By Roby Helm
MOORESVILLE, NC - The Xtreme DirtCar Series begins the 2003 season with three events next week at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL as a part of the 27th Annual East Bay Winternationals. The first event will be a $5,000-to-win race on Tuesday night, followed by a $7,000-to-win event on Thursday night, and the third race will be on Saturday night, paying $15,000-to-win.
This will mark the sixth straight year the Xtreme DirtCar Series has participated in the East Bay Winternationals along with the Ohio-based Renegade DirtCar Series, who will be in action on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights. This combination will bring an expected car count of over 80 competitors that reads like a "Who's Who" in dirt late model racing.
"The East Bay Winternationals is one of the premier events in all of dirt late model racing, and we're proud to be a part of it," Xtreme DirtCar Series President Doug Bland said. "The three nights of racing at East Bay will set the table for the 2003 season, and with the best drivers in the nation being attracted to this event, it's a true test of man and machine on a tough 1/3-mile clay oval."
SPEED Channel will tape the Thursday night and Saturday night events for airing later this spring. The complete Xtreme DirtCar Series television schedule on SPEED Channel will be announced in the coming weeks.
Among those competitors will be Winston Cup star Ken Schrader of Fenton, MO, who will compete at East Bay Raceway Park on Monday and Tuesday nights. Schrader is no stranger to dirt late model racing, having competed in years past with the Xtreme DirtCar Series. Schrader also owns a dirt track in Pevely, MO.
Defending and two-time Xtreme DirtCar Series Champion Rick Eckert of York, PA will unload his Raye Vest Rocket/Cornett Taurus at East Bay Raceway Park to begin his quest for an unprecedented third straight XDCS title. Eckert has one XDCS win at East Bay in 2000.
The 1999 XDCS Champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA will be looking to improve on his series runner-up status from last season in quest of his second XDCS championship driving the Larry Shaw Race Cars Rocket by Shaw/Custom Grand Prix.
Steve Francis of Ashland, KY will begin his second straight season driving the Rocket "house car" after driving the Valvoline/Mopar Parts Rocket/Stanton Intrepid to a third-place finish in XDCS points last season. The Kentucky Colonel has finished in the top five in XDCS points in the last four seasons, but the championship has eluded him.
Jimmy Mars became a series championship contender last season with an early season victory last February at EBRP. Mars drove his Jimmy Mars Racing Mastersbilt/Pro Power Monte Carlo to a fourth-place finish in the 2002 XDCS point standings.
Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL hopes to get off to a quick start in the 2003 season. A late season rally put Pearson in the fifth spot in the 2002 XDCS points chase driving the Lucas Oil/Dunn-Benson Ford Rocket/Eatmon Taurus.
The 1996 XDCS Champion Freddy Smith of Knoxville, TN will debut a new team with a new nameplate for XDCS competition at EBRP. The Southern Gentleman will unload a new Dodge Intrepid with a Gaerte-built Mopar engine bolted in his Warrior chassis. Smith finished sixth in the 2002 XDCS point standings.
Randy Korte of Highland, IL broke into the win column in XDCS competition last season with two victories, and a seventh-place finish in the point standings. Korte will return for the 2003 battle driving the Mid-Continental Fuels Rocket by Shaw/Pro Power Grand Prix.
Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC has been getting ready for the 2003 season by doing some testing this winter with Winston Cup star Bill Elliott. The Tar Heel Tiger will take to EBRP in the Youngblood Concrete Mastersbilt/Cornett Taurus looking for his ninth-straight top ten points finish in XDCS competition. Cook finished eighth in XDCS points last season.
Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, TN begins his sophomore season of XDCS competition as the reigning Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year. Ogle, who finished ninth in points last season, returns in the Calhoun's Restaurant GRT/Clements Monte Carlo.
Last season's Lucas Oil RoY runner-up Shane Tankersley of Morganton, GA will also return for his second season of XDCS competition driving the Tankersley Motorsports Rocket/Race Tech Grand Prix. Tankersley is still recovering from off-season non-racing related injuries with two broken heals.
Two drivers have announced their candidacies for the 2003 $10,000 Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year Award. Matt Miller of Waterville, OH will compete in the McCullough Motorsports/LoTemp Racing Rocket/Russell Baker Grand Prix. Miller has one career XDCS victory coming in 2001.
Troy Kuyoth of Stratford, WI will compete for the Lucas Oil RoY honors driving the Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket/Pro Power Grand Prix. Kuyoth won the WISSOTA Modified Championship in 1999, and won the late model championship last season at MHR Speedway in Unity, WI.
