A new class is being introduced into dirt track racing: the Three-Quarter Late Model. Doug Peterson of TRD Racing & Restoration has designed a three-quarter scale Late Model weighing 1,140 pounds with a 230 hp, 1300cc Suzuki motor.

The class is competing at Blanket Hill Speedway near Kittanning and Dog Hollow Speedway in Strongstown is testing it.

A turnkey operation would cost $25,000, but it could be bought in.

Sharing and caringA lot of sharing and caring happens in racing.Recently, Dave Murdick's Pitkavish-owned Late Model wasn't running well for several weeks and appeared to have a fuel problem. Late Model drivers Ed Ferree and Chub Frank investigated the problem and found the fuel pump had an incorrect filter.After the correction, Murdick started 23rd in the feature and sailed through the pack to finish third.

Career on holdBobbi Rankin's Sprint car career is on hold. She was seen in the pits hobbling around on crutches after injuring her knee.Hall of Fame inductionRetired Sprint car driver Ralph Quarterson was inducted into the DIRT North East Hall of Fame at Weedsport, N.Y., over the weekend. He has more than 600 victories and he won the track championship at Lernerville Speedway in 1967 and 1968.All-Star SprintsLernerville will present another All-Star Sprint show Friday, along with the FASTRAK Crate Late Models.Josh Holtgraver scored his first Sharon FASTRAK Late Model win last weekend. Butch Lambert had his season best with a second.

Luck of the drawBefore the feature each week a driver is picked to be Estle Harp's go-cart driver of the week.If that driver wins the feature, he collects all the money in the pot. Modified driver Brian Swartzlander won $300. Todd Bachman was not so lucky last week. He was towed off the track during the heat race after a collision.

Sides wins Outlaws showJason Sides was the victor of Tri-City Speedway's inaugural World of Outlaws Sprint show Sunday. Area drivers who made the show were Dale Blaney, third; Rod George, 11th; Brian Ellenberger, 20th; and Bob Felmlee, 23rd. Carl McKinney scored in the E-Mods main event.Winning ways• Veteran driver Ben Miley won the Late Model feature at Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. His last win was July 8, 2006.• The hottest Modified driver, Jeremiah Shingledecker, won the BRP Modified race Friday at Lernerville.Carol Gamble is the racing columnist for the Butler Eagle.