(September 9, 2003 – Mooresville, NC) A full plate of high-horsepower excitement for the nation's most revered dirt track competitors lies ahead this weekend with a trio of major events on tap in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. With the kind of money on the line in the three nights of dirt late model racing action, the biggest guns from America's short-track bullrings are expected to square off in the special events that promise to provide plenty of fireworks on the racetrack. Two of the featured events are sanctioned by the Xtreme Dirtcar Series, including Thursday night's "9-11 Nationals" at Lavonia (GA) Speedway and Sunday's weekend finale at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, SC. On Saturday night, the large caravan of Dirt Late Model racers and their fans from across America will roll into Charlotte, NC where action will take the green flag as Lowes Motor Speedway plays host to a Southern All-Stars (SAS) sanctioned event at 'The Dirt Track' in the "Golden Corral Dirt Late Model Championship".
Thursday's "9-11 Nationals" at Lavonia, GA Has Major Impact on National Title Chase for Short-Trackers
As a sanctioned event on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series tour, which competes in thirty-five races in across the nation this season, the field of superstars will include all of the drivers competing for the national championship of Dirt Late Model racing plus the added feature of drivers from other sanctions all present to battle for the winner’s share of the purse which will yield a $10,000.00 payday for the victor of the 75 lap main event.
The event is expected to provide frenzied high-speed fireworks with the 750 horsepowered machines battling door to door at speeds exceeding 100 mph in the nationally televised event. The results of the event will have a substantial impact on the season-long national championship standings as the Xtreme Dirtcar Series winds its way down the homestretch of the 2003 season. With the top finishing positions in the season-long national title chase on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series season, don't expect drivers to give in to each other as they battle and bang their way to the checkered flag at Lavonia Speedway.
Senator Carol Jackson of Georgia Senate to Serve as Grand Marshall for "9-11 Nationals" Tribute Race
With all eyes from the short-track racing world focused on the special memorial event Thursday night at Lavonia Speedway, Senator Carol Jackson (D-Cleveland, GA) has been named to serve as the Grand Marshall for the motorsports spectacle and tribute ceremonies which will unfold before the event and SPEED Channel telecast. Senator Jackson has been instrumental in initial economic studies of the impact of American Short-Track Racing throughout the State of Georgia and particularly within the 50th District in which she and her constituents realize the positive business impact of the sport as a result of the numerous racing facilities in their specific region. In addition to serving in her third term in the Georgia Senate and spearheading a grass-roots campaign to revitalize motorsports' relationships with area businesses and positive contributions to the state's economy, Senator Jackson is a long-time racing fan and supporter. During her career she has played a leading role in her family's successful business of Jackson Trucking located in Cleveland, GA.
Nation's Top Dirt Racers Battle in Trio of Events in Georgia & The Carolinas Kicking off with Special
SPEED Channel Broadcast of Memorial Event to Honor Fallen American Heroes of 9-11-2001
Thursday night's "9–11 Nationals will serve as the 30th sanctioned event of the 2003 National Championship season on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series (XDCS) and could provide an historic night of racing in more ways than one. The memorial event will be conducted on a date forever etched in the memory of Americans, September 11th, and will honor all of the brave citizens who gave the ultimate sacrifice for liberty and their nation. As part of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series' salute to the fallen heroes, the event will be aired in a tape-delayed broadcast on SPEED Channel at a later date. The recently announced tribute race event will take place at northeast Georgia's Lavonia Speedway in the single night of racing which will offer over $50,000 in winnings.
Fans Asked to Participate in SPEED Channel Broadcast Saluting 9-11 American Patriots
With the SPEED Channel cameras capturing all of the racing action and the tribute to the Americans who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 tragedy, officials of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series and producers of the nationally televised event have asked the race fans to participate in the broadcast by showing their remembrance of the nation's heroes by bringing special signs and banners to the event for visibility during the network coverage of the "9-11 Nationals" from Lavonia Speedway.
