In one respect, auto racing is no different than any other spectator sport: There's nothing like the hometown kid winning. That will be the mission of Darrell Lanigan, of Union, Ky., Saturday at Kentucky Speedway in the ARCA RE/MAX Series Kentucky 150.

        The 30-year-old has had great success on the ARCA circuit — he has finished in the top 10 in half his 14 career races — but has spent more time on the dirt circuit, because the money's better there. Last year he won eight dirt shows.

        Lanigan ran only one ARCA race last year but will do five this year.

        He had career-best second-place finishes at Atlanta and Charlotte in 1999.

        Success on the ARCA circuit can lead to rides in Busch; success in Busch can help open a door into Winston Cup, Lanigan's ultimate goal. That is why he pursues ARCA.

        “ARCA's pretty expensive to run,” he said. “The most you can win (for first place) in an ARCA race this year is $20,000. In Dayton, there's a race on dirt that pays

        $1million. Don't get me wrong. I love racing ARCA and I'd like to do it every week. But without a sponsor helping you, it's hard to do.”

        That's why it was a big deal for Lanigan to secure sponsorship from General Electric and R.A. Mueller for Saturday's race in Sparta.

        “We tested three weeks ago (at Kentucky Speedway) and tested fourth out of 20 cars,” he said. “There's less banking (at Kentucky Speedway) than what I'm used to, but the racing should be real ly great. There will be a lot of side-by-side racing.”

        He said his “whole family” will be at Kentucky Speedway and that there is powerful incentive to “want to look good for the hometown folks.”

        His father, Porter, was the owner of the car that won the ARCA 300 show at Daytona in 1969.

        “I started out in the dirt late-model series and worked my way up,” Darrell Lanigan said. “I went to a Winston Cup auction and bought an ARCA car and built my way up. Yes, it can be frustrating (not being able to break into Winston Cup). I see some people in there who I really think wouldn't be in there but for their name. I have the driving ability but not the name.”

        NOTES: Shawna Robinson will not race Saturday in the Kentucky 150 as track officials had hoped. She may race in the Bluegrass Quality Meats 200 on July 13 at the speedway.

SCHEDULE

               • FRIDAY: Gates open at 4 p.m.. Fans can see the final ARCA practice on the 1.5-mile tri-oval. At 6 p.m., the quarter-mile track heats up with the USAC Midget Car Series and the ARCA Lincoln Welder truck races. Feature races for both series begin about 8 p.m.

        • SATURDAY: Gates open at 10 a.m. NASCAR Winston Cup autograph session (Michael Waltrip, Brett Bodine, Sterling Marlin and Ernie Irvan) goes from 10:30-11:45 a.m. From 1-1:30p.m. is the NASCAR Winston Cup Drivers Legends Celebrity Race. The Kentucky 150 is at 2 p.m.

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