Bristol Motor Speedway
Notes: Sunoco sponsoring Road to Wheatland
Dazzling Lucas Oil Speedway hosts the SuperClean Diamond Nationals. (DirtonDirt.com)
Sunoco Race Fuels has joined the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series as the title sponsor of the third annual Road to Wheatland, the early-season series events preceding the third annual SuperClean Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. Included in the sponsorship is a $2,000 bonus if the Diamond Nationals-winning driver has perfect series attendance and used Sunoco Race Fuels to win at Wheatland.
"We are extremely pleased that we have further enhanced our support of the premier dirt sanctioning series in the U.S.," said Rob Marro, Sunoco's general manager of performance products and automotive events. "In a relatively short time Lucas Oil has demonstrated to its sponsors and drivers that they are indeed the future of DirtCar competition."
The Sunoco Road to Wheatland program pays $700 bonuses at each race for up to 20 drivers, the top 10 drivers from 2008 series points along with the top 10 in 2009 points. Bonuses begin on March 21 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway and, provided driver's maintain perfect attendance, run through the May 8-9 Lucas Oil Series visit to Wheatland.
In addition to Sunoco's $2,000 bonus at the Diamond Nationals, Sunoco's sponsorship of the series includes awards for drivers using Sunoco fuel throughout the season. At season's end, the driver earning the most Sunoco Race for Gas Points will earn $3,000 at the postseason banquet. The runner-up will receive $1,000. — From series reports
ANTICIPATION BUILDS FOR SECOND ILLINI 100: Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway fans remember last year's classic World of Outlaws Late Model Series-sanctioned Illini 100, and they're apparently ready for more. The $20,000-to-win event, which last year featured eight lead changes among five drivers and a classic duel between winner Billy Moyer and 24th-starting Shannon Babb late in the race, is seeing brisk sales of advanced tickets. “I’ve heard everyone tell me over and over how awesome last year’s race was,” said track promoter Don Hammer. “Everyone says that if this year’s race is just half as good as last year’s, it will still be great. We love to hear talk like that, but we’re not expecting anything less than the exciting show fans saw last year." Hammer has increased the number of reserved seats, adding the grandstands alongside the beer tent to the pre-sale. In addition, new backstretch bleachers will mean 1,000 more general-admission seats will be available on race day. — Kevin Kovac
LUCAS OIL POINTS RESET AFTER SPEEDWEEKS: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series has finalized the reset of the series point standings following February's action at East Bay Raceway Park near Tampa, Fla. East Bay's three points races were condensed into paying the same amount of points as a regular-season event. Leading the points if Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., with 250 points followed by Josh Richards (230), Matt Miller (220), Rick Eckert (210) and Dennis Erb Jr. (205). Sixth in points is Eric Jacobsen (200) followed by Earl Pearson Jr. (195), Brady Smith (190), Tyler Ivey (185) and Mike Marlar (180). — From series reports
WoO ADDS CAN-AM, HURON DATES: The 2009 World of Outlaws Late Model Series schedule continues to expand. Series officials announced March 2 that summer dates have been added at Caprara’s Can-Am Motorsports Park in LaFargeville, N.Y., and Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D., pushing the schedule to a record 48 events at 39 tracks in 21 states and three Canadian provinces. Can-Am will join the WoO Great Northern Tour, hosting a $7,000-to-win event on June 22. Dakota State Fair Speedway returns to the WoO schedule as part of the second annual Wild West Tour with a $10,000-to-win event on July 16. In a related schedule change, the previously announced Wild West Tour event at Gillette (Wyo.) Speedway has been moved up one day to July 14 to give teams a travel day to make the 450-mile haul to Huron. — Kevin Kovac
ODDS AND ENDS: Eldora Speedway announced adult general admission prices won't increase for 2009. Since Tony Stewart bought the track in 2004, only one event has seen a ticket price increase ($2 more for the Kings Royal sprint event). ... Late Model veteran Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., notched a $10,000 victory in his open-wheel modified Sunday at Southern New Mexico Speedway. Phillips won the 15th Winter Meltdown, an event drawing 74 drivers including other Late Model drivers Jack Sullivan (fourth), Jeremy Payne (fifth) and Jeff Taylor (seventh).
