TAZ Motorsports announced that it has tapped three-time World of Outlaws Late Model Series Champion Darrell Lanigan to compete in the upcoming Bill Emig Memorial with the RUSH Late Model Series during the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series’ Firecracker 100 weekend.

The team posted on June 17th, “The 58TAZ ride is cleaned up and ready for 3-time World of Outlaws Late Model Series Champion, Darrell Lanigan to take the wheel at next weekends RUSH Late Model Series, $20,000 to win Bill Emig Memorial at Lernerville Speedway. Proudly sponsors by our own Seal-Tite Pavement Maintenance LLC.”

“It’s not every day a Hall of Famer straps into your race car. Let’s see what happens when one of the best to ever do it climbs behind the wheel,” the team added. 

The team added in a subsequent post a couple days later, “We are ready to rock & roll for the biggest RUSH Touring Series race of the year! TAZ Motorsports is extremely excited to have Hall of Fame dirt late model driver Darrell Lanigan behind the wheel of the Seal-Tite Paving #58TAZ as we take on the $20,000-to-win Bill Emig Memorial at Lernerville Speedway.”

“This is a huge opportunity for our team, and we can’t wait to see what Darrell can do aboard our machine,” the team stated. “Let’s pack the stands, put on a show, and chase that $20,000 payday!”

According to MyRacePass, this will be the first start for The Bluegrass Bandit since he competed in 2024 at Florence Speedway, where he finished fourth behind Adam Stricker, James Rice, and Trevor Landrum.

He previously competed in the Bill Emig Memorial at Lernerville Speedway back in 2023, where he finished fifth behind Max Blair, Cody Overton, Joe Martin, and Michael Norris. He did win the $10,000 to-win Jesse Strebutzel Memorial at Latrobe Speedway earlier that year as well.

This year’s Bill Emig Memorial will be the richest event in the The Hovis Auto & Truck Supply RUSH Dirt Late Model Series presented by Born2Run Lubricants history with over $85,000 in cash and contingencies up for grabs. The race will pay $20,000 to-win and $600 to start. The non-qualifier race will pay $500 to-win and $225 to start. There’s also $150 in tow money provided to competitors. Additionally, the series shared in a press release that it will distribute around $12,000 in product giveaways to 35 drivers who fail to qualify for the feature. 

On top of the $20,000 to-win paycheck, the winner will also receive a diamond ring designed and created by D&V Jewelers of New Castle, Pennsylvania that is valued at more than $8,000. The ring is sponsored by MotoRad Spec Racing Development.

There will also be three Milwaukee 3799-22 M18 Fuel 2-Tool Combo Kits valued at $429 awarded to two non-qualifiers and the second place feature finisher. The kits include a M18 FUEL Hammer Drill Driver, M18 FUEL SURGE 1/4″ Hex Hydraulic Driver, M18 Redlithium XC 5.0AH Battery, M12 & M18 Multi-Voltage Battery Charger, Drill Side Handle, and Carrying Case.

The race was won by Mason Zeigler last year after the race attracted its highest car count to-date at 62. Other previous winners include: Dave Hess Jr., Max Blair, and Mark Whitener. Blair is a three time winner winning in 2019, 2020, and 2023. Whitener won in both 2021 and 2022 while Hess won in 2024.

The event will take place over the three days beginning on Thursday with hot laps and qualifying. On Friday, heat races will take place as well as the series John Buzzard Memorial Sunoco Dash. Finally, on Saturday will be the B-Mains, the 50-lap feature, and the non-qualifier race.

The race honors car owner Bill Emig, who owned Semi-Late and Six Cylinder Modifieds from 1969 until his passing in 1990. Emig had successful drivers pilot the #1 Ford such as Jim Becker, Bob Krauss, Donnie Martin, John Buzzard, Jerry Lesnak, Butch Haefke, and Lou Gentile. In later years, Andy Priest, Jimmy Hawley, Frank Guidace, and Rodney Beltz drove Emig #1 Six-Cylinder and “358” Modified for Bill’s daughter Vicki.

Emig’s cars won over 300 feature events along with multiple track championships and several of Walt Wimer’s prestigious Cavalcade Championships. In 1986, his car was featured in a full color article in the special Christmas issue of Stock Car Racing magazine. He was one of the original recipients of Lernerville Speedway’s “Milestone in Racing” award in 1988. Emig has also been inducted into both the Pittsburgh Circle Track Club and Twin-State Auto Racing Club Hall of Fames. 

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