{"id":12653,"date":"2012-08-04T18:18:16","date_gmt":"2012-08-04T18:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/?p=12653"},"modified":"2012-08-04T18:18:16","modified_gmt":"2012-08-04T18:18:16","slug":"heckenast-lanigan-earn-front-row-starting-spots-in-usa-nationals-100-on-friday-night-at-cedar-lake-speedway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/front-page-news\/heckenast-lanigan-earn-front-row-starting-spots-in-usa-nationals-100-on-friday-night-at-cedar-lake-speedway\/","title":{"rendered":"Heckenast & Lanigan Earn Front-Row Starting Spots In USA Nationals 100 On Friday Night At Cedar Lake Speedway"},"content":{"rendered":"

Both Drivers Pass Up Opportunity To Start From Rear And Chase $25,000 Bonus For Winning Saturday\u2019s Main Event<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong>\"\"NEW RICHMOND, WI \u2013 Aug. 3, 2012 \u2013 Frankie Heckenast Jr. of Orland Park, Ill., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., earned front-row starting spots in the 25\u00a0th<\/sup>\u00a0annual USA Nationals with their performances on Friday night at Cedar Lake Speedway.<\/p>\n

Even the possibility of racing for another $25,000 to win Saturday evening\u2019s 100-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main wasn\u2019t enough to shake them from their prime positions.<\/p>\n

After Heckenast won Friday night\u2019s 15-lap dash and Lanigan finished second to put them at the head of Saturday\u2019s USA Nationals field, both drivers were given the opportunity to forfeit their spots and start from the last row as part of the \u2018Tail-Start Challenge\u2019 in celebration of the event\u2019s 25\u00a0th<\/sup>anniversary. Accepting the challenge would make them eligible to claim a $25G bonus \u2013 on top of the race\u2019s already huge $50,000 first-place prize \u2013 if they could drive through the pack to win.<\/p>\n

But even with the qualifying night\u2019s big crowd urging them on during the Victory Lane ceremony following the dash, neither Heckenast nor Lanigan took the potentially lucrative gamble.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo deal,\u201d the 24-year-old Heckenast said when offered the challenge by WoO LMS announcer Rick Eshelman.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a gambler, but there are too many variables out there with this racetrack,\u201d Lanigan said when Eshelman posed the question. \u201cI hate to let the fans down. Any other time I would\u2019ve done it, but we gotta look at the big picture. I got my favorite car here tonight and I\u2019m gonna play it safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both drivers will be given a chance to reconsider their decisions overnight. Cedar Lake Speedway officials plan to offer them one more shot to accept the challenge during Saturday evening\u2019s opening ceremonies.<\/p>\n

A competitor in the dirt Late Model division for eight years, Heckenast earned his berth in the 10-car dash by finishing second in Friday\u2019s second heat. He drew the pole position and dominated the event, racing virtually unchallenged for the entire distance in his Rocket machine.<\/p>\n

Heckenast will make his second career start in the USA Nationals 100. He finished 11th<\/sup>\u00a0in last year\u2019s 100-lapper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just tickled to death,\u201d said Heckenast. \u201cMy goal today was just to make the race \u2013 you gotta make it before you can win it. We\u2019re in the race and we start in the front, so we\u2019ll take that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lanigan was the biggest heat-race winner of the evening, capturing the third prelim by a convincing 4.977-second margin. He started third in the dash, which featured the top-two finishers in each heat in a battle for USA Nationals starting position, and stayed in the spot until finally overtaking defending WoO LMS champion Rick Eckert of York, Pa., for second place with a inside move through turns three and four on the final lap.<\/p>\n

Eckert settled for third in the dash, Don O\u2019Neal of Martinsville, Ind., was fourth and 10th<\/sup>-starter Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., climbed forward to place fifth.<\/p>\n

Rounding out the top 10 in the dash was Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., and heat winners Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., and Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill.<\/p>\n

With Saturday\u2019s USA Nationals offering only WoO LMS show-up points, Lanigan will have no worries about ceding any of his commanding 152-point lead over Eckert in the tour\u2019s standings. He will be laser-focused on adding a first-ever USA Nationals triumph to his resume \u2013 and, in the process, pushing his 2012 earnings on the WoO LMS over the $250,000 mark.<\/p>\n

