| Wednesday, March 10, 2004 | |
| Florida Racers Headed To Carolina Speedway For Southern Extreme/ Stacker2® Dirtcar Race | “Sunshine State” Drivers Headed For Southern Xtreme DirtCar Series/Stacker2® Xtreme DirtCar Series Carolina Speedway Event!!!
Shelby,NC 3-10-04 When the Southern Xtreme DirtCar Series holds it’s inaugural sanctioning event, co-sanctioned with the Stacker2® Xtreme DirtCar Series, this Saturday, March 13 at Carolina Speedway in Gastonia,NC two former champions in the National Late Model Series will unload their race cars with aspirations of chasing the Southern Xtreme DirtCar Series in 2004. Johnny Collins and Patrick Sheltra, both of Jacksonville, FL, and teammates on the Sheltra & Sons Construction sponsored C.J. Rayburn Race Cars of IN powered by Clements Racing Engines will be among the drivers who plan to compete in the $5,000 to win “City Chevrolet 50” at the semi-banked 4/10ths mile speedway. Collins, 28 years old and the 2003 National Late Model Series champion, and Sheltra, 17 years old and the 2004 National Late Model Series “Rookie of the Year” to go along with a 3rd place finish in the 2004 NLMS points chase, are both excited to take the next step up according to team spokesperson John Collins, the father of Johnny. “We’re taking a real hard look at chasing the Southern Xtreme DirtCar Series”, stated the elder Collins in a telephone interview. “We raced the ‘Winternationals’ at East Bay with Xtreme in February and enjoyed it tremendously. It was our first time there. We didn’t have the best results. I think Johnny finished top five in one those strawberry dashes. But, it was a great learning experience for the boys. Plus, we liked the fact that once the race was over you didn’t have your car ripped apart by the officials like we were used to. It’s nice being able to get your pay after the races and head home”.
When asked if the young drivers were ready for the regional battles of the SXDCS Collins related, “Most definitely. One of the reasons we’re doing this is because it’s the next logical step up the professional ladder for both Johnny and Patrick. Like I said, we were really impressed with the organization at East Bay and like the direction Xtreme is heading. It’s a good program. Earl Pearson Jr. who travels with the Stacker2® Series is a very good friend of ours. Johnny and Earl raced go karts against each other years ago and we’ve always been friends with the Pearson’s. We’ve done a lot of talking with Earl about making this step and he feels the boys are ready. So, here we go!”
The younger Collins has been racing since he was 5 years old starting off in go karts and has worked his way up the ladder. Switching from go karts to Open Wheel Modifieds at age 16, Collins continued to hone his skills driving a dirtcar (late model) and the modified the past 10 years. Sheltra is a relative new comer to the sport starting off in Street Stocks 3 years ago. Racing primarily at Okeechobee Speedway where he won several main events, Sheltra made the move to the dirtcars (late models) just last year quickly adapting to the high-horse power machines.
“Though we didn’t fare real well at East Bay the boys did real well at Volusia the following week”, said Collins Sr. “Patrick made the show every night down there and Johnny made two feature starts. There were some really heavy hitters there so just to make the show was a victory in itself for us. I think we’re ready. Saturday will tell. We’ll be at Carolina and give it our best shot”.
The March 13 event sanctioned by the Southern Xtreme DirtCar Series and co-sanctioned by the Stacker2® Xtreme DirtCar Series at David Ifft's Carolina Speedway and promoted by SXDCS director Mike Gault and Xtreme DirtCars,Inc. owner/president Doug Bland features a $5,000 first place prize to the winner of the "City Chevrolet 50". A total purse in excess of $25,000 awaits the teams at the semi-banked 4/10ths mile speedway. A complete program of time trials, offering a $500 bonus from Treadwell's Racing Stuff to the fastest qualifier, heat races, "B" Mains and the YJ STINGER EXTREME ENERGY DRINK dash will precede the SXDCS/Stacker2® XDCS sanctioned "City Chevrolet 50". The Carolina Speedway Sportsman Crate Motor division and Street Stock V-8 division will also be on the racing card.
The inaugural Southern Xtreme DirtCar Series event is expected to draw the stars and cars from the southeastern U.S. including Chris Madden, David Smith, Petey Ivey, Doug Sanders, Larry Blankenship, Jeremy Clements and Jimmy Owens along with Stacker2 Xtreme DirtCar Series regulars Dennis "Rambo" Franklin and Jeff Smith plus possible "surprise" drivers and the always tough Carolina region drivers. In addition to the racing card at Carolina Speedway, the "Paydirt 24" promotion will be held where one lucky fan will walk away with $1,000. Fans in attendance at Carolina Speedway are eligible for the "Paydirt 24" cash prize by simply filling out a registration form. During the racing program 24 registration forms will be randomly drawn and the 24 fans names will be announced. Those 24 lucky fans will then draw a pill matching them with a driver for the "City Chevrolet 50". The fan that has the winning driver of the "City Chevrolet 50" wins the $1,000 "Paydirt 24" cash prize.
For the March 13 event at Carolina Speedway the Goodyear Eagle X-100 and X-300 compound racing tire have been mandated as the only two compounds of Goodyear Eagles permitted for use in competition. Race teams are reminded to phone Mike Franklin at the Xtreme DirtCars,Inc. office, (704) 487-1169, to order tires and have any questions related to the Goodyear Eagle tire program answered.
Pit gates for the "City Chevrolet 50" will open Saturday, March 13 at 4:00pm with spectator gates opening at 5:00pm. Hot laps will begin at 6:00pm followed by time trials and the racing program. Adult general admission is $20.00, children 7 - 11 years of age are $5.00, children 6 years of age and under free and pit admission is $30.00. Carolina Speedway is located west of Charlotte,NC on I-85 to exit 17, then 1.5 miles south, then .4 miles east on U.S. Route 29, then 9.2 miles south on State Road 274, then west. For further information phone Mike Gault at 704-487-1169, race day only at 704-869-0313 or visit the Carolina Speedway website located at www.carolinaspeedway.net.
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