Attica, Ohio – July 13, 2012 – Defending DIRTcar Summer Nationals Champion Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., won his fourth ‘Hell Tour’ main event Friday night at Attica Raceway Park. Babb took home the $5,000 top prize for his efforts.

(For late breaking news from the DIRTcar Summer Nationals ‘Hell Tour’, click here to follow along on Twitter.)

Babb swapped the second position with defending DIRTcar Late Model National Champion Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., throughout the middle stages of the 40-lap main event.

“Every time we’ve been here to Attica, Ryan has been really good on the bottom,” Babb said. “He kind of showed me there was something down there.”

He then past Frank Heckenast Jr., of Frankfort, Ill., on a lap 37 restart to claim the win.

“I knew I had him because I rolled the top so good on the restart,” Babb said. “I had been having a little trouble up there because it was a little treacherous and you could jump it easy but on that last restart I hit it really good and it shot me down the backstretch.” (more…)

Points Leader Matches World of Outlaws Late Model Series Single-Season Win Record In Dramatic Fashion

GRAND FORKS, ND – July 13, 2012 – Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., tied the World of Outlaws Late Model Series single-season win record in dramatic fashion, overtaking race-long pacesetter Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., on the final lap to capture Friday night’s ‘Seven Clans Casinos 50’ at River Cities Speedway.

In another memorable WoO LMS event at the high-banked, quarter-mile oval, Lanigan, 42, chased Smith for the entire distance before finally slipping underneath the leader racing down the backstretch on the last circuit. Lanigan found just enough traction on the bottom of turns three and four to beat Smith back to the checkered flag by a mere 0.024 of a second – likely the closest finish in the history of the WoO LMS.

The $10,650 triumph was Lanigan’s ninth of 2012, matching the national tour’s modern-era (2004-present) single-season record held by Scott Bloomquist and Josh Richards. He will have his first opportunity to establish a new standard on Saturday night (July 14) when the WoO LMS ‘Wild West Tour’ concludes at North Central Speedway in Brainerd, Minn.

“It’s definitely awesome to be able to tie (the single-season win record),” said Lanigan, whose 35^th career WoO LMS victory moved him within three of tying Richards atop the circuit’s win list since 2004. “It definitely helps the bank account too. We’ll just keep on chugging and see what we can come up with.” (more…)

ROSSBURG, Ohio – July 13, 2012 – Eldora Speedway has turned into a feast-or-famine facility for Joey Saldana.

A year ago, his season was derailed after a vicious accident during the Kings Royal kept him out of his sprint car for approximately two months. However, Saldana powered to a special victory in his return to Eldora Speedway last fall.

On an overcast Friday, Saldana recaptured that magic and feasted en route to the Knight Before the Kings Royal win – his 11^th with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at the famed half-mile oval.

“Tonight we needed it,” he said. “The last two months we’ve been struggling.

“It definitely makes you feel confident, but you still got to come out here and run all 40 laps and be leading at the end.” (more…)

Terre Haute, Ind. – July 12, 2012 -Kenny Wallace of Concord, N.C., powered to his second DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals victory of 2012 Thursday night at the Terre Haute Action Track in Terre Haute, Ind.

(For breaking news from the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals, click here to follow along on Twitter.)

Wallace, a widely known NASCAR driver and SPEED TV analyst, drove around Tyler Nicely of Owensboro, Ky., on lap two after the duo raced side by side on the opening lap. Wallace earned $700 for the win.

“The thing was when we went single file we started second and I knew my only chance was to drive it down into turn one like Jack Hewitt,” explained Wallace. “I knew Tyler was going to go to the bottom so my only chance is to pounce on it on the outside.”

“My car was really good tonight, my crew chief Billy Smith ordered some new parts and I guess they worked because it had incredible forward bite,” Wallace said. “I’m really excited for the win because it’s at a legendary track and we earned it.” (more…)

Terre Haute, Ind. – July 12, 2012 – Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., captured his first DIRTcar Summer Nationals win of 2012 Thursday night at the Terre Haute Action Track worth $5,000.

(For late breaking news from the DIRTcar Summer Nationals ‘Hell Tour’, click here to follow along on Twitter.)

O’Neal used a strong restart on lap 20 to tail leader Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., before making a lap 22 pass for the lead when Sheppard slipped over the cushion exiting turn two.

“Turns one and two were rough getting in and it was hard to hit your line every time,” analyzed O’Neal. “Right before the yellow flag we kind of got a run on him and I knew we had a shot there if we could stay out of the lapped cars.”

“We got the job done though, after the way we’ve struggled. My guys have worked really hard and it’s paying off.” (more…)