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Gumout Series, Huggins Cams Announce Laney Award
TIFFIN,
OH (February 28) -- The World of Outlaws Gumout Series and Steve Huggins of
Huggins Cams announced Thursday the Fast-Time Award given at each Gumout Series
event this season will be named the Ronald Laney Huggins Cams Fast-Time Award.
The
award will honor Laney, who lost his life recently at East Bay Raceway. Laney
finished sixth in the Gumout Series point standings in its inaugural season and
improved to fourth last year. Ronald, along with his father, Marcus, was one of
only three teams to compete in every Gumout race in its first two years.
The
Gumout Series also announced it will open its season earlier than was originally
reported. The 2002 Gumout Series will start its season with its inaugural visit
to Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, TX, April 4, at the "Texas Kickoff."
The event opens three straight nights of sprint car racing in the Lone Star
State, with Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track in Fort Worth hosting the Pennzoil
World of Outlaws Series Southern Bleacher Classic April 5-6.
"We are excited that dirt track fans will have an opportunity to see great
sprint car racing at both tracks on the same weekend," Texas Motor Speedway
assistant general manager Kenton Nelson said. "Having the events on
consecutive nights is attractive, not only to the fans, but the drivers as
well."
Already entered for the Lone Star Speedway Gumout race is 16-time Pennzoil World
of Outlaws Series champion Steve Kinser. Kinser, will race on the high-banked,
3/8-mile oval along with his son, Kraig, who plans to run many Gumout Series
races this season.
Defending World of Outlaws Gumout Series champion Daryn Pittman is expected to
return in defense of his title. Jason Sides, runner-up to Pittman on the 2001
Gumout tour and winner of a major Florida sprint car event this season, is also
expected to be in the field along with Shane Stewart, the hottest Gumout Series
driver late last season, and Texan Gary Wright.
"We are very excited to host the World of Outlaws Gumout Series season
kickoff," Lone Star Speedway promoter Terry Dickerson said. "Steve
Kinser will find a much-improved Lone Star Speedway from his last visit nearly
15 years ago. The new clay surface we put in last season should make the Texas
Kickoff a great opening event for a tremendous weekend of sprint car
racing."
The "Texas Kickoff" at Lone Star Speedway will offer the winner
$5,000. A full program of qualifying, heat races, dash and features will be
presented. Spectator gates will open at 5 p.m. with the first race at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the Texas Kickoff will be available March 1 by calling Lone Star
Speedway at (903) 986-9731.
Following the "Texas Kickoff," the fire-breathing, mudslinging sprint
car racing teams will travel to Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track for the Third
Annual Southern Bleacher Classic April 5-6. Tickets for those races are
available by calling Texas Motor Speedway at 817-215-8500.
The
Gumout Series also announced several other additions to its schedule: May 10 at
State Fair Motor Speedway in Sedalia, MO, May 11 at Tri-City Speedway in Granite
City, IL, and October 4 with the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series at Tennessee
Motor Speedway in Baxter, TN