Lucas Oil ups LM Purse

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Announces Increased Points Fund and TV Coverage in 2009, Adds New Dates to Schedule

Corona, CA - Officials of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series are pleased to announced that in 2009 the series will sanction 41 events in 19 different states and increase the championship points fund and the winners circle program to a record of over $620,000 in cash and contingency awards. The series will pay cash awards to the top ten drivers in the series point's standings at the year end banquet with the series champion now receiving $75,000 in cash, 2nd place receiving $45,000 cash, 3rd place receiving $30,000 cash, 4th place receiving $21,000 cash and 5th place receiving $20,000 cash. In addition Quarter Master will pay the series top rookie of the year $10,000 cash for 1st place and 2nd place will receive $2,500 in cash along with numerous product awards for the rookie program.
 
Other cash and contingency awards at the series banquet include a special $3,000 cash award to the top Sunoco Race Fuels driver that earns the most Race for Gas points in 2009. A cash and product award from PRC for the most Fast Times awards on the series in 2009, a special award from PBM for the Hard Charger of the Year award, Allstar Performance will present a special award for the Allstar Performer of the year award, AFCO will give a cash and product award  to the driver that wins the most heat races during the season, K&N Filters will present a special award for most clean pass awards during the season and COMP Cams will present a cash and product awards to the top engine builder based on points earned during the season. This is the largest points fund and winner circles monies program in the history of the series now in its 5th season.
 
Drivers on the 2009 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series tour will be racing for over $1.9 million dollars in purse money alone at series events that includes several crown jewel dirt late model events sanctioned by Lucas Oil including the DART Winter Nationals, the $30,000 to win SuperClean Diamond Nationals, the $40,000 to win O'Reilly Show-Me 100 presented by Dart Machinery, the $50,000 to win Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 presented by Lucas Oil, the $40,000 to win COMP Cams Topless 100, the $41,000 to win Hillbilly 100, the $20,000 to win Jackson 100 and the season finale Dixie Shootout paying $20,000 to win.
 
The series is also pleased to announce a couple new venues and dates added to series schedule in 2009. The Lucas Oil Series has added the FedEx 50 at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, IL on May 24th the day after the O'Reilly Show-Me 100 presented by Dart Machinery. This event will be a 50-lap feature event paying $10,000 to the winner. By adding this event to the schedule on that weekend, it will give racers and fans a huge weekend of racing with the O'Reilly Show-Me 100 presented by Dart Machinery scheduled for May 22-23rd the day before this event.  On another note; the Farley Speedway May 15th race date in Farley, Iowa has been withdrawn at this time. We continue have a great relationship with Mr. Simmons as we discussed on several occasions the economy and the state of area tracks. We wish Mr. Simmons and his staff the greatest upcoming season.
 
In addition the series is pleased to announce a new date and venue to the schedule for the summer. On Wednesday July 29th the series will travel to Utica Rome Speedway in Vernon, NY for a 50-lap $10,000 to win sanctioned event. This event will give racers and fans a three race weekend with the series heading to Winchester Speedway in Winchester, VA on Friday July 31st and Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD on Saturday August 1st.
 
The Series is also pleased to announce the TV coverage of series events in 2009 will also increase significantly with additional events and a special two-hour broadcast of the SuperClean Diamond Nationals airing just two weeks after the May 8-9th event at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. We have 14 TV race dates scheduled and a Best of "Year in Review Show" for a total of 15 TV air dates.
 
"With the continued support of all our sponsors and Lucas Oil's commitment to continue the growth of this series even in the tough economic times, we feel we have put together the best program for fans and racers to follow. It's our goal to provide fans, promoters and the greatest racers in our country the most entertaining and rewarding dirt late model series in the country to attend", stated Ritchie Lewis, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series director.

For more information on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, visit the Series website at www.lucasdirt.com or contact the Series Office at (951) 532-2503