Bristol Motor Speedway
Notebook: Five tracks plan partial IMCA slate
From series and track reports
IMCA Sunoco Late Models will run partial weekly schedules at five Iowa race tracks in 2008. National and state points will be awarded at all 15 of those events, at Dubuque Speedway, Farley Speedway, Hancock County Speedway in Britt, Lee County Speedway in Donnellson and Mineral City Speedway in Fort Dodge.
“We did our best to coordinate the scheduling of these races with those at tracks sanctioning Late Models as part of their regular weekly programs and the Deery Brothers Summer Series,” said Brett Root, IMCA vice president of operations. “Dates at these five tracks fit in when weekly sanctioned tracks have the night off and provide drivers the opportunity to race more often for points within a reasonable distance of where they live and where they compete regularly.”
All five Lee County shows will be on Fridays: April 25, May 30, June 27, July 18 and Aug. 15. Friday shows at Farley are May 9, June 20 and Aug. 15. IMCA Late Models make their first-ever appearances at Dubuque on three Sundays, June 8, July 13 and Aug. 24.
A pair of Friday races are scheduled at both Mineral City and at Hancock County. Fort Dodge hosts June 6 and Aug. 15 events, while the full-bodied division joins Aug. 1 and Aug. 8 programs at Britt.
IMCA Late Models visited Donnellson and Britt last season and Fort Dodge in 2006. The Deery Series traveled to Farley during the 2001-2003 seasons.
The IMCA Late Model point season starts April 25 and continues through Aug. 24. — Bill Martin
Lernerville is UMP's first Pennsylvania track
The United Midwestern Promoters are sanctioning their first-ever Late Model track in Pennsylvania as Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., has announced it will run under the UMP DirtCar umbrella. UMP and the track are both owned by the World Racing Group (formerly DIRT Motorsports).
The Friedman’s Freshmarkets DirtCar Super Late Models will maintain Lernerville's normal rules, including running open tires instead of UMP's normal two-compound Hoosier rule.
Lernerville Late Model drivers will battle for the $20,000-to-win UMP weekly championship. Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., is the defending champion. — Eric Westendorf
Fate of Toccoa's Super Late Models
Although Toccoa (Ga.) Speedway will host touring Super Late Model series, track promoter Randy McCoy announced the track doesn't plan to run Super Late Models weekly in 2008.
Sponsorship from Days Inn of Toccoa will allow Super Late Models to run opening night on March 15, and the car count may determine the future of the division. The track averaged nearly 20 Super Late Models in 2003 but fewer than 10 last season. — Dale Terry
VMS makes improvements for 2008
Virginia Motor Speedway near Saluda, Va., has undertaken several new construction projects in preparation of the 2008 season. The new Paul Sawyer Tower has been completed and will provide 1,500 new executive type seats featuring an expanded seat area and armrests. The speedway has also started the process of laying down a new racing surface with 400 truckloads of clay planned for the half-mile surface.
“It’s been over three years since we put any new dirt down, over the last two years track records in every division have fallen and we expect with the new clay that is be laid down that the track will provide even more two- and three-wide racing at even faster speeds,” said track general manager Clarke Sawyer.
Also slated for completion before the 2008 season will be a new scoreboard dedicated to the pit-side grandstands that will provide lap times and race positions.
The 25-weekend schedule at VMS runs March 29-Sept. 20 with two practice sessions scheduled for March 15 and 22. — Dave Seay
UMP weekly racers pile up big bucks
A total of $205,000 in 2007 points-fund cash was distributed to UMP Late Model competitors during the organization’s 24th annual awards banquet on Jan. 12 in Springfield, Ill. The money handed out included $74,975 for the weekly points race, $56,600 for the UMP Summernationals series and $37,755 for the three regional points battles.
Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., the weekly and Summernationals champion, was the big winner with $46,240. Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., finished second in the national points race and third in the Summernationals standings. His earnings of $23,800 included the North Region title and Illinois state crown.
Other big points-fund collectors included Steve Sheppard Jr. of New Berlin, Ill. ($13,000), Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind. ($10,595), Kevin Cole of Harrisburg, Ill. ($7,775), Randy Korte of Highland, Ill. ($7,700), Brian Ruhlman of Clarklake, Mich. ($6,300), Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Mich. ($6,000) and Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. ($5,100). — Kevin Kovac
