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NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES SHORTRACK DIVISION CHAMPIONS CROWNED

• Irwindale Racer Todd Burns Wins ShorTrack Division National Championship

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 26, 2003) – NASCAR has announced the winners of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series ShorTrack Division regional competition, led by Todd Burns, of Riverside, Calif., who won the ShorTrack Division national championship after recording 10 wins and 15 top-five finishes in the Late Model division at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway.

“We came out here to have fun and win every race we came to, instead of worrying about points and finishing well and stuff like that,” Burns said. “We just came out here to run as hard as we could run and that’s paid off. We won a lot of races and kind of let the points fall where they would. All in all, I’m very proud of it.”

That approach resulted in Burns winning his second consecutive Late Model track championship; the championship in the Sunbelt Region of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series ShorTrack Division; and the national championship.

The ShorTrack Division was created in 1998, to recognize for another tier of drivers at each NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series track. The ShorTrack Division includes local track support divisions such as Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Limited Late Models, Pro Trucks and Hobby Stocks.

ShorTrack Division championships were determined using the same Competition Performance Index (CPI) formula as the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series feature division, which monitors wins, top-five finishes, starts and other factors to determine a regional ranking of drivers.

While Burns won the ShorTrack Division national title, seven other drivers captured regional awards. Each of these NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series ShorTrack Division regional winners will collect a $2,500 point fund award and be recognized at the series’ awards banquet, Nov. 1 in Nashville. As the national champion, Burns receives an additional $10,000 bonus.

• Ron Barker, of Dubuque, Iowa, won the Midwest Region ShorTrack Division championship after recording 12 wins and 14 top-five finishes in the Modified division at Farley (Iowa) Speedway.
• Curt Britt, of Dahlonega, Ga., claimed the Atlantic Region ShorTrack Division title with 10 wins and 13 top-five finishes in the Pro Truck division at Lanier National Speedway in Braselton, Ga.
• Jeff Maher, of Elmwood, Ill., won the Heartland Region ShorTrack Division championship while competing in the Modified division at Peoria (Ill.) Speedway. Maher finished the season with seven wins and 18 top-five finishes in 19 starts.
• Ryan Posocco, of Stafford Springs, Conn., won the New England Region ShorTrack Division championship after recording four wins and 14 top-five finishes in the Late Model division at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs.
• Jerry Scott, of Mebane, N.C., won the Southeastern Coastal Region ShorTrack Division championship after a winning season at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, N.C. Scott, who competes in the track’s Modified division, captured the title with 10 wins and 17 top-five finishes in 17 starts.
• Neil Hopkins, of West Falls, N.Y., became Lake Erie Speedway’s first regional champion by winning the Northeast Region ShorTrack Division championship. Hopkins competes in the Modified division at the two-year old North East, Pa. facility, where he recorded 13 wins and 17 top-five finishes in 2003 – the track’s first season in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series.
• Dan Doan, of Twin Falls, Idaho, won the Northwest Region ShorTrack Division championship after compiling a record of seven wins and 16 top-five finishes in the Grand National division at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls.

NASCAR SHORTRACK DIVISION NORTHWEST REGION       09/26/03
   Pos  Driver Name             Home Track       Starts Wins T-5  T-10    CPI
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             Regional Track Leaders

    1   DOAN DAN            MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   16    7   16   16    0.7495

    2   PARKER NICK         ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   15   14   15   15    0.8656

    3   PELPHREY DENNIS     WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   17    6   16   17    0.7281

    4   LEAF CHRIS          COLORADO NATIONAL SP   13    5   10   13    0.6533

    5   DIETRICH KEVIN      WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   16    4   12   14    0.6483

    6   PHILPOT JASON       STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   16    2   15   15    0.6392

    7   KRUISWYK III DIRK   EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     17    2    7   15    0.6324

    8   ONEILL STEVE        TRI-CITY RACEWAY       14    1   14   14    0.5523

    9   MATHEWS SHAWN       YAKIMA SPEEDWAY         7    2    7    7    0.4850

                                    2nd Tier

   11   LANG NAIMA          EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     16    2   12   13    0.7077

   12   HAGIO DOUG          WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   17    5   13   15    0.6692

   13   EATON JEREMY        ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   15    1   15   15    0.6490

   14   COFFEY BOB          WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   16    4   12   15    0.6483

   15   LINSTROTH JAY       STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   15    8   10   14    0.6482

   16   ARCHER CHRIS        COLORADO NATIONAL SP   13    2   10   13    0.5956

   17   GENTZLER DAVID      TRI-CITY RACEWAY       14    3   13   14    0.5702

   18   HAMETT EARL         MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   16    0    8   15    0.5151

   19   CLARK CHRISTOPHER   YAKIMA SPEEDWAY         6    1    6    6    0.4046

                                    3rd Tier

   21   MOULAISON MARK      EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     17    3    5   10    0.6176

   22   DIETRICH DARRIN     WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   16    1   11   16    0.5858

   23   LUCK JOHN           COLORADO NATIONAL SP   13    1   10   12    0.5763

   24   WORDELMAN BRYAN     ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   16    0   10   12    0.5692

   25   PRICE RANDY         MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   16    0    9   16    0.5307

   26   PRIDDY PHILIP       WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   17    1    7   16    0.5222

   27   HOFFMAN BRUCE       TRI-CITY RACEWAY       13    2   11   13    0.5019

   28   STEARNS JOSEPH      STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   16    1    7   13    0.4986

   29   HARGRAVES ERICK     YAKIMA SPEEDWAY         6    1    5    6    0.3689

                                    4th Tier

   31   CHILDRESS WES       WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   16    2   15   15    0.6640

   32   FRASER JASON        EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     16    2    9   12    0.6636

   33   MESSMER CHRIS       WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   17    0   11   13    0.5663

   34   DAVIS ROB           ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   16    0    8   13    0.5379

   35   DEINES PAUL         COLORADO NATIONAL SP   13    2    5   11    0.4994

   36   HOCKING CHARLES     MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   16    1    4   13    0.4682

   37   MAYS CHRIS          STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   16    0    4   13    0.4361

   38   KUHLMANN GREG       YAKIMA SPEEDWAY         4    2    4    4    0.3840

   39   EVANS LEE           TRI-CITY RACEWAY       12    0    7   12    0.3770

                                    5th Tier

   41   SCHALL DARALD       WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   16    1   11   15    0.5858

   42   MCELROY STEVE       EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     17    1    4   12    0.5735

   43   GREGG KEN           WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   16    2    5   12    0.5093

   44   WADE MIKE           ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   12    0    9   12    0.4911

   45   DONALDSON JIMMY     COLORADO NATIONAL SP   12    1    6   11    0.4860

   46   WILSON MICHAEL      MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   16    0    1   13    0.4057

   47   CULLOM STEWART      STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   16    0    2   14    0.4049

   48   BERGLUND OWEN       TRI-CITY RACEWAY       10    0    5   10    0.3113

   49   MONDOR JACK         YAKIMA SPEEDWAY         4    0    2    4    0.1875

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Championship point standings are subject to NASCAR administrative review and are
preliminary pending confirmation of a member's valid, current NASCAR membership
and license.

JERRY ROBERTSON WINS NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES

NORTHWEST REGION CHAMPIONSHIP

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 23, 2003) – Jerry Robertson, of Arvada, Colo., has won the 2003 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Northwest Region championship, his second regional title in four years. Robertson, who claimed his first regional championship in 2000, recorded 11 wins and 16 top-five finishes in 18 starts in the Late Model division at Colorado National Speedway in Erie, Colo. to win the championship. He will collect nearly $45,000 in post season awards for this achievement.

