Tennessee Driver Tops Clanton, Eckert for His First Series Win in 50-Lap Feature
By Chris Tilley, TAZEWELL, Tenn. – Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., took advantage of Tim McCreadie’s misfortune and went on to capture Saturday night’s Scion of Knoxville 50 World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at Tazewell Speedway.
This was Marlar’s first-career World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory, and he became the series’ seventh different winner this season in seven races after holding off Shane Clanton and Rick Eckert to the checkered flag as championship leader Darrell Lanigan finished fourth with last year’s top rookie Eric Wells rounding out the top five.
“We actually scaled back on racing this year and I think we’re going to have one of our best year’s yet,” said an excited Marlar in victory lane.
“My steering is bent, my arms are tired, but with all the help from my family and friends, Ronnie Delk (car owner), all of the work they put in, we’re going stay in there and drive it all we can,” stated Marlar after talking about his near mishap with lapped car Mark Gant.
McCreadie and Marlar brought the field of 24 to life for the start of the 50-lapper with McCreadie jumping to the high side and the early lead. Marlar tucked under T-Mac for second with Lanigan moving from his eighth spot to the fifth position by the second circuit. By the sixth lap, sixth-starting Clanton and his Capital Race Cars entry passed Eckert for the third spot.
“We’re good, just need a little lady luck to start up front and maybe we can win one,” said runner-up Clanton of Zebulon, Ga.
Eckert of York, Pa., held on to a third place-finish and said tire choice was the key.
“He was a little bit softer on the left rear tire, that one restart he took the bottom off two and snuck by me and I just couldn’t get him back cleared,” said Eckert.
Brandon Overton of Appleton, Ga., finished sixth while Rookie-of-the-Year contender Chase Junghans of Manhattan, Kan., finished seventh. Morgan Bagley of Tyler, Texas, Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., and Rick “Boom” Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., rounded out the top 10.
Eight caution flags slowed the main event. The first yellow flag would wave on lap three as Boom Briggs got crossed up in turn four collecting three more. Lap nine would see leader McCreadie slowing for a right rear flat tire. Bryan Hendrix spun at the top of turn two in front of the top-four cars and brought out the yellow on lap 17. Debris brought out the next yellow on lap 26. The next yellow flag would wave on lap-29 as the rescue squad had to come out of the infield and attend to a spectator. Jack Sullivan would slow in turn three for a flat tire on lap 31 to bring out the next yellow flag. The lap-39 caution flag would be for Chub Frank’s right-rear flat. Jeff Wolfenbarger would slow for the final yellow with two laps to go with a flat tire.
Twenty-four cars entered the event, which brought the WoO LMS to Gary Hall’s track outside Tazewell for the lone season visit.
Eckert turned the fastest overall lap of Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, circling the blistering-fast 1/3 mile oval in 11.390 seconds. Heat winners were Eckert, Wells and McCreadie.
Darrell Lanigan continues to lead the overall World of Outlaws Late Model Series championship with six top-five’s and seven top-10s through seven feature events.
The WoO LMS will be back in action April 25-26 with the sixth running of the Illini 100 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway. Time Trials and heat races will be run on Friday night and the $20,000-to-win finale is set for Saturday evening.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com . Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and Facebook atFacebook.com/WorldofOutlaws .
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Statistical Report; Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway; April 12, 2014
Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won:
1. (2) Mike Marlar/50 $10,500
2. (6) Shane Clanton/50 $5,600
3. (3) Rick Eckert/50 $3,650
4. (8) Darrell Lanigan/50 $3,150
5. (5) Eric Wells/50 $2,500
6. (9) Brandon Overton/50 $1,700
7. (12) Chase Junghans/50 $2,300
8. (21) Morgan Bagley/50 $1,850
9. (10) Clint Smith/50 $1,800
10. (15) Rick “Boom” Briggs/50 $1,150
11. (13) Brandon Sheppard/50 $1,550
12. (14) Chub Frank/50 $1,550
13. (18) Josh Putnam/50 $1,050
14. (16) Bryan Hendrix/50 $900
15. (7) Jeff Wolfenbarger/50 $850
16. (23) Mark Gant/49 $800
17. (20) Frank Heckenast Jr./46 $1,320
18. (11) Jack Sullivan/37 $1,300
19. (4) Billy Ogle, Jr./26 $730
20. (1) Tim McCreadie/17 $1,350
21. (17) Terry Wolfenbarger/13 $750
22. (19) Kyle Bronson/9 $700
23. (22) Wade Howerton/8 $700
24. (24) Steve Smith/DNS $0
* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: 34 Mins,18 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.071 Secs.
