Post by Dirt Master on May 29, 2007 12:49:34 GMT -5
Contact: DIRT MotorSports d/b/a World Racing Group
Kevin Kovac, World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
704-254-7929 . kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com
Visit To Delaware International Speedway On May 31 Might Be Tonic For Lanigan's World of Outlaws Late Model Series Slump
DELMAR, DE - May 23, 2007 - A visit to Delaware International Speedway on Thurs., May 31, just might be the tonic that Darrell Lanigan needs to turn around his frustrating 2007 season on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.
For starters, Lanigan has a proven track record at DIS, as evidenced by his victory in the last WoO LMS event run there, on July 6, 2005.
What's more, the site of the 'First State 50' is a big, fast half-mile oval - exactly the type of layout that makes the Union, Ky., star feel right at home.
"I like big tracks," bottom-lined Lanigan, a WoO LMS regular since the tour was reconstituted under the DIRTcar Racing banner in 2004. "We've always had a good program for the big tracks."
Lanigan, who turns 37 on June 3, hasn't had much good fortune on the smaller ovals that have dominated the early portion of the '07 WoO LMS schedule, fueling his desire to race at DIS and the similarly-shaped half-mile Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway (where the tour contests the 'Conococheague 50' on Sat., June 2).
How much of a struggle has '07 been for Lanigan? Consider that 14 races into the campaign, he's still looking for his first top-five finish. Contrast that stat to the 2006 season, during which Lanigan rolled up a series-best 16 top-five finishes in 30 events en route to placing a career-high fifth in the point standings.
Lanigan has seven top-10 finishes and has set fast time twice this season, but he hasn't been the consistent contender that he was last year. On May 16 he even suffered a DNQ at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway after missing out on a provisional - the first time he loaded up without running the feature at a WoO LMS event since Sept. 18, 2005, at the Springfield (Ill.) Mile.
"The track conditions have been the biggest problem for us," said Lanigan, who won two features on last year's WoO LMS. "We've run a lot of small tracks, a lot of them have been (springtime) rough, and we've struggled. We also haven't had any luck."
What kind of rating would Lanigan give his '07 season to date? Barely passing.
"I'd probably rate it as a C-minus," said Lanigan, who drives his always-sharp Lanigan Autosports/gottarace.com Rocket No. 29. "We ain't got it together yet."
For a driver who entered the 2006 WoO LMS season finale still holding a mathematical shot at the points title, sitting a distant ninth in the '07 standings (187 points behind leader Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill.) with the busy summer schedule approaching is understandably disappointing. He started the 2007 season with high hopes, confident that adding former crew chief Randall Edwards, who spent 2006 apart from Lanigan, to a team that already included veteran mechanic Wayne Caskey would pay dividends.
Lanigan's best-laid plan appeared to be coming together when he won the $10,000 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model 'Florida DIRTcar Nationals' finale on Feb. 16 at Volusia Speedway Park, but his season has been 'up-and-down ever since," he said.
The laid-back, soft-spoken Lanigan - the only driver who has won the Dirt Late Model Dream at Ohio's Eldora Speedway and the Dirt Track World Championship in the same season (2003) - has kept his head up through his struggles. With more than half of the WoO LMS schedule still to run and tracks he likes on tap, he has no doubt that his fortunes will take a turn for the better.
"We're focused on winning races like we have been every year," said Lanigan. "If you can't win, then finish in the top five because that'll give you the points. This year we ain't been doing either one, but we'll get it turned around."
Lanigan seemed to show some increased vigor in the last WoO LMS event, on May 18 at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich. Running a new Rocket car that he retrieved from his shop after his Brownstown DNQ, he raced in the top five for virtually the entire 50-lap distance around the half-mile oval before ultimately finishing sixth.
"Hopefully we have some momentum now (for Delaware)," said Lanigan.
Reserved-seat tickets are now on sale for both the Delaware International and Hagerstown events.
Delaware International's 'First State 50' on Thurs., May 31, coincides with the kickoff of the NASCAR weekend at Dover International Speedwayy 45 minutes to the north. Kenny Schrader is among the NASCAR racers with dirt Late Model ties who are expected to compete in the mid-week WoO LMS special.
For more information on the 'First State 50,' visit www.delawareracing.com or call the track office at 302-875-1911.
Race and ticket information for Hagerstown's 'Conococheague 50' can be obtained by logging on to www.hagerstownspeedway.com or calling the speedway office at 301-582-0640.
