Barberville, FL — UMP DIRTcar Racing open-wheel Modified competitors will battle for record purses during the 37th annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.
More than $75,000 in cash will be on the line over eight consecutive nights of UMP DIRTcar Modified action, which kicks off on Tuesday (Feb. 5) and runs through Feb. 12.
The week is set to culminate with a championship feature on Tues., Feb. 12, offering a $4,000 winner’s purse – double the top prize that was posted for last year’s UMP DIRTcar Modified finale at the half-mile oval.
“The UMP DIRTcar Modified teams have been great supporters of the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals,” said UMP DIRTcar Racing director Sam Driggers. “We want to show our support back to them, and a perfect way to do that is by increasing the purses they’ll be racing for this year.”
The A-Main payoffs will become progressively richer over the week of racing, leading off with three nights (Feb. 5-7) topped by $1,000-to-win/$125-to-start features. The next three evenings (Feb. 8-10) will see the purses jump to $1,500 to win/$125 to start, followed by a $2,000 to win/$125 to start program on Feb. 11 and the big series-ender on Feb. 12 that offers a cool four-grand winner’s check and $225 to start from a total purse of $13,365.
Drivers will also chase UMP DIRT Racing points-fund money during the busy week. The top-10 finishers in the overall Alltel DIRTcar Nationals points standings will share cash that is part of the UMP DIRTcar Modified State points program.
In addition, while the UMP DIRTcar Racing national points race does not officially begin until the first week of April, UMP DIRTcar Modified competitors will be able to use their best finish of the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals as an event toward the 35 starts that determine the division’s 2008 national champion.
The nightly fields that are expected to top 60 UMP DIRTcar Modifieds will include such standout drivers as NASCAR veterans Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader; defending Alltel DIRTcar Nationals champion Steve Arpin of Fort Frances, Ont.; reigning UMP DIRTcar Modified national champ Denny Schwartz of Ashmore, Ill.; Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Ill., who raced Schwartz to the wire for the 2007 UMP DIRTcar Modified national title; Brighton, Ill., veteran Tom Seets Sr.; and UMP DIRTcar standout Kent Robinson of Bloomington, Ind.
The UMP DIRTcar Modifieds will compete as part of a doubleheader each night at Volusia, running with the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars (Feb. 5-7), Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series (Feb. 8-10) and the UMP DIRTcar Late Models (Feb. 11-12).
Volusia’s racing is scheduled to begin nightly at 7:30.
Tickets for the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals are available by logging on to www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com or calling the track office at 386-985-4402.
More information on UMP DIRTcar Racing can be obtained at www.umpracing.com.
