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5/4/07:
Website updates and a few news tidbits:
We have finally gotten the Auto Decals added to the merchandise
page for those of you that have been waiting to order. If you have not looked
lately, we have also updated some of our shirts and added back ordering for
the popular "Cat Eyes" slate grey sweatshirt and t-shirt that have
been on limited supply for the last month. Also, if you have been waiting
on an autograph/hero card or signed photo, they should be ready around the
same time as the Dream and we will be mailing those to all fans pending a
request.
Although no formal announcement has taken place, when you listen to the audio
linked below you will hear that
Jeff Gordon will be driving one of Clint's cars at the Prelude to the
Dream event in June. This Tony
Stewart Foundation sponsored event at the famed Eldora
Speedway, now owned by Tony Stewart, will be televised on HBO Pay-per-View
live.
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5/3/07
Doug Elkins of Doug's
Dirt Diary has a chat with Clint after visit to victory
lane this past weekend. Clint
talks about his win at Kamp Speedway and his top five finish the night
before at Farmer City Raceway in Illinois. He also told me where he will race
this weekend as the World of Outlaw Late Model Series is off until May 9th.
He also remembered his start in the sport, how he got to where he is today
and why there are a lot of photos from the early days of drag racing at his
Dad’s house. Nice chat!
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Clint
Smith Cools Off Babb With Powerful World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory
At Kamp Motor Speedway
Contact: DIRTcar Racing
Kevin Kovac, World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
704-254-7929 (Note: New Number) • kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com
BOSWELL,
IN – April 28, 2007 – Clint Smith registered a pretty satisfying
victory in Saturday night’s ‘Boswell Brawl 50’ at Kamp Motor
Speedway. With his first World of Outlaws Late Model Series win of the 2007
season, Smith cooled off the streaking Shannon Babb, got some revenge on his
good buddy Chris Madden and regained a share of the tour points lead. “It
was a great night for us on a great track,” bottom-lined Smith, a 42-year-old
veteran from Senoia, Ga. “This was our first time racing here, and all
I can say is this was one racy track.” Smith, who started second, outgunned
the polesitting Babb for the lead at the initial green flag and never looked
back. He survived two late-race caution flags to record his seventh career
WoO LMS win by about three car lengths over Gray Court, S.C.’s Madden,
whose final-lap bid between turns three and four fell short.
Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., came on late to finish third. Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., made a steady advance from the 11th starting spot to finish fourth, while Moweaqua, Ill.’s Babb, who had won three of the previous four WoO LMS events, faded during the race’s closing stages and settled for fifth place. “The big thing tonight was making the move to the lead in the (second) heat race from fifth (starting spot),” said Smith, who won that prelim after a stirring three-wide battle for the lead with Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa. “That was the move of the night for us, because it got us in the (A-Main) draw for position.MORE
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Red-Hot
Babb Gives The Locals Something To Cheer About In World of Outlaws Late Model
Series Event At Farmer City Raceway
Contact:
DIRTCar Racing
Kevin Kovac, World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
704-254-7929 (Note: New Number) • kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com
FARMER
CITY, IL – April 27, 2007 – Shannon Babb gave the locals what
they came to see. The
Moweaqua, Ill., native defended his home turf well on Friday night, scoring
a powerful flag-to-flag victory in the ‘Farmer City 50’ at the
venerable Farmer City Raceway. It
was the third win in the last four World of Outlaws Late Model Series events
for Babb, who departed Farmer City – a quarter-mile fairgrounds oval
at which he raced often early in his career – with sole possession of
the tour points lead. “It’s
always nice to win close to home,” said Babb, who is the only repeat
winner this season through eight WoO LMS A-Mains. “When it’s a
big show, it’s even better.” Babb
dominated the feature, blasting off the outside pole to lead the entire distance
in his Car City/J&J Steel Rayburn No. 18. He was fast enough to stay a
step ahead of three-time WoO LMS champion Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark.,
who made a late bid but settled for second place in his Banner Valley Hauling
Rayburn No. 21.
