WORLD DIRT RACING LEAGUE RETURNS TO ACTION THIS WEEKEND
Series events scheduled for West Union, Iowa, and Albion, Neb.
By Tom Lathen
WORLD Dirt Racing League


GILMAN CITY, MO. (July 16, 2007) - After a four-week layoff, the cars and stars of the WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series race back in action this weekend.

Series drivers will be at Echo Valley Speedway in West Union, Iowa, on Saturday for a 50-lap, $5,000-to-win event on the smooth and fast northeast Iowa four-tenths-mile, high-banked oval, before heading to Albion, Neb., on Sunday for a return engagement at the annual Boone County Fair. Monday's 50-lapper on the three-eighths-mile, semi-banked north central Nebraska fairgrounds oval will also pay $5,000 to the winner.

"Both of these races should provide plenty of action for series fans," commented WDRL's Jim Wilson. "Over the years, our races at West Union have always been very exciting, and last year's PolyDome Late Model Series race at Albion was a great one to watch, too."

Four previous WDRL appearances at Echo Valley Speedway have produced four different winners, with Ashland, Ky., driver Steve Francis winning the inaugural event in 2003. Other winners at West Union include former series champion Kyle Berck of Marquette, Neb.; Dave Eckrich of Cosgrove, Iowa; and last year's winner, Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis.

Denny Eckrich of Tiffin, Iowa, won last year's first-ever event at Boone County Speedway, en route to his second consecutive series title.

Heading into this weekend's series action, 2006 WDRL runner-up Brian Harris of Davenport, Iowa, holds a slim advantage in the PolyDome Late Model Series point standings over Rookie-of-the-Year contender John Kaanta. Harris, who is still looking for his first series victory of the season, in spite of three second-place finishes and six top-fives, has 1750 championship points compared to Kaanta's 1708. Kaanta, of Elk Mound, Wis., picked up his first-ever series win earlier this season at Freeport Raceway Park in Illinois and, like Harris, has six top-five finishes to his credit.

The 2005 WDRL Rookie-of-the-Year, Justin Fegers of Mound, Minn., a two-time series winner this season, is currently in third in the WDRL point standings, 65 points off the pace, with Dave Eckrich and central Wisconsin driver Eric Pember currently sitting fourth and fifth, respectively.

Two-time defending series champion Denny Eckrich, who won the season-opener at Farley Speedway in Iowa in late April, is sixth in the standings, 216 markers out of the lead, with Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa; Rob Moss of Iowa City; Tim Isenberg of Marshfield, Wis.; and Jason Utter of Columbus Junction, Iowa, completing the top 10.

Among other series drivers expected to compete this weekend are Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, Iowa; Andrew McKay of Edina, Minn.; and Ace Ihm of Hazel Green, Wis.

In addition to a great contingent of series drivers expected at both venues, the Saturday night event at West Union is expected to draw some of the best drivers from eastern Iowa, while Sunday's series stop at Boone County Speedway will no doubt lure some of the Cornhusker State's top chauffeurs.

Group time trials will begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Echo Valley Speedway, with racing action set to begin at 7. On Sunday night at Boone County Speedway, group qualifying starts at 5:30 with racing set for 6.

For more information on WDRL or the latest PolyDome Late Model Series schedule, check out the WORLD Dirt Racing League's Web site, www.worldraceleague.com .