To learn more about the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Kevin Kovac, World of Outlaws Late Model Series P.R. Director
704-254-7929 . kkovac@dirtmotorsports.com
Visit To Delaware International Speedway On May 31 Might Be Tonic For Lanigan's World of Outlaws Late Model Series Slump
DELMAR, DE - May 23, 2007 - A visit to Delaware International Speedway on Thurs., May 31, just might be the tonic that Darrell Lanigan needs to turn around his frustrating 2007 season on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.
For starters, Lanigan has a proven track record at DIS, as evidenced by his victory in the last WoO LMS event run there, on July 6, 2005.
What's more, the site of the 'First State 50' is a big, fast half-mile oval - exactly the type of layout that makes the Union, Ky., star feel right at home.
"I like big tracks," bottom-lined Lanigan, a WoO LMS regular since the tour was reconstituted under the DIRTcar Racing banner in 2004. "We've always had a good program for the big tracks."
Lanigan, who turns 37 on June 3, hasn't had much good fortune on the smaller ovals that have dominated the early portion of the '07 WoO LMS schedule, fueling his desire to race at DIS and the similarly-shaped half-mile Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway (where the tour contests the 'Conococheague 50' on Sat., June 2).
How much of a struggle has '07 been for Lanigan? Consider that 14 races into the campaign, he's still looking for his first top-five finish. Contrast that stat to the 2006 season, during which Lanigan rolled up a series-best 16 top-five finishes in 30 events en route to placing a career-high fifth in the point standings.
Lanigan has seven top-10 finishes and has set fast time twice this season, but he hasn't been the consistent contender that he was last year. On May 16 he even suffered a DNQ at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway after missing out on a provisional - the first time he loaded up without running the feature at a WoO LMS event since Sept. 18, 2005, at the Springfield (Ill.) Mile.
"The track conditions have been the biggest problem for us," said Lanigan, who won two features on last year's WoO LMS. "We've run a lot of small tracks, a lot of them have been (springtime) rough, and we've struggled. We also haven't had any luck."
What kind of rating would Lanigan give his '07 season to date? Barely passing.
"I'd probably rate it as a C-minus," said Lanigan, who drives his always-sharp Lanigan Autosports/gottarace.com Rocket No. 29. "We ain't got it together yet."
For a driver who entered the 2006 WoO LMS season finale still holding a mathematical shot at the points title, sitting a distant ninth in the '07 standings (187 points behind leader Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill.) with the busy summer schedule approaching is understandably disappointing. He started the 2007 season with high hopes, confident that adding former crew chief Randall Edwards, who spent 2006 apart from Lanigan, to a team that already included veteran mechanic Wayne Caskey would pay dividends.
Lanigan's best-laid plan appeared to be coming together when he won the $10,000 UMP DIRTcar Racing Late Model 'Florida DIRTcar Nationals' finale on Feb. 16 at Volusia Speedway Park, but his season has been 'up-and-down ever since," he said.
The laid-back, soft-spoken Lanigan - the only driver who has won the Dirt Late Model Dream at Ohio's Eldora Speedway and the Dirt Track World Championship in the same season (2003) - has kept his head up through his struggles. With more than half of the WoO LMS schedule still to run and tracks he likes on tap, he has no doubt that his fortunes will take a turn for the better.
"We're focused on winning races like we have been every year," said Lanigan. "If you can't win, then finish in the top five because that'll give you the points. This year we ain't been doing either one, but we'll get it turned around."
Lanigan seemed to show some increased vigor in the last WoO LMS event, on May 18 at I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich. Running a new Rocket car that he retrieved from his shop after his Brownstown DNQ, he raced in the top five for virtually the entire 50-lap distance around the half-mile oval before ultimately finishing sixth.
"Hopefully we have some momentum now (for Delaware)," said Lanigan.
Reserved-seat tickets are now on sale for both the Delaware International and Hagerstown events.
Delaware International's 'First State 50' on Thurs., May 31, coincides with the kickoff of the NASCAR weekend at Dover International Speedwayy 45 minutes to the north. Kenny Schrader is among the NASCAR racers with dirt Late Model ties who are expected to compete in the mid-week WoO LMS special.
For more information on the 'First State 50,' visit www.delawareracing.com or call the track office at 302-875-1911.
Race and ticket information for Hagerstown's 'Conococheague 50' can be obtained by logging on to www.hagerstownspeedway.com or calling the speedway office at 301-582-0640.
To learn more about the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.