Josh
Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., finished a distant third in his Mark Richards
Racing/Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket, followed closely by Steve Francis of Ashland,
Ky., in his Valvoline Rocket and Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., in his J.P. Drilling/Cliburn
Tank Lines GRT. Babb,
33, actually battled the testy, springtime track surface more than any single
driver to secure the $10,000 top prize. Storms that ripped through Illinois
in the days leading up to Friday’s program dumped several inches of
rain on the Farmer City area, naturally contributing to the spongy, rough
conditions that made the night a survival test.MORE
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Contact: DIRT MotorSports™
Kevin Kovac, 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
704-254-7929 (Note: New Number) • kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com
Shannon Babb Bags ‘Rumble on the River III’ Victory As Virginia Motor Speedway Beats The Weather
JAMAICA, VA – April 14, 2007 – Few people thought Saturday night’s ‘Rumble on the River III’ at Virginia Motor Speedway could beat the approaching storm. A member of that group was Shannon Babb, who nevertheless scored a powerful victory in the 50-lap 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series event. “We stopped and ate lunch just down the road this afternoon, and it was sprinkling then,” Babb said after emerging triumphant in his first-ever racing trip to the Commonwealth of Virginia. “Considering the weather forecast, I was thinking, ‘I don’t think it will happen tonight.’ It didn’t look good.”
But Babb’s long tow east from Moweaqua, Ill., wasn’t for naught. The predicted rain held off until shortly after the A-Main’s checkered flag, allowing Babb to pocket $10,000 for winning an event that was taped for broadcast by the SPEED cable network on Sun., May 20, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. “We gotta thank these guys for running the show,” Babb said of VMS’s Bill and Clarke Sawyer, who pressed on with the program despite knowing attendance would be hurt by the weather. “This right here tonight was for us. They had a race to put on, and they put it on.
“After we lost last night’s show (to postponement at New Jersey’s New Egypt Speedway), it was great for us that they did it.” Babb, a 32-year-old star who is best know for winning the last two UMP DIRTcar Summernationals titles, charged forward from the sixth starting spot to grab the lead from Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., on lap 22. He never looked back the remainder of the distance in his Car City/J&J Steel Rayburn No. 18, building an edge of as much as a half-straightaway before settling for a modest victory margin (0.979 of a second) over Clanton’s RSD Enterprises Rocket No. 25.
Reigning 360 OTC WoO LMS champion Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., returned to the tour after missing last month’s three-race southern swing and finished third in the Sweeteners Plus Rocket No. 39, nearly a straightaway behind the leaders. Polesitter Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., finished fourth in his Valvoline Rocket No. 15 (his fourth top-five finish in five series events this season), and third-starter Jimmy Mars of Menominee, Wis., was fifth in his Deppe Enterprises MasterSbilt No. 28M (his second straight top-five).
The key to Babb’s triumphant march was his mastery of the half-mile track’s inside groove, which he ran to perfection while making his way to the front. “In hot laps, I felt that it was there,” Babb said of the low line. “I knew if it would come in, it would be a pretty good lane. When they blew that top (cushion) off I just kept running the bottom, and it finally came in for me.”
Babb spent the race’s early laps battling hard for second with McCreadie, who started fourth. “We were running side-by-side for a while,” said Babb. “I knew if I could ever get out in front of him, I could use the whole racetrack and get my momentum going a little better and pick up some speed.” He did just that, and then, on lap 22, slipped underneath Clanton off turn four to assume command for good.
Clanton, 31, had no answer for Babb’s power along the hub. “He had a little softer tire, and he could go through that mud,” said Clanton, who started from the outside pole and led laps 1-21. “I didn’t think there was mud down there (on the inside), but evidently there was. “When I seen his nose under me the first time, I tried to block him. But I was worse down there, so I moved back up and he passed me. There was nothing I could do.”
Clanton made a late surge to close within striking distance of Babb, but he fell short of reaching Victory Lane for the first time this season in 360 OTC WoO LMS competition. “My car was getting faster,” said Clanton, who took over the 360 OTC WoO LMS points lead with his $5,000 runner-up finish. “The track was drying out, so it was coming to me and going away from (Babb), but there wasn’t enough time.” Babb registered his second career 360 OTC WoO LMS victory. His first came on Feb. 6, 2004, at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., in just the third event of the tour’s era under the DIRTcar Racing banner.
