FASTRAKPR
05-29-2007, 09:11 PM
Infamous Black #3 in Victory Lane at Lowe’s this time on the dirt as Austin Dillon steals FASTRAK Late Model Goodyear Challenge for 1st win topping a 64-car field in front of a sellout crowd
By Mike Leone May 25, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE(Concord, NC)…It seemed as if history sort of “stood still” for a moment at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway this past Friday night as the FASTRAK Late Model series came to town. Austin Dillon, son of Mike Dillon and grandson of Richard Childress, was the first across the finish line for his first ever dirt late model win.
Although the World of Outlaw Sprint Cars were intended to be the main attraction, the FASTRAK Late Models proved themselves as ”fan worthy” once and for all in front of a “sold out” crowd of more than 14,000 fans in the Goodyear FASTRAK Challenge. A few fans might have left after the sprint main event, but the 11,000 plus that stayed, witnessed some the best race of their lives as many fans said afterwards winning the hearts of many.
Childress was quoted in victory lane as saying “folks, this is REAL racing. I don't think I've been any more nervous trying to win the Daytona 500. Seeing the black number 3 back up there and my family running it- it's just great. He did a great job tonight and I'm proud of Austin."
Although many people came to see the sprint cars, they left the track with a great impression of the FASTRAK Late Model action forever embedded in their minds. Fans from across the United States came into the pits afterwards to speak with the FASTRAK teams. Many saying they had never seen a FASTRAK event before, but were now sold on it and would definitely be back to see them again. Clifford Beard, team owner of the #21 of Frankie Beard, said one family came into their pits afterwards from the State of Washington. The family was quoted as saying, “We have never been to a late model race before, but we will be back again. This is the kind of racing I pay to see”.
Mike Dillon stated, “After practice I was under Austin’s car doing some minor repair work to the front end. I looked over and Richard (Childress) was laying on the ground under Clint’s (Bowyer) car working on it and he looked at me smiling as said, “This is fun ain’t it?” Dillon said he was very proud to see his father-in-law having that much fun racing. “He was all smiles all night long,” Dillon told FASTRAK Series CEO Stan Lester afterwards. “This is where we all came from. Yes we won and that makes it even more exciting, but this is great. This really is racing like it used to be”.
It became evident very quickly as the late models took the track, that this was the event the fans were waiting to see. Although the trophy presentation was in progress to the WoO Sprint car feature winner all of the fans stood up and started clapping as the late models took to the track. Not one fan sat down during the entire 25-lap feature event. Let’s just say, they were not disappointed either.
At one point with just a few laps to go, cars were three-wide going down the backstretch fighting for the first place position. Pennington led, Mangum led, Pennington led again, Mangum led again, all the while Dillon was moving forward with Clint Bowyer and Chris Steele coming from the back of the field.
"I was racing against a veteran," Dillon said. "Jack Pennington did a great job. He raced me clean." Clint Bowyer, who drives for Childress in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series, started 16th and passed Pennington for second on lap 23. He followed Dillon under the checkered flag for runner-up, while Pennington settled for third. It should be noted that Steele was running the smaller of the two allowed engines (GM 602). “I felt like I had won coming from that far back in the field,” said Steele. It was later reported that Pennington finished the race on seven cylinders. Pennington, Chase McCormick, Mangum, Beard, Jason Walls and Roger Phillips won the heat races over season-high 64-car field.
“There is no doubt that the teams of the FASTRAK Late Model Series stole the heart of many fans tonight,” said FASTRAK Regional Director Jody Palmer. “It really was an incredible race. Other late model drivers that did not race tonight were in tech afterwards even saying it was the best race they had ever seen. That’s a pretty big statement coming from other drivers.” “Each and every team made this event a success,” stated Lester.
“This is the result of their hard work and dedication to this type of racing and every single one of them made this happen. When you see people like Richard (Childress) really enjoying themselves, then something good is happening. Without all of our teams, none of this would be possible. I want to say that I really appreciate Goodyear supporting this event. Goodyear is dedicated to supporting “grass roots racing and also FASTRAK and its teams. Not many dirt racing series have a lot of support from major corporations and we are very fortunate to have them as a partner. The combination of the Goodyear tires, GM crate engines and the FASTRAK concept has proven to be a winner”.
Goodyear FASTRAK Challenge Late Models (25 laps): 1. AUSTIN DILLON ($2,000); 2. Clint Bowyer; 3. Jack Pennington, 4. William Thomas; 5. Chris Steele; 6. Shane Smith; 7. Timbo Mangum; 8. Brandon Haley; 9. Roger Phillips; 10. Jordy Nipper; 11. John Llewellyn; 12. Travis Pennington; 13. Donald Bradsher; 14. Shane Roberts; 15. Jason Lawrence; 16. Charles Daugherty; 17. Will Shuffler; 18. Scott Morgan; 19. Chase McCormick; 20. Frankie Beard; 21. David McCoy; 22. Shanon Buckingham; 23. Brandy Baker; 24. Jason Walls.