Robertson is one of 28 drivers to win multiple NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional championships since the series began in 1982.

Robertson won the title using a slightly older race car, one that hadn’t seen any competitive racing for seven years until Robertson and his crew obtained the car and re-built it to match their title-winning mount of 2000.

“The chassis is a Lefthander Chassis, originally built in ’92. But the car had an inspection sticker on the roll bar from ’96, so that was the last time it ran here,” Robertson said.

“We took the car, sandblasted it and modified the car to what we wanted it to be, as far as suspension, hookup points and such. We cleaned it up, put a new interior in it and it looks like a brand new car.

“We basically duplicated our old car, the one we won the regional championship with in 2000. We tried to copy all of the suspension and somehow or other we missed, but we ended up missing in the right direction, I think. This car seems a little better,” Robertson said.

In the end, the revised race car served Robertson well. The 41-year old driver dominated the competition at Colorado National. Robertson’s record was so strong, in fact, that he led the Northwest Region standings for the entire season, never once dropping below first place in the track or regional standings.

Robertson won the Northwest Region title after placing highest in NASCAR’s regional Competition Performance Index (CPI), which monitors each driver’s performance based wins, top-five finishes and other factors. Robertson, along with the other 2003 regional champions, will be honored at the series’ annual awards banquet, Nov. 1 in Nashville.

McFARLAND WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP … Mark McFarland, of Winchester, Va., won the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national championship after a dominating season at Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Va. McFarland recorded 16 wins and 18 top-five finishes to win the Atlantic Region championship and his racing record was deemed the best among the eight regional champions, according to the NASCAR CPI rankings. McFarland will collect more than $213,000 in post-season awards, the largest point fund award to a single driver in the history of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series.

FINAL NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES FD NORTHWEST REGION  09/24/03

   Pos  Driver Name            Home Track        Starts Wins T-5 T-10    CPI

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                             Regional Track Leaders

    1   ROBERTSON JERRY     COLORADO NATIONAL SP   18   11   16   17    0.8750

    2   STIBAL ANDY         WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   18    9   16   17    0.8423

    3   MORIARITY TOM       EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     18   10   15   16    0.8082

    4   MADSEN GARY         ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   18    8   15   17    0.7889

    5   WALKER SCOTT D      YAKIMA SPEEDWAY        18    7   15   18    0.7459

    6   SCHMIDT ERIC        STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   20    6   16   17    0.7276

    7   THOMPSON STEVE      TRI-CITY RACEWAY       18    3   16   17    0.7262

    8   HOGGE IV BOBBY      WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   19    6   17   19    0.6926

    9   JONES STEVE         MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   18    3   15   18    0.6065

                                    2nd Tier

   11   TIDRICK B J         TRI-CITY RACEWAY       18    9   15   17    0.7957

   12   ZARETZKE JOHN       EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     18    7   16   17    0.7804

   13   KLEYN MITCH         WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   18    3   16   16    0.7589

   14   BELLETTO HARRY      STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   20    7   16   19    0.7401

   15   HARDY LYNN          ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   18    6   12   14    0.7195

   16   SCOTT JR BOBBY      WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   19    5   18   18    0.6926

   17   YACKEY BRUCE        COLORADO NATIONAL SP   18    0   13   17    0.6806

   18   OLSON KEN           YAKIMA SPEEDWAY        18    0   13   17    0.6209

   19   WARTLUFT HAROLD     MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   18    3   11   18    0.5510

                                    3rd Tier

   21   LONGTON MIKE        YAKIMA SPEEDWAY        18    6   14   14    0.7181

   22   WENTZ TOM           WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   18    3   12   16    0.7034

   23   SMITH RICK          COLORADO NATIONAL SP   18    2    9   16    0.6528

   24   COOKSEY JIM         ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   18    1   11   16    0.6361

   25   ZAMORA MIKE         TRI-CITY RACEWAY       18    1   11   15    0.6290

   26   MOORE JOHN          STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   19    1   12   18    0.6158

   27   NOTT JR KEN         WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   18    3   13   18    0.6027

   28   MURPHY MATTHEW      EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     18    0   10   13    0.5998

   29   POWELL THOMAS       MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   18    3   13   18    0.5788

                                    4th Tier

   31   WORLEY RICHARD      TRI-CITY RACEWAY       16    3   13   14    0.6623

   32   BACKMAN SCOTT       COLORADO NATIONAL SP   18    0    9   17    0.6250

   33   JONES SCOTT         WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   18    0    7   10    0.5923

   34   LAWRENCE KIM        ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   18    0    8   18    0.5806

   35   DAVIDSON DOUG       EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     18    0    8   15    0.5720

   36   VEST ROB            MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   17    2   14   17    0.5654

   37   ANDERSON JR PETE    STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   18    0    9   12    0.5651

   38   TRAMELL TROY        YAKIMA SPEEDWAY        18    0    6   12    0.5237

   39   PRIDDY JEFFREY      WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   19    0    5   16    0.4557

                                    5th Tier

   41   AVANTS ROGER        COLORADO NATIONAL SP   18    2    8   13    0.6389

   42   QUALE BRUCE         MAGIC VALLEY SPEEDWA   15    6   14   15    0.6085

   43   HALE MICHAEL        ROCKY MOUNTAIN RACEW   17    1   10   14    0.6081

   44   PETTIT II JIM       WATSONVILLE SPEEDWAY   16    4   12   13    0.5828

   45   HARDING SHANE       EVERGREEN SPEEDWAY     16    0    8   13    0.5445

   46   WERREMEYER LON      TRI-CITY RACEWAY       18    0    4   10    0.5179

   47   KLEYN KURT          WENATCHEE VALLEY SUP   17    0    1   16    0.4939

   48   GARCIA MIKE         STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY   20    0    1    9    0.4651

   49   BEMIS RON           YAKIMA SPEEDWAY        18    0    1   12    0.4542

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Championship point standings are subject to NASCAR administrative review and are

preliminary pending confirmation of a member's valid, current NASCAR membership

and license.

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES NEWS & NOTES – NORTHWEST REGION

• Several drivers celebrate 2003 track championships
• NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series season concludes this weekend

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 17, 2003) – With one week remaining in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series season, several competitors have already claimed track championships in 2003. While the Northwest Region champion won’t be officially crowned until the season concludes Sept. 21, here’s a look at some of the drivers who have already become title-winners at their home tracks:

Tom Moriarty, Monroe, Wash. – Moriarty, a 2001 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional champion, made history this season by becoming the only eight-time track champion at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe. Moriarty cruised to his eighth title – his fifth in the track’s Super Stock class – with 10 wins and 15 top-five finishes.

Steve Thompson, West Richland, Wash. – Thompson won the Late Model track championship at Tri-City Raceway in West Richland, after posting three wins and 16 top-five finishes.

Steve Jones, Kuna, Idaho – Jones competes at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho, where he won the 2003 track championship after a three-win season in the track’s Modified division.

NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series track champions each receive a $1,000 bonus from POWERade, plus a commemorative track champion’s helmet from Bell Helmets.

THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL LEADERS …
 

Driver                     Home Track          Starts      Wins      Top 5     Top 10     CPI     Change*

1. Jerry Robertson Colorado National Speedway     18         11         16         17         .8750    - -

2. Andy Stibal     Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval  18         9          16         17         .8423    - -

3. Tom Moriarty    Evergreen Speedway             18         10         15         16         .8082    +1

4. Gary Madsen     Rocky Mountain Raceways        18         8          15         17         .7889    +1

5. Scott Walker    Yakima Speedway                18         7          15         18         .7459    -1

6. Steve Thompson  Tri-City Raceway               18         3          16         17         .7262    +8

7. Eric Schmidt    Stockton 99 Speedway           19         5          15         16         .7137    - -

8. Bobby Hogge IV  Watsonville Speedway           18         6          16         18         .6955    - -

9. Steve Jones     Magic Valley Speedway          18         3          15         18         .6065    - -

*Editor’s Note: The +/- numbers in the “change” column indicate a driver’s movement in the regional standings, versus their position during the previous week. 
The dash marks indicate that a driver has maintained their position in the standings. 