A recipient of 360 OTC WoO LMS touring-driver benefits at VMS because he was ranked among the top 12 in points, Babb improved to fifth in the series standings with the win. He does not plan to follow the entire schedule in 2007, but he expects to test his vast skills against the Outlaws on numerous occasions for the remainder of the season. “It makes you get up on your toes, because everybody here is trying as hard as they can with the best equipment they can build,” Babb said of racing with the 360 OTC WoO LMS. “So when you can run with them, you know you’re right.”
Five caution flags slowed the event, including a multi-car tangle on the opening circuit that had big points-race implications. Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., lost the 360 OTC WoO LMS points lead he had held or shared for three straight events after being involved in the incident, which began when Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., slid sideways between turns three and four.MORE
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‘Hot’ Moyer Dominates Columbus Speedway’s ‘Battle at the Bullring 50’
Contact:
DIRT MotorSports™
Kevin Kovac, 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
405-488-8234 • kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com
COLUMBUS, MS – March 24, 2007 – The engine in Billy Moyer’s car sounded horrible, wheezing and spewing steam even after it was shut off. But the racket happened to be background noise to Moyer’s Victory Lane celebration after Saturday night’s ‘Battle at the Bullring 50,’ so it couldn’t eliminate the big smile on the veteran superstar’s face. Despite a badly overheating engine, Moyer dominated the 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at Columbus Speedway, racing unchallenged in front for virtually the entire distance.
“It’s not good when you keep punishing (a motor) like that,” Moyer said after racing a significant number of laps with his Pro Power engine at a dangerously high temperature. “But sometimes that’s what you gotta do if you want to win the race.” Moyer, 50, of Batesville, Ark., seemed barely hampered by the overheating woes. In fact, after inheriting the lead when Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., was felled by a busted rearend on lap four, the three-time 360 OTC WoO LMS champ (1988, 1989, 2005) simply pulled away from the pack with ease. With his eyes scarcely glancing at his engine’s temperature reading, Moyer stayed on the attack and beat Rick Eckert of York, Pa., to the finish line by nearly a half-lap margin on the one-third-mile, high-banked oval.MORE
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Chris ‘Smokey’ Madden’s First-Ever Start At Baton Rouge Results In ‘Battle on the Bayou 50’ Victory
Contact:
DIRTcar Racing
Kevin Kovac, 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
405-488-8234 • kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com
BAKER, LA – March 23, 2007 – It didn’t take Chris Madden long to figure out Baton Rouge Raceway.
In his first-ever appearance at the three-eighths-mile oval, the driver known as ‘Smokey’ captured Friday night’s 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Battle on the Bayou 50.’ “It feels pretty good to get a win the first time at a place,” said Madden, an 11-year dirt Late Model veteran from Grey Court, S.C. “It seems to be a little strategy of ours. We’ve done it three or four times now.” But none were more impressive than his $10,000 score in Friday’s A-Main, which kicked off the three-night, three-state ‘World of Outlaws March Through Dixie.’ Madden started fifth, but he fell back as far as seventh before surging forward to grab the lead from Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., on lap 34.
Madden, 31, survived a strong late-race challenge from Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., to secure the checkered flag in his Century Plastics/Henderson Amusements Bloomquist car. It was his second career win in 360 OTC WoO LMS competition, following up his Gator 100 triumph on Oct. 14, 2006, at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. Smith settled for the $5,000 runner-up check in his J.P. Drilling/Cliburn Tank Lines GRT, while Clanton took third in his RSD Enterprises/SAE Parts Rocket after starting eighth and leading laps 10-33. MORE
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WEAVER DANCES.. CATDADDY POUNCES ON THE 'FOUR-LEAF
CLOVER 40' AT NORTH GEORGIA
by: Steve Hixson
CHATSWORTH, Ga. (March 16) - Cold temperatures didn't keep the die-hard racefans from the North Georgia Speedway, Friday night and the attendees witnessed an AWESOME race, as CATDADDY prowled from start to finish, despite starting 3rd on the grid for the $3,000. payday in the "FOUR-LEAF CLOVER 40" at the Dalton/Chatsworth area dirt track. Clint Smith in his familiar checkered board topped # 44 "J&J Steel, Cliburn Tank Lines, JP Drilling, Integra Shocks, JFR Graphics" sponsored GRT Chassis, RaceTek Race Engines, Pontiac, GTO racecar overpowered pole sitter Lee Sutton coming off turn four to take the lead of the first lap but had plenty of hard chargin' competition.
