O'Reilly SUPR Late Models head to Arkansas

O'Reilly SUPR Late Models head to Arkansas doubleheader while Sprint Cars get an unexpected weekend off

Baton Rouge , Louisiana ( June 5, 2003 ) - The O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Series return to Arkansas for weekend doubleheader of racing. Kicking off the weekend will be a night of racing at 67 Texarkana Speedway in Texarkana , Arkansas . The O’Reilly SUPR Late Models will be competing with a full race program capped by a 40lap $2,000 to win feature. The tour will then travel up interstate to I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Arkansas for another full night of racing action, this time the action will be capped by a 50-lap $2,500 to win feature.

Meanwhile, the O’Reilly SUPR Sprint Car Series will get an unexpected weekend off as the race slated for Saturday, June 7^th at Thunder Valley Speedway has been cancelled. The Sprinters will now return to action next Friday night June 13^th at Baton Rouge Raceway.

One driver eyeing the big weekend is Kenny Merchant of West Monroe , Arkansas . Merchant is undefeated in two O’Reilly SUPR Late Model events held on Arkansas in 2003. Merchant has piloted his J.D. Caver/Bayou Fabricators/Goddard Performance Ford Taurus Warrior to victories at I-30 Speedway on April 12^th and last weekend at Southwest Arkansas Super Speedway in Murfreesboro . Merchant leads the standings in the battle for the 2003 O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Championship standings utilizing a motor from Arkadelphia, Arkansas-based Keith Craft Racing Engines. Merchant has recorded 5 victories in the first 12 races of the season.

His closest competitor to Merchant in the 2003 point chase is James Ward of Lettsworth , Louisiana . Ward had a breakout weekend during the Memorial Day holiday recording the first 2 victories of his career. Ward also has a Arkansas connection as he drives a Larry Shaw Race Car built in Batesville , Arkansas and Ward spent sometime last year behind the wheel of the race car of Little Rock-based Ray McCullough.

1999 O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Champion David Ashley is currently third in points in his Larry Shaw Race Car but he has Hammond , Louisiana ’s Curt Lipsey quickly closing in. For Lipsey, it was his trips up to Little Rock to visit family and catch a little racing action that has lead to his emergence as a serious contender for the 2003 O’Reilly SUPR Late Model championship. Lipsey also has an Arkansas connection in that he fields a GRT Race Car built in Greenbrier.

Doug Ingalls, the winningest driver in O’Reilly SUPR Late Model history with 36 victories and an unprecedented 3 titles made his first appearance in the Nash Trucking/Ralo’s Marshall Lube & Oil car at the first I-30 Speedway visit and promptly recorded a top 3 finish. Since that time Ingalls has climbed into the top 10 in O’Reilly SUPR Late Model points and is poised for an overdue return to victory lane in his GRT racer.

The O’Reilly SUPR Late Model competitors always face a stiff challenge from a strong group of local racers led by Tommy Surrett of Little Rock . Surrett, a 5-time winner last year is still seeking his first victory of the season and is gunning for that first 2003 victory on his home turf. Surrett is currently 5^th in the championship point chase.

The action gets underway Friday night at 67 Texarkana Speedway where the racing gets started at 7:30 p.m. with the Bombers and Cruisers joining the SUPR Late Models. 67 Texarkana Speedway is located east of Texarkana at Exit 12 on I-30 then southwest on U.S. Highway 67. For further information contact 67 Texarkana Speedway at (870) 773-0029.

The racing continues Saturday night at I-30 Speedway where it will be March of Dimes Night. The O’Reilly SUPR Late Models will be joined by the IMCA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks and Powder Puff races. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and the racing gets started at 8:00 p.m. I-30 Speedway is located 7 miles southwest of Little Rock just off Interstate 30 at the County Line Exit 126. For further information call the track at 501-455-4567.

O’Reilly SUPR Sponsors for 2003 are AFCO, Ashley Brothers Race Cars, B&K Underground, Bert Transmission, Bilstein, Boland Performance, Borla Mufflers, Breaux Petroleum, Brodix, Clausen's Racing, Dura-Lite Racing Wheels, Dynatech, Frankland Racing Supply, GRT Race Cars, Hinchman Uniforms, Hoosier Southwest, J&J Motorsports, Keith Craft Race Engines, Larry Shaw Race Cars, Late Model America, Lone Star Super Gas, Lloyd Wild Jr. Logging, Marlee's Embroidery, Mid State Golf Carts, Peterson Aluminum, Schoenfeld, Tilton Engineering, Warrior Race Cars and Xtreme Graphics.

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