Smithville, OH --- Five dirt race track promoters have gotten together and decided to give the thousands of race fans what they have been clamoring for, a “speedweek” of national dirt Late Model racing events featuring the finest drivers in the country assembled in one state to do battle at five of the state of Ohio’s finest and most competitive racing facilities over the span of a week. The XTREME OHIO LATE MODEL SPEEDWEEK will be held over the course of July 3 through July 11 and will be sanctioned by the Xtreme Dirt Car Series, a national dirt Late Model sanctioning body based in North Carolina. In addition, one race will be televised on the SPEED Channel network.
The extravaganza kicks off on Thursday July 3 at the Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, OH followed by a July 4 holiday show at Raceway 7 in Conneaut, OH. July 5 will serve as a rain date. The next event will be held on Tuesday July 8 at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, OH with Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH picking up the Wednesday July 9 date. The series will finish off at KC Raceway in Chillicothe, OH on Saturday July 11 with Sunday July 12 reserved as a rain date.
“It’s been a while since anything like this has been held for dirt Late Models and despite the current economic climate we felt we needed to give the fans what they have been asking for,” stated Jim Nier, owner and promoter of KC Raceway. “We think this concept is viable and will be successful and we are already thinking ahead to next year. This year will be a year to get started and hopefully we can make this an annual special week and have seven tracks in seven nights. That’s the ultimate goal. So we’ll use this year as a barometer of sorts.”
The winner of each event will earn $10,000. And what a group of winners it is likely to be.
“I’m very excited about the Ohio Late Model Speedweek,” commented John Hess, co-owner & promoter of Wayne County Speedway. “Especially for the racing. In addition to each tracks’ regular Late Model racers, fans can also enjoy the top national stars like Rick Eckert, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Dale McDowell, Earl Pearson, Jr., Donnie Moran, Brian Birkhofer, Jimmy Mars and so many others. I just can’t wait to see the racing! We should have fantastic car counts at each track.”
Doc Lehman has been tabbed as the Xtreme Ohio Late Model Speedweek Promotional Coordinator and will help oversee promotional projects for the Speedweek in addition to assisting each track in public relations and marketing.
“I feel it’s important to get across the whole concept of ‘speedweek’ rather than separate shows, especially to make this grow, and we felt Doc Lehman would be an asset in that regard,” said Nier. “Doc is a former promoter, sanction official and a longtime public relations and media member who has thirty years in the business. He’s had some radio and television experience as well. Plus, he organized the first Ohio Late Model Speedweek back in 1988 that was a big success.”
One of Lehman’s first orders of business was to green light the construction of an XTREME OHIO LATE MODEL SPEEDWEEK website that will be produced, designed and sponsored by Panther Motorsports Design of Marietta, OH. Announcement of the official debut of the new website will be forthcoming.
“It’s important to keep the race fans, sponsors and race teams informed as completely as possible and in a timely manner,” said Lehman. “To that end we’ll have a steady stream of information being released over the coming couple of months via the website, racing publications, radio programs and other venues. And perhaps the most important goal is to reach out to the ‘occasional’ race fan, and potential new fans, and get them out to the tracks. To that end we’ll work hard at attracting local and regional mainstream media attention leading up to SPEEDWEEK.”
“It’s fortunate to have farsighted promoters who will do the extra effort and we can count on (Xtreme Dirt Car Series owner) Doug Bland’s full support and resources. In addition, there are drivers coming in who will go the extra mile in assisting to obtain extra publicity and coverage through personal appearances, interviews and things of that nature. Each and every driver who pulls into a SPEEDWEEK event will be a professional and in turn realizes how important it is to their teams and the tracks to have successful, well attended events.”
Dirt Late Model teams from across the country will be in attendance, including top Xtreme teams like Rick Eckert, Dale McDowell, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran, Earl Pearson,Jr., Brian Birkhofer, Jimmy Mars, Randy Korte, Dan Schlieper, Matt Miller, Randle Chupp, Rick Aukland, and many others. In addition, many independent and other competing sanctions’ top stars are expected to be at most or all of the SPEEDWEEK events, including Chub Frank, Mike Balzano, Steve Shaver, John Mason, Rob Blair, Bart Hartman, Jackie Boggs, Todd Andrews, Steve Casebolt, Keith Berner, Mark Banal, Doug Drown and many, many others.
Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH will host the Xtreme Dirt Car Series for the first time in view of the SPEED Channel cameras for their July 9 SPEEDWEEK date and the event will air on July 31 at 11 p.m. ET.
Each night of the XTREME OHIO LATE MODEL SPEEDWEEK will be held at competitive racetracks throughout the Buckeye state.
Ronnie Moran’s Muskingum County Speedway is located six miles north of Zanesville, OH on State Route 60. For information call 740.763.3991 (office) or 740.754.9199 (track). The MCS website is at: http://mcspeedway.20m.com
Among Muskingum County Speedway’s top dirt Late Model racers are Rob House, Chuck Maloney, Chad Hina, Greg Baumberger, Jeff Abrams, Pat Novaria, Jamey Miller, Brad Goff, Jason Hindel and Chuck Russell, among others.
