.m., XDCS tech and registration is from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the drivers meeting is set for 5:45 p.m., and hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
The Best Western Kelly Inn at I-29 and Main Ave. in West Fargo is the Official Host Hotel for Wednesday night's XDCS event. The Best Western Kelly Inn is offering XDCS fans and competitors a special discount rate of $64/night. To make reservations call 1-800-635-3559 and ask for the Xtreme DirtCar Series discount rate.
For ticket and race day information call 1-800-456-6408. Red River Valley Speedway is located at I-94 and Main Ave.
MOORESVILLE, NC - North Dakota fans have been asking for it the past two years, and their wait will be over this Wednesday night when the Xtreme DirtCar Series comes to Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, ND for a 50-lap $10,000-to-win event. The top dirt late model drivers in the country will converge on the 1/2-mile clay oval as the XDCS May Madness continues.
For one of these drivers, Fargo, ND native Rick Aukland, the Wednesday night event will be a homecoming. Since beginning his career at Red River Valley Speedway back in the 80s, Aukland has gone on to win some of the more prestigious races in the country while competing with the Xtreme DirtCar Series, which has also been known as the Hav-A-Tampa and UDTRA series.
Known as the Badlands Bandit, Aukland ranks 10th on the all-time series career win list with 10 series wins, and he has won $359,530 in series career earnings. Aukland has won the USA Nationals and the Masters at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, WI. Aukland also has four straight series wins at LaSalle Speedway in LaSalle, IL.
Aukland moved to race out of Zanesville, OH a few years ago in order to be more centrally located to travel with the national circuit, but he will always be from Fargo.
"I'm glad the Xtreme DirtCar series has finally scheduled a race here, and I'm really looking forward to it," Aukland said. "I still have a lot friends and family here, and I'm looking forward to seeing them, and to spend some time with my daughter."
Joining Aukland on Wednesday night will be XDCS point leader Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, WI. Mars is the only driver on the tour to finish in the top ten in all seven events run so far this season. Steve Francis of Ashland, KY is 25 points behind Mars in the second spot. Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL is third in the XDCS points chase.
A pair of multi-time series champions hold down the fourth and fifth spots in the XDCS point standings. Four-time series champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN is fourth with two wins, and the defending and two-time series champion Rick Eckert of York, PA is fifth, also with two wins this season.
Other drivers in the hunt for the 2003 XDCS Championship are Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA, Terry English of Benton, KY, Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH, 1999 series champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA, and Dan Schlieper of Pewaukee, WI. Matt Miller of Waterville, OH leads the Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year point standings.
Other top drivers expected to make the trip to W. Fargo, ND are the 1997 series champion Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR, Shannon Babb of Decatur, IL, Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN, Shane Tankersley of Morganton, GA, Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, WV, and Jeff Smith of Dallas, NC.
On Wednesday, the pit gate opens at 1 p.m., the grandstand gate opens at 4 p.m., XDCS tech and registration is from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the drivers meeting is set for 5:45 p.m., and hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
The Best Western Kelly Inn at I-29 and Main Ave. in West Fargo is the Official Host Hotel for Wednesday night's XDCS event. The Best Western Kelly Inn is offering XDCS fans and competitors a special discount rate of $64/night. To make reservations call 1-800-635-3559 and ask for the Xtreme DirtCar Series discount rate.
For ticket and race day information call 1-800-456-6408. Red River Valley Speedway is located at I-94 and Main Ave.
