WoO LMS ‘Rumble on the River V' At Virginia Motor Speedway

[rebelracewriter]

World of Outlaws Late Model Series News & Notes: Previewing This Saturday's ‘Rumble on the River V' At Virginia Motor Speedway

 

JAMAICA, VA - April 16, 2009 -

 

ONE YEAR LATER: Jeremy Miller will never forget his visit to Virginia Motor Speedway on April 11, 2008.

 

The Gettysburg, Pa., racer is hoping that his return to the half-mile oval this Saturday night (April 18) for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series 50-lap ‘Rumble on the River V' goes just as well.

 

It was that spring evening just over one year ago at Bill Sawyer's tremendous facility that Miller achieved a career milestone, capturing his first career WoO LMS A-Main.

 

“That win definitely is right at the top of things I've done,” said Miller, who emerged triumphant after he had several bids for a WoO LMS victory fall short in heartbreaking fashion over the previous two years. “These Outlaw races are so competitive it's hard to even put yourself in position to win, so when you have a chance you have to seal the deal. We finally were able to do that.”

 

Miller, 38, will attempt to repeat his '08 success at VMS on Saturday with a different package than he used last year. No longer racing for longtime car owner Charles Buckler – the excitable Marylander who went wild after Miller's WoO LMS triumph – because Buckler has disbanded his operation, Miller is fielding his own program this season thanks to increased backing from Stewart Byers of USA Spares Inc. in Carlisle, Pa. Miller's number remains 24, but after an extended stint driving Rocket cars he is now behind the wheel of a Victory Circle by Moyer chassis.

 

Can Miller win another WoO LMS A-Main at VMS? He's confident, but also realistic, about his chances.

 

“I'm gonna try to win again,” said Miller. “But I don't know if I'm in the best position right now to do it. I've only run two races so far this year, and I'll be racing against some really good guys who already have in, what, 30 races? That makes them tough to beat.”

 

Miller has been impressed with his Victory Circle mount in his limited action this season.

 

“We're trying to find the sweet spot for myself,” he said of his work with the Victory Circle car. “It's a lot different from what I'm used to, but we're figuring it out. I feel like we're just missing one or two things that could make it really good.”

 

REGULAR STOP: VMS is hosting the WoO LMS for the fifth consecutive year, making the Tidewater Region track one of the stalwarts of the six-year-old tour.

 

This will be the sixth A-Main overall contested at VMS (there were two races in 2007). There has not been a repeat winner in the five previous WoO LMS events.

 

All five previous WoO LMS victors will be in action on Saturday night, including Miller; Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., and Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga. (2007); Rick Eckert of York, Pa. (2006); and Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga. (2005).

 

STILL SEARCHING: It's logical to think that WoO LMS champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., is due for a win at VMS, which stands as one of the few track he's raced at multiple times without visiting Victory Lane.

 

Francis, who leads all drivers with 22 WoO LMS wins since 2004, has fared progressively better at VMS. He scored dismal finishes of 20th (2005) and 17th (2006), but he placed fourth and fifth in the pair of '07 shows and ran a close second to Miller in last year's 50-lapper.

 

Defending WoO LMS champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., is another WoO LMS regular who hasn't broken through at VMS. His lone top-five finish in five starts was a second in the thrilling July 2007 affair won by Clanton.

 

THE ROOKS: Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., is the WoO LMS Rookie of the Year contender most looking forward to Saturday's show.

 

A 21-year-old who got his dirt-racing start at the age of 14 in VMS's Limited Late Model division, Robinson will have a decided advantage over his rookie brethren on Saturday. He's hoping he can use his experience at VMS – and at Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway, which hosts Friday night's WoO LMS stop – to advance from the fourth spot in the RoY points battle.

 

Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, is the only other rookie who has previously driven a Super Late Model at VMS. He finished 22nd in a MACS/Carolina Clash event on Aug. 22, 2008.

 

The other rookie contenders – points leader Jordan Bland of Campbellsville, Ky., Dustin Hapka of Grand Forks, N.D., 14-year-old Tyler Reddick of Corning, Calif., and Chas Shellenberger of Winfield, Pa. – have never competed at Fayetteville.

 

POST-RACE ‘BATTLE': Providing fans an exciting added attraction themed on the rich history of the area surrounding VMS, costumed Civil War reenactors will greet the winner of Saturday night's 50-lap A-Main with a flurry of musket and pistol fire in Victory Lane.

 

Reenactors dressed in both Union and Confederate uniforms will assemble around the winning car on the speedway's homestretch, giving the evening's star dirt Late Model driver a unique – and loud – salute using their authentic Civil War-era firearms.

 

In addition, the command to start engines prior to the Rappahannock Tractor ‘Rumble on the River V' presented by Dixie Chopper will be punctuated by an ear-splitting Civil War cannon shot.

 

NATIONAL ATTENTION: Saturday's program will be the first WoO LMS event of 2009 taped for later broadcast on the SPEED cable network.

 

An air date for the race will be announced.

 

CHALLENGING THE OUTLAWS: Several well-known dirt Late Model standouts are planning to make VMS the second half of their WoO LMS doubleheader after competing at Fayetteville on Friday night, including Chris Madden of Gaffney, S.C., who won last August's topless MACS/Carolina Clash event at VMS; Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn.; Circle K Colossal 100 winner Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla; and Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga.

 

Other drivers expected to enter VMS's action include three-time MACS champion Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa., Ricky Elliott of Seaford, Del., Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., and Doug Horton of Bruceton Mills, W.Va.

 

VMS INFO: Pit gates are scheduled to open at 3 p.m. and spectator gates at 4 p.m. on Sat., April 18. There will be a BB&T ‘Meet and Greet' with the Outlaws drivers from 5-6 p.m., and on-track activities will commence at 6:30 p.m. with hot laps.

 

The WoO LMS will be accompanied on the program by VMS's Truckin' Thunder Sportsman and the Budweiser Modified divisions. The Sportsman and Modifieds will run hot-lap time trials and features only.

 

Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors and military, $10 for students 13-17, $5 for children 7-12 and free for kids 6-and-under. Pit passes will be $30.

 

The Speedway also offers a ‘Family Pack' (two adults and two children 12-and-under) for only $60, and $5-off discount coupons on adult, senior and military tickets can be printed by visiting the track's website at www.vamotorspeedway.com.

 

For more information call the VMS office at 804-758-1VMS.

 

WoO LMS ON TWITTER: Fans can now receive news, updates and other behind-the-scenes information about the WoO LMS by following the tour's official feed on Twitter, the internet's fast-growing social-networking and micro-blogging website.

 

Fans can view the latest text posts and subscribe as “followers” of the WoO LMS at http://twitter.com/WoOLateModels.

 

Additional info on the WoO LMS is available by logging on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.