12th Annual Amradillo Nationals next for O'Reilly SUPR Late Models

12th Annual Armadillo Nationals next for O'Reilly SUPR Late Models!

Baton Rouge, Louisiana (July 28, 2003) – KLTV Channel 7 and KYKX 105.7, ABC Auto Parts are proud to present the 12^th Annual Armadillo Nationals at Lone Star Speedway featuring the O’Reilly SUPR Late Models. The 12^th Annual Armadillo Nationals will be held on Friday night August 1st and Saturday night August 2^nd. Once again, the racing highlight will be a big 50-lap O’Reilly SUPR Late Model feature on Saturday night. This year’s winner will take home $5,000 with start money set at $700. Adding to the action will be a record 7 classes in all as the IMCA Modifieds, I-Stocks, Mini Modifieds, Modified Lites, Hot Stocks and Pure Stocks.

The action gets underway on Friday night August 1^st with heat races in each of the seven classes. This year the O’Reilly SUPR Late Models will draw for heat race starting position and the top 16 drivers will be locked in based on passing points. The drivers return on Saturday night for Last chance races before the big feature races get underway capped by the 24-car field of O’Reilly SUPR Late Models.

Leading the charge for the O’Reilly SUPR Late Models will be defending champion Doug Ingalls of nearby Longview , Texas . Doug, the career victory leader in O’Reilly SUPR Late Model history and a three-time Champion, will be wheeling the Nash Trucking/Ralo’s Marshall Lube & Auto PTS powered Chevrolet Monte Carlo GRT this year. Doug is still seeking his first victory for car owner Michael Hash and there would be no better time than at his home track.

Another Texan with his eyes on Lone Star Speedway is Robbie Starnes of Houston . Starnes, who returned to the seat of a Dirt Late Model late last year, ended an 8 year O’Reilly SUPR Late Model victory drought at Lone Star in May and since that point Starnes has been a threat to win each night out in his Flynn Racing/New Vision Graphics/Afco Shocks and Springs Wall 2 Wall powered Pontiac Grand Prix Larry Shaw Race Car.

As for the Louisiana contingency, they’ll be lead by Kenny Merchant who appears to be headed to his first O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Championship. Merchant from West Monroe first broke on the dirt late model scene in 1994 with a victory at the Armadillo Nationals. This season has been Merchant’s strongest on the O’Reilly SUPR tour with six victories in the first 17 races and top 5 finishes in all but two events. Merchant will be looking for his first victory this season at Lone Star as he fell just short of catching Starnes in May and rain washed out an earlier race in April.

Merchant will have to contend with another pair of Louisiana drivers who have collected the last four events on the O’Reilly SUPR tour. Rob Litton from Alexandria won two straight races at the end of June with victories at Thunder Valley Speedway and Pike County . Since then David Ashley, the 1999 O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Champion has owned victory lane with wins at Devil’s Bowl Speedway and Champion Park Speedway.

Lone Star speedway is located in Liberty City , Texas . Take I-20 to exit 583, then go ½ mile north on State Route 135, turn east and travel 1 mile on FM 1252 and then ½ mile south. The gates open at 6:00 p.m. and the racing gets started at 7:30 both nights. For more information call Terry Dickerson at (903) 576-4102 or Ronnie Bagley at (903) 576-4102 or visit www.lonestarspeedway.net.

Late Model payout:

1. $5,000

2. $3,500

3. $2,750

4. $2,500

5. $2,250

6. $2,000

7. $1,750

8. $1,500

9. $1,250

10. $1,000

11. $900

12. $800

13. $700

14. $700

15. $700

16. $700

17. $700

18. $700

19. $700

20. $700

21. $700

22. $700

23. $650 (Provisional)

24. $650 (Provisional)

B Feature cars will receive $100 if present both nights.

O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Sponsors for 2003 are AFCO, Ashley Brothers Race Cars, B&K Underground, Bert Transmission, Bilstein, Boland Performance, Borla Mufflers, Brodix, Clausen’s Racing, Dura-Lite Racing Wheels, Dynatech, Frankland Racing Supply, GRT Race Cars, Hinchman Uniforms, Hossier Tire Southwest, J&J Motorpsorts, Keith Craft Racing, Larry Shaw Race Cars, Late Model America, 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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