Lakeside Speedway
Bowyer set for Friday WDRL action at Lakeside
From series and staff reports
While it appears injured points leader Brian Harris won't be able to compete in World Dirt Racing League competition at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., on Sept. 28-29, NASCAR Nextel Cup star Clint Bowyer is expected to make a rare Late Model start. Bowyer, a former champion in Lakeside's modified division, is scheduled to be on hand Friday night to duke it out with the best Late Model drivers in the Midwest.
Among WDRL regulars joining Bowyer will be Justin Fegers, Dave Eckrich, Eric Pember, John Kaanta, Denny Eckrich and Chris Simpson. Harris, who suffered a severe concussion and a hairline fracture of a vertabrae in an unsanctioned event at West Liberty (Iowa) Raceway on Sept. 22, is recovering in the University of Iowa Hospital.
If Harris, who was expected to move from the intensive care unit to a regular hospital room on Tuesday, cannot attend the Lakeside event, he'll qualify for WDRL's hardship rule that awards a driver 50 points one time per season if he is unable to attend an event because of a breakdown during travel, a family medical emergency or a similar situation.
Harris currently holds a 64-point lead over Justin Fegers — 3,025 to 2,961. If Fegers does well in the Capital Federal Savings Late Model Showdown, he could become the new points leader. Dave Eckrich sits third in the standings, 62 points behind Fegers. Eric Pember and John Kaanta round out the top five and stand within 100 points of Fegers.
"This should be a great two nights of racing for the fans," said Lakeside Speedway promoter Marc Olson. "This event has grown into one of the best Late Model shows in the upper Midwest. When you have the WDRL and you throw in a NASCAR star or two, the fans eat it up."
Gates will open at 4 p.m. Hot laps are set for 6:45, and heat races are slated for 7:30 each night. The weekend's racing is co-sanctioned by the O'Reilly Midwest LateModel Racing Association.