Lanigan will make his fifth career start in a USA Nationals A-Main. His finishes include a personal-best fifth in 2011, plus 10th<\/sup>\u00a0in 1995, 11\u00a0th<\/sup>\u00a0in \u201910 and 13th<\/sup>\u00a0in \u201905.<\/p>\n

Lanigan has been a serious contender in each of the last two USA Nationals, but overheating issues have plagued his efforts. In 2010 he started from the pole position and led lap one and laps 20-31 before his hot powerplant seized up on lap 75 while he was running third, and last year he advanced from the 18th<\/sup>\u00a0starting spot to place fifth despite nursing his car late in the distance due to a hole in its radiator.<\/p>\n

The evening\u2019s most significant incident came on the opening lap of the third heat when Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., slammed hard into the turn-two wall with the front end of his Rocket Chassis house. The machine sustained heavy damage but the 19-year-old driver was not injured.<\/p>\n

Chad Simpson of Mt. Vernon, Iowa, topped the event\u2019s 53-car field in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, turning a lap of 13.270 seconds for his third career WoO LMS fast-time honor. It was his second fast time in as many World of Outlaws appearances this season, duplicating his qualifying performance on July 7 at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.<\/p>\n

With the top 15 qualifiers inverted for the heats, Simpson started and finished third in the fifth preliminary. He will start 15th<\/sup>\u00a0in the USA Nationals.<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s grand finale program, which includes B-Mains, a last-chance race and the 100-lap USA Nationals plus a full show for Cedar Lake\u2019s NASCAR Late Models, is scheduled to begin with hot laps at 6:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Additional details and ticket info on the USA Nationals can be obtained by logging on towww.cedarlakespeedway.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more information on the WoO LMS, visit\u00a0www.worldofoutlaws.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at\u00a0Twitter.com\/WoOLateModels\u00a0<\/a>and Facebook atFacebook.com\/WorldofOutlaws\u00a0<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position\/No.\/Driver\/Hometown\/Best Lap):<\/wbr><\/strong><\/p>\n

