DIRT MotorSports™ Takes Center Stage In NASCAR's Backyard At Lowe's

CONCORD, N.C. (May 3) – DIRT MotorSports™ big-block Modifieds have been selected as the opening act for one of the nation's most historic and prestigious motorsports events, the May 29 Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Scheduled for Wednesday night, May 25, at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway, the Ferris Commercial Mowers presents the Eckerd 75 marks the first time the Advance Auto Parts Modified Super DIRT Series has served as a preliminary event for a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race.

"Moving this annual event from its traditional early April date to the Wednesday prior to the Coca-Cola 600 will expose the big-block DIRT Modifieds' unique brand of side-by-side racing to thousands of fans in town for the big race," said H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway. "It's a great way to kick off an exciting week."

The May 25 event marks the fifth time DIRT's big-block Modified drivers and teams will travel south to tour the spacious four-tenths-mile clay oval. The list of past feature winners includes such stars as inaugural victor Steve Paine, Brett Hearn, Tim McCreadie, Doug Hoffman, Kevin Bolland and defending champion Ricky Elliott.

Hearn and Paine join fellow DIRT Modified 'Elite 11 drivers Gary Tomkins, Billy Decker, Tim Fuller, Danny Johnson, Pat Ward, Vic Coffey, Matt Sheppard, Stewart Friesen and Chad Brachmann among those expected to be in action for the mid-week special. Hearn recently opened up the '05 Advance Auto Parts SDS on May 1 with a win in the DIRT Challenge Cup 100 title event at Rolling Wheels (NY) Raceway.

The Ferris Commercial Mowers presents the Eckerd 75 will include a full-slate of preliminary races with a 50-lap big-block Modified feature rounding out the card.

The steel-head late model stock cars of the Dixie Thunder Series will also be in action. Making their first visit to The Dirt Track, the steel-head late models will run a full slate of heat and last chance races prior to a 25-lap finale.

Reserved seats for the May 25 Ferris Commercial Mowers presents the Eckerd 75 are $25 for adults and just $5 for children ages 12 and under.

Tickets for all Coca-Cola 600 week events, including the May 29 Coca-Cola 600, can be purchased by calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.

Motel rooms can be reserved by visiting www.vroomz.com or by calling 1-877-FAN-ROOM.

The DIRT MotorSports™ Advance Auto Parts Modified Series is brought to fans across the Northeast by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors Advance Auto Parts, Dynomax Performance Exhaust, Hoosier Racing Tire and Sunoco Race Fuels. Promotional Partners include Stacker 2®, AMB i.t., RACEceiver and Zippo Lighters and the contingency sponsors are DART Machinery, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, MSD Ignitions and Wrisco Industries.

Contacts: Jerry Gappens, Keith Waltz (704)455-3209