Tim Shaffer races sprints cars for a living. Actually, he races with the World of Outlaws Sprints when Mother Nature permits.

Including the cancellation of the WoO races in South Dakota and Iowa, six of the 13 races scheduled in 2008 have not run because of the weather.

"I've never been in this situation where we've lost this many shows," Shaffer said.

With the rainout, Shaffer drove a team car to Lernerville Friday.

"Tim was actually told on Wednesday that Friday's race would be rained out so he called to see if he could find a car to race at the All Star show at Lernerville," said car owner Dan Holtgraver.

Shaffer finished ninth after starting 21st in Holtgraver's backup equipment.

While local racing has been on television in the past, never before have two disciplines had this much exposure.

Pittsburgh Raceway Park will be the site of "PRP Thunder," a bi-weekly series on Comcast beginning in May. Local drag racers will be featured as well as previews of things to come at PRP in time for the debut of the International Hot Rod Association's Nitro National Event in May 2009. The first racing event of its kind in the Pittsburgh area, Nitro Jam '09 will bring championship drag racing to local fans.

The new Unified Force Race Championship Tour (UFo) will have two races shown on the Comcast Network (channel 188) on a tape-delay basis.

The first race to be taped is May 18 at Pittsburgh's Pa. Motor Speedway. The F-2 Shockwave, twin 30-lap features for the Super Late Models, will showcase some of the best dirt track racers in the Tri-State area. Challenger Speedway will be the site of the second television race. The Ultimate, a 91-lap feature event for the Super Late Models, is Oct. 11. Check local listings for air times.

The World of Outlaws Sprints and Late Models will be broadcast on SPEED in 2008. Locally, the Firecracker 100 June 28 from Lernerville Speedway, featuring the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, will air from 5-7 p.m. July 13.

Late model fans get another opportunity to see the WoO Late Models again from Tri-City Speedway when the Oil Region Labor Day Classic is aired at 6 p.m. Sept. 7, also on SPEED.

Beaver County residents with ID will be admitted free into the grandstands tomorrow at Mercer Raceway Park ... Alan Dellinger of Hermitage won the late model feature at Lernerville and, 24 hours later, picked up a win in Sharon Speedway's Rick Glass Pure Stock 50. ... Pittsburgh Raceway Park will have diesel drags for cars, trucks and tractor trailers Saturday.