1. 25s-Chad Simpson\/Mt. Vernon, IA 13.270<\/p>\n

2. 5b-Mike Marlar\/Winfield, TN13.380<\/p>\n

3. 29-Darrell Lanigan\/Union, KY 13.439<\/p>\n

4. 25-Shane Clanton\/Fayetteville, GA 13.548<\/p>\n

5. 24-Rick Eckert\/York, PA 13.555<\/p>\n

6. 39-Tim McCreadie\/Watertown, NY 13.560<\/p>\n

7. 32-Chris Simpson\/Oxford, IA 13.567<\/p>\n

8. 1-Brandon Sheppard\/New Berlin, IL 13.577<\/p>\n

9. 18-Shannon Babb\/Moweaqua, IL 13.594<\/p>\n

10. 2-Brady Smith\/Solon Springs, WI 13.647<\/p>\n

11. 3s-Brian Shirley\/Chatham, IL 13.648<\/p>\n

12. 11-Pat Doar\/New Richmond, WI 13.652<\/p>\n

13. 27T-Tyler Reddick\/DuQuoin, IL 13.657<\/p>\n

14. 10-Pete Parker\/Kaukauna, WI 13.667<\/p>\n

15. 0-Scott Bloomquist\/Mooresburg, TN 13.765<\/p>\n

16. 7R-Kent Robinson\/Bloomington, IN 13.771<\/p>\n

17. 99Jr-Frankie Heckenast Jr.\/Orland Park, IL 13.776<\/p>\n

18. 32P-Bobby Pierce\/Oakwood, IL 13.786<\/p>\n

19. 15b-Brian Birkhofer\/Muscatine, IA 13.812<\/p>\n

20. 28-Jimmy Mars\/Menomonie, WI 13.816<\/p>\n

21. 32c-Vic Coffey\/Caledonia, NY 13.829<\/p>\n

22. 44-Clint Smith\/Senoia, GA 13.836<\/p>\n

23. 1*-Chub Frank\/Bear Lake, PA 13.859<\/p>\n

24. 21-Billy Moyer\/Batesville, Ar 13.860<\/p>\n

25. 28e-Dennis Erb Jr.\/Carpentersville, IL 13.894<\/p>\n

26. 87-Walker Arthur\/Forest, VA 13.906<\/p>\n

27. 18c-Ross Camponovo\/Clarksdale, MS 13.955<\/p>\n

28. 20-Jimmy Owens\/Newport, TN 13.956<\/p>\n

29. 1s-Jack Sullivan\/Greenbrier, AR 13.957<\/p>\n

30. 81-Scott James\/Bright, IN 13.966<\/p>\n

31. 25F-Jason Feger\/Bloomington, IL 13.973<\/p>\n

32. 27R-Jake Redetzke\/Eau Claire, WI 13.975<\/p>\n

33. 19-Tim Fuller\/Watertown, NY 13.998<\/p>\n

34. 14M-Morgan Bagley\/Longview, TX 14.009<\/p>\n

35. 1d-Don O\u2019Neal\/Martinsville, IN 14.012<\/p>\n

36. 18H-Dustin Hapka\/Grand Forks, ND 14.114<\/p>\n

37. 98-Jason Rauen\/Farley, IA 14.141<\/p>\n

38. 58-A.J. Diemel\/Elk Mound, WI 14.147<\/p>\n

39. 42-Terry Casey\/New London, WI 14.162<\/p>\n

40. 5M-Mike Fryer\/Freeport, IL 14.186<\/p>\n

41. 89-Mike Spatola\/Manhattan, IL 14.186<\/p>\n

42. 57J-Bub McCool\/Vicksburg, MS 14.190<\/p>\n

43. 21Jr-Billy Moyer Jr.\/Batesville, AR 14.219<\/p>\n

44. 9T-Tim Isenberg\/Marshfield, WI 14.221<\/p>\n

45. 15-Nick Anvelink\/Navarino, WI 14.263<\/p>\n

46. 90-Lance Matthees\/Winona, MN 14.288<\/p>\n

47. R15-Mark Burgtorf\/Quincy, IL 14.317<\/p>\n

48. 27-Rodney Melvin\/Logan, IL 14.349<\/p>\n

49. 22M-Charlie McKenna\/Clear Lake, IA 14.612<\/p>\n

50. 40-Bryan Wennen\/Lindstrom, MN 14.907<\/p>\n

51. 57-Chad Williamson\/Watertown, SD 15.151<\/p>\n

52. 55-Duane Treadwell\/Lagrange, GA 15.399<\/p>\n

53. 22-Jill George\/Cedar Falls, IA N\/T<\/p>\n

Heat No. 1 (15 laps \u2013 Top 3 Transfer):\u00a0<\/strong>B. Smith, Eckert, Feger, Bloomquist, K. Robinson, Spatola, Matthees, Coffey, Arthur, Hapka, Williamson<\/p>\n

Heat No. 2 (15 laps \u2013 Top 3 Transfer):\u00a0<\/strong>Babb, Heckenast, C. Smith, Clanton, Redetzke, Camponovo, Rauen, McCool, Burgtorf, Treadwell, Parker<\/p>\n

Heat No. 3 (15 laps \u2013 Top 3 Transfer):\u00a0<\/strong>Lanigan, Owens, Reddick, Pierce, Frank, Moyer Jr., Fuller, Diemel, Melvin, Sheppard (DNS) George<\/p>\n

Heat No. 4 (15 laps \u2013 Top 3 Transfer):\u00a0<\/strong>Moyer, Marlar, Birkhofer, Doar, Bagley, Chris Simpson, Isenberg, Sullivan, McKenna, Casey<\/p>\n

Heat No. 5 (15 laps \u2013 Top 3 Transfer):\u00a0<\/strong>Shirley, O\u2019Neal, Chad Simpson, Anvelink, Erb, Mars, James, Wennen, McCreadie, Fryer<\/p>\n

Dash Finish (15 laps):\u00a0<\/strong>Heckenast, Lanigan, Eckert, O\u2019Neal, Owens, Marlar, B. Smith, Moyer, Shirley, Babb<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Both Drivers Pass Up Opportunity To Start From Rear And Chase $25,000 Bonus For Winning Saturday\u2019s Main Event NEW RICHMOND, WI \u2013 Aug. 3, 2012 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"publish_to_discourse":"","publish_post_category":"","wpdc_auto_publish_overridden":"","wpdc_topic_tags":"","wpdc_pin_topic":"","wpdc_pin_until":"","discourse_post_id":"","discourse_permalink":"","wpdc_publishing_response":"","wpdc_publishing_error":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,3,71],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-front-page-news","category-late-models"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12653"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12653\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12657,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12653\/revisions\/12657"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karnac.com\/flanews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}