Story by: Langley Austin ~ [email protected]

Salisbury, NC(April 18, 2011) — The time is approaching quickly, people want answers and RACE22.com is the only place that has them, so it seems. The “Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown” at Richmond International Raceway is less than two weeks away and the big question of the day is “Who is going to be there?” Well, here it is and until it’s copied and pasted to some messageboard or Facebook, RACE22.com is the only place that has it.

Headlining the list will be a plethora of NASCAR Sprint Cup Stars and special invites including Kyle Busch in a FDJ Motorsports entry, Tony Stewart driving a Scott Turlington machine and Joey Logano in a Clint King backup car. Denny Hamlin is making his own bit of history as he will be driving for someone other than Jim Dean for the first time in a Late Model Stock Car since he drove his family owned car years ago. He takes the reigns of a Greg Marlowe prepared house car, but what all the local fans want to know is what weekly Late Model Stock Car stars will be there.

The local Late Model Stock Car world will have it’s two biggest players in the mix at Richmond as former NASCAR National Champion Philip Morris and multiple track champion, Frank Deiny, Jr. take to the Virgina track for battle. This could turn out to be a story in itself as the two drivers have no love loss with Deiny still having the season ending race at Motor Mile Speedway two years ago in the back of his mind. Whatever happens these two stars will surely be in the mix for the win………unless they run across each other before the checkered flag.

Other favorites for the win include a cast much different than the above mentioned drivers, as the youth movement of Brandon McReynolds, Coleman Pressley and 2010 Shootout winner CE Falk will be gunning for the top spot. McReynolds is coming off his great showing in the ARCA series at Talladega and is always strong in his Dodge powered ride and now being reunited with crew chief Nick Hutchins makes him even stronger.

Pressley has always been a terror in the Late Model Stock Car ranks and is having a dream season to date as he dabbles in the K&N East Series currently sitting second in points, one marker out of the lead. Then of course you have Falk, the winningest driver in the Late Model ranks for the past few seasons and of course the man who moved the races namesake, Denny Hamlin on the last lap a year ago to take the Showdown victory. Falk looks to do it all over again on a bigger stage and could well be the guy to beat.

As always you have the group of veterans that you can never leave out. Wayne Ramsey heads up the list in a new ride, the always tough Romeo Guest machine of Robert and Charlie Long, which only runs special events, usually with Dennis Setzer. Brandon Butler will also be making an appearance for the Showdown, even though the Richmond native only races in the bigger races of the season in recent years, he is always a threat for the win every time he unloads.

Matt McCall is another driver that loves the bigger races as he is always tough at any track he attends and seems to like the higher speed tracks and with the success he’s had to date with Fat Head Racing, he’s sure to be a threat to win. Mix in legend Eddie Johnson, former National Champion Peyton Sellers, UpState South Carolina King, Marty Ward, fearless Nick Smith, South Boston Champion, Justin Johnson and rough and tumble veteran Mike Looney and the field looks to be the best ever. And that’s not even half of them folks.

This year will be big no doubt and with the addition of the event being carried LIVE on SPEED TV the drivers will be up on the wheel more than ever. This is a great event, great for the fans, great for the drivers, great for the Late Model Stock Car division in general, but most importantly great for the Denny Hamlin Foundation as they continue their quest to help individuals with Cystic Fibrosis and children with debilitating illnesses everywhere.

Check out the full list of drivers below to see if your favorite got an invite to Late Model Stock Car racing’s only Invitational Race.

The drivers listed in Blue are the drivers with a Starting Position Locked in for the Race.

1 – Greg Fernandez #02
2 – Bugs Hairfield #04
3 – Doug Godsey #05
4 – Clint King #07
5 – Lin O’Neil #1
6 – Wayne Ramsey #2
7 – Burt Myers #3
8 – Curtis Markham #4
9 – Frank Deiny Jr. #5
10 – Shannon Marano #6
11 – Dude Gibbs #7
12 – Derrick Lancaster #8
13 – George Miedecke #9
14 – Denny Hamlin #11
15 – Nick Smith #12
16 – Greg Pursley #13
17 – Tony Stewart #14
18 – Michael Waltrip #15
19 – Becca Kasten #18
20 – Jeff Oakley #16
21 – Joey Logano #20
22 – Trevor Bayne #21
23 – Adam Brenner #22
24 – Jason White #23
25 – Matt Waltz #24
26 – Hermie Sadler #25
27 – Philip Morris #26
28 – Tommy Lemons #27
29 – Brandon McReynolds #28
30 – Brandon Butler #29
31 – Ryan Robertson #31
32 – Kyle Grissom #32
33 – CE Falk #40
34 – Justin Johnson #41
35 – Chris Hoylman #42
36 – Mike Looney #47
37 – Scott Turlington #48
38 – Kyle Busch #51
39 – Brandon Dean #54
40 – Clay Campbell #55
41 – Eddie Johnson #57
42 – Coleman Pressley #59
43 – Matt McCall #69
44 – Max Gresham #71
45 – Darrell Wallace Jr. #76
46 – Clint Mills #77
47 – Wesley Falk #80
48 – Paddy Rodenbeck #82
49 – Peyton Sellers #84
50 – Aric Almirola #88
51 – Terry Carroll #90
52 – Natalie Sather #94
53 – Shayne Lockhart #95
54 – Marty Ward #97
55 – Travis Pastrana #99