WAYCROSS, GA (October 14, 2014) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season finale will take place this weekend in Portsmouth, OH on October 17th and 18th with the running of the 34th Annual Optima Batteries Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by NAPA Auto Parts. This event, held at Portsmouth Raceway Park, is promoted by hall of fame promoter Carl Short, along with track promoters Donna Rayburn and Tim Coleman. The Dirt Track World Championship event has been Carl’s signature event, over the years, which have been filled with great history, thrilling racing action, hall of fame winners and numerous facilities hosting the event in the past 33 years. This year’s DTWC will, once again, pay $50,000 to win and $2,000 to start.
In the previous 33 DTWC events, there have been 24 different drivers to visit victory lane and capture this crown jewel event. Dating back to the inaugural running in 1981, there have been five drivers that have won the prestigious event more than once. Hall of Famer Freddy Smith of Seymour, TN leads the way with five wins, followed by the late Jack Boggs of Grayson, KY, who won the race three times. Two time winners of the DTWC include: Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR; Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN and Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, IL. Some of the sport’s biggest names have won the DTWC at least once over the 33 years of the event, including names like: Larry Moore (’87); Donnie Moran (’88); Steve Francis (’99); Darrell Lanigan (’03); Rick Eckert (’04); Chub Frank (’07); Brian Birkhofer (’08); Jimmy Mars (’09); Earl Pearson Jr. (’10); Don O’Neal (’11), Jimmy Owens (’12) and the youngest driver to ever win the event, Brandon Sheppard in 2013.
Included among the many activities at the DTWC is a $3,000 to win Jim Dunn Memorial Non-Qualifiers Race-Presented by DirtonDirt.com. The top 26 drivers that fail to transfer into the DTWC feature event through a heat race or B-Main get to compete for a chance to earn additional prize money through this race. The winner of this event can elect to forfeit the $3,000 first place prize money and start on the tail of the DTWC feature event for a chance to win the $50,000. In honor of Jim Dunn and his legacy of being the very first winner of the DTWC, Carl Short added the non-qualifiers race to the DTWC event schedule as a tribute to the late Jim Dunn and his family.
The 34th Annual Optima Batteries Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by NAPA Auto Parts will once again be filmed by the award winning Lucas Oil Production Studios. This event will air on NBC Sports and on the MAVTV American Real Networks in 2014. “We really feel partnering with the Lucas Oil Series has helped to grow the event even more with the TV coverage they bring to this event. I’m looking forward to this year’s event and enjoy working with the great staff at Portsmouth Raceway Park”, stated Carl Short, promoter of the DTWC.
Activities for the 34th Annual Optima Batteries Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by NAPA Auto Parts will get underway on Thursday, October 16th with Modified Qualifying, Heat Races and Consolation races. On Friday, October 17th the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will take to the track for Hot-Laps, Miller Welders Time Trials and Heat Races. Also, on Friday night there will be a Non-Qualifiers race for the Modifieds. Then, on Saturday, October 18th the schedule will include the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series B-Mains, the Modified Feature event, the $3,000 to Win Jim Dunn Memorial Non-Qualifiers Race-Presented by DirtonDirt.com and the $50,000 to win/$2,000 to start DTWC 100-lap feature.
To purchase tickets for this event visit www.dirttrackworldchampionship.net/tickets.htm or call 740-858-6661. To learn more about the event go to www.dirttrackworldchampionship.net or visit the track website at www.portsraceway.com. If you have any questions, contact the DTWC office at (740) 858-6661 or you can email Carl Short at carlshort2007@gmail.com or call at (865) 945-3423 or (865) 712-9303.
For the latest breaking news about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, including the 2014 tour schedule, TV schedule, drivers, sponsors and all the information about the series visit the official website at: www.lucasdirt.com.