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES NEWS & NOTES – NORTHWEST REGION

• Time running out for Stibal’s championship bid
• Tidrick closes in on Tri-City track title

(Editor’s Note: The Sept. 4 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series “News and Notes” press release indicated that Jerry Robertson was scheduled to compete in twin feature events on Sept. 13 at Colorado National Speedway. Robertson in fact raced in twin feature events last weekend, on Sept. 6. We regret the typographical error.)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 10, 2003) – With two weeks remaining in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series season, Jerry Robertson is right where he wants to be – on top of the regional standings – while Andy Stibal is stuck where doesn’t want to be – right behind Robertson in the regional rankings.  Robertson, of Arvada, Colo., extended his lead in the $142,000 regional championship contest with his 11^th feature win last weekend at Colorado National Speedway near Denver. The win put Robertson one step closer to claiming the champion’s share of that regional point fund – $45,000 – when the season concludes Sept. 21.

As the season winds to its conclusion, the Northwest Region leaderboard was unchanged this week. Stibal, of Orondo, Wash., remains in second place with a record of nine wins and 14 top-five finishes overall in 16 starts at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval in East Wenatchee, Wash.  BJ Tidrick, of Yakima, Wash., has been the biggest mover in the regional standings in recent weeks. Tidrick, who competes at Tri-City Raceway in West Richland, Wash., took over the track points lead there a week ago and improved from 11^th to third in the Northwest Region standings in the process. Tidrick is seeking his first track championship at Tri-City Raceway.

THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL LEADERS …
 

Driver			Home Track			Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	CPI	Change*

1.	Jerry Robertson	Colorado National Speedway	17	11	15	16	.8812	- -

2.	Andy Stibal	Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval	16	9	14	15	.8594	- -

3.	BJ Tidrick	Tri-City Raceway		17	9	15	16	.8179	- -

4.	Tom Moriarty	Evergreen Speedway		17	9	14	15	.7949	- -

5.	Gary Madsen	Rocky Mountain Raceways	       18	      8	15	17	.7895	- -

6.	Scott Walker	Yakima Speedway		       17      7	       14	17	.7511	- -

7.	Eric Schmidt	Stockton 99 Speedway		18	5	14	15	.7119	- -

8.	Bobby Hogge IV	Watsonville Speedway		18	6	16	18	.6959	- -

9.	Steve Jones	Magic Valley Speedway		17	2	14	17	.5924	- -

*Editor’s Note: The +/- numbers in the “change” column indicate a driver’s movement in the regional standings, versus their position during the previous week. The dash marks indicate that a driver has maintained their position in the standings.

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES NEWS & NOTES – NORTHWEST REGION

• Stibal chasing Robertson in regional rankings
• Moriarty closes in on fifth track title

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 27, 2003) – After 14 consecutive weeks on top of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Northwest Region standings, Jerry Robertson is entering the home stretch. The NASCAR regional championship contest concludes Sept. 21 and Robertson, of Arvada, Colo., continues to lead the standings ahead of Andy Stibal, of Orondo, Wash. Stibal, who competes at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval in East Wenatchee, Wash., has made a valiant effort to catch Robertson over the past few weeks but still trails the Colorado National Speedway star in the Competition Performance Index (CPI) standings.

Tom Moriarty, of Monroe, Wash., is seeking his fifth Super Stock track championship at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe and advanced towards that end with his 13^th top-five finish there last weekend. Moriarty, a 2001 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional titlist, advanced to fourth in this week’s regional standings.

Elsewhere, Bobby Hogge IV, of Salinas, Calif., won for the sixth time this season at Watsonville (Calif.) Speedway, the lone dirt track in NASCAR’s Northwest Region. Hogge, a two-time regional champion in 1996-97, remains in eighth place in the NASCAR Northwest Region standings.

THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL LEADERS …

Driver                            Home Track                               Starts   Wins     Top 5    Top 10  CPI       Change*

1.          Jerry Robertson      Colorado National Speedway       14         10         13         13         .9107    - -

2.          Andy Stibal            Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval  15         9          13         14         .8643    - -

3.          Gary Madsen         Rocky Mountain Raceways         16         8          13         15         .7953    - -

4.          Tom Moriarty          Evergreen Speedway                  16         8          13         14         .7811    +1

5.          Scott Walker          Yakima Speedway                     15         7          13         15         .7764    -1

6.          Steve Thompson     Tri-City Raceway                        15         3          13         14         .7273    - -

7.          Eric Schmidt          Stockton 99 Speedway               17         5          14         15         .7190    - -

8.          Bobby Hogge IV     Watsonville Speedway                17         6          15         17         .6981    - -

9.          Steve Jones           Magic Valley Speedway             16         2          14         16         .6054    - -

*Editor’s Note: The +/- numbers in the “change” column indicate a driver’s movement in the regional standings, versus their position during the previous week. The dash marks indicate that a driver has maintained their position in the standings.

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES NEWS & NOTES - NORTHWEST REGION

* Colorado National Speedway history in Robertson's favor

* 2003 Northwest Region championship worth $45,000

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 13, 2003) - Arvada, Colo. driver Jerry Robertson wants to win his second NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional championship. If history is any indication, he's chosen the right track to chase this feat. Colorado National Speedway, a 3/8-mile asphalt oval located in Erie, Colo., has been a virtual regional championship factory over the past few seasons.

The track has produced three NASCAR regional champions in the past six years - Bruce Yackey, of Greeley, Colo., won a regional title in 1997, Robertson won his first in 2000 and Roger Avants, of Littleton, Colo., collected the Northwest Region honors last year. The three drivers still compete head-to-head on Saturday nights, pushing themselves and their weekly competition to higher levels each season. Robertson's commanding lead of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Northwest Region standings has been unchallenged for 12 consecutive weeks. "The whole top 10 in our Late Model field is capable of winning on any given week," said track operator David Gamel. "It's very competitive and that's the difference. Jerry does his homework, though. Jerry probably works on his car more than anybody else and he is very detail-oriented." If Robertson prevails as the 2003 Northwest Region champion, Gamel says the accomplishment would reflect well on the competition at the track.

"It shows a lot for their race team. It shows a lot for the track, especially when it's not the same guy every year. We'd love to see it happen and it shows how competitive they are. We're thrilled, it's quite exciting," Gamel said. Robertson stands to collect $45,000 as the Northwest Region champion, a nearly $5,000 increase compared to the winnings from his first regional title three years ago. Regional championship awards are presented at the series' annual banquet in Nashville, Nov. 1. In addition to the regional champion, track champions from the entire region take part in the prestigious event, at which a total of $1.7 million in post-season awards is presented to NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series competitors from across the nation.

THIS WEEK'S REGIONAL LEADERS ...
 