Prior to the event, on Thursday afternoon and throughout the evening, a silent auction will be held featuring numerous coveted racing collectible items with proceeds of the charity event going directly to the National Firefighters 9-11 Relief Fund. In addition, a special "9-11 Nationals" commemorative souvenir t-shirt will be available with all proceeds from that item also going directly to the National Firefighters 9-11 Relief Fund. Fans in attendance who bring signs and banners saluting the heroes of the tragic event on September 11, 2001 will not only have the opportunity to have their salutes viewed by the national television audience, but will also receive special gifts and prizes for the most original and creative tribute banners.
With a field of over 50 entries expected at the special Thursday night running of the "9 – 11 Nationals" at Lavonia Speedway look for numerous travelers from the Carolinas to join in on the border wars, including veterans Randle Chupp, Billy Hicks, Ricky Weeks, David Smith, Hot Rod Lamance, Doug Sanders and Steve Phillips all set to contend for a starting spot in the field of the nationally televised event. Fans arriving early for the kickoff to the special weekend of racing will have the chance to meet their favorite drivers in an autograph session and enjoy the salute of tribute to the American Heroes of 9 –11.
Bloomquist's Shot at 100th Career Xtreme Series Win to be Met by Stiff Challenges As Competitors Plan to Deny Tennessee Veteran Historic Win at Lavonia Speedway
Leading the charge into Lavonia Speedway will be four-time Xtreme Dirtcar Series National Champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN who has closed in on his 100th career win on the prestigious Xtreme Dirtcar Series, formerly known as the HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series. Bloomquist is also making a bid in 2003 for an unprecedented 5th National Championship Title on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series tour.
Although Bloomquist's shot at the historic 100th win will take center stage at Lavonia Speedway with many longtime fans of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series on hand to witness the potential dramatic landmark victory, he will find a major impasse in the pursuit of the pushing his current win total past 99 on the tour at Lavonia. Among the many fierce challengers standing in Bloomquist's path for the 100th win are former Winston Cup driver and dirt late model ace Jack Pennington (Winston, GA), as well as veterans Freddy Smith (Knoxville, TN), Buck Simmons (Baldwin, GA) and Mike Duvall (Cowpens, SC). The banter among the competitor base has become quite vocal this week as the event approaches with several of the veterans flatly stating that Bloomquist will be denied the win at Lavonia Speedway. Several regional competitors have made their intentions known that they will be gunning to keep Bloomquist out of victory lane Thursday night in Lavonia.
Smith, known throughout stock racing circles as the legendary "Southern Gentleman" was the 1996 National Champion of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series and is a 5-Time champion of the Dirt Track World Championship. This will not be the first rodeo for Smith in his long-time fued with Bloomquist and don't expect Smith to back down from any challenge as the familiar number 00 of Smith's Dodge Intrepid has battled with the best in motorsports over the years. In fact, as Freddy Smith's racing career began in the 1960's he battled door-to-door in his native home state of North Carolina with such legends as Tiny Lund, Red Farmer, Bobby Allison, Buck Baker and Ralph Earnhardt. Later in the mid-seventies one of Smith's archrivals was none other than Dale Earnhardt as the pair waged war at tracks such as the old Metrolina Speedway in Charlotte. Smith is seeking his first Xtreme win of 2003 and although his nickname of "The Southern Gentleman" may indicate otherwise, the cagey short-track warrior is expected to duel with any who stands in his way for the win Thursday night at Lavonia Speedway. Duvall will be in his familiar Flintstone Flyer dirt late model for the weekend and on Saturday night will be inducted into the "Walk of Fame" at 'The Dirt Track' at Lowes Motor Speedway in recognition of his career accomplishments.
