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May 12, 2008 - Rick
Eckert and his #24 Dirt Late Model team invaded the state-of-the-art
Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri from May 9-11 for the 2nd
Annual 'SuperClean Diamond Nationals.' The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series sanctioned the mega-event and a $40,000 top prize was up for
grabs. The cameras of the SPEED Channel were on hand throughout the
extended Mothers Day weekend to tape all of the dirt-slinging action
for broadcast later in year.
The York, Pennsylvania native started the weekend off on a strong
note, as he qualified second fastest in his group during Lucas Oil
Late Model Dirt Series time trials on Friday night, May 9. After watching
it rain most of the day on Saturday, the action resumed at the 3/8-mile,
semi-banked speedplant on Sunday afternoon. Rick ran second in his
heat race on Sunday, which earned him the inside sixth row starting
spot for the $40,000 to win A-Main. During the course of the 100-lap
'SuperClean Diamond Nationals,' Rick was able to stay out of trouble
while completing each lap en route to a steady tenth place performance.
You can view complete results from this race online at www.lucasdirt.com!
May
5, 2008 - The Raye Vest Racing team invaded the Show-Me
State of Missouri on May 3-4 for two more rounds of exciting World
of Outlaws Late Model Series competition! On Saturday night, May 3,
the I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, Missouri played host to a $10,000 to
win show. Rick Eckert was fourth quickest in WOOLMS qualifying and
later won his competitive heat race. After drawing a number two prior
to the 40-lap main event, Rick led the first eleven laps of the A-Main.
He gave way to eventual winner Shannon Babb, but closely trailed Babb
throughout the race to earn a strong runner-up performance.
The
action quickly turned to the Monett Speedway in Monett, Missouri on
Sunday evening, as a $7,000 to win WOOLMS event took place. "Scrub"
timed in sixteenth fastest prior to finishing third in his heat race.
After starting twelfth on the grid for the 40-lap A-Main, the York,
Pennsylvania native drove his #24 GRT / Custom entry to a tenth place
effort. Rick is now tied for second in the latest version of the World
of Outlaws Late Model Series point standings following the doubleheader
weekend, which kicked off a busy month of May. You can view complete
results online at www.worldofoutlaws.com!
April 28, 2008 - Rick
Eckert and his #24 Dirt Late Model team were scheduled to attend a
pair of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series shows at the Bedford (PA)
Speedway and the Hagerstown (MD) Speedway on April 25-26. However,
Mother Nature was once again victorious over the weekend and both
races were washed out.
April
21, 2008 - Following Lernerville, the Raye Vest Racing
team trekked south to the Dirt Track at the Lowe's Motor Speedway
in Concord, North Carolina over the weekend for the 3rd Annual 'Colossal
100.' Rick Eckert was eighteenth quickest in WOOLMS time trials on
Friday night, April 18 and later finished fourth in his competitive
heat race. Following a convincing B-Main triumph on Saturday evening,
Rick rolled off from the outside of the fourteenth row for the $50,000
to win A-Main.
During
the course of the 100-lap 'Colossal 100,' the York, Pennsylvania native
made a rousing run through the stout field. Rick had advanced all
the way up to the fourth spot by lap 82, primarily using the high-groove
around the 4/10-mile speedplant. However, an oil line came loose on
his #24 GRT entry, which caused Rick to retire from the race with
smoke billowing out from underneath his machine. The mechanical problem
cost Rick a possible top three finish and relegated him to a fourteenth
place performance. You can view complete results from the 'Colossal
100' online at www.worldofoutlaws.com.
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