Brian Birkhofer Seeks To Grab “Diamond Nationals” Victory At Wheatland

brianbirkhoferracing.com

May 07, 2008

CORONA, CA - It’s getting closer to Showtime as the Second Annual SuperClean “Diamond Nationals” are set to take place this weekend at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO. Defending race winner Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA is set to take on the nations best dirt late model drivers seeking to grab the $40,000 first place prize that is up for grabs.

Birkhofer comes into the race having won two of the first three Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events held at “The Diamond of Dirt Tracks” and is considered one of the favorites heading into this weekends’ event that carries a total purse in excess of $133,000.

On the Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour on Tuesday Night Birkhofer said he was looking forward to returning to Lucas Oil Speedway and defending his race win.  “I really like going there, I run good there, but this will be the first time with my new car racing at Wheatland.” said the 36-year-old driver who has claimed major wins in the World 100, USA Nationals and the Knoxville (IA) Late Model Nationals and hopes to add another diamond ring to his collection for winning this year’s event.

But Birkhofer knows it won’t be easy when he takes on the best from the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the O’Reilly MLRA Late Model Series which are co-sanctioning the race. “On this new car the way we built the front end it has felt real good in the races we’ve run it in.” said “Birky” who along with Jimmy and Chris Mars put their ideas together and came up with their own chassis design. “The first time out we ran second at Davenport (IA), but that’s a track I’ve run a lot and then we went to Monett (MO) and won the World of Outlaws race on Sunday Night, so we’re real confident heading to the SuperClean Diamond Nationals this weekend.”

Joining Birkhofer at the SuperClean Diamond Nationals this weekend is scheduled to be the top 15 in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings including 3-time and defending series champion, Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL who won last July’s Lucas Oil Series race at the speedway.

Pearson heads into this weekend with a 45 point margin over Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN. Pearson despite driving last weekend for the first time with a fractured right wrist that is continuing to heal will feature a new red paint scheme for this weekend’s special event which will be taped by the cameras of SPEED Channel.

Trailing Pearson and Casebolt in the championship standings is Terry Casey of New London, WI, Justin Rattliff of Campbellsville, KY and Bart Hartman of Zanesville, OH.

Casey and Billy Moyer come into the race tied with three Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victories this season. Casey’s three wins have come at three different tracks (East Bay, Brownstown and Swainsboro) while Moyer’s wins all came at East Bay. Moyer who is expected to be on hand for the SuperClean Diamond Nationals this weekend has ten feature triumphs this season which leads all of dirt late model racing.