Like Smith, both Buck Simmons and Jack Pennington have enjoyed their own heydays on America's short-track bullrings, as Simmons is the defending track champion at Lavonia Speedway and will lead the charge of local and regional racers who will stand their ground in defense of their home turf against the traveling drivers of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series. Simmons holds one of the strong career win totals in the sport with his current victories posted at 1,053 feature wins. Although Pennington's past success on Super Speedways in Winston Cup competition created a large following for the personable driver in his native state of Georgia and the neighboring Carolinas, it has been Pennington's more recent successful endeavors in dirt late model action. As is the case with Smith, Duvall, Simmons and Pennington are no strangers to going head-to-head with Bloomquist and each of the four talents would like nothing more than to halt Bloomquist's attempt at the 100th career Xtreme win. Bloomquist is the only former winner of any previous Xtreme Dirtcar Series sanctioned event at Lavonia Speedway with that victory coming April 26th of last season in the tour's spring appearance at the 3/8's mile clay oval in northeast Georgia.
In addition to the above-noted veterans, a long list of hotshoes from across America will be among the contenders for the win at the "9-11 Nationals" when the green flag waves at Lavonia Speedway on Thursday, September 11th and in front of a global audience viewing the SPEED Channel broadcast. Among the favorites in the field will be all of the top-ranked drivers in the XDCS national championship point standings, including Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa; Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, Wisconsin; Ashland, Kentucky's Steve Francis, a former 3-Time Champion of the STARS series and two-time defending XDCS National Champion Rick Eckert of York, Pennsylvania. Other national title contenders in action in addition to the current top-five ranked drivers will include Jacksonville, Florida's Earl Pearson Jr.; former XDCS National Champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, Georgia; Dan Schlieper of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Dresden, Ohio's Donnie Moran, a 4-Time Champion of the World 100 and this season's Lucas Oil Products Rookie of the Year on the XDCS tour, Matt Miller of Waterville, OH; Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, West Virginia; Murphy, North Carolina's Ray Cook; Jeff Smith of Dallas, North Carolina.
Reserved Seating Tickets and Hotel Discounts Available to Fans
Advanced reserved seating tickets are available by calling (866) 892-RACE. Event information can be accessed on the internet by visiting the official web site of Lavonia Speedway at www.lavoniaspeedway.com or at the site of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series found on the web at www.Xtremedirtcars.com. Grandstand Gates will open at 5:00 pm on Thursday afternoon, September 11th at Lavonia Speedway with the racing program getting underway at 7:30 pm. Due to the event being conducted on a weeknight coupled with the SPEED Channel broadcast, XDCS and SPEED Channel officials have lightened the racing schedule of support classes to include only one additional racing division in order to conclude the event at a decent hour with respect for those who must attend work and school on the following day. Local competitors in the Limited Late Model division will compete as the supporting act on the racing program with a special feature event. The Super Late Model competitors of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series will conduct time-trial qualifications, qualifying heat races, the Action Performance Dash among the heat race winners, a pair of last-chance qualifying events and main event, the 75 Lap "9 – 11 Nationals". Lavonia Speedway is located 5 and ½ miles off of Interstate 85 near the Georgia/South Carolina border. Take Exit 177 off of I-85 and go toward Hartwell, GA (From I-85 South turn left at Exit 177; From I-85 North turn right at Exit 177). Go 5 miles from I-85 and turn Right at the Shell Station; then go ½ mile and Lavonia Speedway will be on the left. The host hotel for the event is The Sleep Inn located at Exit 173 off of Interstate 85 in Lavonia, GA. Discount room rates are available for all fans and competitors by calling (706) 356-2268.
Veterans Will Battle But Expect the Young Guns to Determine Outcome of Slugfest at Lavonia Speedway
The veterans of the dirt late model wars may be more familiar to the crowd on hand for this Thursday "9-11 Nationals" Xtreme Dirtcar Series event at Lavonia Speedway, but there will be over a dozen young hungry racers aiming to make their mark on history in front of the SPEED Channel national television audience. Leading the list of likely candidates for the win are Wisconsin drivers Dan Schlieper and Jimmy Mars; Tennessee upstarts Duayne Hommel and Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) and Billy Ogle (Knoxville, TN); Iowa's Brian Birkhofer and Ohio's Matt Miller; Georgians Shane Tankersly (Morgantown, GA); Chris Ausburn (Toccoa, GA) and Royce Bray (Athens, GA) plus a host of young blood from the Carolinas including Chris Madden (Gray Court, SC; Ray Cook and David Payne (Murphy, NC); Jeremy Clements and Jeff Cooke (Spartanburg, SC) and Dennis Franklin (Gaffney, SC).