Ron & Thelma Nielson’s Raceway 7 is located six miles south of Interstate 90 on Ohio Route 7 at Conneaut, OH. For information call 440-594-2222 (track) or 814-967-4230 (office). E-mail the speedway at info@raceway7.com. The Raceway 7 website is at: www.raceway7.com
Raceway 7 has a full field of top-notch dirt late Model racers, including, among a couple dozen more, Dick Barton, Dan Armbruster, Ron Davies, Jim Dandy, Jr., Rich Gardner, Jay Watson, Dave Hess, Jr., Mickey Wright, Bryan Durig and Mark Osburn.
Wayne County Speedway is owned by John & Ilene Hess and David & Debi Fink and is located nine miles east of Wooster, or 15 miles west of Massillon, on Route 30, then one mile north on Carr Road, south of Orrville, OH. For information call 330-682-7435 (Track) or 330-674-3454 (Office). Email the speedway at: ilene@valkyrie.net The WCS website is at: www.waynecountyspeedway.com
Wayne County Speedway’s large field of weekly competitors will be represented by, among many others, the likes of Ryan Markham, Chet Alexander, Charlie Duncan, Dave Wirt, Blaine Aber, Rick Bond, J.R. Gentry, Eric Myers, George Lee and Jeff Esbenshade.
Sharon Speedway is owned by NASCAR Winston Cup star Dave Blaney and is located Sharon Speedway is located in Trumbull County ten miles north of I-80 (Exit 1 off I-80, Nine Miles North on RT. 7 To RT. 305 East) in Hartford, Ohio at 3301 Orangeville-Custer Road. For information call 330.772-5481 (Office). The Sharon Speedway website is at: www.sharonspeedway.com
Sharon Speedway runs 410 Sprint Cars and Big Block Modifieds for their weekly show and this will be the first dirt Late Model race under the stewardship of the Blaney family although the track will draw a multitude of weekly and regional competitors from eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia.
Jim Nier’s KC Raceway is located at 2535 Blain Highway in Huntington Township in Waverly, OH near Chillicothe, OH. For information call 740.663-4141 (track) or 740-663-4143. Email the track at: kcraceway@hotmail.com The KC Raceway website is at: http://www.kc-raceway.com
KC Raceway’s powerful dirt Late Model contingent will be represented by Aaron Bapst, Jeff Houser, Scott Edmisten, Mark Frazier, Tony Throckmorton, Shawn Holiday, Don Clark, Kenny Christy, Tim Sabo and Mike Long, among others.
More details and information will be released in the coming days and weeks.
-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services
The extravaganza kicks off on Thursday July 3 at the Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, OH followed by a July 4 holiday show at Raceway 7 in Conneaut, OH. July 5 will serve as a rain date. The next event will be held on Tuesday July 8 at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, OH with Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH picking up the Wednesday July 9 date. The series will finish off at KC Raceway in Chillicothe, OH on Saturday July 11 with Sunday July 12 reserved as a rain date.
“It’s been a while since anything like this has been held for dirt Late Models and despite the current economic climate we felt we needed to give the fans what they have been asking for,” stated Jim Nier, owner and promoter of KC Raceway. “We think this concept is viable and will be successful and we are already thinking ahead to next year. This year will be a year to get started and hopefully we can make this an annual special week and have seven tracks in seven nights. That’s the ultimate goal. So we’ll use this year as a barometer of sorts.”
The winner of each event will earn $10,000. And what a group of winners it is likely to be.
“I’m very excited about the Ohio Late Model Speedweek,” commented John Hess, co-owner & promoter of Wayne County Speedway. “Especially for the racing. In addition to each tracks’ regular Late Model racers, fans can also enjoy the top national stars like Rick Eckert, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Dale McDowell, Earl Pearson, Jr., Donnie Moran, Brian Birkhofer, Jimmy Mars and so many others. I just can’t wait to see the racing! We should have fantastic car counts at each track.”
Doc Lehman has been tabbed as the Xtreme Ohio Late Model Speedweek Promotional Coordinator and will help oversee promotional projects for the Speedweek in addition to assisting each track in public relations and marketing.
“I feel it’s important to get across the whole concept of ‘speedweek’ rather than separate shows, especially to make this grow, and we felt Doc Lehman would be an asset in that regard,” said Nier. “Doc is a former promoter, sanction official and a longtime public relations and media member who has thirty years in the business. He’s had some radio and television experience as well. Plus, he organized the first Ohio Late Model Speedweek back in 1988 that was a big success.”
One of Lehman’s first orders of business was to green light the construction of an XTREME OHIO LATE MODEL SPEEDWEEK website that will be produced, designed and sponsored by Panther Motorsports Design of Marietta, OH. Announcement of the official debut of the new website will be forthcoming.
