Fort Worth, Tx.(March 4th, 2011) The 4/10 mile semi-banked dirt oval at Texas Motor speedway played host to its annual Texas World Dirt Track Championships. Over 200 Modifieds and Limited Modifieds took to the track Friday night in search of the seven qualifying spots that would lock them in to Saturday nights big championship events. Drivers and teams from seven states signed in including two drivers from as far away as Pennsylvania.

Drivers would qualify through heat races taking the top sixteen in passing points to the A-Qualifier. C-mains and B-mains would be run to fill the remaining spots in each of the qualifiers.

Allen Aces Modified Main
Midlothian’s Chase Allen earned the top spot in Friday nights A-Qualifier going wire to wire for the win. C. Allen out gunned polesitter Clyde Dunn jr. to grab the lead at the start of the 15-lap main event. C. Allen had things going his way until the final laps when Terry Phillips, who came out of the B-main, ran him down using the high side. Phillips gave it the ol’ college try on the final lap, but settled for the second transfer spot.

As green waved on the 23-car field C. Allen came out of turn 2 with the lead followed by Dunn, Jason Teague, Dennie Gieber and Dee Gossett. A mid pack tangle saw several cars involved, but all continued on without caution. But parts on the track brought out an early caution on lap 2. On the restart C. Allen got a good jump on Dunn, who had a slight advantage over Teague and Gieber.

As the top five sorted out, John Whittington got by Steve Whiteaker jr for sixth. Whiteaker gave up the transfer spot to Phillips on lap 4 as he sailed by on the top side. Gieber got under Teague on lap 5 for third while Whittington and Phillips were side by side for sixth. Robert Metz brought out a yellow on lap 7 when he spun in turn 2.

Once back to green Phillips used the bottom to get by Gossett for fifth, with Whittington trying the top to grab sixth. At halfway it was C. Allen, Dunn, Gieber, Phillips and Teague, who lost fourth to the charging Phillips. Eric Tomlinson was next to loop it in turn 2 for lap 8 caution. As green waved again Phillips was back up top going around Gieber.

Showing his car would work high or low Phillips then dove under Dunn for second as Whittington took fourth from Gieber. Whittington then picked off Dunn leaving him wheel to wheel with Gieber who got the position a lap later. Phillips closed on C. Allen with two to go and the battle was on. As the white waved Phillips went high and gave C. Allen his best shot, but came up a bit short. Behind C. Allen and Phillips, Whittington, Gieber, Dunn, Teague and Cody Smith grabbed the remaining transfer spots.

A pole dash on Saturday will set the top seven starting spots for the 40-lap Championship event.

Modifieds(Top 7 locked in for Sat. A-main)
30 Chase Allen, Midlothian
75x Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo
5w John Whittington, Vidor
8 Dennie Gieber, Jacksonville
88xxx Clyde Dunn jr. Sunnyville
117 Jason Teague, Tahlequah, Okla
18s Cody Smith, Kaufman
1 Dee Gossett, Amarillo
23 Howard Willis, Dayton
89 Steve Whiteaker jr. Corpus Christi
87 Justin McCoy, Quillan
75 Patrik Daniel, Wills Point
9H Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La
88xx Bobby Malchus, Red Oak
85 Thomas Tillison jr. Welston, Okla
98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan
121x Bobby Ruffin, Crandall
66 Greg Burt, Enid, Okla
05 Rod Slack, Fort Worth
15j Jared Webb, McKinney
45t Eric Tomlinson, Waco
410 Brad Doherty, Ennis
955 Robert Metz, Luberton
16 Chris Henigan, Marshall—DNS

White on his Way to A-Main
The former USAC Silver Crown Champ, and NASCAR Truck driver, Paul White(Temple) took a step towards a win in a second class. White, who took a Modified championship win in 2008, got by early leader Rodney Sanders on lap 2. From there White eased away from the 24-car field going unchallenged to the checkers.

Sanders grabbed the point coming out of turn 2 to lead the 15-lap trailed by White, Danny Hebert, Nick Shenberger and Derek Grigsby. White used the bottom to get by Sanders on lap 2, with Grigsby moving into third. Grigsby then pressured Sanders for second, while Steve Whiteaker jr got by Shenberger and Tommy Davis jr for fifth.