South Carolina's Chris Madden Seeks 1st Career Xtreme Win at Lavonia – Talented Young Gun is Lowes Motor Speedway's Defending Champion at 'The Dirt Track' in "Golden Corral Dirt Late Model Championship
Gray Court, South Carolina racer Chris Madden has turned a lot of heads during the past few seasons and Thursday night he will be gunning for his first career win on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series event in the "9-11 Nationals" at Lavonia Speedway in neighboring Georgia. Madden will have a lot of home fans rooting him on to the checkered flag throughout the weekend and especially at Lowes Motor Speedway when the action gets underway on Saturday at the state-of-the-art facility formally known as "The Dirt Track". In the shadows of the 1.5 mile Super Speedway in Charlotte sits "The Dirt Track" with its own version of luxury boxes and high-rise grandstands. Madden captured one of the biggest wins in his young career at the facility just two years ago and will return on Saturday night as the defending champion of the "Golden Corral Dirt Late Model Championship" event. Last season's big late model race at "The Dirt Track" was washed out by torrential floods in the area and not rescheduled so after a one-year hiatus, the 800 horsepower super late models will return to the high-banked clay oval.
The year's absence from 'The Dirt Track' shouldn't present any obstacle to Madden who campaigns a house-car for one of dirt late model racings all-time leading chassis manufacturers, Barry Wright Race Cars of Cowpens, SC. Madden has already toppled the competition in several major events during the 2003 season, including this past weekend at the 'Grant Adcox Memorial 100' at North Georgia Speedway. In addition to this past week's success Madden has several winning runs in 2003 Southern All-Star Series action already in the books. His 2001 win in the "Golden Corral Dirt Late Model Championship" saw the young talented driver from the Palmetto State survive a race of both speed and attrition while managing to hold off the fierce charges of a handful of competitors in the closing stages of the event. Madden, along with the winning advice from team-owner and chassis builder Barry Wright, will certainly be one to watch throughout the weekend, which will conclude just around the corner from the shops of Barry Wright Race Cars in Sunday evenings weekend finale to the Border Wars at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, SC.
Xtreme Dirtcar Series Drivers Dominate Late Model Competition in Ohio as Dan Schlieper Rules "World 100"as Wisconsin's Dan Schlieper Continues Hot Streak as the Summer's Hottest Driver in Short-Track Stock Car Racing
With the weekend's lucrative purses on the line beginning with Thursday night's "9-11 Nationals" in Lavonia, GA the hottest driver in the 'World' of stock car action is Dan Schlieper of Pewaukee, WI, literally. Schlieper notched another major win in his gun belt this past weekend by capturing the win at the 33rd Annual "WORLD 100" at Eldora Speedway near Dayton, OH. It was Schlieper's 5th major win in his last 8 outings and came at what insiders consider to be the biggest show in the sport for dirt late model action in regards to prestige and competition. With over 220 entries on hand for a spot in the 24-car starting grid, Schlieper earned the pole position and then decimated the field going wire-to-wire for the win worth over $36,000.00 at the "WORLD 100".
Not only did Schlieper stand out in the major event, but his fellow Xtreme Dirtcar Series competitors showed their level of success as Xtreme Dirtcar Series drivers swept the top-six finishing positions and thirteen spots in the final rundown with among a field of two-hundred twenty two (222) competitors from all across North America. This year the Xtreme Series a dozen different drivers have posted wins on the tour that competes in 19 states across the nation.
