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CONCORD, N.C. (April 10, 2007) - Shane Clanton will be seeking
redemption when the world's top dirt late model racers invade The Dirt
Track
@ Lowe's Motor Speedway for the April 20-21 Circle K Colossal 100.
Clanton, 31, of Locust Grove, Ga., won his heat race during the
inaugural Circle K Colossal 100 last year, but completed only four laps
in
the main event before a mechanical failure left him last in the 36-car
field.
"We broke a driveshaft last year," Clanton said. "It was a bad deal,
but you try to enter every race with the best equipment. As much as we
are
on the road, you're going to have part failures. We try to limit those,
which is key to our success."
Clanton was born into dirt-track racing. His late father, Billy, was
a competitor on the nomadic National Dirt Racing Association circuit
during
the 1970s and '80s. His two brothers, Joey and Rusty, are also enjoying
successful racing careers.
Rusty, the oldest of the Clanton brothers, raced stock cars on both
dirt and pavement before becoming a crew chief. He currently oversees
the
Ergon Racing entries driven by Marc Mitchell in the ARCA RE/MAX and
NASCAR
Busch Series. Clanton's other brother, Joey, was the 2000 American
Speed
Association rookie of the year and is sharing the No. 09 Zaxby's Ford
with
Stacy Compton in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this season.
Shane, the youngest of the clan, started driving sportsman cars in
1994 at age 19 and accumulated over 50 victories during an eight-year
span.
"I drove my father's car," Clanton explained. "He told me if I could
afford the motor, then he'd give me the car. So I put a limited motor
in it,
and went racing."
Clanton advanced to late models in 2002 where he continued to have
success and by 2005 was competing regularly with the 360 OTC World of
Outlaws Late Model Series. Last year proved to be Clanton's best season
to
date as he won nine races and finished the year just 16 points behind
Tim
McCreadie in the World of Outlaws championship chase.
"Hopefully we can win more races," Clanton said about his goal for
this season. "Win more races and things will take care of themselves.
We got
on a hot streak there at the end of last year and really closed the gap
on
McCreadie. If we can get that hot streak in the beginning or the middle
of
the season, then, with any luck, we can get a lead like he had and it
will
be hard for anyone to catch us."
Although Clanton races the No. 25 SAE Parts/Stevens Plumbing and
Mechanical late model for RSD Enterprises, he does much more than just
show
up at the race track with his helmet bag.
"I am there for every nut and bolt that's turned on my car. Every
body piece that is put on it, I do it myself. I just like to work on
the
car," Clanton said. "Knowing every piece of my car-that's more exciting
to
me than going up to someone and hoping that my car is ready to race."
While many dirt-track drivers have their eyes on a NASCAR career,
Clanton is content racing with the World of Outlaws.
"The level I'm competing at is basically the highest there is in
dirt racing," Clanton noted. "I do this for a living. I love what I do.
To
just forget this and move on to the next level isn't something for me.
I
know I could move up to Busch or Craftsman Trucks, but I don't care to.
I'm
having fun and making a good living out of it."
The Friday night portion of the Circle K Colossal 100 will feature
group time trials and heat races. The top two finishers in each heat
will
secure a spot in the 100-lap finale and a draw will determine the
starting
lineup.
Saturday night's program begins with a driver autograph session and
on-track action includes at least four additional qualifying races to
the
main event. The race will be part of the 360 OTC World of Outlaws Late
Model
Series, but The Dirt Track's traditional format, including the
extremely
popular double-file restarts, will be utilized.
If purchased in advance, reserved tickets for both Friday and
Saturday nights are $49 for adults and $19 for children ages 12 and
under.
Two day pit passes are $60 in advance.
Tickets and pit passes for the April 20-21 Circle K Colossal 100 can
be purchased online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling
1-800-455-FANS.
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