WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa — Most observers would say that 34 Raceway is Shannon Babb's kind of track.
Babb doesn't dispute that he felt right at home the last time he visited the three-eighths-mile oval. He just hopes that he'll be equally as comfortable on the Hawkeye State clay when he returns this Saturday night (May 23) for the track's World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Tri-State Late Model Challenge' event.
“Right now, I don't even know what a Shannon Babb track is anymore,” Babb said with a smile when asked if 34 Raceway fits his style. “I supposedly know (Illinois's Lincoln Speedway) pretty well, but I made the wrong adjustments for the feature (in the track's WoO LMS event on May 17) and got myself all jacked up. You just can't take anything for granted in this sport.”
Babb, 35, of Moweaqua, Ill., simply blazed around a moist, multi-grooved 34 Raceway in his last appearance there on July 12, 2006, scoring a powerful flag-to-flag victory in a 40-lap UMP DIRTcar Summer Nationals event. He registered that triumph, which virtually assured him of a second consecutive Summer Nationals points championship, driving a car owned by Iowa's Billy Moyer Sr.
Now campaigning dirt Late Model equipment out of his own shop with key support from Sheltra Motorsports and Petroff Towing, Babb is looking forward to his first start at 34 Raceway in nearly three years. He has high praise for the top-notch speedplant carved out of Iowa cornfields.
“The times I've been there it's been real racy,” said Babb, who has one career win at 34 Raceway. “I've always enjoyed running there. It's a beautiful facility – all lit up, big grandstands, big, fast racetrack. It's just a real cool place.”
Saturday's 50-lap, $10,000-to-win A-Main – the first WoO LMS event at 34 Raceway since the national tour was reincarnated in 2004 by the World Racing Group – holds some special meaning for Babb beyond the fact that he was victorious in his last trip there. The show brings him to the hometown of ailing former 34 Raceway owner Johnny Johnson, a longtime dirt Late Model competitor who has supported many drivers – including Babb – through his J&J Steel business.
Johnson literally rebuilt 34 Raceway during his decade-long stint at the track's helm, turning the now 43-year-old facility into a showplace that features, among other amenities, a sparkling 4,000-capacity aluminum grandstand with chair-back seats; 22 VIP suites above the bleachers and a separate ‘Suite 34' for larger parties outside turn four; bright Musco lights; new concession stands and restrooms; a spongy track surface; and finely manicured grounds. He sold the track in December 2006 to Jeff and Amy Laue, who have joined with SLS Promotions to bring the WoO LMS to town.
“He's a great guy,” Babb said of Johnson, who is battling health problems. “He's helped a lot of racers out over the years and everyone appreciates what he's done. He sponsored me in the past, and last year he even let us use his hauler at the beginning of the year while we were getting our new one ready.
“Times are tough for him with his health right now, so I don't think he'll be at the race. But I think his family will be – and if everything works out, we might be able to get by his place and see him while we're there.”
Babb enters this weekend's ‘Tri-State Late Model Challenge' tripleheader, which also includes events on Fri., May 22, at U.S. 36 Raceway in Osborn, Mo., and Sun., May 24, at Charter Raceway Park in Beaver Dam, Wis., ranked sixth in the WoO LMS points standings (48 points out of first) with one win in 2009. He has not committed to running the entire tour after starting up his own team following a 2008 season that saw him drive NASCAR star Clint Bowyer's dirt Late Model to a sixth-place finish in the WoO LMS points standings, but with him in the thick of the points battle he's shown no signs of abandoning the schedule.
Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., leads the WoO LMS points standings by just 12 points over 21-year-old Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., entering this weekend's action. Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and Rick Eckert of York, Pa., complete the top five.
Other WoO LMS contenders headed for 34 Raceway include Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., who finished fourth in the track's 2006 Summer Nationals event, Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., and Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y., as well as 2009 Rookie of the Year candidates Jordan Bland of Campbellsville, Ky., Russell King of Bristolville, Ohio, Dustin Hapka of Grand Forks, N.D., Brent Robinson of Smithfield, Va., and 14-year-old Tyler Reddick of Corning, Calif.
The list of drivers planning to challenge the Outlaws at 34 Raceway includes NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader of Concord, N.C., two-time defending UMP DIRTcar Super Late Model national champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., rising UMP DIRTcar star Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kan., Denny Woodworth of Mendon, Ill., Chad Simpson of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa, and Mark Burgtorf of Quincy, Ill., who won last Saturday night's dirt Late Model feature at 34 Raceway.
Gates are scheduled to open at 2 p.m. (pits) and 4 p.m. (grandstands) on Saturday, with hot laps set for 6 p.m., time trials at 6:30 p.m. and racing at 7:30 p.m.
In addition, a meet-and-greet autograph session with Kenny Schrader and WoO LMS drivers is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Advanced ticket sales through the track office (319-752-343) end at 10 p.m. CT on Wed., May 20. After that time, pre-sale general admission tickets will be available for $25 through Friday at noon at Electric Rayz Tanning on 3220 Division St. in Burlington, Iowa.
On race day reserved-seat tickets will cost $35 for rows 13-16 and $30 for rows 9-12. Race day general admission (rows 1-8 and all of sections I, J and K) is $30. In addition, reserved seats for children 12-and-under are $15, while general admission for kids 6-12 is $15 and free for youngsters 5-and-under.
All three Tri-State Late Model Challenge programs this weekend will be run as co-sanctioned UMP DIRTcar events with the UMP DIRTcar Hoosier tire rule (10-20-30-40 compounds) in effect. SLS Promotions has posted a $10,000 bonus for any driver who can win two of the three A-Mains runs over the holiday weekend.
For more information visit www.slspromotions.com or www.34raceway.com.
Additional info on the WoO LMS is available by logging on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Crane Cams (Official Valvetrain), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), Fusion Energy Boost (Official Energy Boost), SuperClean (Official Cleaner-Degreaser) and VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to contingency sponsors Champ Pans, Eibach Springs, Hoosier Tires, Integra Shocks, Jake's Custom Golf Carts, Ohlins Shocks, Racing Electronics, Quarter Master and Wrisco Aluminum; Crane Cams Engine Builder's Challenge participants Cornett Racing Engines, Custom Race Engines and Pro Power Racing Engines
