Defending Champ Has Plenty Of Motivation, Including Bid For Elusive WoO Victory During UNOH DIRTcar Nationals by Summit
CONCORD, NC – Jan. 29, 2013 – Think Darrell Lanigan spent some time kicking back to savor his spectacular 2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series championship season?

Well, guess again. The ultra-competitive superstar from Union, Ky., basically put his record-smashing season in his rearview mirror as soon as he picked up his $100,000 points-fund check at the national tour’s awards ceremony in early November.

“I never took a day off,” Lanigan said of his off-season itinerary. “Right after the (WoO LMS) banquet we were in the shop and right back at it. We never had any down time.”

There simply was too much work on Lanigan’s docket for the 42-year-old to rest – even for a few short days – on his well-earned laurels. He determined that any break in focus would hinder his preparation for February’s season-opening burst of WoO LMS action, which includes the ‘Winter Freeze’ doubleheader on Feb. 8-9 at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga.; the Bubba Army Late Model Winter Nationals on Feb. 15-17 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.; and the three 50-lap, $10,000-to-win programs on Feb. 21-23 that comprise half the dirt Late Model portion of the 42nd UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment at Volusia Speedway Park. (more…)

WAYCROSS, GA (December 10, 2012) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series made several big announcements this past weekend during the Championship Awards Banquet and IMIS Trade Show in Indianapolis, IN. Jimmy Owens was honored as the 2012 LOLMDS National Champion in front of a huge crowd at the Lucas Estate in Carmel, IN last Thursday at the series’ year-end awards banquet.

During the banquet, series officials announced that ASI Racewear will be the title sponsor of the expanded crown jewel cup presented by DirtonDirt.com. The “ASI Crown Jewel Cup presented by DirtonDirt.com” will pay a whopping $10,000 to the driver that earns the most points during the nine race mini-series within the LOLMDS schedule in 2013. To be eligible for these cash bonus drivers will have to maintain perfect attendance throughout the 2013 season.

“We’re very excited to announce an increase in the 2nd Annual Crown Jewel Cup within the LOLMDS by having ASI Racewear and DirtonDirt.com increase their involvement with this program. The CJC has great growth potential and any companies interested in being involved in this program can contact series Marketing Director Wayne Castleberry at 951-532-5806″, stated Ritchie Lewis, Series Director. (more…)

WAYCROSS, GA (October 29, 2012) – After completing another successful season in 2012; where Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN won his second consecutive LOLMDS National Championship; series officials are pleased to announce the 2013 schedule. The premier national touring dirt late model series has 44 confirmed dates in 20 different states on the schedule for 2013. Series officials have worked hard to complete the schedule and release it to the public, so that racers, promoters, and all the great fans of the series can start making plans to attend in 2013. The series completed forty-three (43) events in 2012, with an average of forty-four (44) cars per event. There were fifteen different (15) winners in 2012 with Don O’Neal leading the series with eleven (11) wins.

Heading into 2013, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is ecstatic to work with so many great promoters and confirming all dates on the schedule. The series will have twelve (12) events paying more than $10,000 to win, including several marquee events on the schedule again in 2013. The 2013 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national tour will kick off at the “Clay by the Bay” on February 11th with the six consecutive nights of action packed racing during the 37th Annual Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will again sanction some of the sport’s biggest events such as the Commonwealth 100, Show-Me 100, Silver Dollar Nationals, North/South 100, COMP Cams Topless 100, Hillbilly Hundred, Jackson 100, Knoxville Late Model Nationals and the season finale Dirt Track World Championship. (more…)

Presumptive 2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Champ Has Never Won At The Dirt Track At Charlotte

CONCORD, NC – Oct. 22, 2012 – Darrell Lanigan has entered the PEAK Motor Oil World of Outlaws World Finals Presented by NAPA Auto Parts with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series championship already in his back pocket, and he’s gone into the season-ending spectacular locked in a dramatic battle for the points title.

Not surprisingly, the 42-year-old star from Union, Ky., prefers the decidedly less-stressful first option, which happens to be the way he’ll go racing in this year’s PEAK World Finals Presented by NAPA on Nov. 1-3 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Thanks to his record-breaking 2012 campaign, he’ll clinch his second career WoO LMS crown when he drives through the pit gate of the four-tenths-mile oval.

“It’s a lot less pressure on a guy to go down there and not have to worry about where he finishes,” said Lanigan, who cemented the 2008 WoO LMS championship by simply showing up for the PEAK World Finals Presented by NAPA and two years later lost the title to Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., in a down-to-the-wire thriller. “We always go there to win the race, but being in a point race definitely gives you something else to think about. I’m glad that this year the points are done so we can just go there to win the race.” (more…)

PORTSMOUTH, OH (October 20, 2012) – Jimmy Owens put an exclamation point on the final race of the season for the series by winning the $50,000 to win 32nd Red Buck Dirt Track World Championship presented by Borrowed Blue on Saturday Night at Portsmouth (OH) Raceway Park. Owens came into the crown jewel event already having clinched the 2012 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series title.