Four-time XDCS Champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresville, TN will start the season looking for his fifth championship driving the Miller Brothers Coal Warrior/Custom Taurus. Bloomquist is the all-time winningest driver in XDCS history with 89 victories, and over $1.5-million in XDCS career earnings.
Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR will return to XDCS competition this season with a new look to his GRT Race Cars team. His number changes from 6m to 88 in honor of his late father Hootie, and Wallace also changes from a Pontiac Grand Prix to a Ford Taurus with a Keith Craft-built engine.
Among the Renegade series top entrants will be the three-time Champion Chub Frank of Sugar Grove, PA. Frank has several XDCS wins on his resume driving the Corry Rubber Rocket/Draime Monte Carlo, including last year's $55,000 victory in the XDCS Hardee's Shootout at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA.
Parkersburg, WV drivers Mike Balzano and Steve Shaver will be two other Renegade stars competing with the XDCS at East Bay. Shaver is a two-time XDCS East Bay Winternationals Champion, and he will be debuting a new team at this year's edition.
The defending and two-time XDCS East Bay Winternationals Champion Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN will return to try and continue his domination of EBRP late model competition. O'Neal won four of six events last year at the Winternationals driving the Petroff Towing Rayburn/Rayburn Monte Carlo.
Skip Arp of Georgetown, TN won the Winternationals in 1998, and returns after a strong second-place finish in the XDCS Hardee's Shootout last October. Arp will drive the Charter Communications GRT/Gaerte Grand Prix.
The 1997 XDCS Champion Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR has a pair of EBRP wins, including one last year. Moyer will be at the controls of the Hawkeye Trucking/McCarthy Heating and Air Rayburn/Clements Taurus. Moyer will be joined by his teammate Shannon Babb of Decatur, IL, who is still looking for his first career XDCS win.
Dan Schlieper of Pewaukee, WI also has an EBRP win in XDCS competition. Schlieper's win was spectacular, as his Pro Power Racing Engines Rayburn/Pro Power Monte Carlo suffered a broken steering column early in the race, and Schlieper had to man-handle the car to the winner's circle.
Other top entries expected include Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA, Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH, Randle Chupp of Mooresville, NC, Rick Aukland of Zanesville, OH, along with local favorites Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, FL, and Bobby Alexander Jr. of Tampa, FL.
For ticket information and a schedule of events for the East Bay Winternationals, visit the EBRP web site at www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
MOORESVILLE, NC - The Xtreme DirtCar Series begins the 2003 season with three events next week at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL as a part of the 27th Annual East Bay Winternationals. The first event will be a $5,000-to-win race on Tuesday night, followed by a $7,000-to-win event on Thursday night, and the third race will be on Saturday night, paying $15,000-to-win.
This will mark the sixth straight year the Xtreme DirtCar Series has participated in the East Bay Winternationals along with the Ohio-based Renegade DirtCar Series, who will be in action on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights. This combination will bring an expected car count of over 80 competitors that reads like a "Who's Who" in dirt late model racing.
"The East Bay Winternationals is one of the premier events in all of dirt late model racing, and we're proud to be a part of it," Xtreme DirtCar Series President Doug Bland said. "The three nights of racing at East Bay will set the table for the 2003 season, and with the best drivers in the nation being attracted to this event, it's a true test of man and machine on a tough 1/3-mile clay oval."
SPEED Channel will tape the Thursday night and Saturday night events for airing later this spring. The complete Xtreme DirtCar Series television schedule on SPEED Channel will be announced in the coming weeks.
Among those competitors will be Winston Cup star Ken Schrader of Fenton, MO, who will compete at East Bay Raceway Park on Monday and Tuesday nights. Schrader is no stranger to dirt late model racing, having competed in years past with the Xtreme DirtCar Series. Schrader also owns a dirt track in Pevely, MO.
Defending and two-time Xtreme DirtCar Series Champion Rick Eckert of York, PA will unload his Raye Vest Rocket/Cornett Taurus at East Bay Raceway Park to begin his quest for an unprecedented third straight XDCS title. Eckert has one XDCS win at East Bay in 2000.
The 1999 XDCS Champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA will be looking to improve on his series runner-up status from last season in quest of his second XDCS championship driving the Larry Shaw Race Cars Rocket by Shaw/Custom Grand Prix.
Steve Francis of Ashland, KY will begin his second straight season driving the Rocket "house car" after driving the Valvoline/Mopar Parts Rocket/Stanton Intrepid to a third-place finish in XDCS points last season. The Kentucky Colonel has finished in the top five in XDCS points in the last four seasons, but the championship has eluded him.