Schlieper's win at the "WORLD 100" was a follow up to his Labor Day weekend rout of his competitors in Xtreme Dirtcar Series action at Knoxville, TN's Atomic Speedway in the 'Advance Auto Parts 100' which netted the Wisconsin native over $20,000.00 in winnings. Just a week prior, near Cincinnati, OH, Schlieper captured another big-money win in the 'North-South 100', which netted over $50,000.00 in earnings. Combine those three wins with Schlieper's recent Xtreme Dirtcar Series victories in LaSalle, IL and Joplin, MO and Schlieper has had what could be considered a dream season in just a matter of 6 weeks.
Thursday's "9-11 Nationals" at Lavonia, GA Has Major Impact on National Title Chase for Short-Trackers
As a sanctioned event on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series tour, which competes in thirty-five races in across the nation this season, the field of superstars will include all of the drivers competing for the national championship of Dirt Late Model racing plus the added feature of drivers from other sanctions all present to battle for the winner’s share of the purse which will yield a $10,000.00 payday for the victor of the 75 lap main event.
The event is expected to provide frenzied high-speed fireworks with the 750 horsepowered machines battling door to door at speeds exceeding 100 mph in the nationally televised event. The results of the event will have a substantial impact on the season-long national championship standings as the Xtreme Dirtcar Series winds its way down the homestretch of the 2003 season. With the top finishing positions in the season-long national title chase on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series season, don't expect drivers to give in to each other as they battle and bang their way to the checkered flag at Lavonia Speedway.
Senator Carol Jackson of Georgia Senate to Serve as Grand Marshall for "9-11 Nationals" Tribute Race
With all eyes from the short-track racing world focused on the special memorial event Thursday night at Lavonia Speedway, Senator Carol Jackson (D-Cleveland, GA) has been named to serve as the Grand Marshall for the motorsports spectacle and tribute ceremonies which will unfold before the event and SPEED Channel telecast. Senator Jackson has been instrumental in initial economic studies of the impact of American Short-Track Racing throughout the State of Georgia and particularly within the 50th District in which she and her constituents realize the positive business impact of the sport as a result of the numerous racing facilities in their specific region. In addition to serving in her third term in the Georgia Senate and spearheading a grass-roots campaign to revitalize motorsports' relationships with area businesses and positive contributions to the state's economy, Senator Jackson is a long-time racing fan and supporter. During her career she has played a leading role in her family's successful business of Jackson Trucking located in Cleveland, GA.
Nation's Top Dirt Racers Battle in Trio of Events in Georgia & The Carolinas Kicking off with Special
SPEED Channel Broadcast of Memorial Event to Honor Fallen American Heroes of 9-11-2001
Thursday night's "9–11 Nationals will serve as the 30th sanctioned event of the 2003 National Championship season on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series (XDCS) and could provide an historic night of racing in more ways than one. The memorial event will be conducted on a date forever etched in the memory of Americans, September 11th, and will honor all of the brave citizens who gave the ultimate sacrifice for liberty and their nation. As part of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series' salute to the fallen heroes, the event will be aired in a tape-delayed broadcast on SPEED Channel at a later date. The recently announced tribute race event will take place at northeast Georgia's Lavonia Speedway in the single night of racing which will offer over $50,000 in winnings.
Fans Asked to Participate in SPEED Channel Broadcast Saluting 9-11 American Patriots
With the SPEED Channel cameras capturing all of the racing action and the tribute to the Americans who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 tragedy, officials of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series and producers of the nationally televised event have asked the race fans to participate in the broadcast by showing their remembrance of the nation's heroes by bringing special signs and banners to the event for visibility during the network coverage of the "9-11 Nationals" from Lavonia Speedway.
Prior to the event, on Thursday afternoon and throughout the evening, a silent auction will be held featuring numerous coveted racing collectible items with proceeds of the charity event going directly to the National Firefighters 9-11 Relief Fund. In addition, a special "9-11 Nationals" commemorative souvenir t-shirt will be available with all proceeds from that item also going directly to the National Firefighters 9-11 Relief Fund. Fans in attendance who bring signs and banners saluting the heroes of the tragic event on September 11, 2001 will not only have the opportunity to have their salutes viewed by the national television audience, but will also receive special gifts and prizes for the most original and creative tribute banners.
