Illinois Driver Registers Second World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory Of 2012

PEVELY, MO – Sept. 15, 2012 – Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., pulled off the rarest of feats on the 2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series in Saturday night’s Pepsi Nationals at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55.

With one of the season’s most memorable drives, Erb outdueled Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., for the lead and survived a frantic last-ditch bid from the national tour’s record-breaking driver to emerge victorious in a raucous A-Main that was extended an extra circuit, to 56 laps, by a late caution flag.

Erb, 39, swapped the top spot four times with Lanigan, 42, during the scheduled 55-lap event, with the last lead change coming on lap 36 when Erb dived low in turn three and surged ahead. But the former DIRTcar Summer Nationals and UMP national champion faced tense restarts on laps 48 and 54 before celebrating his second WoO LMS triumph of 2012 and the fourth of his career. (more…)

Belle-Clair Speedway (Sept. 14) & Federated Auto Parts Raceway At I-55 (Sept. 15)

CONCORD, NC – Sept. 13, 2012 – NO PLACE LIKE IT: Jason Feger has a suggestion for people planning to attend the inaugural World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., on Friday night (Sept. 14).

“You need to get there early and see everybody’s face when they look at the track,” said Feger, a 34-year-old resident of Bloomington, Ill., who has entered special shows at Belle-Clair for several seasons. “It’s gonna be pretty interesting.”

Indeed, the one-fifth-mile bullring – the smallest track ever to appear on the WoO LMS schedule – will elicit some wide-eyed reactions from the national tour’s regulars. Just one of the circuit’s 11 current travelers has raced at Belle-Clair – and that driver (rookie Kent Robinson of Bloomington, Ind.) has only run a UMP Modified there.

“You ain’t seen nothing until you’ve seen that place,” said Feger. “It is tiny, definitely the smallest track I’ve ever been on. The size is definitely a big equalizer, so I could see a first-time Outlaw winner on Friday night.” (more…)

First-Place Prize Of $20,000 On The Line In Keyser Manufacturing ‘Down & Dirty 100’ Presented By NAPA 

MARNE, MI – Sept. 12, 2012 – Berlin Raceway’s transformation from an asphalt track to a dirt-covered showplace for one spectacular racing weekend is complete.

More than 300 truckloads of clay now cover the 7/16^th-mile oval in advance of the Keyser Manufacturing ‘Down & Dirty 100’ Presented by NAPA Auto Parts, a historic $20,000-to-win World of Outlaws Late Model Series event on Sept. 21-22 that will return the venerable Wolverine State facility to its dirt-track roots.

“Everything has come along great,” said Berlin Raceway general manager Mike Bursley, who co-promotes the venerable speedway with Kurt Dietrich under the DBD Ventures banner. “We’ve had great weather the last couple days to let us get the dirt down without any problems and now it’s just a matter of getting the surface worked in and ready for racing.” (more…)

Pockets $50,000 Top Prize 10 Years After Memorable First Victory In DIRTcar UMP-Sanctioned Event

ROSSBURG, OH – Sept. 8, 2012 – Ten years later, Brian Birkhofer is back on top of the world.

A decade after capturing the prestigious DIRTcar UMP-sanctioned World 100 at Eldora Speedway for the first time, the superstar driver from Muscatine, Iowa, returned to the spotlight on Saturday night with a dominant march to victory in dirt Late Model racing’s biggest event.

Birkhofer’s triumph was worth $50,000, including a $5,000 bonus added to the first-place prize on Saturday by Mark Larson of Rock Rivers Arms in Colona, Ill.

“Who would’ve thought 10 years ago I won and here we are again,” said Birkhofer, who became the seventh driver to win the World 100 at least twice in the race’s 42-year history. “It feels good to get back in Victory Lane. I’m in awe that I have my name on this (World 100) shirt a second time and I have a new globe (trophy) to put right by my big TV tomorrow night when I watch the (Pittsburgh) Steelers.” (more…)

Big Month Highlighted by Inaugural $20,000-To-Win Event At Bubba Raceway Park, New Wrinkles For Multi-Day Shows At Screven & Volusia

CONCORD, NC – Sept. 7, 2013 – The 2013 World of Outlaws Late Model Series will kick off with the busiest month of February in the history of the national tour.