"It's good to get win #3 outta the way, here at one of our Georgia home track..." stated Smith after climbing out of the racecar in victory lane. "Nobody was stepping up to the high groove and the bottom was gettin' black fast", continued CATDADDY "so I just kept it on the bottom." Randy "the DREAM" Weaver drew along side Smith within 10 laps of the 40 lap race conclusion, but Smith powered off. Local racer Gary McPherson also took a stab at CATDADDY, but the Delaware Double File Restarts proved key in giving Weaver back the edge.MORE
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Merchandise
Page Updated with All New 2007 Merchandise by ASIWear
3/11/07 : We
have now uploaded the all new 2007 Merchandise
on the website. So far this season we have new graphics, new die cast
cars, new ladies line, and auto tags. The new products have been selling fast
at the tracks so place your orders soon online before we run out of stock.
We have currently run out of the auto decals but more are in production. If
you would like to place an order for a hold, please email
us.
The DieCasts are available in 1:24 and 1:64. The 1:24ths are a limited supply
as there were only 500 of these made.
In
addition, for all of you that have sent requests for autographs, we are working
on new autograph cards and will hopefully have those out to you soon. We have
not forgotten about the request, we just wanted to provide you with images
of the most recent season.
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Clint Continues his string of strong runs at the Bullring
3/11/07: Coming off two wins
in as many weeks, Clint headed to the site of past victory and upcoming WoO
action.
Clint headed back to the Baddest Bullring of the South, Columbus Motor Speedway,
in Columbus, MS for the Rebel Challenge. The main event winner there 2 years
ago, Clint headed back to run with some of the nations toughest competitors
as he gears up for the 360 OTC World Of Outlaws event there in two weeks.
On Friday night Clint qualified well and brought in his fourth top 5 of the
season with a 3rd place finish. On Saturday night, he faced a tougher challenge
to keep his streak of top fives alive. Qualifying 3rd in his group, Clint
managed a 2nd place finish for his heat race. This would start Clint 15th
for the feature event on a track that has racing from the top to bottom of
the 3/8ths mile clay oval. At the drop of the flag, Clint started making a
charge to the front and checked off cars through the 50 laps by advancing
to the 4th place spot by lap 50. This would not prove another victory for
the Rebel Challenge as Don O'Neal proved strong for the win. However, Clint
added his sixth top five in eight starts and feels prepared to head back there
when the World of Outlaws returns on March 24th. Clint's next stop will be
The Shamrock 60 at Cleveland Speedway in Cleveland, TN.
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Cherokee Speedway ‘March Madness V’ Victory Continues Clint Smith’s Tuneup For 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series Schedule
Contact: DIRT MotorSports™ *
Kevin Kovac, 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
405-488-8234 • kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com
CONCORD, NC – March 5, 2007 – If Clint Smith can find a way to bottle his early-season success in the Southeast, his rivals on this year’s 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series could be in trouble. The standout from Senoia, Ga., continued his splendid break out of the 2007 starting gate on Sunday, winning the 50-lap ‘March Madness V’ event at the newly-reconfigured Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C.
It was the second $10,000 triumph in as many weeks for Smith, who also captured the ‘Bama Bash’ on Feb. 25 at Green Valley Speedway in Gloecoe, Ala. “Building up the bank account – that’s what we’re trying to do,” said Smith, who will chase the 360 OTC WoO LMS for the fourth consecutive season. “We’re off to a good start.”
Smith, who will celebrate his 42nd birthday on March 20, made a clean sweep of the O’Reilly Southern All-Stars Racing Series program. His lap of 15.548 seconds around the three-eighths-mile oval, which was shortened during the off-season, was the fastest in time trials, then he won his heat race and led the feature from flag-to-flag off the pole position. MORE
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Clint Smith Claims Cherokee’s OSAS March Madness
Gaffney, SC – Clint Smith had a rough day on Saturday
at Cherokee Speedway. Smith mired up his hauler in the middle of the new pit
area and was unable to unload his car to get in some practice on the newly
reconfigured 3/8ths mile track surface. Sunday proved to be a new day for
the Senoia, GA driver.