Shenberger then spun from his qualifying spot on lap 5 for the races only caution. On the restart the top three got away clean with Whiteaker getting inside D. Hebert for fourth. Whiteaker then picked off another position snagging third from Sanders. At halfway it was White, Grigsby, Whiteaker, Sanders and D. Hebert in the top five.

Back in the pack a former double class winner, Troy Taylor was pulling Sean Jones through traffic as they worked their way until had trouble and fell out. With five laps to go White was easing away from Grigsby and Whiteaker. White rolled on to the checkers with a comfortable margin over the duo, with Sanders, D Hebert, Davis and Jake Upchurch securing the final transfer spots.

Limited Modifieds(Top 7 locked in for Sat. night)
2w Paul White, Temple
69 Derek Grigsby, Marshall
89 Steve Whiteaker jr., Corpus Christi
02x Rodney Sanders, Happy
9D Danny Hebert, Duson, La
17 Tommy Davis jr, Seagoville
124 Jake Upchurch, N. Richland Hills
49 Chris Cleveland, Dallas
10g Mike Goodson, Ardmore, Okla
103 JC Howell, Mabank
23M Jimmy Day, Greenville
9H Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La
94 Sean Jones, Mansfield
12m Howard Willis, Dayton
09 Robert Elliot, Clinton, Okla
71m Terry Pritchett, Palmer
9 Kinzer Edwards, South, Okla
39 Jimmy Staats, Edgewood
34 Michael Walker, Pearland
7m Danny Morris, Ada, Okla
25x Tony Staats, Terrell
22n Nick Shenberger, Sharon, Okla
56 Troy Taylor, Fort Worth
5T Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla

PEVELY, Mo. – March 3, 2011 – The 2011 racing season in St. Louis comes to life March 24-26 with the DIRTcar Roundup – better known as the “Party in Pevely” – at storied I-55 Raceway.

One of the largest events in short track racing features eight divisions of DIRTcar UMP Racing with drivers from the Midwest and beyond. The high-banked 1/3-mile track, owned by Ray Marler and NASCAR star Ken Schrader, will welcome the special event that is expected to draw hundreds of racecars during the three-day motorsports extravaganza at the facility just 20 miles south of St. Louis on Interstate 55.

Schrader is just one of the headliners scheduled to compete in the huge grassroots racing weekend.

Hundreds of laps of feature racing will be completed on both Friday and Saturday nights. In addition to DIRTcar Late Models, fans will see DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, Pro Late Models, Sportsman, Limited Modifieds, Stock Cars, Factory Stocks and Sport Compacts all scheduled to compete it will be a huge festival of speed.

“The Party in Pevely is a special event for us, and we want to make sure that everything about it is done right for the racers and fans alike,” said World Racing Group President Tom Deery. “This event is all about the competitors who are coming from all over to be a part of this mega-weekend. With an event like this, it’s important that it is held at such a top-notch facility as I-55 Raceway. The phenomenal job that Ray Marler and his staff at I-55 Raceway do makes it possible for us to conduct such a huge schedule of events in one weekend. Every division of cars will race side-by-side throughout the entire event, and the competitors are some of the most approachable racers in the business.”

Competitors and fans from across the region will not only witness a slate of racing that offers tremendous value, but will also have added entertainment and nightly race parties following the on-track activities to highlight the weekend. Schrader and numerous other special guests from throughout the world of motorsports are scheduled to compete for the prized Belt Buckle Trophy and Silver Roundup Platter that have become synonymous with the DIRTcar Roundup.

Make sure to keep up-to-date on the DIRTcar Roundup by visiting http://www.PartyInPevely.com or http://www.I55Raceway.com for schedule, ticket and camping information. DIRTcar Roundup can also be found on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/DIRTcarRoundup.

