2/11/06

NASCAR DODGE WEEKLY SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP DEADLINE EXTENDED TO OCT. 1

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series championship contenders now have a few more weeks to make a run for the title. NASCAR has announced that the closing date for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, which is contested at nearly 60 tracks in the U.S. and Canada, has been pushed back to Oct. 1, 2006. Traditionally, the series had concluded by mid-September.

Any NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series-sanctioned events held between Jan. 1-Oct. 1, 2006 will be counted towards the series championship. This later date gives competitors a few more weeks to complete their season and tally points towards the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series championships.

NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series drivers compete for local track awards as well as NASCAR’s Divisional and National championships, which are determined by a points system, and a share of the $1.7 million NASCAR point fund.

Don Hawk, NASCAR’s Director of Regional Racing Development, said the extended deadline will benefit teams, tracks and drivers.

“By extending the season to Oct. 1, NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series drivers now have more time to complete their seasons and less worry about rainouts or weather delays,” said Hawk. “Many NASCAR-sanctioned short tracks hold races well into October, so this was a natural extension of the season and a way to support our competitors.”

Participating NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series tracks are assigned into four Divisions – Division I, II, III or IV. Each Division is equally weighted and includes a variety of tracks. Drivers in the feature class at each track earn points towards the Division championship, based on their best 16 finishes of the season at any tracks within their Division. Each of the four Division champions, based on the point standings after Oct. 1, wins a $25,000 point fund award. The Division champion with the highest point total overall, based on their 16 best finishes, wins the national title and a $50,000 bonus. Peyton Sellers, of Danville, Va., won the 2005 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Division I and national championship while competing at South Boston (Va.) Speedway.

For more information, contact:
Jeremy Davidson, NASCAR Public Relations, (386) 681-4173 or jdavidson@nascar.com

Source: Jeremy Davidson/NASCAR PR
Posted: February 19, 2006