Lucas Oil Series notebook
Notes: Lucas Oil eyes season-ending DTWC
All eyes will turn to K-C Raceway near Chillicothe, Ohio, this weekend as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series wraps up its 2011 season with the 31st annual U. S. Steel Dirt Track World Championship presented by Sunoco.
Not only will the prestigious event offer a $50,000 winner’s pay check, but it will also decide the tour’s 2011 champion. After a dramatic weekend in Georgia that saw the tour’s top two drivers Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., and Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., split victories at Dixie Speedway and Rome Speedway, Owens will head to K-C with a scant 50-point advantage over Bloomquist in the chase for the $75,000 champion’s payday. | Complete DTWC coverage
The Dirt Track World Championship weekend will officially start on Thursday with an open-wheel modified show. The modified division will qualify, run heat races and their consolation races Thursday to set the field for the $3,000-to-win feature event to be held Saturday.
Activities will get underway on Friday for the Lucas Oil Late Models with Red Buck Cigar and DirtonDirt.com Time Trials. Also on Friday's schedule will be heat races that will set the lineup for Saturday’s 100-lap main event.
Action will kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday with consolation races to fill the remainder of the starting field, followed by the $50,000-to-win main event, which pays at least $2,000 to each starter. Saturday will also feature a special Jim Dunn Non-Qualifiers Race paying $3,000-to-win with an option for the winner to forgo the $3,000 and tag the rear of the field for the DTWC feature.
"We’re very excited to have the U.S. Steel DTWC presented by Sunoco as our season finale,” said Lucas Oil Series director Ritchie Lewis. “Not only will there plenty of excitement surrounding this huge crown jewel event, but we have a tremendous points battle coming into the final race that will surely have everyone watching up until the checkered flag waves. We want to thank U. S. Steel and Sunoco for stepping up and being a part of this mega event.” – From series reports
RACE MARKS DTWC’S RETURN TO K-C: The weekend’s event will be the first time K-C Raceway has hosted the DTWC in three years. The Ohio oval hosted the event from 2005-'08, but uncertainty about the future of an up-for-sale racetrack saw race promoter Carl Short take the DTWC first to Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway and then West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells. With car counts nosediving, Short headed back to K-C to give new owners Jeff and Vickie Schrader an opportunity at a major event. Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, is the most recent DTWC winner at K-C. – Todd Turner
WEST VIRGINIAN WINS LUCAS PACE CAR: The grand prize winner of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Pace Car Giveaway will receive the keys to the 2011 Chevy RS Camaro at this weekend's series finale. Jeff McDonald and his wife Linda, of Williamstown, W.Va., will be special guests of the series in receiving the grand prize during the DTWC weekend, the series announced. The pace car contest began in February at East Bay Raceway Park near Tampa, Fla., and ended last weekend at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, Ga., More than 23,000 registered for a chance to win the car.
FRIDAY’S FAST-TIMER TO EARN $1,000: Red Buck Cigars and DirtonDirt.com have teamed up to add some extra incentive during Friday’s time trials. The fastest overall qualifier will earn $1,000.
SPECIAL DTWC FAN PROMOTIONS: Lucas Oil Products has teamed up with Chillicothe-area Sunoco gas station convenience stores to offer fans a special free give-a-way promotion associated with this weekend’s event. Race fans who purchase at least $10 in Sunoco gas will receive a special coupon from the store to receive a free bottle of Lucas Oil Slick Mist by visiting the MavTV Tent at the racetrack. Two prize packs of Lucas Oil products and apparel will also be given away at the event. Fans will be given free gifts just for registering for the drawing to be held Saturday night.
ODDS AND ENDS: Josh McGuire of Grayson, Ky., is the most recent winner at K-C. He picked up a $2,000 victory in the Oct. 8 Warm up to the DTWC. ... Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., scored a pair of All Stars Championship Series victories at K-C earlier this year. He earned $4,000 for an April 30 win before picking up a $5,000 triumph July 1. ... Last year’s DTWC winner Earl Pearson Jr. is winless since his $50,000 victory in the 2010 event. ... With the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioning the event, it’s the first time the race has been part of a tour since 2004.