Driver			Home Track			Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	CPI	Change*

1.	Jerry Robertson	Colorado National Speedway	14	10	13	13	.9107	- -

2.	Andy Stibal	Wenatchee Valley Super Oval	14	8	12	13	.8553	- - 

3.	Gary Madsen	Rocky Mountain Raceways		14	8	12	13	.8275	- -

4.	Scott Walker	Yakima Speedway			14	7	12	14	.7853	- -

5.	John Zaretske	Evergreen Speedway		14	6	12	13	.7702	- -

6.	Steve ThompsonTri-City Raceway			14	3	12	13	.7301	+1

7.	Eric Schmidt	Stockton 99 Speedway		16	5	13	14	.7209	-1

8.	Bobby Scott Jr.	Watsonville Speedway		15	5	14	14	.7119	- -

9.	Steve Jones	Magic Valley Speedway		14	2	12	14	.6061	- -

*Editor's Note: The +/- numbers in the "change" column indicate a driver's movement in the regional 
standings, versus their position during the previous week. The dash marks indicate that a driver has
 maintained their position in the standings. 

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 6, 2003) – Since 1982, the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series has given local stock car competitors a chance to share in the NASCAR spotlight, compete for millions of dollars in post-season prize money and race for regional and national championships. At 75 participating race tracks across the country, drivers in each track’s feature division are eligible for several annual awards including the eight regional championships, special awards from series sponsor Dodge and local track awards from POWERade and the U.S. Army.

Approximately 1,800 drivers compete at this level – in their home track’s premier feature division – and race for these awards. However, at America’s weekly race tracks, there’s more to be found than just the feature division stars. Many support classes make up each track’s weekly racing program, ranging from entry-level hobby classes to more sophisticated types of racing machines. These weekend warriors are represented in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series ShorTrack Division.

The ShorTrack Division was created in 1998 to provide some well-deserved regional and national recognition for another tier of drivers at each track. The NASCAR ShorTrack Division includes divisions such as Modifieds, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Limited Late Models, Pro Trucks and Hobby Stocks.

These competitors compete for regional championships and a national championship, just like their feature division counterparts. ShorTrack Division championships are determined using the same Competition Performance Index (CPI) formula as the feature division, which monitors wins, top-five finishes, starts and other factors to determine a regional ranking of drivers. The only variation is that ShorTrack Division drivers need only compete in a minimum of 16 starts to be eligible for a regional championship; feature division drivers must race in a minimum of 18 events to claim a regional title at their level.

This year, eight ShorTrack Division regional champions will each collect $2,500 in post-season awards plus an additional $10,000 bonus to the 2003 ShorTrack Division national champion. Track champions at the ShorTrack level can also receive a $1,000 bonus. The ShorTrack Division regional champions are honored at the prestigious NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series awards banquet, Nov. 1 in Nashville, Tenn.

With seven weeks of competition remaining, here’s a look at the regional championship contenders in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series ShorTrack Division:

Feature division leaders continue championship chase … NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series race tracks are heading into the final weeks of the season, before regional championship competition concludes Sept. 21. Across the nation, several of NASCAR’s best weekly competitors have easily maintained their championship leads while others are looking closely in their regional rear-view mirrors as the competition closes in.

Mark McFarland, of Winchester, Va., maintained his lead in the Atlantic Region standings for the 11^th consecutive week, after recording his 13^th win of the season in the Late Model Stock Car division at Old Dominion Speedway in Manassas, Va. … Tom Seets Sr., of Alton, Ill., kept up his lead in the Heartland Region despite the fact that races at his home track, Tri City Speedway in Granite City, Ill., were cancelled due to rain last weekend. … Kyle Berck, of Marquette, Neb., notched his 11^th top-five finish in the Late Model division at Nebraska Raceway Park in Greenwood, Neb., and remains in first place in the Midwest Region rankings. … Jeff Strunk, of Bethel, Pa., held on to the top spot in the New England Region standings this week with a record of two wins and 11 top-five finishes at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa.

NASCAR’s Northeast Region gained a new leader this week as West Swanzey, N.H. driver Todd Patnode took over the regional lead after his fourth win at Monadnock Speedway in Winchester, N.H. … Former NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional champion Jerry Robertson, of Arvada, Colo., continued his march towards a second title, after winning a 125-lap special event last week at Colorado National Speedway near Denver. Robertson remains in the Northwest Region lead with a record of nine wins and 12 top-five finishes in 13 starts. … Timothy Peters, of Providence, N.C., maintained his lead in the Southeastern Coastal Region thanks to seven wins in the Late Model Stock Car division at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C. … Brian Richardson, of Bakersfield, Calif., returned to the top of NASCAR’s Sunbelt Region standings this week, after relinquishing the lead to Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway driver Rip Michaels one week ago. Richardson re-gained the advantage after posting his seventh Late Model win at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield.

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES NEWS & NOTES - NORTHWEST REGION

* Robertson leads Northwest Region at "halfway mark"

* Dodge drivers driving for extra dollars

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 23, 2003) - If the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series has a halfway point, this week is it.

Although many race tracks began their seasons earlier in the year, NASCAR's Competition Performance Index (CPI) standings are tracked for the final 18 weeks of the season. Nine weeks of competition remain before the eight regional championships are decided after the weekend of Sept. 21, making this week the symbolic halfway point of the season.

And during the figurative first half, few drivers have dominated the regional standings as much as Jerry Robertson. This Arvada, Colo. resident has led the Northwest Region standings since week one and shows no signs of letting up over the next nine. In the other seven regions of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, only one other driver - Mark McFarland, of Winchester, Va. - has led the standings for the duration of the season.

Robertson's performance has been sensational. He's won two-thirds of the races he's run at Colorado National Speedway near Denver. To put that accomplishment in perspective, if NASCAR Winston Cup Series points leader Matt Kenseth were winning this much, he'd have 12 wins by now - one short of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series' Modern Era record for wins in a single season.

It will take an equally sensational performance to knock Robertson off the top spot in the regional standings, which gives challengers Andy Stibal, of Orondo, Wash. and Gary Madsen, of Salt Lake City, a lot to do in nine short weeks. Stibal and Madsen have each won seven races and recorded 10 top-five finishes at their respective home tracks - fantastic records by any standards - but neither has been able to muster a big enough winning streak to unseat Robertson.

Going unnoticed among Robertson's regional championship challengers is one of the toughest - the one from his home track. Bruce Yackey, a 1997 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional champion from Greeley, Colo., trails Robertson in the track point standings by only 28 markers. NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series rules stipulate that a driver must be his or her track points leader in order to win a regional championship or finish in the top "tier" of the regional standings. If Yackey overtakes Robertson in the track point standings, the Northwest Region championship picture could take on a whole new look over the remaining nine weeks of the season.

Driver			Home Track			Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	CPI	Change*

	1.	Jerry Robertson	Colorado National Speedway	12	8	11	11	.8958	- -

	2.	Andy Stibal	Wenatchee Valley Super Oval	11	7	10	10	.8840	- -

	3.	Gary Madsen	Rocky Mountain Raceways	       12	      7	10	11	.8238	- -

	4.	John Zaretske	Evergreen Speedway		11	6	10	11	.8179	- -

	5.	Scott Walker	Yakima Speedway		       10	      6	8	10	.8021	- -

	6.	Steve ThompsonTri-City Raceway		       12	      3	10	11	.7311	- -

	7.	Eric Schmidt	Stockton 99 Speedway		13	3	11	12	.7123	- -

	8.	Bobby Hogge IV	Watsonville Speedway		12	4	10	12	.6944	- -

	9.	Steve Jones	Magic Valley Speedway		11	2	10	11	.6300	- -

*Editor's Note: The +/- numbers in the "change" column indicate a driver's movement in the regional standings, versus their position during the previous week. The dash marks indicate that a driver has maintained their position in the standings.

