By: Betty Glynn
La Salle, IL – The World of Outlaws Late Model Series (WoO LMS) is headed to the Illinois Valley’s largest outdoor sports arena this Sunday afternoon for the first time since 2007. The 18th annual running of the Best Western Illinois Fall Nationals, promoted by Track Enterprises, will provide raw horsepower and full throttle racing to cap off the La Salle Speedway’s 2009 racing season.
The Illinois Fall Nationals was moved to La Salle in 2007 after a fifteen year run on the Springfield mile at the Illinois State Fair Grounds.
The WoO LMS is a traveling racing tour for dirt Late Model stock cars. According to their website the series is a cousin to the longer-running World of Outlaws series for winged Sprint Cars that was founded by the late Ted Johnson in 1978, the WoO LMS first ran in 1988-89 under the direction of Johnson. The series sat dormant until being rekindled in 2004 by the World Racing Group and has grown in each season since then to take its place as one of the most competitive and lucrative tours for dirt Late Model racers.
Topping the venue on Sunday will be their 40-lap feature paying $7,000 to the victor. Mother Nature stole the checkers for the Fall Nationals in 2008. At the completion of the 2007 race, it was standout Jeep VanWormer carrying the checkered flag to victory circle out of the 37 entrants. Finishing behind VanWormer was Darrell Lanigan, Chub Frank, Tim Fuller, Steve Francis, Dennis Erb Jr., Shannon Babb and Shane Clanton.
The racing then was one many will never forget including Roger Brickler whose machine went nose over tail down the front stretch during the fourth heat contest. Brickler’s ride looked like a “cash-for-clunker” car after a visit to the crushing machine. Fortunately for him his rollcage was well built and he was unscathed.
The WoO LMS season usually opens in mid-February during the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida, and concludes the first weekend in November. Their schedule boasts over 40 events, with track sizes ranging from a quarter-mile to five-eighths-of-a-mile in length.
Forty two year old racer Steve Francis of Kentucky now leads the WoO LMS points chase after a late race pass ended his 20 race drought over Labor Day weekend. He scored his sixth win to take the chase lead away from a young gun half his age. Twenty one year old Josh Richards, dubbed “Kid Rocket”, was leading the race until the white flag lap when the Kentucky Colonel took control. Richards has tallied higher earnings than the leader with seven wins but as of September 7th he trails by a mere 4 points.
Francis has won a total of $161,885 shy of Richards impressive $170,020 pay so far. Lanigan sits prominently in third with his winnings of $164,526 and only 91 points out of the lead. Another standout in the tour has been New York driver Tim Fuller who has managed to score seven of the last eleven WoO LMS feature events. He now sits behind Lanigan in fourth with 148 points out of the lead and $134,430 in winnings.
At the completion of the 2008 season, Richards found himself too far out of contention with a deficit of 160 points to take the crown but this season it is going down to the wire.
Only a handful of races remain so the final stop in Illinois may help to determine the championship and some major money. After Sunday, the tour has only three remaining events scheduled all of which are in North Carolina at Lowes Motor Speedway where the tour season will end and they will crown their champion.
In addition to the top three WoO LMS point chasers, the list of drivers who have the La Salle stop on their schedules is growing. So far racers Fuller, Rick Eckert, Shannon Babb, Jason Feger, Dennis Erb Jr., Chub Frank, Jimmy Mars, and many more will be making the trek. The speedway’s local talent will undoubtedly come out to play in the dirt one final time as well.
Much like the event in 2007, there is again a down-to-the-wire points battle that has quite the buzz going. It isn’t just the WoO LMS, it is none other than the sought after UMP Super Late Models National Title on the line. Two years ago, it was Dennis Erb Jr. and Wes Steidinger in a duel.
This year it is again Erb but he has a new challenger to beat. Former La Salle Speedway regular Jason Feger is right there with him fighting for not only the coveted crown but the hefty $20,000 that accompanies the national title. Feger boasts an outstanding eighteen UMP victories so far this season while Erb manages to stay consistent and is a veteran to the pressure a title chase such as this one can present.
The UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model points standings are determined using the drivers' best 40 finishes/points nights so now the two are replacing past finishes. Feger was leading the two time defending champion by only 10 points prior to the Saturday running of the famed World 100 at Eldora Speedway. At press time, the UMP points had not been updated on their website. The current points standing can be found at www.umpracing.com.
The ultra racey UMP Modifieds and UMP Street Stocks will join the Late Models to close out the year at La Salle. The Modified main boasts $1,000 for the 30 lap feature winner. Jeff Leka drove his way to victory during the 2007 Fall Nationals where 37 drivers signed in for action.
On Sunday, the pit gates will open at 2pm, grandstand gates open at 4pm, the practice session begins at 5pm, and time trials at 5:30pm. The first race is set to take the green flag at 6pm.
Admission prices are as follows: Adult grandstand $25, Children 11 and under $5, all Pit Passes $35.
For additional information or to purchase advanced general admission tickets contact Track Enterprises 1-217-764-3200 or the La Salle Speedway at 1-815-223-6939.
