New Colorado Motorsports Park Kicks Off 2010 Colorado Late Model Assoc

[rebelracewriter]

Visit To New Colorado Motorsports Park Kicks Off 2010 Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series This Saturday Night (April 24)

 

Weekend Doubleheader Also Takes Tour To I-76 Speedway On Sunday Night (April 25)

 

CONCORD, NC – April 21, 2010 – A historic season for DIRTcar Racing in the Rocky Mountain region is set to kick off this weekend.

 

The Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series will begin its first campaign under the banner of the nationally-known sanctioning body with a huge doubleheader, visiting the new Colorado Motorsports Park in Byers on Sat., April 24, and I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo., on Sun., April 25.

 

Saturday night's 'Thunder in the Rockies' program will serve as a grand coming-out party for Colorado Motorsports Park, a newly-opened track that will be a hub of DIRTcar Late Model racing in the Denver area this season. I-76 Speedway, meanwhile, will close out the weekend with its 'Icebreaker' event – the only CLMA DIRTcar Series show scheduled in 2010 at the quarter-mile oval.

 

"This is shaping up as one of the biggest weekends of Late Model racing that Colorado fans and racers have had the opportunity to enjoy in years," said DIRTcar Racing Western Region director Chris Morgan. "It's an exciting way for DIRTcar Racing to begin our involvement in a region where Late Model racing is on the rise."

 

Colorado Motorsports Park is positioned to play a major role in DIRTcar Racing's expansion into Colorado and nearby states. Formerly a quarter-mile greyhound dog-racing track, the 250-acre complex was purchased in 2008 by commercial mortgage banker Jerry Kendall and reconfigured into a nearly one-third-mile, semi-banked clay oval.

 

Located directly off Interstate 70 less than an hour's drive east of Denver, the facility features a completely enclosed 2,000-seat grandstand building, allowing fans to watch the races from behind glass in climate-controlled comfort. Spectators can also stand or sit outside in lawn chairs on a sloped concrete terrace, and there are numerous fan amenities, including nearly 20 acres of parking, concrete walkways throughout the spectator area and 20,000 square feet of concession and entertainment space underneath the main grandstand.

 

"The place was closed for the last 20 years, but people would always see it from the freeway and say, 'That would make a great racetrack,'" said Kendall, who grew up in northern Indiana as a regular attendee of wingless Sprint Car races with his father. "I thought the Denver area could use a dirt track so I decided to go for it.

 

"This is a facility that will provide fans a totally unique experience," he added. "How many dirt tracks have an enclosed grandstand? It's real neat to sit inside and be able to listen to the announcer call the race and hear all the fans cheering for their particular favorite drivers."

 

CMP officially opened on April 11 with an afternoon program highlighted by NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader's participation in the open-wheel Modified action. This Saturday's show will mark the track's first night race and the first appearance for the DIRTcar Late Models, which will be one of the primary attractions in 2010 at CMP.

 

Kendall has scheduled nine events for the full-fender division, including three CLMA DIRTcar Series points races. Sunday dates are set for April 24 (CLMA), May 2, May 23, June 6, July 4, July 18 (CLMA) and Aug. 15, and the '10 season will round out with Saturday shows on Sept. 4 and Sept. 11 (CLMA).

 

Every Late Model event at CMP will be sanctioned by DIRTcar Racing, making the track a centrally-located hub for DIRTcar Late Model competition in the region. The CMP events will compliment touring shows for the CLMA DIRTcar Series (Colorado/Wyoming) and the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series (Kansas/Oklahoma), giving DIRTcar-licensed drivers across the region more opportunities to collect points toward the lucrative and prestigious DIRTcar UMP program.

 

"We're excited to have Colorado Motorsports Park come on board as a signature track for DIRTcar Late Model racing in the region," said Morgan, who visited CMP for the recent season-opening program. "Combining the CMP events with those of the CLMA DIRTcar Series and the Midwest DIRTcar Late Model Series, teams will now have at least one chance to race for UMP points virtually every weekend."

 

Kendall is a big proponent of having a DIRTcar sanction for his track's Late Model division – not only for the points-fund and recognition possibilities, but as a catalyst for future growth of Late Model racing in the region.

 

"I'm a believer in letting people know where they're going to be rules-wise not only this year, but next year," said Kendall. "If the racers know they'll have stability with the rules they'll invest in a car for the long-term. Being part of a group with uniform rules like DIRTcar will allow that to happen.

 

"We think our relationship with DIRTcar and CLMA will help build Late Model car counts in this region and, in turn, build excitement for Colorado Motorsports Park."

 

CLMA DIRTcar Series Cory Moul also sees CMP's addition to the tour and the DIRTcar family as a positive for DIRTcar Late Model racing in the Rocky Mountain region.

 

"Colorado Motorsports Park is definitely going to be a huge boost for our tour and DIRTcar Late Model racing in general out here in Colorado," said Moul. "It gives the CLMA a hometrack, and it's going to bring out more cars to help grow the series and DIRTcar Late Model racing in the Denver area."

 

For more information on this weekend's CLMA DIRTcar Series events, visit www.www.coloradolatemodel.com, www.coloradomotorsportspark.com or www.i-76speedway.com.

 

Additional info on all of the series, sanctioning and member tracks of DIRTcar Racing is available at www.DIRTcar.com.