Dodge drivers on track ... As a part of its NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series sponsorship, Dodge posts more than $80,000 in prize money for drivers who use Dodge vehicles. The highest finishing Dodge driver in the feature division at each track can receive a $500 bonus, while the highest finishing Dodge driver in each region can collect an additional $2,500. If the national champion drives a Dodge, they could receive a $25,000 national championship bonus. In order to be eligible for these special awards, drivers must use a Dodge body and motor in their race car for the entire season. Here's a look at the top Dodge drivers in the Northwest Region: Steve Jones, Kuna, Idaho, currently ninth in the Northwest Region standings with two wins and 10 top-five finishes at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho. ... Harold Wartluft, Gooding, Idaho, ranked 19th in this week's Northwest Region standings, has two wins and seven top-five finishes and is second behind Jones in the track point standings at Magic Valley. ... Ed Vecchiarelli, Brighton, Colo., currently 21st in the Late Model point standings at Colorado National Speedway, has two top-10 finishes. ... Bear Lynch, Denver, Colo., 22nd in the Late Model standings at Colorado National Speedway, has one top-five and two top-10 finishes. ... Dennis Wurtz II, Nampa, Idaho, currently 15th in the track point standings at Tri-City Raceway in West Richland, Wash., has three top-five and five top-10 finishes.

Top top-five finishers ... Consistency is a key factor for any championship contender. In the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, consistent top-five finishes are a measure of success in this category. Here's a look at some of the steadiest finishers in the nation:

Driver			Home track (region)			Top-fives (thru 7/22)

Matt Carter		Hickory Motor Speedway (Atlantic)			15

Marty Ward Jr.	Greenville-Pickens Speedway (Atlantic)			15

Brian Richardson	Mesa Marin Raceway (Sunbelt)				13

Phil Rozum		Lorain County Speedway (Northeast)			13

Scot Danzeisen	Viking Speedway (Midwest)			            	12

Tim Karrick		Lakeside Speedway (Midwest)				12

Justin Labonte	Caraway Speedway (Atlantic)				12

Tim Lance		Peoria Speedway (Heartland)				12

Shaun Magnum	Concord Motorsport Park (Southeastern Coastal)		12

Chuck Wares		Tucson Raceway Park (Sunbelt)				12

	*	Robertson wins again, remains number one in the Northwest

	*	Walker wins two at Yakima

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 16, 2003) - Jerry Robertson, of Arvada, Colo., recorded his eighth win of the season 
in the Late Model division at Colorado National Speedway near Denver, to remain firmly in control of the NASCAR 
Dodge Weekly Series Northwest Region standings. Robertson, who has finished in the top five in all but one event 
he's raced in this season, has led the Northwest Region standings for eight consecutive weeks. Elsewhere, 
Evergreen Speedway Super Stock driver John Zaretske, of Monroe, Wash., finished ninth in last Saturday's feature 
race at Evergreen and slipped to fourth in the regional rankings. Zaretske's racing record was good enough to 
challenge Robertson for the regional lead earlier in the season, however he has not reached the winner's circle 
since June 14. Scott Walker, of Prosser, Wash., won both twin Late Model feature races last weekend at Yakima 
(Wash.) Speedway, boosting him to fifth place in the regional standings. 

THIS WEEK'S REGIONAL LEADERS ... 

  Driver			Home Track		    Starts	   Wins    Top 5   Top 10	CPI	Change*

	1.	Jerry Robertson	Colorado National Speedway	11	8	10	10	.9091	- -

	2.	Andy Stibal	Wenatchee Valley Super Oval	10	6	9	9	.8705	- -

	3.	Gary Madsen	Rocky Mountain Raceways	       11	      7	9	10	.8290	+1

	4.	John Zaretske	Evergreen Speedway		11	6	10	11	.8123	-1

	5.	Scott Walker	Yakima Speedway		       10	      6	8	10	.7977	+1

	6.	Steve ThompsonTri-City Raceway		       11	      3	10	11	.7542	-1

	7.	Eric Schmidt	Stockton 99 Speedway		12	3	10	11	.7142	- -

	8.	Bobby Hogge IV	Watsonville Speedway		11	3	9	11	.6734	- -

	9.	Steve Jones	Magic Valley Speedway		10	2	9	10	.6294	- -

*Editor's Note: The +/- numbers in the "change" column indicate a driver's movement in the regional standings, 
versus their position during the previous week. The dash marks indicate that a driver has maintained their 
position in the standings. 

A closer look at the NASCAR CPI index ... NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional and national championships are 
determined by the Competition Performance Index, or CPI. This index measures four factors - winning percentage, 
top-five finishes, average car count at a drivers' home track and starts - to rank each feature division driver. 
At the end of the season, the driver with the highest CPI rating in each region is declared the regional champion. 
The racing records of the eight regional champions are then compared to determine the national champion. 

This week, the final step in the process is examined - combining all the factors together to produce an index and 
rank the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series championship competitors.  

Based on NASCAR's formula, each of the four factors is assigned a value. For example, Driver A has a record of 
18 starts, five wins and 17 top-five finishes. Driver A has not missed any races at his or her home track and 
competes against an average field of 22 cars. The track with the highest average car count in Driver A's region 
has 25 cars.  Driver A's CPI values would look like this: 

Winning percentage - 0.277 (5 divided by 18 = .277)

Top-five percentage - 0.944 (17 divided by 18 = .944)

Starts - 1.0 (18 divided by 18 = 1.0)

Car count - 0.840 (21 divided by 25 = .840)

These four factors are added together (0.277 + 0.944 + 1.0 + 0.840 = 3.061) and the result is divided by four - 
representing the number of factors - to produce Driver A's CPI ranking of .7653. Once the CPI index is calculated 
for each driver in the region, the driver with the highest CPI is the regional leader. A driver must be his or her 
track championship points leader to be placed in the top "tier" of the regional standings. This top tier includes 
the nine or 10 drivers that will receive a portion of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series championship point fund and 
participate in the annual awards banquet in Nashville.

Race winners across the nation ... Who's the hottest driver in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series? Take a look at 
these win totals from across the nation:
THIS WEEK'S REGIONAL LEADERS ... 

Driver			Home track (region)					Wins (as of July 16)

Tom Seets Sr.		Tri City Speedway (Heartland Region)			10 

Ricky Bilderback	Rockford Speedway (Heartland Region)			8

Mark McFarland		Old Dominion Speedway (Atlantic Region)		       88

Jerry Robertson		Colorado National Speedway (Northwest Region)	       88

Denny Hamlin		Southern National Speedway (Southeastern Coastal)	7

Jeff Klem		I-70 Speedway (Midwest Region)			       7  

Gary Madsen		Rocky Mountain Raceways			              	 7

Stuart Ricks		Myrtle Beach Speedway (Southeastern Coastal)		7

Chris Whorton		Huntsville Speedway (Sunbelt Region)			7

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES NEWS & NOTES – NORTHWEST REGION

• Robertson maintains Northwest Region lead despite sub-par performance

• Hardy seeking continued NASCAR success, fourth track title

• Alumni watch: Jefferson wins in Winston West

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 25, 2003) – For the first time this season, Jerry Robertson finished outside the top 10 in a Late Model feature race at Colorado National Speedway. The Arvada, Colo. driver maintained his lead in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Northwest Region standings, however, ahead of John Zaretske, a six-time feature winner at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash.

Elsewhere, Lynn Hardy, a three-time defending track champion at Rocky Mountain Raceways, overtook Gary Madsen for the track points lead and advanced to fifth in the Northwest Region standings. Hardy now has three feature victories at the 3/8-mile asphalt oval in West Valley City, Utah. Thanks to the three track titles and repeat appearances near the top of the regional standings, Hardy, a resident of West Jordan, Utah, has collected over $50,000 in post-season awards from NASCAR since 2000.

THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL LEADERS … 

Driver			Home Track			Starts	Wins	Top 5	Top 10	CPI	Change*

1.	Jerry Robertson	Colorado National Speedway	8	6	7	7	.9093	- -

2.	John Zaretske	Evergreen Speedway		9	6	9	9	.8452	- -

3.	Mitch Kleyn	Wenatchee Valley Super Oval	7	2	7	7	.8163	- -

4.	Steve Thompson	Tri-City Raceway		8	3	8	8	.7902	+1

5.	Lynn Hardy	Rocky Mountain Raceways		8	3	7	7	.7753	+7

6.	Scott Walker	Yakima Speedway		7	3	5	7	.7466	- -

7.	Eric Schmidt	Stockton 99 Speedway		9	3	8	9	.7407	- -

8.	Bobby Hogge IV	Watsonville Speedway		8	3	7	8	.7158	- -

9.	Steve Jones 	Magic Valley Speedway		8	2	7	8	.6339	- -

*Editor’s Note: The +/- numbers in the “change” column indicate a driver’s movement in the regional standings, versus their position during the previous week. The dash marks indicate that a driver has maintained their position in the standings.

A Closer Look at the NASCAR CPI Index … NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional and national championships are decided by the Competition Performance Index, or CPI. This index measures four factors – winning percentage, top-five finishes, average car count at a drivers’ home track and starts – to rank each feature division driver in the region and determine the champions.

This week, the second factor in the index – top-five finishes – is examined.

While winning races is important, this factor rewards drivers for finishing consistently at the front of the pack. Each driver’s number of top-five finishes is divided by the number of starts they have completed.

For example, if a driver wins 10 races but only has 11 top-five finishes in 20 starts, they have been less consistent than a driver with eight wins and 15 top-five finishes in 20 starts. In this example, if the other CPI factors are equal, the driver with 15 top-five finishes would receive a better ranking in the CPI Index – a reward for his or her steady performance on the race track.

The top-five finishes are considered as a percentage of total starts (by dividing top-five finishes by the number of starts) when calculating the CPI, in order to ensure competitors in warmer climates do not have an advantage simply because they are able to race in more events – and record more potential top-five finishes – in a given year.

Alumni watch … Yakima Speedway and Tri-City Raceway graduate Jason Jefferson, of Yakima, Wash., made his NASCAR Grand National Division, Winston West Series debut in grand style last weekend – by winning the NAPA 150 at Tri City Raceway. Jefferson is competing full-time in the NASCAR Elite Division, Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series, where he already has one win and four top-five finishes in his rookie season.

Parker Leads ShorTrack Standings … Nick Parker, of Kearns, Utah, continues to lead the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series ShorTrack Division standings in the Northwest Region. Parker competes in the Super Stock division at Rocky Mountain Raceways, where he has seven wins in seven starts. The ShorTrack Division, first introduced in 1998, recognizes support division drivers at each participating track. ShorTrack Division drivers compete for track championships and a $2,500 regional championship bonus. The regional championships are determined by the same CPI Index as the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series feature division championships.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 11, 2003) – While Jerry Robertson, of Arvada, Colo., maintained a strong lead in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Northwest Region standings, drivers throughout the region continued their efforts to match his performance on the track. John Zaretske, of Monroe, Wash., recorded his fifth win – tying Robertson for the most feature wins in the Northwest Region – at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe to stay within striking distance of Robertson’s record.

Robertson, a NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional champion in 2000, had the weekend off as the NASCAR Elite Division, International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series raced at his home track, Colorado National Speedway near Denver.

Gary Madsen, of Salt Lake City, recorded his third feature victory at Rocky Mountain Raceways in West Valley City, Utah and moved up one position in the regional standings. Scott Walker, of Prosser, Wash., won his third race at Yakima (Wash.) Speedway and is now ranked sixth in the Northwest Region standings.

THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL LEADERS …

THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL LEADERS … 

*Editor’s Note: The "Outlook" column has been added to indicate the movement of each driver in the top 10 of this week’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional standings. An ↑ arrow indicates a driver has moved up within the top 10 or recently moved into the top 10. ↔ indicates no change in a driver’s position and ↓ indicates a driver has dropped down within the top 10.

NICK PARKER LEADS SHORTRACK STANDINGS … Competition in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series ShorTrack Division is underway. The ShorTrack Division includes a support class at each participating NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series track, which competes for additional prize money, regional championships and a national title – just like their feature division counterparts. This year’s ShorTrack Division regional champions will each collect $2,500 in post-season awards and the ShorTrack Division national champion receives a $10,000 bonus. Nick Parker, of Kearns, Utah, leads this week’s ShorTrack Division standings in the Northwest Region. Parker has five feature victories in the Super Stock division at Rocky Mountain Raceways in West Valley City, Utah.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 3, 2003) – Jerry Robertson, of Arvada, Colo., recorded 10 feature victories on his way to winning a NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional championship in 2000. This week, Robertson is well on his way to matching that accomplishment as he maintains the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Northwest Region lead and has already collected five feature wins at Colorado National Speedway near Denver. With 16 weeks remaining in the $142,000 regional championship contest, Robertson will be a strong contender if he continues to win at this pace.

Steve Thompson, of West Richland, Wash., earned his third feature victory at Tri-City Raceway in West Richland and jumped to second in the Northwest Region standings, while John Zaretske’s sixth top-five finish at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., was enough to keep him in third place.

Bobby Hogge IV, a two-time NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional champion from Salinas, Calif., won his first race of the season at Watsonville (Calif.) Speedway and moved into seventh in the regional standings.

THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL LEADERS …

*Editor’s Note: This "Outlook" column was added to indicate the movement of each driver in the top 10 of this week’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional standings. An ­ arrow indicates a driver has moved up within the top 10, or recently moved into the top 10. « indicates no change in a driver’s position and ¯ indicates a driver has dropped down within the top 10.

CRAFTSMAN MECHANIC OF THE YEAR BALLOTING UNDERWAY … Another annual highlight of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series season is the Craftsman Mechanic of the Year awards. Since 1986, these awards have honored the many friends, family and team members who prepare race cars for competition at NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series tracks. The awards are determined by a ballot among NASCAR members participating in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, and include several cash and product prizes for the winners.

Winners are selected from each track, along with eight regional winners and a national winner to be announced at the end of the season. Track winners are presented with $250 credit towards the purchase of Craftsman Tools; regional winners collect a $1,500 cash bonus plus a 36-inch Craftsman Professional tool chest and cart, along with travel and accommodations for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series banquet in Nashville. The national winner receives an additional $5,000 cash bonus.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 28, 2003) – Several familiar faces have taken top spots in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Northwest Region standings, led by Jerry Robertson, of Arvada, Colo. Robertson, who has four wins in five starts in the Late Model division at Colorado National Speedway near Denver, leads the regional contest ahead of Andy Stibal, of Orondo, Wash., who has won twice in the Late Model division at Wenatchee Valley Super Oval in East Wenatchee, Wash.

Bobby Hogge IV, a two-time regional champion from Salinas, Calif., is eighth in the Northwest Region standings after four consecutive top-five finishes at Watsonville (Calif.) Speedway. Steve Jones, the defending track champion at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho, currently sits ninth in the standings. Jones, a resident of Twin Falls, has two wins and four top-five finishes in Magic Valley Speedway’s Modified division.

THIS WEEK’S REGIONAL LEADERS …

EL NIñO? … Since March 15, a total of 134 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series events at 67 race tracks have been cancelled or postponed due to inclement weather. Colorado National Speedway near Denver, Rockford (Ill.) Speedway and Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway have cancelled events due to snowstorms and tornadoes have damaged tracks in other regions.

