Bristol Motor Speedway
Notebook: Ruhlman aiming for 3rd ALMS title
From staff, track and series reports
Brian Ruhlman
The two strongest drivers in Sunoco American Late Model Series competition the past four seasons will battle for the 2008 tour championship on Saturday night at Fremont (Ohio) Speedway. Brian Ruhlman of Clarklake, Mich., the 2005 and 2007 champion, leads 2006 series champion Rusty Schlenk of Jackson, Mich., by 18 points heading into the final series event Sept. 13.
Don't count Schlenk out at Fremont. In clinching the 2006 championship on the UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned tour, Schlenk rallied from his 16th starting spot for a victory in the finale at Fremont.
"We're very excited the ALMS title will be decided at Fremont," said Fremont promoter Rich Farmer. "Brian Ruhlman and Rusty Schlenk have battled for the series title the past three years and are locked in a tight battle this year. It should be an entertaining night of racing."
While Ruhlman and Schlenk are the only other drivers in title contention, other ALMS regulars expected include the drivers third through fifth in series points: Rusty Seaver of Stanton, Mich., Tyler Boggs of Warsaw, Ind., and Jerry Bowersock of Wapakoneta, Ohio. — From track reports
Editor's note: With the Sept. 13 ALMS event at Fremont raining out, the series has moved its finale to Millstream Speedway in Findlay, Ohio, for Sept. 28.
PITTSBURGHER COMING UP SEPT. 18-20: The 20th annual Pizza Hut Pittsburgher 100 is scheduled for Sept. 18-20 at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway in Imperial, Pa., as the first-year Unified Force Race Championship takes over sanctioning of the $12,000-to-win event. Practice is set for Thursday night with Friday night highlighted by heat races. Saturday's 100-lap feature will include a 32-car starting field on the half-mile oval. Heading into the event, Alex Ferree of Saxonburg, Pa., and PPMS champion Jared Miley of South Park, Pa., are tied in the UFO title chase. — From series reports
CLASH PLAYOFFS REACH MIDPOINT: The six-race Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series Countdown to the Cup reaches its midpoint with Round 3 on Sept. 13 at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, Va. Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, S.C., has a slim points lead over four-time series champion Ricky Weeks of Rutherfordton, N.C., with four races remaining in the first-year Clash playoff system. "It ain't over until it's over," said Franklin, who led the series points early in the season before giving way to Weeks. "We have had our share of bad luck this season, too, so right now it still up in the air." — From series reports
SKYLINE HOSTING RICHEST EVENT: Skyline Speedway's 2008 version of the Harvest 50 will feature two complete events Sept. 20-21 at the track in Stewart, Ohio. Saturday's Super Late Model opener pays $3,000 to the winner while Sunday's feature pays $5,000 to the winner. Any driver sweeping both events receives a $3,000 bonus for a total weekend take of $11,000. Visit the track website for more race details. — Scott Wolfe
PETALUMA SPECIAL COMING SEPT. 20: California's longest-running Dirt Late Model event is scheduled on Sept. 20 at Petaluma Speedway for the 29th annual M. Maselli & Sons Late Model Classic. The Maselli will pay $2,500 to the winner and at least $600 to all 20 starters of the feature event. Recent winners include Ed Sans Jr. (2007), Richard Papenhausen (2006), Bobby Hogge IV (2005) and John Silva (2004). Visit the track website for race details. — From track reports
MACK TRIES TO REPEAT MSRA CHAMPIONSHIP: The O'Reilly Mid-South Racing Association wraps up its 2008 season with the Sept. 12-13 Mid-South Dirt Track Championship at Poinsett County Raceway in Harrisburg, Ark., and Joey Mack of Benton, Mo., is trying to wrap up his second straight MSRA title. While Mack is winless on the series, he enters the finale with a 21-point edge on Jeff Floyd of Walnut Ridge, Ark. The weekend's feature event pays $5,000 to the winner and at least $400 to each starter. — Ben Shelton
QUAD CITY SCALES BACK HARVEST SHOOTOUT: The third annual Fall Harvest Shootout at Quad City Raceway in East Moline, Ill., originally scheduled to pay $12,000 to the winner and get sanctioning from the O'Reilly MARS DIRTcar Series and Northern Allstars Late Model Series, has been reduced in purse and sanctioning bodies, promoter Brian Stuart said. The Oct. 10-11 event will now feature a pair of $2,000-to-win Northern Allstars features on the undercard to a $5,000-to-win modified event. — From staff reports
THUNDERHILL SPECIAL SET FOR OCT. 24-25: Thunderhill Raceway in Summertown, Tenn., is scheduled to host its richest Super Late Model event on Oct. 24-25. The unsanctioned race will feature of a total purse of more than $30,000 with $10,000 going to the winner and at least $400 to each starter in the 75-lap feature. The fast qualifier will receive $200. Visit the track website for entry fee details. — From track reports
ODDS AND ENDS: Jackson (Miss.) Motor Speedway hosts the $5,000-to-win Ival Cooper Memorial for Super Late Models on Sept. 13. ... The Sept. 13 Iron-Man Classic at Richmond (Ky.) Raceway will provide a previous winner provisional as well as a provisional starting spot for the highest points driver from the O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series. The unsanctioned event pays $3,400 to the winner and at least $340 to each starter. ... The final O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series races on Sept. 19-20 at Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, Ky., and Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, Ky., will be taped for later telecast on the Outdoor Channel. Both races pay $5,000 to the winner. ... The O'Reilly National Championship Racing Association has shifted its upcoming event at Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Ky., to Oct. 17-18 instead of Oct. 3-4. ... Proctor (Minn.) Speedway's Silver 1000, rained out on Aug. 28, will be run as part of the Oct. 3-4 Proctober Fest weekend. ... Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C., will makeup its Labor Day weekend rainout on Sept. 14 with a $10,000-to-win O'Reilly Southern All Star East event.