With a field of over 50 entries expected at the special Thursday night running of the "9 – 11 Nationals" at Lavonia Speedway look for numerous travelers from the Carolinas to join in on the border wars, including veterans Randle Chupp, Billy Hicks, Ricky Weeks, David Smith, Hot Rod Lamance, Doug Sanders and Steve Phillips all set to contend for a starting spot in the field of the nationally televised event. Fans arriving early for the kickoff to the special weekend of racing will have the chance to meet their favorite drivers in an autograph session and enjoy the salute of tribute to the American Heroes of 9 –11.
Bloomquist's Shot at 100th Career Xtreme Series Win to be Met by Stiff Challenges As Competitors Plan to Deny Tennessee Veteran Historic Win at Lavonia Speedway
Leading the charge into Lavonia Speedway will be four-time Xtreme Dirtcar Series National Champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN who has closed in on his 100th career win on the prestigious Xtreme Dirtcar Series, formerly known as the HAV-A-TAMPA Dirt Racing Series. Bloomquist is also making a bid in 2003 for an unprecedented 5th National Championship Title on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series tour.
Although Bloomquist's shot at the historic 100th win will take center stage at Lavonia Speedway with many longtime fans of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series on hand to witness the potential dramatic landmark victory, he will find a major impasse in the pursuit of the pushing his current win total past 99 on the tour at Lavonia. Among the many fierce challengers standing in Bloomquist's path for the 100th win are former Winston Cup driver and dirt late model ace Jack Pennington (Winston, GA), as well as veterans Freddy Smith (Knoxville, TN), Buck Simmons (Baldwin, GA) and Mike Duvall (Cowpens, SC). The banter among the competitor base has become quite vocal this week as the event approaches with several of the veterans flatly stating that Bloomquist will be denied the win at Lavonia Speedway. Several regional competitors have made their intentions known that they will be gunning to keep Bloomquist out of victory lane Thursday night in Lavonia.
Smith, known throughout stock racing circles as the legendary "Southern Gentleman" was the 1996 National Champion of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series and is a 5-Time champion of the Dirt Track World Championship. This will not be the first rodeo for Smith in his long-time fued with Bloomquist and don't expect Smith to back down from any challenge as the familiar number 00 of Smith's Dodge Intrepid has battled with the best in motorsports over the years. In fact, as Freddy Smith's racing career began in the 1960's he battled door-to-door in his native home state of North Carolina with such legends as Tiny Lund, Red Farmer, Bobby Allison, Buck Baker and Ralph Earnhardt. Later in the mid-seventies one of Smith's archrivals was none other than Dale Earnhardt as the pair waged war at tracks such as the old Metrolina Speedway in Charlotte. Smith is seeking his first Xtreme win of 2003 and although his nickname of "The Southern Gentleman" may indicate otherwise, the cagey short-track warrior is expected to duel with any who stands in his way for the win Thursday night at Lavonia Speedway. Duvall will be in his familiar Flintstone Flyer dirt late model for the weekend and on Saturday night will be inducted into the "Walk of Fame" at 'The Dirt Track' at Lowes Motor Speedway in recognition of his career accomplishments.
Like Smith, both Buck Simmons and Jack Pennington have enjoyed their own heydays on America's short-track bullrings, as Simmons is the defending track champion at Lavonia Speedway and will lead the charge of local and regional racers who will stand their ground in defense of their home turf against the traveling drivers of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series. Simmons holds one of the strong career win totals in the sport with his current victories posted at 1,053 feature wins. Although Pennington's past success on Super Speedways in Winston Cup competition created a large following for the personable driver in his native state of Georgia and the neighboring Carolinas, it has been Pennington's more recent successful endeavors in dirt late model action. As is the case with Smith, Duvall, Simmons and Pennington are no strangers to going head-to-head with Bloomquist and each of the four talents would like nothing more than to halt Bloomquist's attempt at the 100th career Xtreme win. Bloomquist is the only former winner of any previous Xtreme Dirtcar Series sanctioned event at Lavonia Speedway with that victory coming April 26th of last season in the tour's spring appearance at the 3/8's mile clay oval in northeast Georgia.
