Michigan Star’s Second Career World of Outlaws Late Model Series Wins Comes In Front Of Partisan Crowd At Winston Speedway

MONTAGUE, MI – Aug. 16, 2013 – Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich., gave his home-state fans a reason to cheer with a convincing victory in Friday night’s NAPA Auto Parts Winston 50 Presented by Keyser Manufacturing at Winston Speedway.

After becoming the first – and still only – driver from Michigan to win a World of Outlaws Late Model Series event on Sept. 16, 2007, at LaSalle (Ill.) Speedway, VanWormer turned up the excitement level with his second career checkered flag. The $10,000 triumph came at a track that is a three-and-a-half-hour drive across the Wolverine State from his residence.

“It felt good to go out there and perform and actually do what I always want to do – win in your home state,” said VanWormer, who became the 14 ^th different winner in 35 events on this year’s WoO LMS. “It feels great to win in front of my home crowd. A lot of fans came out to support us.” (more…)

Defending Tour Champ Finds Himself In Battle To Finish At Hawkeye State Track For Second Consecutive Year

INDEPENDENCE, IA – Aug. 5, 2013 – Wins don’t come easy for Darrell Lanigan at Independence Motor Speedway.

But they definitely come – as evidenced by his hard-fought march to victory in Monday night’s 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main that put him in the spotlight at the Hawkeye State track for the second consecutive year.

Lanigan, 43, of Union, Ky., battled forward from the seventh starting spot to take the lead from Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., on lap 37 and turned back a furious late challenge from local hero Chad Simpson of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, to secure his series-leading eighth triumph of the 2013 season.

Closely following his path he took to a narrow victory over Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., in last year’s WoO LMS feature at Independence, Lanigan couldn’t take a breath until the checkered flag finally flew over his Rocket Chassis machine.

“It was pretty tough out there,” said Lanigan, who earned $10,600 for his series-best 49^th career win. “The track was just super-racy – and just to get the lead starting where we did, that was pretty good. Then we just had to hold on.” (more…)

New Yorker Registers Biggest Win Of Decade-Long Dirt Late Model Career

NEW RICHMOND, WI – Aug. 3, 2013 – Tim McCreadie celebrated like he’s never celebrated before after capturing Saturday night’s 26^th annual USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway.

With the $50,150 score representing the biggest and most prestigious triumph of his decade-long dirt Late Model career, the 39-year-old star from Watertown, N.Y., did joyful donuts in his Sweeteners Plus Warrior car off turn four, applauded the standing-room-only crowd in Victory Lane and even invited the fans to join him at his team’s trailer for a raucous post-race party.

Yes, it was a memorable evening for McCreadie, the 2006 World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion who has been chasing a signature win since returning fulltime to the national tour in 2010 following a brief foray into NASCAR (2007) and six months on the sidelines in 2009 due to a back injury.

“After everything I’ve gone through just with health and where I thought my career was going five years ago and where it ended up,” said McCreadie, “yeah, this is probably definitely at the top of the list.” (more…)

DIRTcar Summer Nationals Champion Adds To Career Year With Triumph Over Richards

NEW RICHMOND, WI – Aug. 1, 2013 – The greatest summer of Brandon Sheppard’s life grew even better on Thursday night at Cedar Lake Speedway.

Building on the career-first DIRTcar Summer Nationals ‘Hell Tour’ title he clinched less than two weeks ago, Sheppard drove to a convincing $6,000 victory in the 40-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main that kicked off the 26^th annual USA Nationals weekend.

Sheppard, 20, of New Berlin, Ill., started from the pole position and controlled the entire distance. He hammered his family-owned Rocket car around the top side of the high-banked, three-eighths-mile oval to register his second career WoO LMS triumph without receiving a single serious challenge.

“We’ve been working hard a lot of years, me and my dad (veteran racer Steve Sheppard Jr.), to try and accomplish that Summer Nationals deal,” said Sheppard, who became the youngest champion in the history of the famed ‘Hell Tour.’ “To finally do it was really uplifting for me. It was almost like a weight lifted off my shoulders. There’s not as much pressure now. We can go out there and know we can run with them all the time.” (more…)

Illinois Star Thrills Packed House, Keeps $20,000 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Prize From Leaving State

FAIRBURY, IL – July 27, 2013 – Shannon Babb battled and battled and battled…and finally came out on top of a Prairie Dirt Classic A-Main for the ages on Saturday night at Fairbury American Legion Speedway.

