Ready or not, the World of Outlaws Dirt Late Model Series will be invading Shawano Speedway for the third straight year. This year’s show will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 1, with the racing action getting underway at 6:30 p.m.
For the last two years this has been the biggest event of the year at Shawano Speedway. Here is some information about this event.
In 2010, there were 32 Late Models on hand for the World of Outlaws show at Shawano Speedway, with 10 of those drivers Shawano Speedway regulars. In 2011, the total Late Model count increased to 37, with nine of those being Shawano Speedway regulars.
It is always hard to predict which drivers will make the tow to this race because drivers’ plans can change at the last moment. I am going to predict that there will be more than 40 Late Model drivers at this year’s race.
I would expect to see the top 12 in the World of Outlaws Dirt Late Model point standings. They include: Darrell Lanigan (Union, Ky.), Rick Eckert (York, Pa.), Tim McCreadie (Watertown, N.Y.), Shane Clanton (Fayetteville, Ga.), Chub Frank (Bear Lake, Pa.), Bub McCool (Vicksburg, Miss.), Clint Smith (Senoia, Ga.), Vic Coffey (Caledonia, N.Y.), Pat Doar (New Richmond), Tim Fuller (Watertown, N.Y.), Kent Robinson (Bloomington, Ind.) and Jack Sullivan (Greenbrier, Ark.).
In addition to Robinson, the other three top drivers in last year’s Shawano Fans Fund have indicated they will be returning to Shawano Speedway for this year’s race. They include: Jason Feger (Bloomington, Ill.), Frank Heckenast Jr. (University Park, Ill.) and Chad Simpson (Mount Vernon, Iowa).
Four drivers will be invited to the event via this year’s Shawano Fans Fund. Morgan Bagley, of Longview, Texas, received the most votes with 450. Bagley posted on his Facebook page that he plans on attending the race in Shawano. Bagley is 26 years old and is in his second year of racing a Late Model.
Dillan White of Crofton, Ky., received the second most votes with 346. White is 20 years old and began racing a Crate Late Model when he was 13 years old. When he turned 16, he moved up to Super Late Model division.
Receiving the third most votes was Tanner English of Benton, Ky. English is 19 years old and is the son of veteran Late Model pilot, Terry English.
Bagley, White and English will receive $500 from the Shawano Fans Fund if they make the trek to Shawano Speedway for the World of Outlaws show on Aug. 1.
There was a new twist in this year’s Shawano Fans Fund. Fans were allowed to vote for any driver from Wisconsin. Eau Claire’s Jake Redetzke was the leading Wisconsin vote getter. He is scheduled to receive $250 from the Shawano Fans Fund.
I would also expect to see Wisconsin drivers Jimmy Mars, A.J. Diemel, and the return of Terry Casey to Shawano Speedway.
In addition to the above drivers, there are several who have the Aug. 1 race at Shawano Speedway on their schedules on their websites. It looks like a good mix of drivers, from a variety of places across the United States.
In 2010, Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark. set a new track record in time trials and won the 50-lap feature. Last year, 12 drivers broke Moyer’s track record, with Steve Francis (Ashland, Ky.) turning the fastest lap at 19.284 seconds. Lanigan won the 50-lap feature.
The IMCA Northern SportMods will be the support division that night. The winner of the feature will take home $1,000. During the regular racing season at Shawano Speedway, the winner of IMCA Northern SportMod feature receives $200. The high payout should bring some different drivers to Shawano Speedway.
Saturday, July 28 will be Hall of Fame Night at Shawano Speedway. Former and long-time announcer Jerry Rhode and former driver Cliff Miller will be inducted into the Shawano Speedway Hall of Fame.