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17th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Show Me 100 Less Than A Month
Away
by: Ben Shelton
WEST PLAINS, MO (April 21) - Less than a month remains until the 17th Annual
O’Reilly Auto Parts Show Me 100 Presented By Dart Machinery rumbles to life
at Don and Billie Gibson’s West Plains Motor Speedway in West Plains,
Missouri on May 21st-23rd, 2009. The 17th edition of the legendary event
will boast $40,000 going to the winner of the 100 lap affair, and just to
make the twenty-four car starting grid for the event will reward drivers
with a cool $2,000.
A total purse exceeding $132,000 is just one of the many reasons that the
nation’s best drivers converge on the 3/8 mile, clay oval each year. Scott
Bloomquist from Mooresburg, Tennessee brought the massive crowd to their
feet in 2008 as he rallied from the 24th starting position to take the top
spot from leader, Jimmy Mars, with four laps remaining to take the win and
become the only five time champion of the event.
West Plains Motor Speedway is one of the nation’s premier facilities, top to
bottom, and fans and drivers alike are treated like family at each and every
event.
New for 2009 is the addition of the sanctioning of the event by the Lucas
Oil Late Model Series. The state of the economy and other factors led to the
decision by the Gibsons to have the event sanctioned by the nation’s most
prominent sanctioning body. The addition of the Lucas Oil Late Model Series
to the event will bring several drivers to the event, who have never
competed at West Plains Motor Speedway, and the end result should be nothing
short of spectacular for the racers and fans. In addition, for the first
time ever the Speed TV cameras will be on hand to record all of the action
from the weekend for a future airing on the Speed Channel!
The format for the 17th Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts Show Me 100 Presented By
Dart Machinery will get underway on Thursday, May 21st with the traditional
practice night event that will include test and tune time from 7 pm to 9:30
pm. The popular BBQ Dinner with the drivers and crews will follow. The
dinner is free to everyone with a pit pass and grandstand spectators are
welcome to join for a modest $7.50 ticket fee.
Friday night will feature time trials and six heat races for the Super Late
Models. The top three finishers in each heat race will move on to Saturday
night’s main event. The balance of the field in each of the heats will move
on to one of three Super Late Model consolation events on Saturday night.
Open Wheel Modifieds will be featured as the support class and will compete
for $500 to win in an unsanctioned event sponsored by New Vision Graphics
based out of Batesville, Arkansas.
On Saturday night, the Race of Champions, the Manufacturer’s Dash, and two
consolation events will be held for the Super Late Models in addition to the
100 lap Show Me finale. Open Wheel Modifieds will be featured as the support
class and will compete for $750 to win in an unsanctioned event sponsored by
New Vision Graphics.
Grandstand admission for Thursday night’s practice is free. Adult general
admission for Friday night is $20 for adults, children age 7-11 $10, and
children 6 and under are free. Adult general admission for Saturday night is
$25, children age 7-11 $12.50, and children 6 and under are free.
Pit admission is $20 on Thursday night and $35 on Friday and Saturday night.
The tire rule for the 17th Annual O’Reilly Show Me 100 Presented By Dart
Machinery will consist of Hoosier M20, Hoosier M40, Hoosier 1300, Hoosier
1350, Hoosier 1600, Hoosier WRS, and Hoosier WRS2 tires.
Reserved tickets can be ordered from the offices of Gibson Racing or at the
track. Reserved front stretch seating is priced at $50 for the event.
The entry fee for the 17th Annual O'Reilly Show-Me 100 is $225 if received
by May 1st, and $275 after this date. An on-site campground is available
free of charge, but no electric hook-ups are available. For additional
information and to see a seating diagram visit the track website at
www.WestPlains-Speedway.com or call the business offices at (870) 994-7447.
Sponsors for the 17th Annual O’Reilly Show Me 100 include O’Reilly Auto
Parts, Dart Machinery, Hoosier Race Tires, Rocket Chassis, Schoenfeld
Headers, New Vision Graphics, Hatfield Racing Engines, Dirt Late Model
Illustrated, GRT Race Cars, Larry Shaw Race Cars, Hawkeye Racing News,
MidSouthRacing.com, and MSRMafia.com.
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