O'Reilly SUPR Memorial Day Weekend

O'Reilly SUPR Memorial Day Weekend

Baton Rouge, Louisiana (May 24, 2002) - It’ll be a busy Memorial Day weekend for the competitors of the O’Reilly SUPR Late Model and Sprint Car Series with four races on the agenda. The O’Reilly SUPR Late Models will kick off the action on Friday night, May 24^th with the first of three nights of racing action at Sabine Speedway in Many, Louisiana. Saturday the pulse will quicken as the Late Models visit Boothill Speedway in Shreveport, Louisiana and the Sprint Cars will pay their first visit of the year to Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Mississippi. The racing heats up even further on Sunday as the Late Models pay their first ever visit to Champion Park Speedway in Doyline, Louisiana with a rare afternoon program.

For the Late Models, it’s crunch time in the championship point chase as three nights of racing back to back to back; the opportunity exists for wholesale shake up in the standings. With that said, Rodney Wing of Meridian, Mississippi has no intention of giving up his hold on the top spot in the standings. Wing, driving the B&K Underground/Styling Signs and Designs/Boland Performance Keith Craft powered Chevrolet Monte Carlo Rocket has claimed a victory at Baton Rouge Raceway and has yet to finish outside of the top 10 in each of the first nine events.

Wing currently holds a 70-point advantage over Zachary, Louisiana’s David Ashley but the 1999 O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Champion is quickly closing in Wing. Ashley, driving the Thornhill Wrecker/Ace Pailets & Storage/J & J Motorsports Keith Craft powered Chevrolet Monte Carlo Larry Shaw has been on a roll with a victory and four top three finishes in the last five races to close in on Wing.

Stalking the lead duo is an increasingly competitive young driver from Texarkana, Texas. Jon Mitchell has shown a strong ability to work his way to the front of the pack with his highest finish a second place this past weekend at Lone Star Speedway. Mitchell drives the J & J Motorsports/W & W Timber/Pannell Motorsports Kenneth’s High Performance powered Chevrolet Monte Carlo GRT.

And while the lead trio battles it out for the championship title, the fourth place competitor is content to just keep winning races. West Monroe, Louisiana’s Kenny Merchant has now won three of nine races this year and he is now within two victories of moving into the top five of the all time victory leaders on the O’Reilly SUPR Late Model tour with 15 wins to his credit. Merchant drives the J.D. Caver/Goddard Performance/J & J Motorsports Keith Craft powered Ford Mustang.

Rounding out the top five in the Late Model point standings is rookie competitor James Ward of Lettsworth, Louisiana. Ward, driving the Wescorp/Westbank Racing Wall to Wall Performance Engines Chevrolet Monte Carlo GRT has been the surprise of the season competing like a seasoned veteran in just his first full season behind the wheel of a late model.

On the Sprint Car side of the game, the question is quickly becoming, can any one catch Butch David? David has claimed two victories and a runner up finish in the first three races of the inaugural season for the O’Reilly SUPR Sprint Car Series. Of Course, Michael Herrington would be quick to point out that he has claimed a victory over David and the rest of the O’Reilly SUPR Sprinters and Glynn LeBlanc has proven that the spec motor package can be competitive and reliable. With veteran competitors like Harold Henderson, Carey Farmer and Darrel Hyde to contend with, Butch David’s run toward the championship may face many obstacles.

The racing action all gets underway on Friday May 24^th when the O’Reilly SUPR Late Models join with the O’Reilly SUMA Modifieds and all the local divisions at Sabine Speedway in Many, Louisiana. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and the racing gets underway at 8:00 p.m. Saturday night the action will shift to Shreveport, Louisiana for the Late Models with the gates opening at Boothill Speedway at 4:00 p.m. and the racing in all local divisions gets underway at 7:30 p.m. At the same time, the O’Reilly SUPR Sprint Cars will be joined by the O’Reilly SUMA Modifieds and local divisions at Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Mississippi. Pike County Speedway gates will open at 4:00 p.m. and the racing gets underway at 8:00 p.m. And to wrap a long weekend, Champion Park Speedway will open their gates at 2:00 p.m. with the racing getting started at 5:00 p.m.

The O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Series corporate sponsors for 2002: Hoosier Tire Southwest, J&J Motorsports, Keith Craft Race Engines, Larry Shaw Race Cars, GRT Race Cars, Ashley Brothers Race Cars, Clausen's Racing, Bert Transmission, B&K Underground, AFCO, Brodix, Schoenfeld, Late Model America, Marlee's Embroidery, Warrior Race Cars, Lloyd Wild Logging, Hinchman Uniforms, Wall 2 Wall Performance Engines, Boland Performance, Dynatech, Borla Mufflers, Dura-Lite Racing Wheels, Breaux Petroleum, and Lone Star Super Gas.

The O’Reilly SUPR Sprint Car Series would like to thank our 2002 sponsors Brodix, Jimmy Smith Racing Tires, Trailer World, Schoenfeld, Wall2Wall Performance Engines, AFCO, Breaux Petroleum, Lone Star Super Gas and Wynn’s Oil.

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