The 39-year-old star from Moweaqua, Ill., thrilled his home-state crowd, outdueling Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., and Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., down the stretch to win a 100-lap race that was arguably the most dramatic of the 2013 World of Outlaws Late Model Series campaign.

For a driver who since 2008 has tried so hard – but continually fallen just short – to score a signature WoO LMS triumph in the Illini 100 at nearby Farmer City Raceway, mastering another bullring in his backyard to the tune of a $20,050 first-place check holds extra significance.

“This ranks right up there with the Illini 100 to me,” said Babb, who previously won the Prairie Dirt Classic in 2002 and 2006. “Twenty-grand (to win a dirt Late Model race) right here in Illinois is unheard of, and I’m just tickled to death (to win it). (more…)

Defending World of Outlaws Late Model Series Champion Wins For Fourth Time In 11 Career Starts At Minnesota Track

SPRING VALLEY, MN – July 6, 2013 – Deer Creek Speedway has become Darrell Lanigan’s personal playground.

The defending World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion continued his decade-long mastery of the three-eighths-mile oval on Saturday night, rolling to a convincing victory in the 34^th annual NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 Charity Late Model Race.

Lanigan, 43, of Union, Ky., earned $11,650 for his fourth triumph in 11 career WoO LMS starts at Deer Creek. He has finished outside the top three just twice since he began visiting the Queensland family’s track in 2005.

“This place is awesome,” said Lanigan, whose previous wins at Deer Creek came in the NAPA Gopher 50 in 2005 and 2009 and the opening night of the 2006 Heartland Nationals. “They work (the surface) right before the feature and it’s always great racing here. It’s a good place where you can get up on the wheel and race all over the racetrack.

“We definitely feel comfortable here, and our car seems to always work good here. I just like to come to Deer Creek.” (more…)

BROWNSTOWN, Ill. – July 5, 2013 – Ryan Unzicker charged to the lead at the drop of the green flag Fridaynight at Fayette County Speedway, then held off red-hot Shannon Babb on a restart with nine laps to go en route to scoring his second win of the 2013 DIRTcar Summer Nationals “Hell Tour” season.

Unzicker, of El Paso, Ill., started the 40-lap feature from the outside of the front row, next to pole-sitter and winner of the previous night, Bobby Pierce. Unzicker worked his car on the outside groove from the start to give himself to an early lead. Unzicker was running away before a late-race caution brought the field, and most notably Babb, back to his bumper. Babb made Unzicker earn his money, but Unzicker stuck to his line and turned back the challenge to earn his second win and cash the $5,000 paycheck at Fayette County Speedway.

“Everybody knows we like the bottom, but we set up for the top tonight,” said Unzicker, who also claimed the victory at Fairbury American Legion Speedway earlier in the six-week tour. “It seemed like the top was the favorable spot all night long. We just kept the car where it needed to be and hit the right marks. We definitely hit the setup, that thing was rolling tonight.” (more…)

New Yorker Scores Fourth World of Outlaws Late Model Series Win Of Season On Son’s Third Birthday

SUPERIOR, WI – July 5, 2013 – Tim McCreadie was one very happy race car driver – and father – after holding off Rick Eckert to capture Friday night’s 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Wild West Tour’ opener at Amsoil Speedway.

Not only did the 39-year-old star from Watertown, N.Y., score his fourth WoO LMS triumph of 2013, it came on his son Gavin’s third birthday. The toddler was home in the Empire State with his mother, Karen, but McCreadie made sure he dedicated his 24^th career win on the national circuit to the curly-haired boy.

“This one’s for you, Gavin,” McCreadie said after the checkered flag. “It’s cool to win on his birthday. I wish they could be here with me, but when I get home we’ll have (Gavin’s birthday) party next weekend.”

McCreadie, who started from the pole position but was outgunned for the lead at the initial green flag by his front-row mate Tim Fuller, kept up the pressure on his fellow New Yorker until gaining command on lap 15. T-Mac never looked back en route to a memorable victory that brought him $10,650 to buy presents for his kid. (more…)