The three tracks that hosted WoO LMS events in February ’12 – Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga., Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., and Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. – will be featured again come 2013, but changes in each facility’s program will produce more lucrative action for teams and more excitement for fans.

A total of eight WoO LMS A-Mains will be contested over a three-week stretch in February ’13, highlighted by the inaugural $20,000-to-win ‘Super Sunday Showdown’ that will close the second annual Bubba Army Late Model Winter Nationals on Feb. 15-17 at Bubba Raceway Park. (more…)

‘Photobilly 50’ On Sept. 14 At Belle-Clair Now $12,000 To Win/$1,000 To Start, Pepsi Nationals On Sept. 15 At Federated Up To $1,000 To Start

CONCORD, NC – Sept. 5, 2012 – One of the most anticipated weekends on the 2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series schedule has grown even bigger.

The national tour’s upcoming doubleheader at two challenging, action-packed St. Louis-area bullrings – Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., on Sept. 14 and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., on Sept. 15 – will offer increased purses, track and series officials announced on Wednesday.

Thanks to additional sponsorship support, the ‘Photobilly 50’ at Belle-Clair now boasts a $12,000 top prize and $1,000 last-place payoff and the Pepsi Nationals at Federated Auto Parts Raceway will have its A-Main start money boosted to $1,000. (more…)

World of Outlaws Late Model Series Star In Position To Become Just Third Driver To Win Dream & World 100 In Same Season

ROSSBURG, OH – Sept. 4, 2012 – Shane Clanton joined a select group of all-star drivers with his victory in June’s Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora Speedway. He’ll etch his name on an even more exclusive list with another crown-jewel triumph at the famed half-mile oval this Saturday night (Sept. 8).

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series standout from Fayetteville, Ga., has his focus squarely set on capturing the prestigious 42^nd annual World 100 – a success that would make him just the third driver to win both of Eldora’s marquee DIRTcar-sanctioned Late Model events in the same season.

“That’s what we’re shooting for,” said Clanton, who seeks to pull off a ‘Big E’ big-race sweep accomplished previously only by dirt Late Model immortals Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark. (1998 and 2010) and Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio (1996). “Winning the World is a big enough deal itself, but doing something that only two of the greatest drivers of our sport have done before would be so cool.” (more…)

Over $150,000 On The Line During Unique World of Outlaws Late Model Series Event

MIDDLEBOURNE, WV – Aug. 31, 2012 – Jared Hawkins can’t believe that he’s about to defend his stunning victory in last year’s big-money finale of the Black Diamond 125 at Tyler County Speedway.

Ready or not, on Saturday night (Sept. 1) the 26-year-old talent from Fairmont, W.Va., returns to the scene of his greatest triumph to chase a chunk of the $150,000-plus purse promoter Frank Wilson has posted for the unique, multi-feature World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at the quarter-mile ‘Bullring.’

“It doesn’t feel like it’s been a year,” Hawkins wistfully said. “It feels like we were just there. I still relive that day all the time.”

The second annual Black Diamond 125 was, of course, a memorable coming-out party for Hawkins. After pocketing the biggest payday of his young career with an $8,000 win in the Friday-night UFO Late Model Series tuneup, he upped the ante 24 hours later with a gargantuan $20,000 score in the 45-lap ‘Sweet Sixteen’ headliner that capped the event’s three-feature program. (more…)

Record 14^th Victory Of 2012, 40^th Of Career Moves Lanigan Back Ahead Of Richards On Tour’s Alltime Win List

LITTLE VALLEY, NY – Aug. 29, 2012 – Well, that ‘slump’ didn’t last long.  Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., snapped a modest two-race winless streak on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series Wednesday night, rolling to a runaway victory before a standing-room-only crowd in the national tour’s inaugural 50-lap A-Main at Little Valley Speedway.

The 42-year-old star raced off the outside pole starting spot to lead the entire distance. He turned back a brief mid-race threat from Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., and then pulled away following a lap-32 restart to defeat the returning two-time WoO LMS champion by a commanding 2.231 seconds.

Lanigan’s triumph was his record 14^th of the 2012 season and the 40^th of his career in World of Outlaws competition, moving him out of a tie with Richards for the top spot on the circuit’s alltime win list. (more…)