Among the affected tracks are Southampton Motor Speedway in Capron, Va., which was forced to postpone events on May 23 when a waterlogged retaining wall collapsed along the front stretch; Cajon Speedway in El Cajon, Calif., which experienced its 35^th rainout in 43 years of operation; and Big Diamond Raceway in Minersville, Pa., which cancelled six of its first eight NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series events due to rain.

FROM THE ARCHIVES … Eddy McKean drove his Cactus Pete’s sponsored car to his first NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series win of the season at Magic Valley Speedway in Twin Falls, Idaho on May 1, 1993. McKean, the 1991 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Great Northern Region champion, took the top spot from race leader Darin Fairbanks on a lap 31 restart, and sped on to victory. Fairbanks, the defending track champion, finished second followed by Bruce Quale, Wiley Godby and Butch Veenstra.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 15, 2003) - Peter Daniels, the 2002 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national champion, will participate in an exclusive online "Q&A" session with race fans, on www.weeklyracingseries.com, the official website of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, a subset of NASCAR's official website, www.nascar.com. Fans are invited to visit the website, May 16-22, to participate. In addition, fans may e-mail their questions to qanda@nascartouring.com. Daniels will personally respond to the questions and post his responses on May 23. Daniels, a resident of Lebanon, N.H., earned the prestigious title and a $166,000 award after winning 14 races at Claremont (N.H.) Speedway during the 2002 season.

The www.weeklyracingseries.com web site features news, results and photos from participating NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series tracks across the nation. Weekly updates of NASCAR's regional Competition Performance Index (CPI) standings are featured on the site beginning in May. The www.weeklyracingseries.com web site can also be accessed by visiting www.nascar.com the official web site of NASCAR, and following the links to Weekly Series. Turner Sports Interactive acquired all of NASCAR's Interactive rights in October 2000 and became the exclusive producer of www.nascar.com in January 2001. Turner Sports Interactive bases its NASCAR.com staff in Atlanta, with additional personnel in Charlotte and Daytona and at the tracks, giving them the ability to break news stories on-site around the clock. NASCAR.com provides users with some of the industry's best information resources through AOL and CNN/Sports Illustrated. Turner Sports, Inc., an AOL Time Warner Company, presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide, and is a leader in televised sports programming. With events airing on three networks-TBS Superstation, TNT and Turner South-Turner Sports' line-up includes the NBA, NASCAR and NASCAR.com, Wimbledon, Atlanta Braves baseball, Atlanta Thrashers hockey, Atlanta Hawks basketball, college football, arena football, professional golf, PGA.com and figure skating.

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AWARD INCREASED TO $170,000, TRACK CHAMPIONS TO SHARE $1.7 MILLION POINT FUND

> DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 15, 2003) - NASCAR ' s top weekly short track racer will receive up to $170,000 in post-season awards, the national champion ' s share of this season 's $1.7 million NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series point fund. Nearly 1,800 drivers are expected to compete for the awards, which will be divided among the track champions at 75 participating race tracks. The national championship payout is a new record for the 22-year-old series, as are the awards posted for the series ' 2003 regional championships.

> Understandably, the prize money provides motivation for hundreds of weekly competitors across the nation. 2002 national champion Peter Daniels, of Lebanon, N.H., collected $166,000 for his title last season and applauded the series for its continued growth.

> " The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series is a great program. It really gives the weekly racer tools to succeed, whether they ' re an aspiring NASCAR Winston Cup driver or just doing it as a hobby," Daniels said.

> "Whether a weekly racer comes out of it with a regional or national title, I know from experience that it gives the driver a lot of exposure. Winning the 2002 title has opened up a lot of doors for me. It ' s been a great experience and like I ' ve told everyone' if it can happen to my team, it can happen to anyone' . It gives the weekly racer who supports their local track a great incentive program to go after. We have to give a lot of credit to NASCAR and Dodge, and all of these contingency sponsors that really believe in the sport, and believe in the weekly racer."

> The awards are funded by Dodge, NASCAR and additional sponsors. Dodge has stepped-up its commitment to the series, becoming the exclusive title sponsor in February 2003. The automotive manufacturer continues to provide prize money as well as event night sponsorships at series tracks, while U.S. Army, Accel, Hurst, JE Pistons, POWERade, Sonic Racing Products and USG are new supporters of the series.

> In each of NASCAR> '> s eight regions - Atlantic, Heartland, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Northwest, Southeastern Coastal and Sunbelt - track champions will share more than $142,000 in post-season awards, with a record-setting $45,000 posted for each regional champion. Regional championships are determined by NASCAR> '> s Competition Performance Index (CPI), a statistical formula that rates each driver based on their statistics and determines a regional ranking of drivers.

> Winning a championship in a track's feature division isn't the only way to share in the awards, however. Additional prizes include the Craftsman Mechanic of the Year, Lincoln Electric Car Owner Award and Lunati Crew Chief Awards. ShorTrack Division and Charger Division Awards are available to support division drivers.

> Dodge offers additional incentives to drivers using Dodge race cars, including $500 bonuses to the highest-finishing Dodge driver at each track, $2,500 to the highest-finishing Dodge in each region and a $25,000 bonus to the national champion - if they drive a Dodge. With posted awards already reaching record levels, the addition of this Dodge bonus would push the national championship award to nearly $200,000.

> Competition for the coveted NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series championship is already underway at participating short tracks in 31 states. Championship points will close Sept. 21 and the awards will be presented Nov. 1 at the series' national banquet in Nashville, Tenn.

> Army of One  ... U.S. Army ' s support of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series includes the  "Army of One " awards, which amounts to $240,000 that will be distributed among the 2003 track champions.

> Grab Life by the Horns ...In addition to prize money, Dodge is offering once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for regional champions - if they drive Dodge vehicles. If a competitor wins a regional title while driving a Dodge race car, they will get a chance to test a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Dodge Ram in a special  " test and tune "session to be arranged by Dodge. Scott Winters, of Tracy, Calif., earned such a test session with Bobby Hamilton Racing following his 2002 Sunbelt Region championship, in a Dodge-powered Modified that he drove at Madera (Calif.) Speedway. In addition, should the national champion drive a Dodge race car, they  will not only collect the $25,000 cash bonus, but will also take part in a special  " test and tune> "session behind the wheel of a Ray Evernham Motorsports Dodge Intrepid. To be eligible for these special tryouts and awards, a driver must use a Dodge race car, complete with the body and engine, for the entire 2003 season.

> Whelen Engineers NASCAR Busch Series Tryout  ... Whelen Engineering, a Connecticut-based manufacturer of light and siren devices, has posted yet another perk for the 2003 national champion. Whelen will arrange for the national champion to participate in a " test and tune " session with the Marsh Racing NASCAR Busch Series team, which is sponsored by Whelen.

> New Logo Revealed...Dodge's increased sponsorship  involvement is recognized in the all-new NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series logo. Dodge, a presenting sponsor of the series in 2002, is now the exclusive title sponsor for the nationwide short track racing series and their name is more prominently featured in the new red and black oval design. Jump, a St. Louis-based creative agency, designed the new logo.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 3, 2003) – Short track racers from coast to coast will participate in the 22^nd season of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track competitors. The tracks will once again be divided into eight geographic regions – Atlantic, Heartland, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Northwest, Southeastern Coastal and Sunbelt.

