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WORLD DIRT RACING LEAGUE OPENS ITS 2008 SEASON ON FRIDAY, APRIL 11 WDRL's stars and cars will compete in the Rudy's Tacos Fiesta 40 at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway By Phil Roberts WORLD Dirt Racing League Davenport, Iowa (April 4, 2008) - Gentlemen, start your engines!!! Those traditional racing words will ring out in the night air as the Late Model stars and cars of the WORLD Dirt Racing League open their 2008 season at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night, April 11, here at Davenport Speedway. The track, a half-mile dirt oval, is located at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, 2815 W. Locust St. Sunday, April 13, has been reserved as a rain date, if needed. DRT TRAK Racing Inc. is promoting this year's WDRL opener, which is sponsored by Rudy's Tacos. The highlight of the night on the brightly lit Davenport oval will be the Fiesta 40. But there will be a full Late Model racing program, including qualifying races. DRT TRAK's Pro Mods and Street Stocks also are on the racing agenda. This is the seventh season for WDRL, a Midwest-based Late Model dirt track touring series begun by Jim Wilson and his wife, Nancy, of Gilman City, Mo., in December 2001. Prior to that Jim Wilson had been a regional director of NASCAR's Weekly Racing Series. He also founded and had directed NASCAR's All-Star Series from 1985 through 2001, its final season. In 2002, Dirt Late Model magazine named Wilson one of the 25 most influential people in dirt late model racing. Darren "The Thriller" Miller of Chadwick, Ill., won the main event the last time the WORLD Dirt Racing League drivers were in Davenport. That was last Oct. 6 for their season finale. Following Miller at the finish line that night, in order, were John Kaanta, Ray Guss Jr., Brian Birkhofer, Jimmy Mars, Denny Eckrich, Chris Simpson, Matt Furman, Justin Fegers and Jeremiah Hurst. Many of those Late Model hotshoes are expected to compete in the April 11 season opener, along with Rob Toland, Eric Pember, Dave Eckrich, Tim Isenberg, Ace Ihm, Matt Furman, Jason Utter, Chad Simpson, Todd Davis, Jason Rauen and others. Fegers, of Mound, Minn., driver of the F15 car, captured the 2007 WDRL points championship that October night on the Davenport half mile. Kaanta, of Elk Mound, Wis., nailed down the 2007 series rookie of the year honors plus a second-place finish in the points competition. Guss, of Milan, Ill., was substituting in the 21H car for injured Davenport native Brian Harris. Harris had been leading the 2007 WDRL point standings when he was sidelined due to injuries suffered while racing in an unsanctioned event last fall. Harris is expected to be back in action April 11 in Davenport, as is Guss. For more information regarding the Rudy's Tacos Fiesta 40, call the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, (563) 326-5338, or DRT TRAK Racing, (563) 652-5302. Or go to www.drttrak.com on the Internet. For more information on the WORLD Dirt Racing League or the latest WDRL Late Model Series schedule, check out the WORLD Dirt Racing League's Web site, www.worldraceleague.com . |