Jimmy Mars became a series championship contender last season with an early season victory last February at EBRP. Mars drove his Jimmy Mars Racing Mastersbilt/Pro Power Monte Carlo to a fourth-place finish in the 2002 XDCS point standings.
Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL hopes to get off to a quick start in the 2003 season. A late season rally put Pearson in the fifth spot in the 2002 XDCS points chase driving the Lucas Oil/Dunn-Benson Ford Rocket/Eatmon Taurus.
The 1996 XDCS Champion Freddy Smith of Knoxville, TN will debut a new team with a new nameplate for XDCS competition at EBRP. The Southern Gentleman will unload a new Dodge Intrepid with a Gaerte-built Mopar engine bolted in his Warrior chassis. Smith finished sixth in the 2002 XDCS point standings.
Randy Korte of Highland, IL broke into the win column in XDCS competition last season with two victories, and a seventh-place finish in the point standings. Korte will return for the 2003 battle driving the Mid-Continental Fuels Rocket by Shaw/Pro Power Grand Prix.
Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC has been getting ready for the 2003 season by doing some testing this winter with Winston Cup star Bill Elliott. The Tar Heel Tiger will take to EBRP in the Youngblood Concrete Mastersbilt/Cornett Taurus looking for his ninth-straight top ten points finish in XDCS competition. Cook finished eighth in XDCS points last season.
Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, TN begins his sophomore season of XDCS competition as the reigning Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year. Ogle, who finished ninth in points last season, returns in the Calhoun's Restaurant GRT/Clements Monte Carlo.
Last season's Lucas Oil RoY runner-up Shane Tankersley of Morganton, GA will also return for his second season of XDCS competition driving the Tankersley Motorsports Rocket/Race Tech Grand Prix. Tankersley is still recovering from off-season non-racing related injuries with two broken heals.
Two drivers have announced their candidacies for the 2003 $10,000 Lucas Oil Rookie of the Year Award. Matt Miller of Waterville, OH will compete in the McCullough Motorsports/LoTemp Racing Rocket/Russell Baker Grand Prix. Miller has one career XDCS victory coming in 2001.
Troy Kuyoth of Stratford, WI will compete for the Lucas Oil RoY honors driving the Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket/Pro Power Grand Prix. Kuyoth won the WISSOTA Modified Championship in 1999, and won the late model championship last season at MHR Speedway in Unity, WI.
Four-time XDCS Champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresville, TN will start the season looking for his fifth championship driving the Miller Brothers Coal Warrior/Custom Taurus. Bloomquist is the all-time winningest driver in XDCS history with 89 victories, and over $1.5-million in XDCS career earnings.
Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR will return to XDCS competition this season with a new look to his GRT Race Cars team. His number changes from 6m to 88 in honor of his late father Hootie, and Wallace also changes from a Pontiac Grand Prix to a Ford Taurus with a Keith Craft-built engine.
Among the Renegade series top entrants will be the three-time Champion Chub Frank of Sugar Grove, PA. Frank has several XDCS wins on his resume driving the Corry Rubber Rocket/Draime Monte Carlo, including last year's $55,000 victory in the XDCS Hardee's Shootout at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA.
Parkersburg, WV drivers Mike Balzano and Steve Shaver will be two other Renegade stars competing with the XDCS at East Bay. Shaver is a two-time XDCS East Bay Winternationals Champion, and he will be debuting a new team at this year's edition.
The defending and two-time XDCS East Bay Winternationals Champion Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN will return to try and continue his domination of EBRP late model competition. O'Neal won four of six events last year at the Winternationals driving the Petroff Towing Rayburn/Rayburn Monte Carlo.
Skip Arp of Georgetown, TN won the Winternationals in 1998, and returns after a strong second-place finish in the XDCS Hardee's Shootout last October. Arp will drive the Charter Communications GRT/Gaerte Grand Prix.
The 1997 XDCS Champion Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR has a pair of EBRP wins, including one last year. Moyer will be at the controls of the Hawkeye Trucking/McCarthy Heating and Air Rayburn/Clements Taurus. Moyer will be joined by his teammate Shannon Babb of Decatur, IL, who is still looking for his first career XDCS win.
Dan Schlieper of Pewaukee, WI also has an EBRP win in XDCS competition. Schlieper's win was spectacular, as his Pro Power Racing Engines Rayburn/Pro Power Monte Carlo suffered a broken steering column early in the race, and Schlieper had to man-handle the car to the winner's circle.
Other top entries expected include Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA, Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH, Randle Chupp of Mooresville, NC, Rick Aukland of Zanesville, OH, along with local favorites Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, FL, and Bobby Alexander Jr. of Tampa, FL.
For ticket information and a schedule of events for the East Bay Winternationals, visit the EBRP web site at www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
