Bristol Motor Speedway
Notes: Webb sees wealth of talent for revived tour
From staff, series and track reports
When Guy Webb decided to launch a companion Late Model series to his O'Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions sprint car series, the 44-year-old promoter figured he could successfully adapt his "system" of promoting an auto racing tour flawlessly. What he didn't immediately realize was the bigger crop of drivers he could draw from for the full-fendered tour.
"I think there's a lot more good talent out there in the Late Model people, that's my biggest shock," said the no-nonsense Webb, who lives in Camargo, Ill. "How many good drivers there are everywhere we go in Late Models."
"The youth is where I want to really focus," he added. "I want young guys to want to make a name for themselves. ... I want motivated individuals who want to help build something here."
Webb, who bought the Independent Racing Series from Dean Miracle following the 2008 season, plans to tap that talent for the O'Reilly All Star Late Model Series, which will run most of its races within an eight-hour drive of Columbus, Ohio. While the series name somewhat differs from the sprint car series, it's actually the second time the organization has sanctioned Late Models. From 1980-93 the All-Star Circuit of Champions Late Models operated with Charlie Swartz, Donnie Moran and the late Jack Boggs among its winningest drivers.
Webb is confident his version of the O'Reilly Auto Parts-sponsored Late Model series can succeed by implementing the promotional tools he's used while running his sprint car tour the past seven seasons. "I'm not going to try and reinvent the wheel," said Webb, who pondered the addition of a Late Model tour for a year before pulling the trigger.
"We just feel we can fit in with this process and our system would fit in over there. We've got a good name and we think we can leverage it to where people can be impressed with it," he said. "We know how to sell tickets. We know how to make radio ads. We know how to make TV ads. We know how to sell our shows. If we don't sell tickets, the game isn't going to go too far."
Webb is confident he can sell his product at the regional Late Model tracks he's targeted, and drawing an eight-hour circle around Columbus, Ohio, includes plenty of tracks to choose from. Tracks in Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia will host most series races with other events potentially in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.
To draw drivers, he's planning on appearance fees seldom seen on regional Late Model tours along with a lucrative first-year points fund with a minimum of $15,000 to the champion.
The top 10 drivers in series points will earn from $500 (first place) to $200 (10th place) show-up money for series events, totaling about $90,000 for the season, Webb said. The points fund, which pays the top 10 drivers in points (with 10th receiving an estimated $2,000), is guaranteed at $50,000. Most races will pay $5,000 to the winner and at least $400 to each start, but some events will pay $7,000 or $10,000 to the winner.
The full schedule hasn't been released, but Webb is aiming for about 30 events. The Late Model drivers will join their sprint car counterparts at least once for K-C Raceway's "The Night the Stars Come Out" on July 3. The opening Late Model event is scheduled for April 17 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., and among the other confirmed events is an Aug. 14 date at Kankakee County Speedway in Kankakee, Ill.
Most Late Model regulars can join the series with few or no changes to their cars. The series will employ an open-tire rule at most events but go with the UMP DIRTcar tire rule at UMP-sanctioned tracks, including Kankakee County.
While the series, which has hired Jason Shank as the competition director, still has plenty of details to work out, Webb says it's all about putting fans in the grandstands, and everything else will fall in line.
"If you're not focused on selling tickets," Webb said, "you might as well not even try." — Todd Turner
LANIGAN EARNS PRESTIGIOUS NOMINATIONS: World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., is among a select group of nominees for the 2008 American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association Auto Racing All-America team and the 2008 Economaki Champion of Champions Award presented by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Lanigan is a first-time nominee for the AARWBA Auto Racing All-America team, which has been voted on annually since 1970 by 300-plus members of the motorsports press. He is the lone full-fendered driver on the ballot in the short track category, which also includes World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series stars Donny Schatz (the tour’s 2008 champion) and Jason Meyers as well USAC open-wheel racers Jerry Coons Jr., Tracy Hines and Cole Whitt. In addition, National Speed Sport News has announced that Lanigan is among an elite group of 23 drivers in contention for the 2008 Economaki Champion of Champions Award presented by Speedway Motorsports Inc., which is given to the North American racing champion judged to have had the best season on-and-off the racetrack. The names of the 10 finalists for the sixth Economaki Champion of Champions Award presented by SMI are scheduled to be released on Dec. 3. — Kevin Kovac
GOLDEN ISLES ADDS SPECIAL EVENT: The Super Bowl of Dirt Racing V at Golden Isles Speedway near Brunswick, Ga., has added a special event to the four-day gathering in southeastern Georgia. On the final night, the top 10 drivers in points over the four-race stretch will run a 25-lap bonus feature paying $5,000 to the winner and at least $1,000 to every starter. The Jan. 28-31 event features winning purses of $5,000, $7,500, $10,000 and $12,000 on successive nights. The O'Reilly Southern All Star Series will sanctioned the final two nights of action while the first two nights are unsanctioned. — From track reports
NIGHT OF LEGENDS SET FOR TOCCOA: Three Late Model-type divisions will be in action Thanksgiving weekend for Toccoa (Ga.) Speedway's second annual Night of the Legends. Super Late Models, the Southeastern Late Model Sportsman Series and Fastrak-sanctioned Crate Late Models are among divisions scheduled for action Nov. 28-29. Besides the racing, a draw for fans will be the chance to see dozens of legendary regional drivers including C.L. Pritchett, Buck Simmons, Bud Lunsford and Fulman Lance. — Richard Pearson
ODDS AND ENDS: Dirt Late Model veteran Billy Drake of Bloomington, Ill., plans to dissolve his self-owned racing team and seek a car owner for 2009. Drake finished fourth on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2008. ... O'Reilly MARS regular Steve Rushin of Poplar Bluff, Mo., announced at the postseason banquet that modified ace Eric Turner of Hermitage, Mo., would drive the team's backup car in 2009. Turner joined Rushin for a few late-season events in 2008. ... Midway Speedway in Crooksville, Ohio, has announced it will run Friday night events in 2009 after a stint on Saturdays. ... Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., will complete its transition to full-fledged UMP DIRTcar rule midway through 2009. The track will employ the four-compound UMP rule beginning July 3. ... NASCAR team owner Ray Evernham recently announced he's in negotiations to purchase East Lincoln Speedway, a dirt track near Stanley, N.C. ... Long-time racer Doug McKleroy will lease and promote North Alabama Speedway in 2009. McKleroy plans to host Friday night racing.
