The Big Race at The Taz!!!

[pjsmith]

THE LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES ROLLS INTO TAZEWELL SPEEDWAY FOR THE $10,000 TO WIN “CITIZENS BANK 75” SET FOR MAY 14TH


By: Justin Howar



Tazewell, TENN- With Summer vastly approaching and the East Tennessee temperatures heating up, so will the racing action at Tazewell Speedway as officials are gearing up for what may possibly be the biggest race in the history of the 1/3 of a mile high-banked dirt oval known as “The Taz” as The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series rolls in for a $10,000 to win, $700 to start Seventy-Five (75) Lap Feature presented by Citizens Bank on May 14th.



Coming off the extremely successful “2005 Winter Nationals” at East Bay Raceway in Tampa, Florida, an action packed race at Lowes Dirt Track in Charlotte, NC and the “Hoosier Dirt Classic” at Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, Indiana. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series staff and drivers are “pumped up” about visiting the “Bad Fast” Tazewell Speedway for their ninth venue of the 2005 season.

Terry English of Benton, KY stands atop the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Points Standings coming into Tazewell Speedway with Don O’Neal in second: Steve Shaver third: Matt Miller fourth and Donnie Moran rounding off the top five.

Many of the nation’s “top notch” Dirt Late Model drivers are expected to be on tap for the ‘Citizens Bank 75’ such as: Earl Pearson, Jr., Scott James, Matt Miller, Freddy Smith, Terry English, Don O’Neal, Tim Dohm, Steve Shaver, Donnie Moran, Ronnie Johnson, Shannon Babb and more.

Several of Tennessee’s best Dirt Late Model Drivers are expected to try and keep that $10,000 in the Volunteer State such as: Scott Sexton, Mike Marlar, Skip Arp, Anthony White, Steve Smith, Billy Ogle, Jr., Bryan Hendrix, Jeff Wolfenbarger, Stacy Boles, Randy Weaver, Brett Miller, Jason Trammell and others.


There will be a complete show for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series with Oval Craft Racing Time Trials, VP Fuels Makin' Power Heat Races, The Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno B-Main(s) and the seventy-five (75) lap Lucas Oil/ Citizens Bank A-Main.



In the previous eight Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events this year, there have been six different winners with Don O’Neal and “Hoosier Dirt Classic” Winner Terry English being the only two time winners on the series tour this season. Other drivers who have won with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2005 include: Tim McCreadie, Don O'Neal, Steve Shaver, Steve Francis and Jackie Boggs.



Along with the “Citizens Bank 75” Tazewell Speedway’s Limited Late Model, Modified Street and Pure Street divisions vying for an increased purse. The Four-Cylinder division will set out and return on May 21st for a double-points feature.



The Pit Gate will open at 2:00 p.m.; The Grandstand Gates will open at 4:00 p.m. as The Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series drivers will hold a special autograph and ‘meet and greet’ session at 4:30.


Pit Admission will be $35.00 along Grandstand Admission being $25.00 with nine (9) and under admitted free with a paying adult.

This will be one action packed night at Tazewell Speedway with the “Best of the Best” battling for that $10,000 payday.



For more information on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series you can visit them online at www.naradirtcar.com.



For more information concerning the “Citizens Bank 75” and Tazewell Speedway visit Tazewell Speedway online at www.TazewellSpeedway.net , contact the track at 423.626.2222, Track Promoter Rick Brooks at 423.581.4761 or Public Relations/Media Contact Justin Howard at 606.248.9065 or e-mail [e-mail].


Tazewell Speedway is located Two miles northwest of Tazewell, Tennessee on US 25-E, Turn Right off of US 25-E and then Left onto Bacchus Rd., then 1.8 miles north, then .8 miles west.

There will be an "Open Tire Rule" for the Citizens Bank 75.



