For Immediate Release
December 31, 2007
 

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Adds Marquee Events to Complete 2008 Schedule



CORONA, CA (January 2, 2008)-The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is pleased to announce three more dates have been added to the series schedule for a total of 44 events in 16 states for 2008. The series is excited to announce the "Sunoco North/South 100 presented by Lucas Oil Products" at Florence Speedway on August 8-9, 2008 will be sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The North/South 100 in Union, KY has become one of the top crown jewel events in dirt late model racing with the winner receiving $50,000.

"With the strength of our continued relationship with Sunoco Race Fuels as a series partner, we are excited to announce the title sponsorship of the North/South 100. It will be known as the "Sunoco North/South 100, presented by Lucas Oil Products". Many thanks go to Bill Corwin of Sunoco Race Fuels and Forest and Charlotte Lucas of Lucas Oil Products. They are the core to the success of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. They allow us an opportunity to provide Sunoco Race Fuels and Lucas Oil Products a platform to showcase all of their hard work. They represent the cornerstone in the late model dirt industry", stated Ritchie Lewis, series director.

Florence Speedway officials are also excited to partner with Sunoco Race Fuels and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in association with this mega event. "We are excited to have Sunoco Race Fuels and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series as part of our annual tradition at Florence Speedway. Sunoco has been the official fuel of the track for years and we are proud to have them as the title sponsor of the North/South 100 for the next three years. We are also pleased to have the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series involved, as it has been a fixture here since its inception. We appreciate all the work that Forrest Lucas and his staff have done for dirt late model racing. This year's 26th Annual North/South 100 should be the best yet", stated Josh King of Florence Speedway. Reserved tickets go on sale January 2, 2008 for this event. You can log onto www.florencespeedway.com  for more details.

Russ Bradford of Bazell Race Fuels, a Sunoco Race Fuels distributor will be working closely with Florence Speedway and this event. "Sunoco Race Fuels is very pleased to be a part of this mega event and partnered with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for the next three years. It just made sense to sponsor this event with our great relationship we already have with the King family and Florence Speedway. We are really excited about all the great things the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series has in store for 2008 and this huge event", stated Russ Bradford of Bazell Race Fuels.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is also excited to announce a new date and venue added to the schedule for 2008, Swainsboro Raceway in Swainsboro, GA. Swainsboro Raceway will be one of the tracks as part of "Jasper Engines Road to Wheatland" bonus program. The series will visit the Swainsboro Raceway on Thursday April 3rd for a 40-lap $7,000 to win sanctioned event. This event will be the first leg of the three day southern swing in South Georgia that weekend with the series heading to Screven Motor Speedway on Friday April 4th for a $10,000 to win feature event, and Golden Isles Speedway on Saturday April 5th for another $10,000 to win feature event in South Georgia.

"We are really pumped up and excited to be a part of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2008. To be a part of the "Jasper Engines Road to Wheatland" program and having our event scheduled with Screven and Golden Isles Speedway just makes good sense", stated Paul Purvis of Swainsboro Raceway. For more information about Swainsboro Raceway visit their website at www.swainbororaceway.com.

Another date just added to the schedule will be a two day $20,000 to win sanctioned event at Jackson Motor Speedway in Jackson, MS on September 12-13th. The series will have back to back $20,000 to win events in the month of September with the series event at Jackson Motor Speedway and the following week the $20,000 to win Jackson 100 event at Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, IN.

"Jackson Motor Speedway is extremely happy to be a part of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2008. We feel the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is giving racers, sponsors and promoters a great package to be involved in. We are really looking forward to our Lucas Oil Series event in 2008 and hope everyone can attend our faculty for this event", stated Don Cliburn of Jackson Motor Speedway. You can visit their website at www.jacksonmotorspeedway.com  for more information.

The 2008 season will kick off as usual with six nights of competition at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL for the 32nd Annual East Bay Winternationals. With nearly $550,000 in first place prize money alone up for grabs next season the series will also return to the SPEED Channel with 12 events to be televised and the year in review special will air on SPEED as well.