Follow the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on the social media outlets at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and https://twitter.com/lucasdirt
Track Information
Portsmouth Raceway Park
Track Phone #: (740) 354-3278 or Office – (740) 858-6661
Promoter: Donna Rayburn – (740) 259-3408 / (740) 821-1161
Location: 25648 State Route 73, West Portsmouth, OH 45663
Website: www.portsraceway.com
Tire Rule for the DTWC
Left Rear/Fronts – Hoosier Rib 1300, 1425 (no white dots)
Right Rear – Hoosier 01, 04, 06, LM40
Event Purse
Dirt Track World Championship Purse:
1. $50,000, 2. $15,000, 3. $10,000, 4. $7,000, 5. $5,000, 6. $3,500, 7. $3,200, 8. $3,000, 9. $2,800, 10. $2,500, 11. $2,450, 12. $2,400, 13. $2,350, 14. $2,300, 15. $2,250, 16. $2,200, 17. $2,150, 18. $2,100, 19. $2,075, 20. $2,060, 21. $2,050, 22. $2,040, 23. $2,030, 24. $2,020, 25. $2,010, 26. $2,000.
Jim Dunn Memorial Non Qualifiers Race-Presented by DirtonDirt.com
1. $3,000, 2. $1,500, 3. $1,250, 4. $1,000, 5. $900, 6. $800, 7. $750, 8. $700, 9. $650, 10. $600, 11. 500, 12. $400,13. $350, 14. $300, 15. $250, 16. $200, 17. $200, 18. $200, 19. $200, 20. $200, 21. $200, 22. $200, 23. $200, 24. $200, 25. $200, 26. $200.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Official Sponsors Include:
ASi Racewear – “The Official Merchandise Vendor” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
E3 Spark Plugs – “The Official Spark Plug” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Fast Orange- “The Official Hand Cleaner” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
GEICO – “The Official Insurance” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
General Tire – “The Official Tire” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Hoosier Tire – “The Official Race Tire” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
iON Cameras – “The Official Camera” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Lucas Oil Products – “The Official Oil” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
MAVTV “American Real” – “The Official TV Network” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Optima Batteries – “The Official Battery” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Ole Smoky Moonshine – “The Official Moonshine” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
ProtectTheHarvest.com-“The Official Protect the Harvest Campaign” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Super Clean- “Official Cleaner-Degreaser” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Sunoco Race Fuels – “The Official Fuel” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Marketing Partners Include:
llstar Performance, AR Bodies, Bad Boy Mowers, Barry Wright Race Cars, Black Diamond/Club 29 Chassis, Bloomquist Race Cars, Brodix, Clements Race Engines, COMP Cams, Cornett Racing Engines, C&R Racing Inc., Crawford Supply, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, CV Products, DirtonDirt.com, Dunn-Benson Ford, Dyers Top Rods, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Fast Orange, Fuel Safe Fuel Cells, FK Rod Ends, Georgia Boot, Grover Race Engines, Hawk Performance, Hedman Hedders, Hot Rod Processing, Hot Rod Tracker, Industrial Pressure Washers (IPW), Jay Dickens Racing Engines, JRi Shocks, Keyser MFG, Kuntz Race Engines, Longhorn Chassis, MasterSbilt Chassis, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welders, Öhlins Shocks, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, Pierce Racecars, Pro Power Racing Engines, RaceTec Pistons, Revelution Race Cars, Rick Schwallie Photography, Rocket Chassis, Roush Yates Parts, Simpson Race Products, Total Seal, Traeger Grills, Vic Hill Race Engines, Weld Racing Wheels, Wrisco, 5150 Race Trailers
Previous Dirt Track World Championship Winners
1981 – Jim Dunn
1982 – Charlie Swartz
1983 – Freddy Smith
1984 – Jack Boggs
1985 – Freddy Smith
1986 – Billy Moyer
1987 – Larry Moore
1988 – Donnie Moran
1989 – John Mason
1990 – Jack Boggs
1991 – Freddy Smith
1992 – Ronnie Johnson
1993 – Freddy Smith
1994 – Ronnie Johnson
1995 – Jack Boggs
1996 – Billy Moyer
1997 – Marshall Green
1998 – Freddy Smith
1999 – Steve Francis
2000 – Wendell Wallace
2001 – Bart Hartman
2002 – Shannon Babb
2003 – Darrell Lanigan
2004 – Rick Eckert
2005 – Scott Bloomquist
2006 – Shannon Babb
2007 – Chub Frank
2008 – Brian Birkhofer
2009 – Jimmy Mars
2010 – Earl Pearson Jr.
