1_25_04_News

DONNIE HEADED SOUTH

TO START AN XTREME SEASON

January 25th 2004

By Jarrod Lehman

Dresden, OH --- A renewed and reinvigorated Donnie Moran has his ducks in a row and is ready to rock ‘ roll down the dirt Late Model highway in search of wins and championships. It will all kick off for the seasoned veteran at East Bay Raceway for their ‘28th Annual Winternationals’ as Moran will enter Stacker 2 Xtreme Dirt Car Series competition this season.

“Right now the plan is to go to East Bay and run the Xtreme races and see how that goes, the Xtreme National and Xtreme Northern deal,” revealed Moran as he busily wrapped up final details before his trip south. “While we’re down there then I’m going to go to Volusia County the following week, tentatively right now, and run the UMP races. If everything goes OK in Florida I’ll probably run the Xtreme National deal again.”

“Just what he has planned is bigger and better than anything that anybody has ever had in dirt Late Model racing, in my opinion. He (Doug Bland) has a good TV package which should attract more sponsors for the teams.”

As for being prepared, Moran is especially keyed up about his new engine sponsor, SMS Racing Engines, and engine package that will debut in Florida.

“I have Mastersbilt chassis and the engines are SMS. Looks like what he has dynoed for us in the new cars ready to leave this weekend put out some tremendous numbers on the dyno so hopefully everything will go well. I feel we have an excellent engine program and I feel our cars will be in really good shape. Tim Marshall is still working for me. I haven’t hired anyone else yet and I am looking for a major sponsor. But right now we’re ready to race and I can’t wait.”

Moran will also find himself busy come spring with a whole new schedule for his Donnie Moran Driving School which has brought novice as well as experienced drivers to Ohio to attend his courses.

“We’ll start the first or second week of April,” commented Moran. “I’ll have the schedule put together real soon. I’ve already talked to a bunch of people who are coming and we already have some drivers scheduled in.”

While Moran is basically ready for Florida he has a brief amount of time to liquidate three Malcuit engines and a six-race old Mastersbilt chassis as he continues to finalize some sponsorship agreements. Parties interested in the chassis, motors or driving school can call Moran at: 740.754.2299.

“For sure right now Eddie’s Sunoco, Eddie & Linda, and some of the other contingency sponsors are back,” explained Moran. “QPI (Tools, Inc.) is still on the car and we’re still in negotiations trying to get something figured out. But right now I do not have a major sponsor even though they will be on the car. So I’m actually looking for sponsorship right now.”

Moran, who will be testing at East Bay on Sunday, likes what he sees for the ’04 Stacker 2 XDCS championship. And Moran is no stranger to championships. And with the series putting up a ride in the IROC series in 2005, Moran’s previous big league pavement experience cranks his interest level up.

“Oh yeah I think it would be great,” stated Moran. “Like I’m saying, I know they have other race series and things that have come about and there is this tire war going on and this and that and everything, but as of right now, with some of the unexpected things Stacker 2 is going to put out this year on top of what they already did, it’ll be good. So far they will give the champion $60,000, a new Hummer and the champion will get to run in the IROC series next year and if you finish dead last in every IROC race it’s $80,000. So actually, the champion in 2004 will walk away with $200,000 for just winning the championship on top of what their team wins throughout the year. So if you would have an awesome season you could come away with a half a million this year.”

But all kidding aside Moran’s main focus is East Bay. As far as ‘The Million Dollar Man’ is concerned all roads lead to the Sunshine state and the sooner the better.

“I’m ready to go, I wish we were down there today, especially to get out of this cold (laughs)! But I’m ready to go for it. Today!”.

Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services

Donnie Moran Media Contact: Jarrod Lehman