By Bert Lehman

Editor, Full Throttle Magazine

The stars and cars of the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series will converge on Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway Friday, May 15.

It’s a show that Speedzone promoters Jeff Lemiesz and Larry Stratton have been trying to bring to the track for the past four years.

“They just don’t hand them (race dates) out,” Lemiesz said.

Lemiesz said with the help of another track that heard good things about the Speedzone, and Steve Sinclair of the IRA Sprint Car Series putting in a good word about the Speedzone, the Speedzone finally got a date.

“Larry and I are extremely excited,” Lemiesz said. “We know the caliber of driver this show is going to bring in, and what it’s going to do for the city of Oshkosh and Winnebago County.”

Lemiesz said the upcoming show at the Speedzone was made possible with the help of Tony Izzo, promoter of LaSalle Speedway in Illinois.

“Izzo originally had two shows in LaSalle. He decided to move the other show up here and that’s how we got the show,” Lemiesz said.

Saturday night May 16, the series will be at LaSalle Speedway.

Lemiesz added that he and Stratton have worked hard to bring this show to area race fans because the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series is “the premier touring series.”

Quite a few local and regional dirt Late Model drivers are expected to attend this show, as well as the Lucas Oil regulars, Lemiesz said.

“The names you see on TV will be here,” Lemiesz said.

The top 11 in points in the series include: Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, Florida), Jonathan Davenport (Blairsville, Georgia), Jimmy Owens (Newport, Tennessee), Don O’Neal (Martinsville, Indiana), Devin Moran (Dresden, Ohio), Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, Tennessee), Eddie Carrier Jr. (Salt Rock, West Virginia), Brandon Sheppard (New Berlin, Illinois), Steve Francis (Ashland, Kentucky), Dennis Erb Jr. (Carpentersville, Illinois), and Jared Landers (Batesville, Arkansas).

All these drivers have the Speedzone race on their schedules.

Regional drivers who have the Speedzone race on their schedules include: Jimmy Mars (Menomonie, Wisconsin), Bobby Pierce (Oakwood, Illinois), Chad Simpson (Mount Vernon, Iowa), Chris Simpson (Oxford, Iowa), and Jason Feger (Bloomington, Illinois) just to name a few.

This will be the first time the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series ventures into northeast Wisconsin. This has interest among fans high.

“Our phones have been non-stop ringing,” Lemiesz said.

The 50-lap Late Model feature will pay $10,000-to-win.

Support divisions will include IMCA Modifieds and Street Stocks. Modifieds will race for $1,000-to-win, while Street Stocks will race for $400-to-win. Each feature will be 20 laps.

The IMCA Modified portion of the show will be the first round of the King of the Ring Series. This is the first of three races at the Speedzone in which Modified drivers will race for a special point fund.

Tickets for the May 15 show at Oshkosh Speedzone are $30 for adults 12 and older, and $5 for those ages 5-11.

Grandstand seating for the show is general seating, but those who purchase tickets in advance will be allowed into the grandstand an hour early at 4 p.m. to put blankets down to reserve their seats. The cutoff for advance ticket designation is Thursday.

Tickets can be purchased online at:

http://www.oshkoshspeedzone.net/

Pit passes are $40.