For the latest information and news regarding the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series you can visit their website at www.lucasdirt.com  or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.

2008 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Schedule

 

TV - Taped for airing on SPEED Channel

Schedule is subject to change

2007 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors


Lucas Oil Products - "The Official Oil" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
SuperClean - "The Official Degreaser" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
K&N Filters - "The Official Filter" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
General Tire- "The Official Tire" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Dixie Chopper- "The Official Mower" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
R&L Carrier- "The Official Carrier" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Sunoco Race Fuels - "The Official Fuel" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Arizona Sport Shirts - "The Official Merchandise Vendor" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Hoosier Tire - "The Official Race Tire" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
2007 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include: AFCO, Allstar Performance, American Racer Tires, Banshee Graphics, Bloomquist Race Cars, Comp Cams, Cornett Racing Engines, Cruise with the Champions, DART, Design 500, Edelbrock, Erson Cams, Grover Racing Engines, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Brake, Hyperco, Integra Shocks, Jay Dickens Racing Engines, King of the Road, Larry Wallace Racing Engines, LifeLong Locks, Malcuit Racing Engines, Mason Racin', MasterSbilt Race Cars, Ohlins, On the Edge Graphics, Penske Shocks, Performance Bodies, PBM Performance Products, PPM Racing Products, Performance Rod and Custom, Pro Power Racing Engines, Quarter Master, C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, Rick Schwallie Photography, Rocket Chassis, Tex Racing, Vic Hill Racing Engines, WD Enterprises

James Essex - Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series PR (jessex@lucasdirt.com)

Photo Credit - Rick Schwallie Photography

For Immediate Release
December 31, 2007

Scott James Finishes Second in 2007 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Standings; Eyes title in '08



CORONA, CA (December 30, 2007) He keeps getting closer and closer each year to winning a championship on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, but Lawrenceburg, IN second generation racer Scott James has finally realized what it takes to reach his ultimate goal a championship with the premier touring series in dirt late model racing.

For the third year in a row Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL will enter the upcoming 2008 racing season as the reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion, Pearson had to fight off both James and Steve Casebolt in capturing the '07 title, but James who was the series "Rookie of the Year" in 2005 continues to surge to the top of the class as he has now finished fifth, fourth and second in the final points standings for the series which embarks on a 41 race schedule starting in February at the East Bay Winternationals.

While fellow Hoosier State driver Don O'Neal almost won the title in '05 and finished second to Pearson again after the 2006 season, James has been in the shadows of both those drivers that last three years, but come 2008 he hopes to change the name on the championship trophy and check at seasons' end.

While James' season on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series was his best to date as the 36-year-old driver started 31 A-main events with two wins (Hagerstown and Duck River), nine top five finishes and 18 top tens which gave him enough points to finish second in this year's championship standings, falling just short of his main goal.

"We had a pretty good year," said the driver of the Powell Motorsports/Rocket Chassis #83. "We started out a little slow, but we came on pretty strong there in the middle part of the season after making the tire change (to American Racers), they seem to fit my style better and maybe if we had been on them all year, we could've won the title, but instead we came up just short" said James in a post season interview.

Falling short by just 230 points is something for James and his crew to build on heading into a brand new season. "We went back and forth with Earl there for a while in the points chase, probably the turning point was Bardstown, when we were running real good (leading the race) after starting ninth, then we had a flat and had to go to the back, then Earl had a flat and we both went to the tail and I crashed and Earl got back to finish tenth and I went out of the race, that's where it really hurt because the rest of the season we were pretty the same in the points spread the rest of the season."

James, who in 2007 started his all-time series leading 95th A-main in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competition, praised his crew for the season long championship hunt. "We gave it our all, that was our goal was to win the championship, you can always look back and say if we had done this and done that and finished a few races just a little bit better than Earl, but in racing you can say that just about every race, you have to have a short memory because you have to get ready for the next race, when you have to go up against Earl and that team, they've got the best team, the best track record and the experience to close out the championships. We know we were close and I feel next year we will be there again (in the title hunt)." said James who has three career Lucas Oil wins and 41 top ten finishes to his credit.