Linville Aims For Upset Victory At Ponderosa Speedway’s First-Ever World of Outlaws Late Model Series Event
Regional Standout Hopes to Continue Streak of Home-Track Success in Friday Night’s $10,000-to-win WoO LMS Program
By Joshua Joiner, WoO LMS PR
JUNCTION CITY, Ky. – May 5, 2015 – Over the past four years, Dustin Linville has padded his resume with weekly race wins and special event triumphs at Ponderosa Speedway. On Friday night, the Bryantsville, Ky., racer will attempt to add a national touring victory to his Ponderosa tally when the World of Outlaws Late Model Series makes its first-ever visit to the Central Kentucky track.
Linville will be among a strong contingent of local and regional drivers aiming to overcome the stars of the WoO LMS as Ponderosa hosts its first-ever national touring race. Friday’s $10,000-to-win program kicks off a doubleheader weekend for the WoO LMS, which moves to Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn., on Saturday.
“I’m pretty pumped up,” said Linville, who launched his Late Model career at Ponderosa in 2008 and in the same season won the track’s Rookie of the Year Award and the first of his two Late Model track championships. “We’ve won some big races there, but then there’s never been a race this big. Hopefully we have a good night and have some things go our way.”
Linville, who will celebrate his 24th birthday one day before Friday’s WoO LMS visit, has been among the winningest drivers at Ponderosa over the past four years with victories in the track’s Hugh “Junebug” Rowland Memorial, Red Clay Bash and Fall Classic.
Linville has also had success away from Ponderosa on his way to emerging as one of Kentucky’s most promising up-and-coming regional racers. His notable showings include a solid performance in last year’s WoO LMS event at 201 Speedway in Sitka, Ky., in which Linville posted the fastest time in his qualifying group, won his heat race and finished 14th in his first ever WoO LMS A-Main start.
But even with his success away from his home track, Linville knows he’s best at Ponderosa, making Friday’s race perhaps the best opportunity he has ever had to accomplish his goal of winning a national touring event.
“It’s always been my goal to win a national touring race, and this is probably the best chance we’ve ever had to do it,” said Linville, who drives a family-owned No. D8 Swartz Xtreme Race Car. “I know those Outlaws guys have their stuff dialed in and they’re tough everywhere they go, but I feel like we’re pretty tough too. If we run like we know how and get just a few things to go our way, I think we stand a pretty good chance.”
Linville hopes that his experience at Ponderosa will give him an advantage over the WoO LMS regulars, most of whom have little to no experience at the track. As Linville points out, the track’s unique D-shape often proves tricky for first-time visitors, and the local and regional competitors there are more than formidable.
“It’s different than anywhere I’ve ever been,” Linville said of the 3/8-mile track. “There’s not a whole lot of tracks that have that swoop in the front straightaway. It’s going to be a different ballgame for those guys. You’ve got to set your car up different than anywhere you go for that place.
“It’s one of those places that you can’t ever count out the local guys and the regional guys that stop in there. There’s a lot of good drivers that race there that are capable of winning a big race like this.”
Linville would like to make sure that if a local driver does upset the WoO LMS regulars on Friday, it’s him doing it. He’s long dreamed of earning a national event victory and claiming it in front of his home-track fans would make the accomplishment even sweeter.
“Winning an Outlaws race would be pretty awesome, especially to do it at your home track in front of all your fans,” Linville said. “Being my home track with a series like the World of Outlaws coming into town, it’s a pretty big deal. To get to race against that caliber of competition in front of your family and fans, it’s pretty cool. Hopefully we can go out there and have a pretty good showing.”
About the Track
Ponderosa Speedway – 365 Phillips Lane Junction City, KY 40440
The Jerry Denson-promoted Ponderosa Speedway is a 3/8-mile, D-shaped clay track nicknamed “Kentucky’s Baddest Bullring.” Victor Lee of Danville, Ky., holds the track record with a lap time of 12.744 seconds. That record has stood since April 5, 2008.