For more information check out www.fastrakracing.com (http://www.fastrakracing.com). To join our mailing list, simply send an e-mail to fastrakpr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Partners of the FASTRAK Racing Series Include: Goodyear Racing, GM Performance Parts, Maypole Chevrolet, Duralite Wheels, PPM Racing Products, Heintz Performance, MK-Direct, Braswell Carburetion, Mastersbilt Racing Chassis, TNT Racing Chassis, Rocket Racing Chassis, Modern Chevrolet and Schoenfeld Headers. ###
By Mike Leone May 25, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE(Concord, NC)…It seemed as if history sort of “stood still” for a moment at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway this past Friday night as the FASTRAK Late Model series came to town. Austin Dillon, son of Mike Dillon and grandson of Richard Childress, was the first across the finish line for his first ever dirt late model win.
Although the World of Outlaw Sprint Cars were intended to be the main attraction, the FASTRAK Late Models proved themselves as ”fan worthy” once and for all in front of a “sold out” crowd of more than 14,000 fans in the Goodyear FASTRAK Challenge. A few fans might have left after the sprint main event, but the 11,000 plus that stayed, witnessed some the best race of their lives as many fans said afterwards winning the hearts of many.
Childress was quoted in victory lane as saying “folks, this is REAL racing. I don't think I've been any more nervous trying to win the Daytona 500. Seeing the black number 3 back up there and my family running it- it's just great. He did a great job tonight and I'm proud of Austin."
Although many people came to see the sprint cars, they left the track with a great impression of the FASTRAK Late Model action forever embedded in their minds. Fans from across the United States came into the pits afterwards to speak with the FASTRAK teams. Many saying they had never seen a FASTRAK event before, but were now sold on it and would definitely be back to see them again. Clifford Beard, team owner of the #21 of Frankie Beard, said one family came into their pits afterwards from the State of Washington. The family was quoted as saying, “We have never been to a late model race before, but we will be back again. This is the kind of racing I pay to see”.
Mike Dillon stated, “After practice I was under Austin’s car doing some minor repair work to the front end. I looked over and Richard (Childress) was laying on the ground under Clint’s (Bowyer) car working on it and he looked at me smiling as said, “This is fun ain’t it?” Dillon said he was very proud to see his father-in-law having that much fun racing. “He was all smiles all night long,” Dillon told FASTRAK Series CEO Stan Lester afterwards. “This is where we all came from. Yes we won and that makes it even more exciting, but this is great. This really is racing like it used to be”.
It became evident very quickly as the late models took the track, that this was the event the fans were waiting to see. Although the trophy presentation was in progress to the WoO Sprint car feature winner all of the fans stood up and started clapping as the late models took to the track. Not one fan sat down during the entire 25-lap feature event. Let’s just say, they were not disappointed either.
At one point with just a few laps to go, cars were three-wide going down the backstretch fighting for the first place position. Pennington led, Mangum led, Pennington led again, Mangum led again, all the while Dillon was moving forward with Clint Bowyer and Chris Steele coming from the back of the field.
"I was racing against a veteran," Dillon said. "Jack Pennington did a great job. He raced me clean." Clint Bowyer, who drives for Childress in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and Busch Series, started 16th and passed Pennington for second on lap 23. He followed Dillon under the checkered flag for runner-up, while Pennington settled for third. It should be noted that Steele was running the smaller of the two allowed engines (GM 602). “I felt like I had won coming from that far back in the field,” said Steele. It was later reported that Pennington finished the race on seven cylinders. Pennington, Chase McCormick, Mangum, Beard, Jason Walls and Roger Phillips won the heat races over season-high 64-car field.
“There is no doubt that the teams of the FASTRAK Late Model Series stole the heart of many fans tonight,” said FASTRAK Regional Director Jody Palmer. “It really was an incredible race. Other late model drivers that did not race tonight were in tech afterwards even saying it was the best race they had ever seen. That’s a pretty big statement coming from other drivers.” “Each and every team made this event a success,” stated Lester.
“This is the result of their hard work and dedication to this type of racing and every single one of them made this happen. When you see people like Richard (Childress) really enjoying themselves, then something good is happening. Without all of our teams, none of this would be possible. I want to say that I really appreciate Goodyear supporting this event. Goodyear is dedicated to supporting “grass roots racing and also FASTRAK and its teams. Not many dirt racing series have a lot of support from major corporations and we are very fortunate to have them as a partner. The combination of the Goodyear tires, GM crate engines and the FASTRAK concept has proven to be a winner”.
Goodyear FASTRAK Challenge Late Models (25 laps): 1. AUSTIN DILLON ($2,000); 2. Clint Bowyer; 3. Jack Pennington, 4. William Thomas; 5. Chris Steele; 6. Shane Smith; 7. Timbo Mangum; 8. Brandon Haley; 9. Roger Phillips; 10. Jordy Nipper; 11. John Llewellyn; 12. Travis Pennington; 13. Donald Bradsher; 14. Shane Roberts; 15. Jason Lawrence; 16. Charles Daugherty; 17. Will Shuffler; 18. Scott Morgan; 19. Chase McCormick; 20. Frankie Beard; 21. David McCoy; 22. Shanon Buckingham; 23. Brandy Baker; 24. Jason Walls.
For more information check out www.fastrakracing.com (http://www.fastrakracing.com). To join our mailing list, simply send an e-mail to fastrakpr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
Partners of the FASTRAK Racing Series Include: Goodyear Racing, GM Performance Parts, Maypole Chevrolet, Duralite Wheels, PPM Racing Products, Heintz Performance, MK-Direct, Braswell Carburetion, Mastersbilt Racing Chassis, TNT Racing Chassis, Rocket Racing Chassis, Modern Chevrolet and Schoenfeld Headers. ###