I-80 Speedway continues to prepare for the Silver Dollar Nationals

From I-80 Speedway

I-80 Speedway near Greenwood, Nebraska continues to prepare for the inaugural running of the richest race in Nebraska Racing History, the Silver Dollar Nationals (SDN) to be held July 21 through July 23.

The event pays $25,000 to the winner and $1,000 to start the 80 lap main event. Up to 34 cars may start the event which has a unique qualifying format. All Super Late Models will run two qualifying heats. The second heat a driver competes in will be an invert from how he started his first heat (if you start your first heat on the pole, you start the second heat on the tail, etc). However, you may not be competing against the same drivers in the second heat that you competed against in the first heat. There will be no time trials. The heat race purse will be $500 per heat; $250 for first, $150 for second and $100 for third.

26 cars will qualify out of the heat races and last chance races for the Silver Dollar Nationals. In addition, there will be provisionals awarded as follows:

2 for MLRA (Highest drivers in MLRA points not qualified)
2 for SLMR (highest drivers in SLMR points not qualified
1 each from the highest finishers from the April 2 Spring Meltdown, the May 29 Alphabet Soup Race and the July 1 Midwest Trifecta races, that have not qualified for the Silver Dollar Nationals. Brad Looney of Republic, Missouri became the first driver to guarantee a spot in the starting lineup of the Silver Dollar Nationals when he won the Spring Meltdown.

Finally, 1 provisional will be auctioned off with a minimum bid of $1,500. The amount of the bid exceeding the $1,000 start money will be split by the last 20 placed finishers in the feature.

The tire rule will be WRS-55 or UMP Style LM40. (LM40 is the same tire used at Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway for the Dream and the World 100).

For detailed Late Model rules go the MLRA website.

Early Paid entries for the event include the "Kentucky Colonel" Steve Francis of Ashland, Kentucky. Francis was the 2007 World of Outlaw Late Model champion and also has wins in the World 100, the Dirt Track World Championships, Colossal 100, the National 100 and a $70,000 win in 1999 at the Commonwealth Cup at Kentucky Lakes Speedway. Francis scored a 2002 Hav-A-Tampa win at I-80 Speedway.

Jimmy Mars "The Iceman" of Menomonie, Wisconsin had an amazing 2009 season winning the Firecracker 100 and then coming back and becoming the first driver in dirt late model history to win 3 $50,000 to win races in a single season with victories at the USA Nationals at Cedar Lakes, Wisconsin, the North/South 100 at Florence, Kentucky and the Dirt Track World Championship at Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

Dale McDowell "Mac Daddy" from Chickamauga, Georgia won the 1999 Hav-A-Tampa Shootout and was also crowned the Hav-A-Tampa National Champion that year. In 2000 he won the Battle of Bristol and the World 100 in 2005. McDowell also won at I-80 in a 2002 Hav-A-Tampa race. McDowell and teammate Jared Landers are driving for NASCAR star Clint Bowyer.

Wendell Wallace "the Batesville Bullet" has a number of crown jewel event wins on his resume including 3 Show Me 100's, a Topless 100, two Masters, and a Hav-A-Tampa Shootout win but without a doubt the biggest was winning the Dirt Track World Championship in 2000.

"The Real Deal" Don O'Neal from Martinsville, Indiana is currently second in Lucas Oil point standings. His biggest win was the Dixie Shootout in 2003, a win worth $55,000. O'Neal has also won the Jackson 100 three times, was crowned the 2004 UMP SummerNationals Champ with 11 series wins that year.

Other pre-entries include; Jared Landers of Batesville, Arkansas, the 2010 winner of the Topless 100 and McDowell's teammate in the Clint Bowyer entries, Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Delaware aboard the legendary Dale Beitler #19, Frankie Heckenast of Orland Park, Illinois, John Lobb of Frewsburg, New York, Jake Meier of Tipton, Iowa, Junior Coover of Norfolk, Nebraska

Other drivers entered that are familiar faces to local racing fans include; Kyle Berck "The Marquette Missile" from Marquette, Nebraska. Berck is one of the winningest drivers in I-80 Speedway history, Terry Phillips of Springfield, Missouri, the winningest driver in MLRA and MARS racing history, Phillips stable mate Jeremy Payne of Tucson, Arizona, Alan Vaughn of Belton, Missouri a 5-time MLRA Champion, Dave Eckrich of Cosgrove, Iowa one of the racing Eckrichs and Delbert "the Ice Man" Smith of Wichita, Kansas.

Reserved Seats for the Silver Dollar Nationals can be purchased by going to www.neracewaypark.com or by calling the I-80 Speedway office at (402)-342-2052. Tickets for adults are $10 on Thursday, July 21, $25 on Friday, July 22 and $30 on Saturday, July 23. By purchasing tickets prior to July 1 you can receive a 3-Day pass for $60. Juniors (Age 6-15) are $5 on July 21, and $10 each on July 22 & 23.

17 backstretch RV parking spots at $300 each are also available overlooking turn two and the backstretch. In addition to a premier 3 day parking stall each purchaser receives 2 pit passes to all three nights of action. Reserved camping spots are also available. If you pre purchase a 3 day grandstand ticket you can also reserve a camping spot free. If you do not pre-purchase your tickets, camping spots will be $25 for the 3 days.

Joining the Super Late Models for the Silver Dollar Nationals will be the cars and stars of the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS). The USMTS will be running complete shows on both Friday, July 22 and Saturday July 23. These races will be a part of the Great Plains Regional Tour and will pay $2,000 to win and $300 to start each night.

The USMTS features the fastest dirt modified racing in the country and are featured on the popular television series "Dirt Knights." Currently the hottest driver on the USMTS circuit has to be Jason Hughes of Westville, Oklahoma, the 2010 USMTS National Champion. Hughes won 2 of the 3 USMTS events ran this past weekend in Oklahoma and already has 7 wins for the season. Other USMTS drivers expected to be in attendance are; Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa a 9 time USMTS National Champion, Iowa, 2010 USMTS Great Plains Regional Champion Ryan "the Reaper" Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, exciting young Johnny Scott of Las Cruces, New Mexico and the rest of the USMTS stars will be set to battle some of the best local modified drivers in the area.

Kicking things off on Thursday, July 21 will be a complete NASCAR Weekly Racing Program featuring NASCAR Late Models, ProAms, B-Mods and Hornets. Also there will be open practices for both Super Late Models and USMTS cars.

For more information call Ed Kosiski at (402)-659-3301. Visit online at www.i-80speedway.com