In addition to the above-noted veterans, a long list of hotshoes from across America will be among the contenders for the win at the "9-11 Nationals" when the green flag waves at Lavonia Speedway on Thursday, September 11th and in front of a global audience viewing the SPEED Channel broadcast. Among the favorites in the field will be all of the top-ranked drivers in the XDCS national championship point standings, including Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa; Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, Wisconsin; Ashland, Kentucky's Steve Francis, a former 3-Time Champion of the STARS series and two-time defending XDCS National Champion Rick Eckert of York, Pennsylvania. Other national title contenders in action in addition to the current top-five ranked drivers will include Jacksonville, Florida's Earl Pearson Jr.; former XDCS National Champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, Georgia; Dan Schlieper of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Dresden, Ohio's Donnie Moran, a 4-Time Champion of the World 100 and this season's Lucas Oil Products Rookie of the Year on the XDCS tour, Matt Miller of Waterville, OH; Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, West Virginia; Murphy, North Carolina's Ray Cook; Jeff Smith of Dallas, North Carolina.
Reserved Seating Tickets and Hotel Discounts Available to Fans
Advanced reserved seating tickets are available by calling (866) 892-RACE. Event information can be accessed on the internet by visiting the official web site of Lavonia Speedway at www.lavoniaspeedway.com or at the site of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series found on the web at www.Xtremedirtcars.com. Grandstand Gates will open at 5:00 pm on Thursday afternoon, September 11th at Lavonia Speedway with the racing program getting underway at 7:30 pm. Due to the event being conducted on a weeknight coupled with the SPEED Channel broadcast, XDCS and SPEED Channel officials have lightened the racing schedule of support classes to include only one additional racing division in order to conclude the event at a decent hour with respect for those who must attend work and school on the following day. Local competitors in the Limited Late Model division will compete as the supporting act on the racing program with a special feature event. The Super Late Model competitors of the Xtreme Dirtcar Series will conduct time-trial qualifications, qualifying heat races, the Action Performance Dash among the heat race winners, a pair of last-chance qualifying events and main event, the 75 Lap "9 – 11 Nationals". Lavonia Speedway is located 5 and ½ miles off of Interstate 85 near the Georgia/South Carolina border. Take Exit 177 off of I-85 and go toward Hartwell, GA (From I-85 South turn left at Exit 177; From I-85 North turn right at Exit 177). Go 5 miles from I-85 and turn Right at the Shell Station; then go ½ mile and Lavonia Speedway will be on the left. The host hotel for the event is The Sleep Inn located at Exit 173 off of Interstate 85 in Lavonia, GA. Discount room rates are available for all fans and competitors by calling (706) 356-2268.
Veterans Will Battle But Expect the Young Guns to Determine Outcome of Slugfest at Lavonia Speedway
The veterans of the dirt late model wars may be more familiar to the crowd on hand for this Thursday "9-11 Nationals" Xtreme Dirtcar Series event at Lavonia Speedway, but there will be over a dozen young hungry racers aiming to make their mark on history in front of the SPEED Channel national television audience. Leading the list of likely candidates for the win are Wisconsin drivers Dan Schlieper and Jimmy Mars; Tennessee upstarts Duayne Hommel and Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) and Billy Ogle (Knoxville, TN); Iowa's Brian Birkhofer and Ohio's Matt Miller; Georgians Shane Tankersly (Morgantown, GA); Chris Ausburn (Toccoa, GA) and Royce Bray (Athens, GA) plus a host of young blood from the Carolinas including Chris Madden (Gray Court, SC; Ray Cook and David Payne (Murphy, NC); Jeremy Clements and Jeff Cooke (Spartanburg, SC) and Dennis Franklin (Gaffney, SC).
