Rookies Announced For Upcoming Season
Media Contact: Trenton Berry

SPRINGFIELD, MO (March 15, 2012) Next Saturday, March 24th will mark the season opener for the Lucas Oil MLRA at the "Quick-Quarter" Springfield Raceway for the 1st Annual March Madness. Several of the region's top drivers are expected to attend. Included are some new faces who are at least planning to test the waters this season, in hopes of a possible run at the championship. There's an exciting crop of rookies who have verbalized their plans to run for this year's rookie title. Kevin Sather, Bill Leighton Jr. and Mark Dotson each bring previous experiences and accomplishments into the tour for the first time.

Sather, from Des Moines, IA, is a recent graduate of the Universtiy of Northern Iowa. He has only competed with the Lucas Oil MLRA on a couple of occasions. Sather began his career in the IMCA Hobby Stock division. He then progressed to the IMCA Sport Mod division where he won 6 track championships competing at Marshalltown, Boone and Stuart Speedways. Two years ago, he got into Late Models and last season was runner up at the Supernationals. "We got a new car last year and struggled with it," said Sather. "We left Knoxville (following the Lucas Oil Knoxville Late Model Nationals) with an awesome car. I'm really looking forward to the competition. Hopefully we can make a few new friends too."

Leighton, is coming off a Late Model championship at I-80 Speedway. The Omaha, NE, racer will begin the year well equipped with two cars and three engines. "I'm racing with a new team," commented Leighton. "We got together last year, and know there will be some growing pains along the way as we transition to running the series. We want to stay consistent and make all the shows. I'm really looking to run on different tracks, and especially improve on the smaller ones." Aside from the championship last season, Leighton enters the year with a solid resume. He has four total championships at I-80 Speedway, three at Junction Motor Speedway and approximately 40 A Main wins. His best year to date was 2009, when he was 4th overall nationally in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series.

Dotson, hailing from Cameron, MO is no stranger to racing. He's competed in the modified ranks for nearly 20 years. Over the winter he purchased a new Barry Wright car from Andy Eckrich with Precision Performance. Saturday, March 24th at Springfield will be the first time he's ever turned a lap in the new car. Dotson estimates his career win total to be near 100 in a modified. His start in racing is a unique story. He was approached by another racer for sponsorship. Dotson watched him race and figured if he was going to pay for it he should be doing the racing. "I think the biggest challenge for me will be getting comfortable in the car. We'll just have to see how it goes. It's going to be a whole new ball of wax." Dotson doesn't consider himself a points racer; he's only chased them once in his life. He holds a modified championship at his home track, US 36 Raceway.
The Lucas Oil MLRA (Midwest Latemodel Racing Association) sanctions regional Super Dirt Late Model touring series events in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa.

For all the latest news and information on the Lucas Oil MLRA please visit us on the web at www.MLRAracing.com or by calling the series office at (816) 650-5063 or (816) 305-6572.