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…)