There is royalty in racing.

Jo Marie Rankin recently was crowned Miss DIRTcar Motorsports for 2008 at the Motorsports Expo in Syracuse N.Y. Rankin once was Junior Miss Saxonburg. Both her mother Sheila and father Gary are Sprint cars drivers.

In other racing news:

• Late Model driver Jared Miley is wearing two different hats this season. Besides driving the Miley Late Model, the California (Pa.) University student will be interning at Pennsylvania Motor Speedway and Motordrome Speedway on the operational side of the fence.

As a sports management major, Miley will be handling the duties of marketing and public relations. Miley has secured a Pizza Hut sponsorship for victory lane. Anyone winning a race with a Pizza Hut decal on the car will receive an additional $100.

• Walt Wimer awarded the 2007 Cavalcade Rookie of the Year Award to Chris Haines, a Pure Stock driver who competes weekly at Mercer Raceway Park and Tri-City Speedway. Haines finished in the top 10 in points at both tracks and won his first career feature at Mercer Aug. 11.

• Marcy Barlow is the new publicity director at Sharon Speedway. She has been an assistant at Lernerville Speedway for many years.

• Sprint car owner Martha Dionese will have Charlie Holben driving her purple No. 15 in 2008. Utilizing a minimal budget, the two teams have been successful separately and should a force to reckon with together. Former Dionese driver Mike Lutz is excited to team up with the Jim Chappel crew this season.

• Matt Lux had a great year in 2007, capturing the Mid-Atlantic Championship Series Late Model Rookie of the Year crown. Lux plans to travel some this season, venturing to bigger paying Late Model events.

"We would also like to head out to Eldora again in 2008 and maybe make our way out to Knoxville for the Late Model Nationals, since we were unable to attend last year despite being invited," Lux said.

He will be at Lernerville on opening day March 28.

• New to the Sprint Car is the No. 29E owned by Bill Mahan of Un-Wired, a Verizon Wireless authorized agent that serves as primary sponsor on the car, and driven by Brent Ellenberger.

• Race teams can attend a Test and Tune session at Lernerville from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.

• Todd Bachman's No. 66 Vic Hill-powered Late Model Rocket Chassis was recognized as the Best in Show at the Clearview Mall Car Show last weekend.

• At the inaugural Pittsburgh Mills Race Car Show, longtime Lernerville Speedway favorite and five-time track champion Lynn Geisler's famed No. 1 Cochran Late Model won Best of Show there.

Carol Gamble is the racing columnist for the Butler Eagle.