By Bucky Doren

FREEPORT, IL -June 21, 2008- Jimmy Mars ran flag to flag to win the WORLD Dirt Racing League Late Model Series feature Saturday night here at Freeport Raceway Park. Mars had to drive through heavy lapped traffic at times to keep everyone else at bay.

"I have to thank my brother Chris," Mars said in Victory Lane. "He really has been able to put some great set-ups under the car. It was a little hairy at times (dealing with lapped traffic), and thankfully the car would go were I needed it to go."

Mars won the Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation Pole Dash, and he started on the pole for the 40-lap main event. He led every lap.

"This has been a so-so week," Mars said. "It feels great to end the week with a solid win. I want to thank the fans who came out tonight, and I want to thank those who have supported me over the years."

Darren Miller challenged early for the lead until Mars was able to put lapped cars between them. Miller would settle for second. Brian Birkhofer ran a quiet third.

As the race neared the end, Chris Simpson, Denny Eckrich, Eric Pember and Frank Heckenast Jr. battled for fourth place through several lapped cars. Simpson held off Eckrich for fourth, and Eckrich rounded out the top five. Pember finished sixth followed by Heckenast.

Next up for the WDRL Late Model Series is a three-day swing over the Fourth of July holiday. On Wednesday, July 2, the tour hits the I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb. WDRL visits Eagle (Neb.) Raceway on Thursday, July 3. The three-day affair wraps up Friday, July 4, at the Clay County Speedway in Spencer, Iowa.

The WORLD Dirt Racing League wishes to thank these series sponsors: Hoosier Racing Tires, Iowa-Illinois Taylor Insulation, CrashedToys.com, Chase Signs and Graphics, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Hooker Harness, Fast Shafts, Lincoln Electric, Performance Bodies, QA-1 Motorsports, The Brake Man and Wyman Ford. For more information on the WORLD Dirt Racing League or the latest WDRL Late Model Series schedule, check out the WORLD Dirt Racing League's Web site, www.worldraceleague.com.

RACE REPORT
FREEPORT RACEWAY PARK
FREEPORT, ILL.
SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2008

IOWA-ILLINOIS TAYLOR INSULATION GROUP QUALIFYING:
1. Darren Miller 22.440; 2. Brian Birkhofer 22.616; 3. Jimmy Mars 22.626; 4. John Kaanta 22.723; 5. Chris Simpson 22.725; 6. Jeremy Grady 22.726; 7. Dave Eckrich 22.761; 8. Jason Utter 22.834; 9. Rick Hanestad 22.876; 10. Eric Pember 22.884; 11. Frank Heckenast 22.908; 12. Denny Eckrich 22.911; 13. Chad Simpson 22.988; 14. Jeff Larson 23.051; 15. Brady Smith 23.075; 16. Pete Parker 23.081; 17. Tim Isenberg 23.171; 18. Mike Fryer 23.222; 19. Rob Moss 23.312; 20. Matt Furman 23.323; 21. Andrew McKay 23.332; 22. Jeff Tharp 23.342; 23. Skip Frey 23.374; 24. Curt Martin 23.500; 25. Lyle Zanker 23.577; 26. Steve Morgan 23.896; 27. Greg Wagener 24.489; 28. Jerry Pitts Jr. -NT-.

WDRL LATE MODEL QUALIFIER 1: (10 Laps)
1. Jimmy Mars, 2. Denny Eckrich, 3. Rick Hanestad, 4. Chad Simpson, 5. Rob Moss, 6. Jeremy Grady, 7. Lyle Zanker, 8. Pete Parker, 9. Jeff Tharp.

WDRL LATE MODEL QUALIFIER 2: (10 Laps)
1. Brian Birkhofer, 2. Chris Simpson, 3. Frank Heckenast, 4. Jason Utter, 5. Matt Furman, 6. Jeff Larson, 7. Steve Morgan, 8. Skip Frey, 9. Tim Isenberg.

WDRL LATE MODEL QUALIFIER 3: (10 Laps)
1. Darren Miller, 2. Eric Pember, 3. Dave Eckrich, 4. John Kaanta, 5. Brady Smith, 6. Mike Fryer, 7. Curt Martin, 8. Andrew McKay, 9. Greg Wagner.

WDRL B-MAIN: (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer)
1.1. Mike Fryer, 2. Jeff Larson, 3. Curt Martin, 4. Andrew McKay, 5. Skip Frey, 6. Tim Insenberg, 7. Jeff Tharp, 8. Greg Wagener, 9. Pete Parker.

IOWA-ILLINOIS TAYLOR INSULATION POLE DASH: (6 Laps)
(finishing order determines starting line-up for feature)
1. Jimmy Mars, 2. Darren Miller, 3. Brian Birkhofer, 4. Chris Simpson, 5. Denny Eckrich, 6. Dave Eckrich, 7. Eric Pember, 8. Rick Hanestad.

WDRL FEATURE: (40 Laps)
1. Jimmy Mars, 2. Darren Miller, 3. Brian Birkhofer, 4. Chris Simpson, 5. Denny Eckrich, 6. Eric Pember, 7. Frank Heckenast Jr, 8. Chad Simpson, 9. Brady Smith, 10. Dave Eckrich, 11. Jahn Kaanta, 12. Jason Utter, 13. Rob Moss, 14. Rick Hanestad, 15. Jeremy Grady, 16. Mike Fryer, 17. Curt Martin, 18. Jeff Larson, 19. Tim Isenberg, 20. Skip Frey, 21. Andrew McKay, 22. Matt Furman, 23. Steve Morgan, 24. Lyle Zanker.

WDRL CONTIGENCY AWARDS:
IOWA-ILLINOIS TAYLOR INSULATION POLE DASH: Jimmy Mars, Darren Miller, Brian Birkhofer
QA-1 MOTORSPORTS PASSING POINTS: Darren Miller
CHASE HARD LUCK AWARD: not awarded as of press time
DESIGN 500: Eric Pember
BRAKE MAN: Darren Miller
CHAMP PANS: Chris Simpson
PERFORMANCE BODIES: Denny Eckrich
BSB MANUFACTORING: Frank Heckenast Jr
FAST SHAFTS: Chad Simpson
HOOKER HARNESS: Dave Eckrich
WDRL PROVISIONALS: Tim Isenberg
CHASE SIGNS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Frank Hecknast, Jeremy Grady
CHASSIS: MasterSbilt, Rocket

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