2011 – Don O’Neal
2012 – Jimmy Owens
2013 – Brandon Sheppard
For the latest breaking news about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, including the 2014 tour schedule, TV schedule, drivers, sponsors and all the information about the series visit the official website at: www.lucasdirt.com.
Follow the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on the social media outlets at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and https://twitter.com/lucasdirt
ABOUT LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES
Founded in 2005, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is the nations’ premier dirt late model sanctioning organization. In 2014 the LOLMDS will sanctions 47 events in 19 states. The series is owned by the parent company Lucas Oil Products Inc. and receives national exposure through a TV package filmed, produced and edited by Lucas Oil Production Studios. LOLMDS events will be broadcasted on four TV Networks in 2014 including CBS, NBC Sports, CBS Sports Network and MAVTV American Real Network. For more information about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visit the official website at www.Lucasdirt.com.
ABOUT MAVTV AMERICAN REAL NETWORK
MAVTV was founded in 2002 by four former Showtime Networks executives and was originally geared towards a male dominated audience. In 2011, Lucas Oil Products, an automotive lubricant manufacturer with a history in television production, purchased MAVTV. Lucas Oil was eager to employ the same growth strategies to transform MAVTV into a premier cable network that it employed to grow the lubricants business. MAVTV aims to become a broader scoped network, geared towards the modern American family. Lucas Oil is investing in programming, an updated on-air look, and increased production quality, all to add more value to the viewer experience. MAVTV is an acronym that stands for Movies, Action and Variety. MAVTV brings you plenty of never-before-seen high definition exclusives, including Comedy, Movies, Action Sports, Adventure and More, all in fantastic HD detail. MAVTV is no ordinary television network. It’s a 24/7, high-definition entertainment extravaganza, featuring everything from blockbuster films, high octane motorsports, MMA fighting, gaming, gut busting comedy, original reality shows and scripted dramas. Learn more about MAVTV American Real go to www.mavtv.com.
ABOUT PROTECT THE HARVEST
The animal rights movement in America, led by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), has evolved into a wealthy and successful attack group determined to end the consumption of meat, threaten consumer access to affordable food, eliminate hunting, outlaw rodeos and circuses, and even ban animal ownership (including pets) altogether.Protect The Harvest was created to fight back and defend American families, farmers, sportsmen and animal owners from the growing threat posed by the radical animal rights movement. We believe Americans deserve the truth. These radical groups are intent on restricting the abilities of our food producers who already face the significant challenge of feeding a growing world population. It’s our mission to ensure that American farmers are able to meet that challenge so that consumers at home and abroad have access to safe, affordable and healthy food. To learn more go to www.ProtectTheHarvest.com.
ABOUT LUCAS OIL PRODUCTS
Founded in 1989 by Forrest and Charlotte Lucas, Lucas Oil Products, Inc. has established itself as one of the fastest-growing lubrication product lines in the consumer automotive aftermarket, featuring a line of engine oils, greases, gear lubes, problem-solving additives, and car-care products. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil has established itself as a worldwide leader in the lubrication industry. Motorsports has always been part of the Lucas Oil culture and the cornerstone of the company’s marketing strategy. Such passion for motorsports has inspired Lucas Oil to sponsor many race teams, events and series at all levels, including, NHRA, IRL, ASCS, NASCAR, IHRA and many more. Lucas Oil has also taken ownership and operational control of a number of high profile racing properties, such as: Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, Lucas Oil Drag Boat Series, Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, Lucas Oil Modified Series, Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. and the Lucas Oil I-10 Speedway in Blythe, CA.
In 2007 Lucas Oil founded its own production house, Lucas Oil Production Studios, dedicated to producing high action motorsports television. Currently Lucas Oil Production Studios produces over 300 hours of original programming for networks such as CBS, CBS Sports, NBC Sports and MAVTV. More information about Lucas Oil Products, Inc. visit the company website at www.lucasoil.com.