South Carolina's Chris Madden Seeks 1st Career Xtreme Win at Lavonia – Talented Young Gun is Lowes Motor Speedway's Defending Champion at 'The Dirt Track' in "Golden Corral Dirt Late Model Championship
Gray Court, South Carolina racer Chris Madden has turned a lot of heads during the past few seasons and Thursday night he will be gunning for his first career win on the Xtreme Dirtcar Series event in the "9-11 Nationals" at Lavonia Speedway in neighboring Georgia. Madden will have a lot of home fans rooting him on to the checkered flag throughout the weekend and especially at Lowes Motor Speedway when the action gets underway on Saturday at the state-of-the-art facility formally known as "The Dirt Track". In the shadows of the 1.5 mile Super Speedway in Charlotte sits "The Dirt Track" with its own version of luxury boxes and high-rise grandstands. Madden captured one of the biggest wins in his young career at the facility just two years ago and will return on Saturday night as the defending champion of the "Golden Corral Dirt Late Model Championship" event. Last season's big late model race at "The Dirt Track" was washed out by torrential floods in the area and not rescheduled so after a one-year hiatus, the 800 horsepower super late models will return to the high-banked clay oval.
The year's absence from 'The Dirt Track' shouldn't present any obstacle to Madden who campaigns a house-car for one of dirt late model racings all-time leading chassis manufacturers, Barry Wright Race Cars of Cowpens, SC. Madden has already toppled the competition in several major events during the 2003 season, including this past weekend at the 'Grant Adcox Memorial 100' at North Georgia Speedway. In addition to this past week's success Madden has several winning runs in 2003 Southern All-Star Series action already in the books. His 2001 win in the "Golden Corral Dirt Late Model Championship" saw the young talented driver from the Palmetto State survive a race of both speed and attrition while managing to hold off the fierce charges of a handful of competitors in the closing stages of the event. Madden, along with the winning advice from team-owner and chassis builder Barry Wright, will certainly be one to watch throughout the weekend, which will conclude just around the corner from the shops of Barry Wright Race Cars in Sunday evenings weekend finale to the Border Wars at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, SC.
Xtreme Dirtcar Series Drivers Dominate Late Model Competition in Ohio as Dan Schlieper Rules "World 100"as Wisconsin's Dan Schlieper Continues Hot Streak as the Summer's Hottest Driver in Short-Track Stock Car Racing
With the weekend's lucrative purses on the line beginning with Thursday night's "9-11 Nationals" in Lavonia, GA the hottest driver in the 'World' of stock car action is Dan Schlieper of Pewaukee, WI, literally. Schlieper notched another major win in his gun belt this past weekend by capturing the win at the 33rd Annual "WORLD 100" at Eldora Speedway near Dayton, OH. It was Schlieper's 5th major win in his last 8 outings and came at what insiders consider to be the biggest show in the sport for dirt late model action in regards to prestige and competition. With over 220 entries on hand for a spot in the 24-car starting grid, Schlieper earned the pole position and then decimated the field going wire-to-wire for the win worth over $36,000.00 at the "WORLD 100".
Not only did Schlieper stand out in the major event, but his fellow Xtreme Dirtcar Series competitors showed their level of success as Xtreme Dirtcar Series drivers swept the top-six finishing positions and thirteen spots in the final rundown with among a field of two-hundred twenty two (222) competitors from all across North America. This year the Xtreme Series a dozen different drivers have posted wins on the tour that competes in 19 states across the nation.
Schlieper's win at the "WORLD 100" was a follow up to his Labor Day weekend rout of his competitors in Xtreme Dirtcar Series action at Knoxville, TN's Atomic Speedway in the 'Advance Auto Parts 100' which netted the Wisconsin native over $20,000.00 in winnings. Just a week prior, near Cincinnati, OH, Schlieper captured another big-money win in the 'North-South 100', which netted over $50,000.00 in earnings. Combine those three wins with Schlieper's recent Xtreme Dirtcar Series victories in LaSalle, IL and Joplin, MO and Schlieper has had what could be considered a dream season in just a matter of 6 weeks.
