The World of Outlaws and Lernerville Speedway share a history dating to 1979 when Steve Kinser put his sprint car in victory lane. Nothing in the 25 years since that race, though, has prepared Sarver for tomorrow night, when the newly formed World of Outlaws Late Model Series rolls into town for its Western Pennsylvania debut.

Like the Outlaws sprint car series, the drivers in the late model version are the best in the country at their discipline, and they race with the top equipment available. Outlaws regulars Scott Bloomquist, Chub Frank, Billy Moyer and Clint Smith were champions in each series they competed in last season. The other eight drivers -- Rick Aukland, Mike Balzano, Rick Eckert, Steve Francis, Bart Hartman, Darrell Lanigan, Dale McDowell and Dan Schlieper -- are all former champions or winners of major races.

Sounds like an intimidating bunch, doesn't it?

"Hell, no," said John Flinner, a three-time defending champion at Lernerville who finished second in the Pittsburgher 100 last year at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. "There will be guys who are nervous because, 'Oh God, Scott Bloomquist is here.' I've seen him be beaten many times. They're all normal guys. What's nice about racing against those kind of guys is that you're not out there tearing each other up. Those guys are out there racing to race. They race every lap to win where the local guys race the last lap to win. The big guys are on all the time. It's top-notch late-model racing."

This series was built to capitalize on the growing interest in the late model divisions at many dirt tracks across the country. In Western Pennsylvania, sprint cars have long ruled the dirt -- and the purses -- but late models are closing the gap. The winner tomorrow night will pocket $10,000.

"I think it's going to be the first of many to come. You put money up for a late model show, you don't even have to put a lot up, and they come out of the woodwork. You've got a $35,000-to-win sprint car show that brings 28 sprint cars," said Flinner, referring to the Silver Cup race each July at Lernerville. "If you had a $35,000-to-win late model show you'd have 180 cars there. That's the only thing I don't like about it. It's cool to be in those races with all those cars, but it makes it a lot harder to make those shows. I'm not saying we're incapable of making it, but there are only 24 cars that are going to start that show. There are going to be a lot of fast cars that go home."

In the past there have been big events for late models around the region, including the annual Pittsburgher 100 at PPMS and the Fall Fest weekend at Challenger Raceway. Lernerville, though, was always geared toward major shows for the sprints with an occasional touring series like the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series for the late models. This race, and a return visit from the Outlaws late models in August, signals a change in that tradition while maintaining the existing one with the Outlaws sprint series, which also will compete twice at Lernerville this season.

"I can remember when I was a kid we used to go to Lernerville at the end of the year and they would have a big show," Flinner said. "I still don't think it was a big-money show. [In the 1970s], $2,000 was a big-money show.

"What it's going to do is going to benefit anybody who makes the show. It's $10,000-to-win, $700-to-start the show. It might not be the best this weekend, but in the future ... just look at the Pittsburgher last year. I was three feet from winning -- I even had the lead -- and let Matt Urban back by me. He won $22,000 and I got $7,100. [The Outlaws] are trying to fill the gap in. There are way too many races out there now with late models going home with $100. It costs a lot more than $100 to run a lap. They're trying to help out the racer. I think it's going to be a pretty big deal."

The feature is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. tomorrow with time trials beginning at 7:15 p.m.

Lugnuts

Once again, Jennerstown Speedway is delaying the opening of its season so workers can finish paving the track and making other improvements. Practice will be May 8-9 with racing beginning May 15. The lost races will be rescheduled. ... Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex will have an open house and practice Saturday. Gates will open at noon with practice beginning at 1 p.m. ... In the second year of a cross promotion, fans Saturday at Mercer Raceway Park can win one of 100 tickets to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There will also be a giveaway of two tickets to the 2004 Enshrinement Ceremony and Hall of Fame Game.