HAMILTON, ON - Less than two months after its inaugural public release, the Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series has gone from being announced... to doubling in size.
Today, three more of Ontario's premier stock car racing facilities announced their participation in the WWS, quickly doubling the series’ size in just eight weeks.
The Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series is proud to announce that Sunset Speedway (Stroud), Delaware Speedway (London), and Barrie Speedway (Barrie) have committed to themselves to the WWS and to the rejuvenation and strengthening of grassroots racing programs.
The three new tracks join Lucas Oil Flamboro Speedway (Hamilton), Peterborough Speedway and Kawartha Speedways (both in Peterborough) in this co-operative effort.
“We had hoped that this program would make an impact, but we never imagined that it would have been so quickly accepted,” said series administrator Joshua Paxton.
Increased scope of the WWS has forced organizers and sponsors to quickly re-design the format of the series.
The new format will reward the top 40 home track Late Models in the province with a shared $102,000 points fund.
In 2005, the Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series will offer two 'conferences' of competition across the province.
Each conference will offer a $51,000 cash points fund, rewarding the top 20 drivers in the conference, in addition to the individual home track points funds.
Sunset, Barrie and Peterborough Speedways will make up one conference as they all have committed to running a Limited Late Model division as their premier class.
Kawartha Downs, Flamboro, and Delaware Speedways will collectively create the second conference, each running a Late Model sportsman division as their premier class.
The conference concept seemed a natural fit as it succeeded in accomplishing two important goals: 1) bringing Ontario race tracks together in terms of rulebooks to allow drivers the opportunity to visit other facilities on their off-nights; and 2) rewarding the greatest number of drivers possible for their support of weekly grassroots racing shows with a significant award.
Regarding rules packages, the current rule books are not identical, but efforts will continue to bring the rules packages together over the coming seasons to minimize the necessary changes to run competitively when visiting other speedways.
Track promoters and tech officials will be meeting to discuss changes and allowances, but rules decisions will be left to each participating track’s own discretion.
There is recognition that each of the facilities is a different and distinct entity, and that what works well at one may not be universal.
While information will continue to be openly shared and improvements made, each facility will also be encouraged to offer its own identity while remaining consistent with Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series practices.
One example of an agreed practice would be that if a driver were to be suspended from one WWS facility, he/she would not be permitted to race at any other WWS facility until the conclusion of that suspension.
The posted $102,000 point fund is the largest single grassroots point fund offered in Canada.
The Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series fund is designed to reward the greatest supporters and competitors of the grassroots shows, starting at $1600 for 20th position, a figure usually reserved for a top five finisher.
Each track will be looking to actively promote the drivers supporting their weekly shows, with hopes of re-creating the local “heroes versus villains” storylines that have disappeared in recent years as hometown front runners leave their roots to ‘chase the money'.
It is the goal of the WWS to create a ‘chase for the cup’ as the 2005 Lucas Oil Weekend Warrior Series overall champion will be the inaugural winner of the Lucas Cup, and crowned the overall Ontario champion.
For further information, please contact Paxton Motorsports Marketing: Joshua Paxton (905) 317-4567 // JP@weekendwarriorseries.com or Gerry Paxton: (519) 591-0400 // Gerry@weekendwarriorseries.com or visit: www.WeekendWarriorSeries.com
No comments:
Post a Comment