WAYCROSS, GA (October 26, 2016) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series – widely acknowledged as the nation’s premier dirt late model tour – announces a record-breaking 2017 schedule.

The ambitious 2017 schedule, which includes 54 events at 35 different venues across 22 states – begins with the February 10th-11th Super Bowl of Racing at Golden Isles Speedway, and concludes on October 20th-21st at Portsmouth Raceway Park for the 37th Annual Dirt Track World Championship, which is set to offer a $100,000 top prize for the third consecutive year.

The 2017 schedule will feature 15 events that will pay $12,000-to-win, along with 11 crown jewel events that will pay $20,000-to-win (or more). The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction some of most prestigious dirt late model events of the season, including: Bad Boy 98 ($20,000-to-win); Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 ($30,000-to-win); Clash at the Mag ($20,000-to-win); Silver Dollar Nationals ($53,000-to-win); Sunoco North/South 100 ($50,000-to-win); COMP Cams Topless 100 ($40,000-to-win); Hillbilly Hundred ($25,000-to-win); Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals ($40,000-to-win); Jackson 100 ($20,000-to-win); Pittsburgher 100 ($20,000-to-win); and the season finale – Dirt Track World Championship ($100,000-to-win). (more…)

PORTSMOUTH, OH (October 15, 2016) – Brandon Sheppard charged from the 21st starting position to win his second career Dirt Track World Championship Race at Portsmouth Raceway Park on Saturday night. Sheppard earned a career-best $100,000 as he drove the Eric Brock-owned Best Performance Motorsports Team/Rocket Chassis to the victory.

Sheppard was third different leader of the event – taking over the top spot from Josh Richards on lap 72. Richards forged ahead again on lap 73 before Sheppard cleared Richards for good on lap 77, and never looked back in the final Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event of the season. Earl Pearson Jr. in the Dunn-Benson Ford/Lucas Oil Racing TV/Longhorn charged to second at the finish ahead of Richards, Gregg Satterlee, and Darrell Lanigan.

The 2016 LOLMDS National Champion, Scott Bloomquist, led the first 45 laps of the race until Richards passed him for the lead. Bloomquist, who came into the event seeking his third straight DTWC win at Portsmouth, fell to second and then six laps later yielded the spot to Sheppard.

Richards appeared to be pulling away from the field as he opened up his lead, but Sheppard slowly started to track down Richards and with 23 laps to go he had taken the lead away from him for the final time. (more…)

IMPERIAL, PA (October 8, 2016) – Josh Richards roared to the lead on lap 25 and never looked back – winning his second career Pittsburgher 100. The victory for his team was worth $20,000 on Saturday night at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. Richards took over the point from the early pace-setter and new track record holder, Michael Norris.

Richards’ Mark Richards Racing/Valvoline/Seubert Calf Ranches/Durham Race Engines/Rocket Chassis house-car captured his sixth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season over Scott Bloomquist, Gregg Satterlee, Don O’Neal, and Jimmy Owens.

Norris was making his first career LOLMDS start and looked strong early on in the race, but Richards went by him on lap 25. O’Neal then got by Norris for second as Bloomquist – who started tenth – began to make his way to the front. (more…)

ROME, GA (October 2, 2016) Scott Bloomquist raced to his 15th Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the 2016 season on Sunday night at Rome International Speedway. Bloomquist led every lap, but had to fight off a late-race challenge from Don O’Neal to pick up the win in the Lucas Oil Rome Showdown – piloting his Crop Production Services/Mark Martin Automotive/Reece Monument Company/Sweet-Bloomquist Chassis.

Trailing Bloomquist and O’Neal to the checkers were Brandon Overton, Chris Madden, and Jonathan Davenport.

“The car was awesome tonight! It [the car] was as smooth as could be and our Andy Durham engine ran great. When we got into traffic we had a few issues. The car wouldn’t get off the corners like I wanted it to. I never saw O’Neal at the end. I just tried to stay focused the best I could,” said Bloomquist. (more…)

WOODSTOCK, GA (October 1, 2016) – Dale McDowell won his first Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout since 2001 on Saturday Night at Dixie Speedway. McDowell took the lead on lap 43 from race-long leader Tim McCreadie and then sprinted away for the win, his third in the annual event.

McCreadie who led the first 42 laps of the race came home second in the Sweeteners Plus/Longhorn – followed by 6-time Dixie Shootout winner and current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader, Scott Bloomquist in his Crop Production Services/Reece Monument Company/Sweet-Bloomquist entry. Completing the top five were Brandon Overton and Darrell Lanigan.

“First off I have to thank my brother, Shane, he does all the work. Hats off to he and the guys at the shop. Thanks also to Scott [Bloomquist], we have been base-lining off of them back-and-forth, it’s been pretty good,” said the winner in Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the second time this season.

“Our mom passed away five years ago yesterday. This was one of her favorite places to come to. It’s awfully hard to stay in the lead at this track; he [McCreadie] was searching and searching to try to get around those lapped cars. Fortunately, we had that caution and it took us a couple of laps to get around him. I drove it in to turn one pretty hard a couple of times and it finally stuck and we were able to get by him.” (more…)