Bristol Motor Speedway
Notebook: Accident kills former Macomb champ
From track, series and other reports
Dirt racer Chad Pratt of Bath, Ill,, the 2007 Late Model champion at Macomb (Ill.) Raceway, died March 30 in a single-vehicle accident on a county road a mile east of his hometown. He was 34.
The father of four drove the Poor Boy Racing No. 10M Late Model and competed at Macomb, where he was a three-time champion, as well as Spoon River Speedway in Banner, Ill., Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway and Macon (Ill.) Speedway. He began his racing career in 1992. He worked as a general operator at Cargill Meat Solutions (formerly Excel) in Beardstown for 15 years.
Pratt is survived by his wife Rhonda and four children: Meaghan Boyer, Kaitlyn, Wade and Chase. Funeral services will be held at the Hurley Funeral Home in Havana, Ill., on April 3 at 11 a.m. with burial following at Oakford Cemetery. Visitation is scheduled for April 2 from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to a trust fund for his children through The National Bank in Havana. — Springfield (Ill.) Journal-Register and staff reports
STEWART AMONG KNOXVILLE ENTRIES: Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart has entered the fifth annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway. Stewart finished second to Brian Shirley in the 2006 running of the event at the half-mile oval. The 2008 race is scheduled for Sept. 25-27 and Speed is making plans to televise the feature action live, according to Speed's Bill Foley. Other entries in the event limited to 66 drivers include Shirley, World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Steve Francis and another NASCAR driver, Ken Schrader. The Saturday night winner earns $40,000 from a $246,410 purse. — From track reports
MLRA ADDS TWO EVENTS: The O'Reilly Midwest LateModel Racing Association has added two events to its 2008 schedule. MLRA competitors will make its first visit to Nevada (Mo.) Speedway since 1998 on June 28. The series also added a July 4 event at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo., the night after a previously scheduled series event at 24 Raceway in Moberly, Mo. — From series reports