Yellow Flags: Eight (laps 3, 9, 17, 26, 29, 31, 39, 48)
Red Flag: None
Lap Leaders: McCreadie (1-8), Marlar (9-50)
Provisional Starters: None
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Mike Marlar ($500)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/
1. 24-Rick Eckert/York, Pa. 11.390
2. 157-Mike Marlar/Winfield, Tenn. 11.436
3. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 11.442
4. 25-Shane Clanton/Zebulon, Ga. 11.447
5. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, Ky. 11.551
6. 76-Brandon Overton/Appleton, Ga. 11.605
7. 28-Jeff Wolfenbarger/Clinton, Tenn. 11.712
8. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, Ky. 11.779
9. 18c-Chase Junghans/Manhattan, Ks. 11.788
10. 44-Clint Smith-Senoia, Ga. 11.796
11. 18x-Jack Sullivan/Greenbriar, Ark. 11.824
12. 201-Billy Ogle Jr./Knoxville, Tenn. 11.854
13. 5-Bryan Hendrix/Knoxville, Tenn. 11.856
14. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, Pa. 11.864
15. 212-Josh Putnam/Florence, Ala. 11.884
16. 1-Brandon Sheppard/New Berlin, Ill. 11.975
17. 14-Terry Wolfenbarger/Clinton, Tenn. 11.978
18. 14m-Morgan Bagley/Tyler, Tex. 12.099
19. 40B-Kyle Bronson/Tampa, Fla. 12.139
20. 99j-Frank Heckenast Jr./Orland Park, Ill. 12.156
21. 99-Rick “Boom” Briggs/Bear Lake, Pa. 12.241
22. 113-Mark Gant/Savannah, Tenn. 12.459
23. 71-Steve Smith/Powell, Tenn. 12.522
24. 15-Wade Howerton/Tazewell, Tenn. 12.690
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – All cars Transfer): Eckert, Clanton, J. Wolfenbarger, C. Smith, Sheppard, Hendrix, Bronson, Gant (DNS).
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – All cars Transfer): Wells, Marlar, Lanigan, Sullivan, Frank, T. Wolfenbarger, Heckenast, S. Smith (DNS).
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – All cars Transfer): McCreadie, B. Ogle, Overton, Junghans, Briggs, Putnam, Bagley, Howerton.
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal):
Ohlins Shocks ($50 cash to fast qualifier): Eric Wells
Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton
MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton
Quartermaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton
Wrisco (three sheets of aluminum/certificate to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton
STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main): Shane Clanton
Penske Racing Shocks ($50 to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main): Josh Putnam
Roush-Yates ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley
JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Chase Junghans
Lincoln Welders ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Chase Junghans
American Racing Wheels ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main): Chase Junghans
VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Clint Smith
Edelbrock ($50 cash to 9th-place finisher in A-Main): Clint Smith
Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Rick “Boom” Briggs
Cometic ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank
JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Josh Putnam
Superflow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Jeff Wolfenbarger
Quartermaster ($25 certificate to 15th-place finisher in A-Main): Jeff Wolfenbarger
JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 16th-place finisher in A-Main): Frank Heckenast Jr.
Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 18th-place finisher in A-Main): Jack Sullivan
Quartermaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Billy Ogle Jr.
Arizona Sports Shirts ($100 certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie
JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 21st-place finisher in A-Main): Terry Wolfenbarger
Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 22nd-place finisher in A-Main): Wade Howerton
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Wade Howerton
Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO driver): Shane Clanton
Reliable Painting Award (one free tire): Brandon Sheppard
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Championship Standings
|
Pos. |
Car |
Driver |
Residence |
Wins |
T-5 |
T-10 |
F/T |
Points |
Behind |
|
1. |
29 |
Darrell Lanigan |
Union, KY |
1 |
6 |
7 |
1 |
1062 |
0 |
|
2. |
1 |
Brandon Sheppard |
New Berlin, IL |
1 |
2 |
6 |
3 |
1026 |
36 |
|
3. |
24 |
Rick Eckert |
York, PA |
0 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
1002 |
60 |
|
4. |
25 |
Shane Clanton |
Zebulon, GA |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
986 |
76 |
|
5. |
39 |
Tim McCreadie |
Watertown, NY |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
936 |
126 |
|
6. |
14M |
Morgan Bagley |
Tyler, TX |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
936 |
126 |
|
7. |
18 |
Eric Wells |
Hazard, KY |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
934 |
128 |
|
8. |
99Jr |
Frankie Heckenast Jr. |
Orland Park, IL |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
924 |
138 |
|
9. |
1* |
Chub Frank |
Bear Lake, PA |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
912 |
150 |
|
10. |
44 |
Clint Smith |
Senoia, GA |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
888 |
174 |
|
11. |
18c |
Chase Junghans |
Manhattan, KS |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
842 |
220 |
|
12. |
18x |
Jack Sullivan |
Greenbrier, AR |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
808 |
254 |
|
13. |
99B |
Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs |
Bear Lake, PA |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
808 |
254 |
|
14. |
2 |
Brady Smith |
Solon Springs, WI |
1 |
3 |
4 |
0 |
692 |
370 |
|
15. |
157 |
Mike Marlar |
Winfield, TN |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
684 |
378 |
|
16. |
19 |
Tim Fuller |
Watertown, NY |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
650 |
412 |
|
17. |
21L |
Ivedent Lloyd Jr. |
Ocala, FL |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
628 |
434 |
|
18. |
101 |
Casey Roberts |
Toccoa, GA |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
588 |
474 |
|
19. |
76 |
Brandon Overton |
Appleton, GA |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
574 |
488 |
|
20. |
12M |
Raymond Merrill |
Sallisaw, OK |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
502 |
560 |
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: American Racing Custom Wheels (Official Custom Wheel), Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), KMC (Official Custom Truck Wheel), Lincoln Welder (Official Welder), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award); in addition to contingency sponsors: Butlerbuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, QuarterMaster, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, GRT Chassis, Jake’s Carts, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis and TNT Rescue.