“It’s important to keep the race fans, sponsors and race teams informed as completely as possible and in a timely manner,” said Lehman. “To that end we’ll have a steady stream of information being released over the coming couple of months via the website, racing publications, radio programs and other venues. And perhaps the most important goal is to reach out to the ‘occasional’ race fan, and potential new fans, and get them out to the tracks. To that end we’ll work hard at attracting local and regional mainstream media attention leading up to SPEEDWEEK.”
“It’s fortunate to have farsighted promoters who will do the extra effort and we can count on (Xtreme Dirt Car Series owner) Doug Bland’s full support and resources. In addition, there are drivers coming in who will go the extra mile in assisting to obtain extra publicity and coverage through personal appearances, interviews and things of that nature. Each and every driver who pulls into a SPEEDWEEK event will be a professional and in turn realizes how important it is to their teams and the tracks to have successful, well attended events.”
Dirt Late Model teams from across the country will be in attendance, including top Xtreme teams like Rick Eckert, Dale McDowell, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran, Earl Pearson,Jr., Brian Birkhofer, Jimmy Mars, Randy Korte, Dan Schlieper, Matt Miller, Randle Chupp, Rick Aukland, and many others. In addition, many independent and other competing sanctions’ top stars are expected to be at most or all of the SPEEDWEEK events, including Chub Frank, Mike Balzano, Steve Shaver, John Mason, Rob Blair, Bart Hartman, Jackie Boggs, Todd Andrews, Steve Casebolt, Keith Berner, Mark Banal, Doug Drown and many, many others.
Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH will host the Xtreme Dirt Car Series for the first time in view of the SPEED Channel cameras for their July 9 SPEEDWEEK date and the event will air on July 31 at 11 p.m. ET.
Each night of the XTREME OHIO LATE MODEL SPEEDWEEK will be held at competitive racetracks throughout the Buckeye state.
Ronnie Moran’s Muskingum County Speedway is located six miles north of Zanesville, OH on State Route 60. For information call 740.763.3991 (office) or 740.754.9199 (track). The MCS website is at: http://mcspeedway.20m.com
Among Muskingum County Speedway’s top dirt Late Model racers are Rob House, Chuck Maloney, Chad Hina, Greg Baumberger, Jeff Abrams, Pat Novaria, Jamey Miller, Brad Goff, Jason Hindel and Chuck Russell, among others.
Ron & Thelma Nielson’s Raceway 7 is located six miles south of Interstate 90 on Ohio Route 7 at Conneaut, OH. For information call 440-594-2222 (track) or 814-967-4230 (office). E-mail the speedway at info@raceway7.com. The Raceway 7 website is at: www.raceway7.com
Raceway 7 has a full field of top-notch dirt late Model racers, including, among a couple dozen more, Dick Barton, Dan Armbruster, Ron Davies, Jim Dandy, Jr., Rich Gardner, Jay Watson, Dave Hess, Jr., Mickey Wright, Bryan Durig and Mark Osburn.
Wayne County Speedway is owned by John & Ilene Hess and David & Debi Fink and is located nine miles east of Wooster, or 15 miles west of Massillon, on Route 30, then one mile north on Carr Road, south of Orrville, OH. For information call 330-682-7435 (Track) or 330-674-3454 (Office). Email the speedway at: ilene@valkyrie.net The WCS website is at: www.waynecountyspeedway.com
Wayne County Speedway’s large field of weekly competitors will be represented by, among many others, the likes of Ryan Markham, Chet Alexander, Charlie Duncan, Dave Wirt, Blaine Aber, Rick Bond, J.R. Gentry, Eric Myers, George Lee and Jeff Esbenshade.
Sharon Speedway is owned by NASCAR Winston Cup star Dave Blaney and is located Sharon Speedway is located in Trumbull County ten miles north of I-80 (Exit 1 off I-80, Nine Miles North on RT. 7 To RT. 305 East) in Hartford, Ohio at 3301 Orangeville-Custer Road. For information call 330.772-5481 (Office). The Sharon Speedway website is at: www.sharonspeedway.com
Sharon Speedway runs 410 Sprint Cars and Big Block Modifieds for their weekly show and this will be the first dirt Late Model race under the stewardship of the Blaney family although the track will draw a multitude of weekly and regional competitors from eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia.
Jim Nier’s KC Raceway is located at 2535 Blain Highway in Huntington Township in Waverly, OH near Chillicothe, OH. For information call 740.663-4141 (track) or 740-663-4143. Email the track at: kcraceway@hotmail.com The KC Raceway website is at: http://www.kc-raceway.com
KC Raceway’s powerful dirt Late Model contingent will be represented by Aaron Bapst, Jeff Houser, Scott Edmisten, Mark Frazier, Tony Throckmorton, Shawn Holiday, Don Clark, Kenny Christy, Tim Sabo and Mike Long, among others.
More details and information will be released in the coming days and weeks.
-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services