Four tracks have switched regions from 2002. Watsonville (Calif.) Speedway is now part of NASCAR’s Northwest Region; Jax Raceways in Jacksonville, Fla. moves to the Sunbelt Region; Motordrome Speedway in Smithton, Pa. joins the Atlantic Region; and Kil Kare Raceway in Xenia, Ohio joins the Heartland Region. New additions to the series include Huntsville (Ala.) Speedway, Lake Erie Speedway in North East, Pa. and Wall Township (N.J.) Speedway.

"We are proud to sanction these tracks and bring the excitement of NASCAR weekly racing to hometown fans across the country," said Chris Boals, director of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. "There are more than 900 weekly short tracks operating in the United States, and we feel that this group represents the very best of the best, among weekly tracks."

This year’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series lineup includes 58 asphalt tracks and 16 dirt tracks. Feature division competitors at these tracks will race for the series’ regional and national championships and $1.7 million in post-season awards.

Regional championship awards are determined by NASCAR’s Competition Performance Index (CPI), which tracks each drivers’ statistics through the series’ closing date on Sept. 21. The racing records of the eight regional champions are then compared against each other to determine a national champion. Each regional champion will receive up to $44,000 in prize money and the national champion will collect nearly $170,000 in post-season awards.

Feature division cars vary from track to track, and include Late Model Stock Cars, Modifieds, Dirt Late Models, Pro Stocks, Super Stocks, Sportsman and other styles of cars. NASCAR also sanctions a ShorTrack Division at each track, which provides regional and national awards to drivers in each track’s top support class. These include Limited Late Models, Trucks, Street Stocks, Hobby Stocks and other divisions.

A complete listing of the 2003 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series tracks and regions follows.

Colorado National Speedway, Denver, Colo.

Evergreen Speedway, Monroe, Wash.

Magic Valley Speedway, Twin Falls, Idaho

Rocky Mountain Raceways, West Valley City, Utah

Stockton 99 Speedway, Stockton, Calif.

WALL TOWNSHIP SPEEDWAY JOINS NASCAR

New Jersey Oval To Host NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, Featherlite Modified Series

 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 19, 2003) – Wall Township (N.J.) Speedway has joined the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. The third-mile asphalt oval, celebrating its 54^th season of racing in 2003, becomes the only NASCAR-sanctioned track in New Jersey.

“This is great news for NASCAR,” said Chris Boals, director of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. “Asphalt modified racing is a proud tradition at NASCAR and Wall Township Speedway has a terrific heritage in that division. This is a first-class addition to the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series.”

Drivers in the speedway’s Modified Division will be eligible for NASCAR’s regional and national championship awards. Regional champions, determined by the NASCAR Competition Performance Index (CPI), can receive point fund awards exceeding $40,000 and the Series’ national champion will collect over $160,000 in post-season prize money.

Continuing its tradition of Modified racing, Wall Township Speedway will also host a Featherlite Modified Series, NASCAR Touring race on Sunday, June 29. It will be the Featherlite Modified Series’ first appearance at Wall Township Speedway.

The track, previously known as Wall Stadium, has been home to many top drivers throughout its history including current Featherlite Modified Series drivers John Blewett, III and Ken Woolley.

The track’s most famous alumnus, however, is three-time Winston Cup Champion crew chief Ray Evernham, a native of Hazlet, N.J. Before he began his career as a crew chief and team owner, Evernham raced Modifieds at Wall Township Speedway.

“This means a great deal to me,” said Evernham. “NASCAR is such a big part of my life today. It has enabled me to have a successful career, and Dodge is our team’s sponsor. To know that NASCAR and Dodge are going to support the grassroots of racing at my home track, near my hometown, I don’t think you could write a script any better than that. Now there’s a whole generation of young drivers that are going to be exposed to NASCAR at Wall Speedway, and they’ll have the opportunity to come up through the NASCAR ranks.”

Wall Township Speedway is located on Rt. 34 in Wall Township, N.J. The track opens its season April 5 with feature events for the Modifieds, Pro Stocks, Street Stocks and Truck Series divisions.

“We are extremely proud to be joining the NASCAR family,” said General Partner Tim Shinn. “We look forward, with great enthusiasm, to bringing that rich history of auto racing to the state of New Jersey. Having the unique distinction of being the hometown track to one of NASCAR’s true success stories, Ray Evernham, we are both honored and privileged to host the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series.”

NASCAR TRANSFORMS REGIONAL RACING PROGRAM WITH TWO NEW DIVISIONS

NASCAR Elite and Grand National Divisions Created To Enhance Driver Development

2002 Regional Points Coverage

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 28, 2003) - NASCAR has formed a new “feeder system” for its three national series, with the creation of two new racing divisions.

The all-new NASCAR Elite Division and NASCAR Grand National Division will provide a clear path for local and regional racers to advance towards the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series.

“This represents a bold new direction for NASCAR’s regional racing programs,” said Chris Boals, NASCAR’s director of regional touring. “These new divisions are a model for the sustained growth of our sport, and offer excellent opportunities for driver development at each level.”

The NASCAR Elite Division will consist of four NASCAR-sanctioned series: the Featherlite Southwest Series, Raybestos Brakes Northwest Series and the newly renamed International Truck and Engine Corporation Midwest Series (formerly the RE/MAX Challenge Series) and Kodak Southeast Series (formerly the Hills Bros. All Pro Series).

The Elite Division will accommodate drivers who have recently been competing in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series presented by Dodge or at other local short tracks. At this level, competitors will compete on a variety of tracks before progressing to other NASCAR divisions. 

Once a competitor has gained experience in the Elite Division, the next logical step is the NASCAR Grand National Division, which will now consist of the Busch North Series and the NASCAR Winston West Series. Previously, these cars had different specifications - the Busch North Series cars are modeled after the NASCAR Busch Series cars while the NASCAR Winston West Series cars are designed after NASCAR Winston Cup Series cars. The NASCAR Grand National Division will represent NASCAR’s top regional touring series, where competitors will refine their skills before making the jump to one of NASCAR’s three national series.

The “Grand National” designation has a long history in NASCAR racing. It was first used in 1949, when the first NASCAR Grand National Division races were held. This division evolved into the Winston Cup Series, and the “Grand National” moniker was passed to the NASCAR Busch Series in 1986. With this announcement, the NASCAR Busch Series no longer carries the name as it’s passed on to NASCAR’s top regional touring division.

“This newly-named NASCAR Grand National Division symbolizes the style of race cars fans have come to expect, while creating a new level of competition to support the continued growth of NASCAR racing,” Boals said.

To accomplish this, the cars in the Grand National Division will be brought under the same rules and regulations. The Winston West Series, which until now used only 110” wheelbase cars, will allow 105” wheelbase machines to compete.

Other Grand National Division rules changes include:

·       A “closed” 390 cfm carburetor rule for both series

·       Quick change rear-ends will be allowed in the Winston West Series

·       Engine compression ratio of 12:1

·       A common tire rule (Goodyear bias-ply tires) for both series

 “The changes in both of these divisions are important steps towards creating an effective transition from the Weekly Racing Series to NASCAR’s national series,” Boals said. “The goal is to create a vehicle that is similar to the NASCAR Busch Series or Craftsman Truck Series, to help drivers prepare for those series, while at the same time maintaining a reasonable cost to participate.”

In 2003, SPEED Channel will televise 23 NASCAR Grand National Division events, as part of its “NASCAR TV” programming. The races will be televised Monday evenings and Saturday mornings, on a tape-delayed basis. The television schedule includes 11 Winston West Series and 12 Busch North Series events.

In addition to the newly defined Elite and Grand National divisions, NASCAR’s regional touring program also includes the open-wheeled Featherlite Modified Series, a series that dates back to NASCAR’s first season in 1948, and the Goody’s Dash Series, the only series in NASCAR to utilize six-cylinder engines in compact cars.