While Ponderosa has never hosted a WoO LMS event, a few of the series regulars have had success at the track, including Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., who lists Ponderosa among his favorite tracks. The 2013 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year is a past winner of both the John Bradshaw Memorial (2011) and Fall Classic (2010).
Three-time and defending WoO LMS champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., also has some history at Ponderosa with two victories in both the Fall Classic (1994 and ’99) and the Pete Abell Memorial (1995 and ’97).
Event Information
Friday’s event at Ponderosa features a complete WoO LMS program of time trials, heat races, Last-Chance Showdowns and a 50-lap main event paying $10,000 to the winner. Both the pit gates and general admission gates open at 4 p.m. EDT. The drivers meeting is scheduled for 7 with hot laps set for 7:15. General admission ticket prices are set at $30 with children ages 12 and under free. Pit pass are $45.
Follow the Action
Listen to live audio from Ponderosa’s WoO LMS event for free on www.DIRTVision.com. Results throughout the evening will be posted to the Official World of Outlaws Late Model Series website at www.WoOLMS.com.
Further updates and photos from WoO LMS events are posted on the Official WoO LMS social media pages on Twitter atwww.Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsLateModelSeries. Check out the latest videos on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws.
Current WoO LMS Points Standings (as of May 2 – 12 A-Mains completed)
1. Shane Clanton 1690
2. Darrell Lanigan 1630 (-60)
3. Josh Richards 1598 (-92)
4. Chub Frank 1562 (-128)
5. Morgan Bagley 1524 (-166)
6. Tim McCreadie 1518 (-172)
7.Rick Eckert 1496 (-194)
8. Frank Heckenast Jr. 1484 (-206)
9. Eric Wells 1474 (-216)
10. Brandon Overton 1448 (-242)*
11. Chase Junghans 1426 (-264)
12. Boom Briggs 1374 (-316)
13. Jordan Yaggy 1274 (-416)*
*Rookie of the Year contender
Upcoming WoO LMS Events
May 7 Ponderosa Speedway – Junction City, KY
May 8 Smoky Mountain Speedway – Maryville, TN
May 23 Tyler County Speedway – Middlebourne, WV
May 24 Tyler County Speedway – Middlebourne, WV
June 18 Fonda Speedway – Fonda, NY
June 20 Brighton Speedway – Brighton, ON
June 21 Cornwall Motor Speedway – Cornwall, ON
June 23 Weedsport Speedway – Weedsport, NY
2015 WoO LMS Event Winners
Feb. 6 Screven Motor Speedway – Sylvania, GA – Steve Casebolt
Feb. 7 Screven Motor Speedway – Sylvania, GA – Shane Clanton
Feb. 14 Bubba Raceway Park – Ocala, FL – Frank Heckenast Jr.
Feb. 15 Bubba Raceway Park – Ocala, FL – Josh Richards
Feb. 19 Volusia Speedway Park – Barberville, FL – Shane Clanton
Feb. 20 Volusia Speedway Park – Barberville, FL – Shane Clanton
Feb. 21 Volusia Speedway Park – Barberville, FL – Shane Clanton
April 11 Tazewell Speedway – Tazewell, TN – Billy Ogle Jr.
April 17 Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – Scott Bloomquist
April 18 Farmer City Raceway – Farmer City, IL – Brandon Sheppard
May 1 Friendship Motor Speedway – Elkin, NC – Chris Ferguson
May 2 Fayetteville Motor Speedway – Fayetteville, NC – Chris Ferguson
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com. Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsLateModelSeries
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), Lincoln Welder (Official Welder), VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award); in addition to contingency sponsors: Butlerbuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Mobil 1, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, QA1, QuarterMaster, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Club 29 Chassis, Integra Shocks, Impact Racing Products, Intercomp, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis, and TNT Rescue.