La Salle, IL – The World of Outlaws Late Model Series (WoO LMS) is headed to the Illinois Valley’s largest outdoor sports arena this Sunday afternoon for the first time since 2007. The 18th annual running of the Best Western Illinois Fall Nationals, promoted by Track Enterprises, will provide raw horsepower and full throttle racing to cap off the La Salle Speedway’s 2009 racing season.
The Illinois Fall Nationals was moved to La Salle in 2007 after a fifteen year run on the Springfield mile at the Illinois State Fair Grounds.
The WoO LMS is a traveling racing tour for dirt Late Model stock cars. According to their website the series is a cousin to the longer-running World of Outlaws series for winged Sprint Cars that was founded by the late Ted Johnson in 1978, the WoO LMS first ran in 1988-89 under the direction of Johnson. The series sat dormant until being rekindled in 2004 by the World Racing Group and has grown in each season since then to take its place as one of the most competitive and lucrative tours for dirt Late Model racers.
Topping the venue on Sunday will be their 40-lap feature paying $7,000 to the victor. Mother Nature stole the checkers for the Fall Nationals in 2008. At the completion of the 2007 race, it was standout Jeep VanWormer carrying the checkered flag to victory circle out of the 37 entrants. Finishing behind VanWormer was Darrell Lanigan, Chub Frank, Tim Fuller, Steve Francis, Dennis Erb Jr., Shannon Babb and Shane Clanton.
The racing then was one many will never forget including Roger Brickler whose machine went nose over tail down the front stretch during the fourth heat contest. Brickler’s ride looked like a “cash-for-clunker” car after a visit to the crushing machine. Fortunately for him his rollcage was well built and he was unscathed.
The WoO LMS season usually opens in mid-February during the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida, and concludes the first weekend in November. Their schedule boasts over 40 events, with track sizes ranging from a quarter-mile to five-eighths-of-a-mile in length.
Forty two year old racer Steve Francis of Kentucky now leads the WoO LMS points chase after a late race pass ended his 20 race drought over Labor Day weekend. He scored his sixth win to take the chase lead away from a young gun half his age. Twenty one year old Josh Richards, dubbed “Kid Rocket”, was leading the race until the white flag lap when the Kentucky Colonel took control. Richards has tallied higher earnings than the leader with seven wins but as of September 7th he trails by a mere 4 points.
Francis has won a total of $161,885 shy of Richards impressive $170,020 pay so far. Lanigan sits prominently in third with his winnings of $164,526 and only 91 points out of the lead. Another standout in the tour has been New York driver Tim Fuller who has managed to score seven of the last eleven WoO LMS feature events. He now sits behind Lanigan in fourth with 148 points out of the lead and $134,430 in winnings.
At the completion of the 2008 season, Richards found himself too far out of contention with a deficit of 160 points to take the crown but this season it is going down to the wire.
Only a handful of races remain so the final stop in Illinois may help to determine the championship and some major money. After Sunday, the tour has only three remaining events scheduled all of which are in North Carolina at Lowes Motor Speedway where the tour season will end and they will crown their champion.
In addition to the top three WoO LMS point chasers, the list of drivers who have the La Salle stop on their schedules is growing. So far racers Fuller, Rick Eckert, Shannon Babb, Jason Feger, Dennis Erb Jr., Chub Frank, Jimmy Mars, and many more will be making the trek. The speedway’s local talent will undoubtedly come out to play in the dirt one final time as well.
Much like the event in 2007, there is again a down-to-the-wire points battle that has quite the buzz going. It isn’t just the WoO LMS, it is none other than the sought after UMP Super Late Models National Title on the line. Two years ago, it was Dennis Erb Jr. and Wes Steidinger in a duel.
This year it is again Erb but he has a new challenger to beat. Former La Salle Speedway regular Jason Feger is right there with him fighting for not only the coveted crown but the hefty $20,000 that accompanies the national title. Feger boasts an outstanding eighteen UMP victories so far this season while Erb manages to stay consistent and is a veteran to the pressure a title chase such as this one can present.
The UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model points standings are determined using the drivers' best 40 finishes/points nights so now the two are replacing past finishes. Feger was leading the two time defending champion by only 10 points prior to the Saturday running of the famed World 100 at Eldora Speedway. At press time, the UMP points had not been updated on their website. The current points standing can be found at www.umpracing.com.
The ultra racey UMP Modifieds and UMP Street Stocks will join the Late Models to close out the year at La Salle. The Modified main boasts $1,000 for the 30 lap feature winner. Jeff Leka drove his way to victory during the 2007 Fall Nationals where 37 drivers signed in for action.
On Sunday, the pit gates will open at 2pm, grandstand gates open at 4pm, the practice session begins at 5pm, and time trials at 5:30pm. The first race is set to take the green flag at 6pm.
Admission prices are as follows: Adult grandstand $25, Children 11 and under $5, all Pit Passes $35.
For additional information or to purchase advanced general admission tickets contact Track Enterprises 1-217-764-3200 or the La Salle Speedway at 1-815-223-6939.
