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World of Outlaws Late Model Series May 23 at 34 Raceway
BURLINGTON, IA - (May 19) - Anticipation is building for a holiday weekend
World of Outlaws Late Model Series spectacular in the Hawkeye State.
Tickets are now on sale for the full-fender Outlaws’ invasion of Iowa’s 34
Raceway on Sat., May 23 - a $10,000-to-win event that will bring
national-level Super Late Model racing back to one of the Midwest’s top
facilities for the first time in several seasons.
Great deals on advance-sale seats are available for the Memorial Day weekend
program, which will be highlighted by a 50-lap A-Main.
The blockbuster event will mark the first appearance at 34 Raceway for the
WoO LMS during the tour’s ‘modern’ era, which began in 2004 when the World
Racing Group brought the series back to life after a 15-year hiatus. The
series did, however, visit 34 Raceway during its initial two-year run
(1988-89) under late WoO Sprint Car Series founder Ted Johnson, contesting a
program on June 29, 1989, that saw three-time WoO LMS champion Billy Moyer
of Batesville, Ark., emerge victorious.
This year’s WoO LMS show is arguably the biggest - and perhaps richest -ever
scheduled for the Super Late Model division at the three-eighths-mile,
high-banked oval, which was purchased by the husband-and-wife team of Jeff
and Amy Laue in December 2006.
The last time a major full-blown Late Model touring series competed at 34
Raceway was July 12, 2006, when the grueling UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals
tour made the last of its five alltime appearances. That event was won by
Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who is currently ranked fifth in the WoO LMS
points standings.
Few tracks, of course, are better suited to be part of the renowned WoO LMS
than 34 Raceway. The track hard by U.S. Route 34 in eastern Iowa is
celebrating its 43rd season of action in 2009, but its physical appearance
rivals, if not surpasses, that of a brand-new speedway.
Johnny Johnson, a veteran racer whose J&J Steel company in West Burlington,
Iowa, is well-known for sponsoring many dirt Late Model teams across the
country, literally rebuilt the entire facility during his decade-long stint
as owner. Before selling to the Laues following the 2006 season, Johnson’s
investment in 34 Raceway included the erection of a sparkling 4,000-capacity
aluminum grandstand with chair-back seats.The track also includes 22 VIP
suites above the bleachers and a separate ‘Suite 34’ for larger parties
outside turn four; bright Musco lights; new concession stands and restrooms;
a spongy track surface; and the development of spic- and-span grounds.
The Laues have continued 34 Raceway’s growth since assuming ownership,
steadily adding more exciting events to the track’s schedule. In fact, last
year Jeff Laue, a dirt Late Model driver who has competed on Midwestern
ovals for more than 20 years, and his wife joined with SLS Promotions to
present a wildly-successful first-ever WoO Sprint Car Series event at the
oval. In the wake of the Sprint Car winner, the Laues will once again work
with SLS Promotions in 2009 to offer fans a double-dip of WoO LMS and WoO
Sprint Car shows (the winged warriors return to 34 Raceway on Wed., July 8).
SLS Promotions is a respected promotional team that annually organizes
morethan a dozen WoO Sprint Car Series events. The group has scheduled 15
WoO Sprint Car races at 12 different tracks in 2009 plus a three-event foray
into WoO LMS event promotion, with the 34 Raceway date sandwiched by
Memorial Day weekend tour shows on Fri., May 22, at U.S. 36 Raceway in
Osborn, Mo., and Sun., May 24, at Charter Raceway Park in Beaver Dam, Wis.
The three-race weekend has been dubbed the ‘Tri-State Late Model Challenge.’
A $10,000 bonus is on the line if a driver is able to win two of the three
A-Mains.
There’s plenty of WoO LMS stars ready to pick off the five-figure bonus,
including defending champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., 21- year-old
sensation Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., 2007 titlist Steve Francis of
Ashland, Ky., Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., Chub Frank of Bear Lake,
Pa., Rick Eckert of York, Pa., and new ’09 regular Brady Smith of Solon
Springs, Wis.
In addition, NASCAR veteran Kenny Schrader will be in attendance at 34
Raceway driving his Red Baron Frozen Pizza dirt Late Model against the best
of the WoO LMS. Schrader plans to enter all three events of the Tri-StateLate
Model Challenge.
Advance-sale tickets for 34 Raceway’s WoO LMS event on May 23 are $25 for
grandstand rows 1-12 and $30 for rows 13-16. Fans who purchase advance
tickets in rows 13-16 will also receive a pit pass to check out the WoO LMS
teams up-close-and-personal, adding more value to securing a ticket early.
Tickets on race day will be $30 for rows 1-12 and $35 for rows 13-16.
Pit passes will cost $35.
Tickets for both the WoO LMS and WoO Sprint Car Series events can be
purchased by calling 34 Raceway at 319-752-3434 or SLS Promotions at
815-344-2023. Advance tickets are also available for purchase locally
atElectric Rayz Tanning, located on 3220 Division St. in Burlington, Iowa.
More information is available by logging on to www.34raceway.com or
www.slspromotions.com .
For additional information on the WoO LMS, visit
www.worldofoutlaws.com .
Autograph session World of Outlaw Late Models & Kenny Schrader Night at the
races. Also running will be IMCA Stock Cars. Pit gates open at 2:00,
Grandstands 3:00, WoO Late Model drivers & Kenny Schrader Meet & Greet
Autograph session 4:30-5:30. Time Trial qualifying begins at 6:30
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