The excitement of racing in St. Louis returns with the special three-day “Party in Pevely” followed April 2 and April 9 with Super Fast Saturday racing. On Saturday, April 16, “The Greatest Show on Dirt” returns to Pevely when legendary King of the Outlaws Steve Kinser leads the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars into I-55 Raceway for the Spring Classic. Reserved tickets for the April 16 special event are on sale now by calling I-55 Raceway for additional info at (636) 479-3219 or (573) 756-2593.

DIRTcar Roundup ‘Party in Pevely’ Schedule of Events (subject to change)

Thursday, March 24th

9:00 a.m.     Campground Opens

3:00 p.m.     Competitor Registration Opens

Competitor Technical Inspection Begins

5:00 p.m.     Open Practice Begins for All Competitor Divisions

10:00 p.m.   Pits Close

Round Up Tent Opens for Party

Friday, March 25th

10:00 a.m.   Round Up Tent Opens for Breakfast

2:00  p.m.    Competitor Registration Opens

3:00  p.m.    Competitor Technical Inspection Begins

7:00  p.m.    Racing Begins

Late Model Heat Races

UMP Modified Heat Races & D-Main / E-Main Qualifiers

Pro Late Model Heat Races

Sportsman Heat Races & D-Main Qualifier

Limited Modified Heat Races

4-Cylinder Heat Races

Stock Car Heat Races

Factory Stocks Heat Races

10:00 p.m.   Round Up Party Tent Opens with LIVE MUSIC

Saturday, March 26th

10:00 a.m.   Round Up Tent Opens for Breakfast

Noon           Competitor Registration Opens

1:00 p.m.    Competitor Technical Inspection Begins

3:00 p.m.    Charity Weenie Roast

6:00 p.m.    Racing Begins

Late Model C-Main / B-Main Qualifiers

30 Lap Championship Feature

UMP Modified C-Main / B-Main Qualifiers

25 Lap Championship Feature

Pro Late Model C-Main / B-Main Qualifiers

20 Lap Championship Feature

Sportsman C-Main / B-Main Qualifiers

20 Lap Championship Feature

Limited Modified C-Main / B-Main Qualifiers

15 Lap Championship Feature

Stock Car C-Main / B-Main Qualifiers

20 Lap Championship Feature

Factory Stocks C-Main / B-Main Qualifiers

15 Lap Championship Feature

4-Cylinders C-Main / B-Main Qualifiers

15 Lap Championship Feature

10:00 p.m.   Round Up Tent Opens with LIVE MUSIC

Trophy Party & Payoff

“We are just like the Thunder (NBA) to Okalhoma City or the Drillers (AA Baseball) to Tulsa, we are now the same. To me we’re now a farm team of the New York Yankees as far as race tracks go,” Skinner said. “Every race car driver in this part of the country will want to connect here and the residual effect on our fans will be like getting to see a Heisman Trophy winner before he turns pro.”
“Short track racing is the heart and soul of NASCAR,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR managing director of racing operations who was present at the press conference yesterday for the announcement. “The history-making addition of our first sanctioned track in Oklahoma brings the excitement and passion of NASCAR racing home to the fans that make up the foundation of this sport.”

“Outlaw Motor Speedway just seemed like a great place to start,” said Silbermann.“We’re very aware of the quality of the facility, the fan-friendly atmosphere and the quality of drivers, If you look at the tracks in our program, they’re among the best in North America.”

There is tangible depth to NASCAR’s rewards and recognition program available to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series participants. NASCAR-licensed drivers in Outlaw Motor Speedway’s NASCAR Feature Division, the Modifieds, are eligible to compete for track and state championships and their point fund awards, as well as the 2010 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national championship. State champions also receive customized championship drivers’ helmets and racing uniforms from series sponsor Whelen Engineering. All NASCAR-licensed drivers competing in NASCAR-sanctioned divisions at sanctioned tracks also receive coverage under the NASCAR-provided excess insurance policy.

Feature Division champions, state champions and the national champion are invited to attend the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national awards banquet in Concord, N.C. There are several days of activities in the Charlotte area leading up to the awards ceremonies. Feature Division state or province champions are determined by drivers’ highest 18 finishes at NASCAR-sanctioned tracks within a state.