Owens took the lead on lap two from defending DTWC winner, Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN and led the rest of the way to become the 23rd different driver to capture one of the sport’s most prestigious events. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN came home second, followed by O’Neal, Josh Richards of Shinnston, WV, and local driver Ben Adkins of West Portsmouth, OH.

“I don’t know what to say, putting my name on that trophy with all the great drivers that have won this race, means a lot to me and my crew. I have to thank my car owner, Mike Reece, we got together in 2007 and it’s been a tremendous relationship since,” said the 40-year-old. “I have to thank my crew we went with the right tire choice, the Cornett Engine ran strong and our goal was to win this race one day and we got it done.” (more…)

WAYCROSS, GA (October 15, 2012) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series wraps up the 2012 season this weekend at Portsmouth Raceway Park with the running of the 32nd Annual RED BUCK Dirt Track World Championship – Featuring “Borrowed Blue”. The Newport Nightmare, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN and his supporting cast will be celebrating their second consecutive LOLMDS National Championship. Owens heads into the weekend without any points pressure, although he’s working hard to take the 50K back to Newport and add to his list of accomplishments in dirt late model racing. Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA will enter this weekend’s event with the Quarter Master Rookie of the Year title in hand. The Clint Boyer Racing team, sponsored by Georgia Boot, will be celebrating a great season and marching through the competition, trying to get their hands on the 50K first place prize.

In the previous 31 events there have been 22 different drivers to capture the event. Dating back to the inaugural running in 1981, there have been five drivers to win the prestigious event more than once. Hall of Famer – Freddy Smith of Seymour, TN leads the way with five wins, followed by the late Jack Boggs of Grayson, KY, who won the race three times. The other three drivers with more than one win in the event are each two-time DTWC winners, including: Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR: Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN; and Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, IL. Babb is the latest repeat winner, dating all the way back to 1998. (more…)

WAYCROSS, GA (October 13, 2012) – Capping off another exciting year of racing, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series heads to the 2012 season finale – the Red Buck Dirt Track World Championship – presented by “Borrowed Blue”. Jimmy Owens, of Newport, TN will secure his second LOLMDS National Championship in a row, once he rolls through the gates and enters the final event at Portsmouth Raceway Park next weekend. Owens, who has won six (6) LOLMDS feature events in 2012, has been consistently racking up valuable points all season long to stay in front of the series points battle. Owens is leading Don O’Neal into the final event by 430 points. O’Neal leads the series with eleven (11) wins in 2012 but has suffered several DNF’s, costing him valuable points towards the series national championship.

Jonathan Davenport will wrap up the 2012 Quarter Master Rookie of the Year Title next week at Portsmouth Raceway Park. Davenport, who drives the #15 Georgia Boot – Clint Boyer owned race car, has not posted a win on the series yet in 2012, but has been a constant contender at every event to earn enough points to win the Quarter Master Rookie of the Year title in 2012. Davenport currently sits in fifth place in the series national points standings heading into the season finale next week. (more…)

Waycross, GA (October 9, 2012) – The excitement is building for what is expected to be one of the biggest dirt late model events of the year. The 32nd Annual Red Buck Dirt Track World Championship featuring Borrowed Blue will take place at Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, Ohio on October 18th, 19th and 20th. This year’s event will have the largest purse in the history of the event with over $200,000 up for grabs during the three day weekend. Not only will the winner of the prestigious trophy take home a cool $50,000 and the feature event paying $2,000 to start, there also is a Non-qualifiers race paying $3,000 to the winner and an open wheel modified feature event paying $3,000 to the winner.

Several companies have come on board to partner with the LOLMDS and Carl Short to help make the DTWC one of the biggest events of the year. In addition to Red Buck sponsoring the Fast Time Award and paying $100 to the fastest qualifier, Michael Rigsby and his company Dirt on Dirt.com has agreed to sponsor the fast time award also and pay an additional $1,000 to the driver that sets the fastest lap in qualifying. A large staff of folks from Dirtondirt.com will be at the event covering everything as it happens providing fans and racers in depth stories and coverage of this year’s Red Buck Dirt Track World Championship featuring Borrowed Blue. (more…)

ROME, GA (October 7, 2012) – John Blankenship of Williamson, WV continued the best season of his racing career on Sunday Night as he captured the Rome Rumble at Rome International Speedway. Blankenship, who started seventh, roared to the lead on lap 21 and never looked back in winning his third Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event of the season.

Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN survived a side-by-side duel with Chris Madden of Gaffney, SC to finish second in his Hawkeye Trucking, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford. Madden was third, followed by Steve Francis of Ashland, KY and 10th starting, Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN.

Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN; the current series points leader and previous nights’ winner of the Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout; took the lead at the start of the 50-lap, $10,000-to-win feature event. Owens looked dominant in the early going until race traffic started to slow his momentum. When Owens caught traffic, so did Madden, Bloomquist, and Blankenship and they made it a four-way battle for the top spot.

At one point they were three-wide for second. Blankenship passed both Madden and Bloomquist on the same lap to take second. Then two laps later Blankenship made the inside pass of Owens for the lead on lap 21. On the same lap, Owens slowed with a right-rear flat tire. (more…)