PITTSBURGH'S PENNSYLVANIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

 

Immediate Release
Media Contact:  Judy Gower  724-853-7223    jdgocar@aol.com
September 22, 2004

 

Outlaws to take on “The Pittsburgher”

         By Brian Dunlap WoO LMS Public Relations

 

Pittsburgh, PA (Sept. 22 2004)  After having the week off due to cancellations caused by hurricane Ivan, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the Dirty Dozen will resume racing this weekend in Pittsburgh, PA for the 16th Annual Pittsburgher hosted by Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway.  The two-day Pittsburgher event will kick off Friday September 24th with a full night of racing highlighted by a 40-lap $5,000 to-win main event.   Friday night will be just the beginning though as the Dirty Dozen will return again on Saturday for yet another night of racing ending with the weekend’s main attraction, an edge-of-your-seat 60 lap $12,000 to-win main event featuring the top drivers in the country.

“The race is utilizing a new two-day two-race format as opposed to the old Sunday afternoon race format which is exciting for the fans,” remarked Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway’s Business Manager and Public Relations Director Judy Gower.  “There is a lot of excitement over having the best drivers in the country taking on our Pennsylvania competition.”  Among the heavy-hitting competition the Dirty Dozen will have to deal with are John Flinner, Mike Johnson, track champion Dave Wade and three-time Pittsburgher winner and two-time WoO feature winner Davey Johnson.

The event is being sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Late Model Series for the first time ever, but the track is no stranger to several members of the Dirty Dozen. Chub Frank and Mike Balzano have both run every Pittsburgher since its inaugural event in 1989.   Chub in the #1* Lester Buildings / Corry Rubber/Allstar Performance / Nystrom's Auto Sales / Draime Racing Engines / Rocket Chassis / Pierotti Motorsports / Slavic Custom T-Shirts / Farr MotorSports / Corry Laser Chevrolet Monte Carlo came away from the event with a win in 2001 while Balzano and his #E1 Smoker Friendly / Biscotti’s Restaurant / Eddie’s Auto Parts / Hoosier Tire / West Virginia Motor Speedway / Rocket Chassis Chevrolet Monte Carlo finished second in 1998 and finished in fourth place in last year’s event. 

The event is no stranger to Dirty Dozen drivers Scott Bloomquist and Rick Aukland either.  Both drivers have won multiple Pittsburghers over the years.  Scott Bloomquist drove his #0 Miller Brothers Coal / Hawkeye Trucking / Custom Race Engines / Allstar Performance / Hoosier Tire / Sweet Manufacturing Ford Taurus to victory lane in 1989, 1993, and 1995.  Of all of the Dirty Dozen members, Rick Aukland is the most recent Pittsburgher winner having won the feature in 1997 and 2002.  Aukland will try to use his track success to drive the #12 Ostrom Painting & Sandblasting / Malcuit Engines Dodge Intrepid to his first win of the season with the World of Outlaws.

In addition to battling local competition, the fight to gain championship points will be foremost on the minds of the Dirty Dozen and Rookie of the Year candidates.  With only seven races remaining in the series season and only 176 points separating the top five, every point counts.

Along with Frank, Balzano, Bloomquist and Aukland the Dirty Dozen includes:

 

Rick Eckert #24 Raye Vest Excavating / J&J Steel / Hoosier Tire / Afco Race Products / Cornett Race Engines / Rocket Chassis Ford Taurus

Steve Francis #15 Valvoline / Mopar / Freeport Recycle Center / Action Auto Mart / Rocket Chassis Dodge Intrepid

Bart Hartman #75 Seubert Calf Ranches / Imler's Poultry/ MCB Motorsports / Cornett Engine / Hoosier Tire / Rocket Chassis Gran Prix

Darrell Lanigan #29 Lanigan Autosports / Accutex Signs / Cornett / AFCO / GottaRace / Hoosier Tire / Rocket Chassis Ford Taurus

Dale McDowell #17M Larry Shaw Race Cars / S&H Motorsports / Dover Cylinder Head / Racetek / Petroff Towing / J&J Steel / New Vision Graphics / Rocket Chassis Pontiac Grand Prix

Billy Moyer #21 J&J Steel / Hawkeye Trucksales.com / Mcarthy One Hour Heating and Air / Banner Valley Hauling Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Dan Schlieper #9 Miller Brothers Coal / Hawkeye Trucking / Pro Power / Rayburn Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Clint Smith #44 JP Drilling / CSR Aluminum Fabrication / Rocket Chassis Chevrolet Monte Carlo

 

General admission gates for the Pittsburgher will open at 5:00 p.m. on Friday with time trials scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.  Gates will open Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and time trials begin at 5:30 p.m.  Ticket information can be found on Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway’s website at http://www.ppms.com/, or by calling the track at (724) 695-0393.