NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES DIVISION II PREVIEW

From: Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 17, 2006) – When NASCAR re-structured its championship point system for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series in 2005, drivers at Nebraska’s I-80 Speedway and Iowa’s Adams County Speedway took notice. Under the new format, which continues in 2006, drivers can race at multiple tracks to collect points towards a NASCAR championship.

The two dirt tracks are located about 100 miles apart and feature same type of Super Late Model cars. Adding to the appeal, Adams County hosts its NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series events on Saturday nights while I-80 features Super Late Models on Sundays.

The result is a prime opportunity for area drivers to boost their chances for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division II and national championships, determined by a points tally of their best 16 finishes of the year. By racing more often, drivers can increase their odds of winning.

Chris Spieker, a 35-year-old Super Late Model driver from Massena, Iowa, took advantage of the system last season and won the $25,000 Division II championship. Spieker, a long-haul truck driver by trade, raced full-time at both tracks. He won the track championship at Adams County and, in the process, collected the most NASCAR points in Division II.

Ed Kosiski, the 1998 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national champion from Ralston, Neb., was a key rival for Spieker and is expected to contend for the title again. Kosiski plans to run the full season of Sunday races at I-80 Speedway, along with 10 Saturday night races at Adams County.

“That’s what I’m after,” said Kosiski of the Division II title. “The advantage of having two race tracks is that you’ve got double the chances of winning the Division.”

Winning the Division championship carries its own rewards, but also makes one eligible for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national title, which carries a $50,000 bonus. The 60 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series tracks are divided into four Divisions – Division I, II, III or IV. Drivers at each track in each Division race under the same point system and the Division champion with the highest overall point total, based on their best 16 finishes, wins the national championship.

Kosiski missed out on the Division II title last year, by a narrow margin, partially because of engine problems that cost him precious positions and the NASCAR points lead at his home track.

“I feel good about our chances,” said Kosiski. “Our problems were because of some internal engine parts that were bad. We’ve got them fixed and I feel that we’re going to have a good year.”

The incentive to win is even higher for Kosiski, who drives a Dodge-powered car. As the series’ title sponsor, Dodge has posted additional awards for the highest-placing Dodges in the Division standings, in each Division. The top-finishing Dodge driver in each Division can win a $3,000 bonus – and an additional $25,000 if a Dodge driver wins the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national championship.

Peyton Sellers, of Danville, Va., won the 2005 national championship while racing at South Boston (Va.) Speedway. Sellers, 22, was the youngest driver to win the national championship in series history.

Along with Adams County and I-80, other tracks in Division II include Altamont Motorsports Park in Tracy, Calif., Autodrome St. Eustache in St. Eustache, Quebec, Concord (N.C.), Motorsport Park, Edmonton International Raceway in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pa., Lee USA Speedway in Lee, N.H., Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Speedway, Oglethorpe Speedway Park in Savannah, Ga., San Antonio (Tex.) Speedway, Shasta Raceway Park in Anderson, Calif., Spencer Speedway in Williamson, N.Y., Stockton 99 Speedway in Stockton, Calif. and Wall Township (N.J.) Speedway.