Post by dalejrfan on Feb 5, 2006 3:36:53 GMT -5
WELLSBURG, W.V. -- Popular West Virginia dirt Late Model driver Corey Conley of Wellsburg, WV has announced that he will be a contender for the 2006 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year title. Conley has committed to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for 2006 in his first bid as a full time series follower. Conley will run the series in his winning #14 Rocket Chassis with sponsorship support from Denoon Lumber, Reese Homes, Yale, Dave Poske Performance Parts, Lehman Motorsports Services, Bilstein Shocks, Hoosier Racing Tire and Ballato Auto Salvage. Conley will utilize Hershey Racing Engines and Performance Off Road Engines.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will kick off the season on February 3rd at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick GA and then head to East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton FL for the 30th Annual Winternationals February 6-11th. Conley will remain at East Bay for the following week's Open Wheel Modified Winternationals competing in the Gib Patt owned #707 AMRA Modified.
“I ran with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series a handful of times last year and every time I did they were really nice people to wok with, they treat you really fair,” stated Conley just a couple hours before he was scheduled to head south to Brunswick, GA. “I was just a local guy who hit a couple races with them here and there but they treated me just like I was one of their professionals who ran all their shows. I just think they are a pretty decent outfit and their purses are decent. I just feel they are going in the right direction.”
So with the season kickoff at Golden Isles and East Bay at hand, Conley is finally about to embark on a season he has been planning for a number of years. “I haven’t slept in a month in a half,” quipped Conley. “I’ve just been so wound up. I just can’t even sit still (laughs)!”
“My sponsors, they’re happy, they’re real happy we’re going to out and do TV races,” revealed Conley. “Lucas Oil has a bunch of television races, they’re pretty excited and they’re just happy to be part of a team from out of this area that is going to get out on the national scene.”
“TV is very important and the television thing is one thing you can throw out there and you can tell your sponsor and they can tell their customers, hey, turn on ESPN 2 and see our car and driver on there racing. I think that it’s a pretty good deal for anybody.”
Conley has also made some additions to his team in terms of sponsorship, including Hoosier Racing Tires, Bilstein Shocks and Dave Poske Performance Parts.
“I see them working hard all the time to get their product better and better,” explained Conley about his commitment to Hoosier Racing Tires. “I hear guys complain all the time about they’ve changed this and we don’t like it. But they are out there and again and again trying to make it better. I feel that Hoosier is better over the board in most areas and Hoosier is really working hard to get their tires better.”
“Dave Poske is trying to help me with my program and get into better equipment with out spending a lot of money. His advice and business sense means a lot to me and has been a big help with this big step going to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.”
After his seven-night stint with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Conley will remain for another week at East Bay and compete in the Gib Patt-owned Modified, a car that Conley has had tremendous success in. “We’ve had the Modified down at East Bay for probably five years now and that’s just a fantastic time. That is a fun week for me. The week with the Late Model, that’s my own stuff and with us running the Lucas Oil deal it’s a lot more stress. With the Modified, I still work hard at it, but a lot of the mental stress isn’t there. With him paying the bills on the Modified and taking care of the car it frees my mind up.”
Conley hopes his commitment to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will help elevate his racing program and profile and help in his search for additional sponsorship support. “That’s what we’re really hoping for,” said Conley. “The financial part isn’t really where I’d like it but my employer has freed me up to get out there and scheduling wise I can do it. Financially we need to run really good. I’m hoping that we can get out there and show people we can run top ten with these guys and maybe pull of the Rookie of the Year championship or something like that where someone will come along and help our program and get it to the level it needs to be.”
“I just thrive on competition, I always have.”
Conley’s dedicated and professional pit crew will be unable to make all the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events due to employment responsibilities and logistics. Conley’s crew will be on hand for the regional and local-based events and is made up of Ed Conley, Sr., Brad Horner, Jeremy Sadler, Uncle Frank, Jeff Dorance, Tim Minda and Chris Hart. Anyone interested in crewing with Conley at Lucas Oil Late Model Series events is encouraged to contact Conley via email at: coreyconley@yahoo.com or by telephone at: Daytime Cell Phone: 412-906-0077 or Evening Phone: 304-394-5066.
Fans of Corey Conley will be able to tune in via the internet during speedweeks and keep up-to-date on how Conley is doing down south. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series along with www.RaceTalkLive.com have announced that the first seven Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events of the 2006 racing season will be heard live via the internet starting on Friday Night, February 3.
"The Super Bowl of Racing II" at the Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA will kick off the '06 broadcasts starting at 7 pm on February 3 with Dustin Jarrett and Wayne Castleberry bringing all the action to you as the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series gets set for what promises to be an exciting season of racing action.
Then starting on Monday Night, February 6 www.RaceTalkLive.com will bring to you six consecutive nights of the 30th Annual "Winternationals" for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at the famous East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL. Dustin Jarrett and Michael Despain will describe the action to you each and every night.
For more info on Corey Conley visit: www.coreyconley.com.