Payoff:


1. $10,000
2. $5,000
3. $3,000
4. $2,500
5. $2,000
6. $1,500
7. $1,400
8. $1,300
9. $1,200
10. $1,100
11. $1,000
12. $950
13. $900
14. $875
15. $850
16. $825
17. $800
18. $775
19. $750
20. $725
21. $700
22. $700
23. $700
24. $700

[pjsmith]

LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES BRINGS NATIONAL TOURING RACING BACK TO TAZEWELL SPEEDWAY ON MAY 14



TAZEWELL, TN – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will mark the return of a national touring dirt late model series to Tazewell Speedway on May 14 for the first time since 2000. The high-banked 1/3-mile clay oval is known as the “Bristol of Dirt” because of its high speeds and close-quarter racing.



“It’s a good, fast race track,” Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series point leader Terry English of Benton, KY said. “I’ve raced there one time in the past and I really liked the high banks, the speed, and the close competition. I really liked racing at Tazewell, and I’m looking forward to going back there.”<br>


Dirt Late Model drivers have likened Tazewell Speedway to “racing unlimited hydroplanes in a bathtub.” The turns are banked at 36 degrees, and the straight-aways are tilted to 18 degrees, which are higher the turns at most dirt tracks.



Tazewell Speedway is no stranger to hosting national touring dirt late model series. The United Dirt Track Racing Association Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Late Model Series made annual visits to the track nestled in the Cumberland Mountains of North Tennessee from 1997 through 2000. Past winners in national events at Tazewell Speedway include Wendell Wallace, Billy Ogle Jr., Marshall Green and Scott Bloomquist.



“We’re looking forward to having the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Tazewell Speedway,” track owner and promoter John Thompson said. “This will work towards bringing Tazewell Speedway back to the days of national prominence it enjoyed when the Hav-A-Tampa Series raced here. I know the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will bring back the big name drivers our fans want to see.”<br>


Thompson also said the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event will be fan friendly in that it will be a one-day show.



“The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is going to be $10,000-to-win, $700-to-start 75-lap feature race presented by Citizens Bank,” Thompson said. “The fans will get to see qualifying, heat races, and the main-event all in one day. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series provides a professional national show that is economical to both promoters and fans.”<br>


In addition to English, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will bring former National dirt late model champions like Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL, Freddy Smith of Knoxville, TN, Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN and Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH to Tazewell Speedway on May 14.



The 1996 UDTRA Hav-A-Tampa Champion Smith is a driver that welcomes the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series to the national scene of the sport. The Southern Gentleman, who is a multi-time Dirt Track World Championship race winner and a member of the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame, is looking forward to racing at “The Taz.”<br>


“Lucas Oil’s involvement in dirt late model racing is going to be a big help in bringing this series to the level that UDTRA had, and they’re a good bunch of boys to work with,” Smith said. “I’ve had some good runs at Tazewell Speedway, but it’s a track that can get you in trouble quick if you don’t watch it.”<br>


Smith, English, Pearson, O’Neal, Moran, and the best of the rest will receive some tough competition from East Tennessee favorites like Ogle, Scott Sexton of Pigeon Forge, TN, and Patrick Duggan of Lenoir City, TN. Ogle got a big smile on his face when heard the news that a national event was coming to one of his favorite tracks.

“Tazewell Speedway has been pretty good to me over the years, and I’m going to be there on May 14 with the same team I won the Hav-A-Tampa race with in 1998,” Ogle said. “Think the one-day is great because the track conditions are going to be better. Tazewell is a great track because it’s fast and you can pass on it.”<br>


Along with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Citizens Bank 75, the Tazewell Speedway Limited Late Model, Modified Street and Pure Street Divisions will also be in action. The pit gate will open at 2 p.m., the grandstand gates will open at 4 p.m., and the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series drivers will hold a special “meet and greet” autograph session at 4:30.



For more information contact Tazewell Speedway at 423-626-2222, or visit the Tazewell Speedway web site at www.TazewellSpeedway.net. Tazewell Speedway is located two miles northwest of Tazewell, TN on U.S. Highway 25-E, then turn right off U.S. Highway 25-E, then left onto Bacchus Rd., then 1.8 miles north, and then .8 miles west.



For more information, news and current point standings visit the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series web site at www.naradirtcar.com.