Smith bested the other forty-two O’Reilly Southern All Star Racing Series super late models in time trials and in the process established a brand new track record of 15.548 seconds to claim the Ivey Construction / Big A’s Custom Graphics Fast Time money. Petey Ivey, Shane Clanton, Jimmy Owens and Jonathan Davenport rounded out the top five qualifiers.
1990 OSAS Champion James Cline suffered a heavy crash in qualifying after he took the checkered flag. Cline backed his GRT mount into the turn one wall and flipped over onto his roof backwards. Though the car was completely destroyed Cline was able to walk away uninjured.
Smith continued to make the most of the weekend by winning the first heat of the afternoon and claim the inside pole position for the feature. Ricky Elliott challenged Smith early but a broken front suspension sent him careening off the turn one wall. Davenport rallied to finish second ahead of John Pursley and Ricky Arms. MORE
Photo
above courtesy of CTC Photos.
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Clint
Smith Builds Momentum For 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series With
‘Bama Bash’ Victory
Contact:
DIRT MotorSports™ • Kevin Kovac, 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late
Model Series P.R. Director
405-488-8234 • kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com • CONCORD, NC
Feb. 26, 2007 – Clint Smith is building some nice momentum for this year’s 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Taking advantage of a month-long break in the schedule of the national tour he’ll chase in 2007, Smith scored a convincing $10,000 victory in Sunday’s eighth annual ‘Bama Bash 75’ at Green Valley Speedway in Glencoe, Ala. Smith, 41, of Senoia, Ga., captured the Southeast’s early-season dirt Late Model special for the third consecutive year. He also finished second in the event’s 2004 edition, behind fellow 360 OTC WoO LMS star Rick Eckert of York, Pa.
“We’ve had some pretty good success in the ‘Bama Bash,’” bottom-lined Smith, the only 360 OTC WoO LMS regular who entered the weekend program at the three-eighths-mile oval. “It’s a good way to get the year started.” Smith pulled off a clean sweep of the ‘Bama Bash’ action, posting fast time, winning the dash and leading all 75 laps of the A-Main from the pole position. He turned back periodic bids in the feature from 2004 WoO LMS champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., who settled for second place. Tim Busha of Boaz, Ala., finished third, followed by Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C., and Randy Weaver of Crossville, Tenn.
Smith’s triumph came one week after he unsuccessfully attempted to pass Bloomquist for position late in the 50-lap 360 OTC WoO LMS season opener at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., forcing him to be satisfied with a sixth-place finish to kick off the tour’s ’07 campaign. “Scott was tough, but we just had the position on the racetrack on him,” said Smith, one of the Southeast’s most decorated dirt Late Model racers. “We followed him last week (at Volusia), so it’s nice to turn the tables. “Scott’s already won two big ones this year, so maybe it’s good to spread the wins around a little bit,” he added with a smile. “He’s been ending up with a lot of trophies, so I’ll take one once in a while.” MORE
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Contact
Us!
We
like to hear from those that support our team and like to share information
on schedule updates and results with them! Be
sure to email us if you want to
be added to our mail list.
Web
site Updates
We
have recently added a news archive page. News from each month, at the beginning
of the next month, will be moved from the also newly created "News"
page. We are still refreshing our Media page.
We havel also separated our Upcoming Schedule page from those events completed
and put those on a Results page. The results page will also include the past
season stats. This way you can simply look to what he's done recently vs.
having to scroll through a year's activity to get to his upcoming events.
Cruise
with the Champions
It's
come and gone again! The ship set sail on January 7th, with 43 drivers and
198 of racing's best family and fans. The ship is waiting on us for 2008 as
we will take another long winter's break and head out to the Western Caribbean
for 5 days aboard the ship Imagination. The 2008 cruise will sail out from
Miami on January 5th and return on January 10th. Cruise on over to www.cruisewiththechampions.com
for details on how to contact Cindy to sign up. Some pictures have been posted
on the Cruise page here
and others on the Cruise with the Champions web site.
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| Upcoming
Events
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2007 Season Stats after 18 Starts |
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|
Wins:
4 |
Top
5: 11 |
Top
10: 14 |
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| Poles:
2 |
Avg.: 5.24 |
DNF:
1 |
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|
2006
Stats
78 Starts
| Wins: 11 | Top 5: 31 |
| Top 10: 51 | Poles: 9 |
| Avg.: 6.75 | DNF: 14 |
