Weedsport,NY — The Len Sammons Productions Motorsports 2008 at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, N.J. attracted thousands of automotive enthusiasts over the past weekend, January 18-20, with DIRTcar Racing NorthEast well-represented as it kicked off its 33rd season of operation in grand fashion.
Company officials answered questions and discussed the upcoming season with track promoters, sponsors, racers and fans throughout the three-day off-track affair beside the spacious DIRTcar display that featured ’07 video tape highlights running non-stop to entertain hundreds more.
“This show was a great starting point for the busy season ahead,” said Cory Reed, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Director of Competition & Track Sanctioning, who was joined during the weekend by World Racing Group President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Deery, DIRTcar Racing NorthEast Public Relations Director Tom Skibinski, World of Outlaws Late Model Series PR Director Kevin Kovac, and Orange County Fair Speedway officials Peter Reynolds and Kenny Sands. “The excitement is building for the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals in Florida in February and all the series action planned for 2008. We handed out plenty of tour schedules and provided some rule book updates so we know the interest is growing with our racers and fans as well.”
The immaculate blue & white Madsen Motorsports no. 20 Wentworth Custom Homes-Kruger-WLR/TEO entry steered by reigning Mr. DIRTcar Big-Block Modified champion Brett Hearn along with the black no. 41 Vince’s Automotive & Towing-Kochel Equipment/Bicknell Big-Block Modified driven by last year’s Rite Aid 200 rookie of the race Shawn Reimert for owner Vince Gagliardo Sr. were popular bookends at the DIRTcar information booth; strategically located right next to the Hagerstown Speedway display and directly across from the Virginia Motor Speedway set-up. Hagerstown hosts the ’08 Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series opener on March 22 while Advance Auto Parts’ 10th Anniversary Big-Block Modified Series celebration continues at VMS with the $10,000-to-win Paul Sawyer Memorial on May 1.
VMS PR Director Dave Seay promoted the highly anticipated event in the ‘Old Dominion’ state on his Dirt Nation™ radio show incorporating “live” interviews with DIRTcar Big-Block Modified drivers Jimmy Horton, Matt Sheppard, Jimmy Phelps and Phelps’ car owner John Holland from H&H Motorsports to fill the bill. Dirt Nation will re-air those same Friday and Saturday shows on Monday, January 21 from 8 pm-12 midnight, then again on Friday, 8-10 pm and Saturday, 10pm-12 midnight. Dirt Nation™ presented by Lucas Oil traditionally airs from 8-10 pm EST every Monday and can be accessed over the internet at www.racetalklive.com and www.dirtnation.net.
Nationally recognized voice of the Advance Auto Parts Series, Shane Andrews, also made his annual trip to the Atlantic Coast, serving as emcee for the Ms. Motorsports pageant in the Convention Center and working trackside indoors during the Gambler Classic conducted Friday and Saturday at the nearby Boardwalk Hall. Listed among 98 Midget entries, ‘07 Orange County Eastern States 200 winner Jeff Heotzler qualified for the 40-lap Gambler A-Main before retiring pitside with throttle trouble prior to the halfway point. Richie Tobias Jr., who finished third in the Rite Aid 200 to close out Super DIRT Week last autumn, made a late race move to cop the Slingshot finale on the Boardwalk in front of a capacity crowd.
While the Madsen/Hearn and Gagliardo/Reimert cars flanked the DIRTcar display, Dieter Schmidt’s no. 5 Lincoln Auto Body/Troyer car, H&H/Phelps no. 98H Mohawk Northeast-New England Race Fuels/Troyer machine and no. 93x FPHATS.com-J&J Auto Maintenance-Dom’s Towing/PMC ride of Craig Mitchell were also highly visible during the 23rd edition of the Sammons Motorsports ’08 extravaganza in the Garden State.
Hearn, Phelps, Sheppard and Horton are among the 40 pre-race entries for the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals with the return trip to Volusia kicking off with an optional practice day on Tuesday, Feb. 12. VSP opens for racing on Wednesday and concludes Saturday, Feb. 16 with a big $5,000-to-win 50-lapper while two more Advance Auto Parts Big-Block shows are scheduled in between on Feb. 14-15. Volusia Speedway Park www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com (386/985-4402) is located 15 miles west of Daytona Beach on State Road 40 in Barberville, Florida.
Please contact the DIRTcar NorthEast Office (315/834-6606) during the week to find out additional schedule information and order tickets for the upcoming race season. The DIRTcar homepage www.superdirtcarseries.com provides news about the entire NE circuit 24/7 including all major traveling tours run in 2008.
The Advance Auto Parts Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional partners include AMB i.t., Rite Aid Corporation and the University of Northwestern Ohio and the contingency sponsors are Bert Transmission, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Crane Cams, Integra Shocks, MSD Ignitions, Motorsports Safety Systems, Penske Shocks and Wrisco Industries.
