Proudly boasting as the Nations' Premier Dirt Late Model Sanctioning Organization the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2008 will sanction 44 events in 16 states with a Series record $2.9 million dollars paid out in event purses, Championship point fund and bonus money.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, founded in 2005 receives national exposure through 13 taped-delayed Series Events that will be shown through the SPEED Channel and the VERSUS Network. SPEED Channel, the television home to motorsports enthusiasts is currently available to 70 million households in North America. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will also receive prime-time coverage of several tape-delayed events in 2008 on the VERSUS Network, which is home to outdoor enthusiasts and sports programming and is available to over 70 million households in North America.
Today's current Dirt Late Models feature steel constructed tube frame chassis with aluminum bodies that give them a sleek aerodynamic appearance of a race car; there is nothing stock about these 2300 pound machines. The cars are powered by an 800 horsepower motor that can turn in excess of 9,000 RPM's. The engines are based on V-8 Chevrolet, Ford and MOPAR power plants.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction many traditional events in '08 with appearances for the first time at eight different venues. Among those tracks hosting Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events for the very first time include; Swainsboro Speedway, in Swainsboro, GA; Screven Speedway in Sylvania, GA; Bedford Speedway, in Bedford, PA; Hilltop Speedway in Millersburg, OH; Winchester Speedway, in Winchester, VA; Batesville Speedway, in Batesville, AR; Lawrenceburg Speedway, in Lawrenceburg, IN; and Jackson Motor Speedway, in Jackson, MS.
Other Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series race tracks that will host events include the “32nd Annual DART Winternationals” at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL; the “Indiana Icebreaker” and “Jackson 100” at Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, IN; the “Stanley Schetrompf Memorial” at Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD; the “4th Annual 99’s” at Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway in Calvert City, KY; the “2nd Annual SuperClean Diamond Nationals” at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO; the “Spring Shootout” at La Salle Speedway in La Salle, IL; the “Ralph Latham Memorial” and the “North South 100” at Florence Speedway in Union, KY; the “9th Annual Grassy Smith Memorial” at Cherokee Super Speedway in Gaffney, SC; the “Crenos 50” at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, OH; the “Heart of Dixie 40” at North Alabama Speedway in Tuscumbia, AL; the “10th Annual James Nickoles Memorial” at Columbus Speedway in Columbus, MS; and the “Topless 100” at Batesville Speedway, in Batesville, AR.
Other highlights of the 2008 schedule include a visit to the Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, KY for the “Bluegrass Classic”, Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne, WV for the “Hillbilly Hundred”, the “Rome Rumble” at Rome International Speedway in Rome, GA; and the Lucas Oil “Dixie Shootout” at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA. The Series will also pay visits this year to Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA; K C Raceway in Chillcothe, OH; Farley Speedway in Farley, IA; Duck River Speedway in Wheel, TN; North Georgia Speedway in Chatsworth, GA; Talladega Short Track in Talladega, AL; Fayetteville Motor Speedway, in Fayetteville, NC; Tazewell Speedway in Tazewell, TN; Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, TN; Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, IL; and Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, OH.
In 2007 the Series sanctioned 34 events at 25 different race tracks in 16 states. A total of 632 drivers entered at least one Series event with 18 different drivers winning an event on the Series tour. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series averaged 59 cars per event the highest of any touring Series in the country.
For more information about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series you can visit the Series website at www.lucasdirt.com or contact Series Director Ritchie Lewis at (951)532-2503.
