Post by LMR on 05/27/12 at 12:08pm
World of Outlaws Late Model Series
Tyler County Speedway
May 26, 2012
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In A League Of His Own: Lanigan Rolls To $25,000 ‘Jackpot 100’ Triumph At Tyler County Speedway
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Points Leader Two-For-Two In Memorial Day Weekend Events
by Kevin Kovac
MIDDLEBOURNE, WV (May 26) – Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., continued to rule the 2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series on Saturday night, rolling to his second consecutive and fourth win of the season in the inaugural ‘Jackpot 100’ at Tyler County Speedway.
It was a powerful performance by the former WoO LMS champion, who grabbed the lead from Steve Shaver of Vienna, W.Va., on lap 17 and never looked back. He turned back a mid-race challenge from Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., and then drove away from the pack, threatening to lap into the top five until a caution flag with two circuits remaining wiped out his commanding edge of over seven seconds.
Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., took advantage of the final restart to slip by Casebolt at the checkered flag for a second-place finish in his second WoO LMS start behind the wheel of the Rocket house car. Casebolt settled for third after running second since the 17th lap, while Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio, finished a strong fourth and Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., advanced from the 13th starting spot to complete the lead-lap finishers in fifth.
Lanigan, who turns 42 on June 3, pocketed $25,150 for his 30th career WoO LMS triumph, pushing his ’12 earnings over $100,000 after just 13 events. He recorded his first-ever win at the circular quarter-mile oval in the West Virginia hills and extended his points lead to 102 points over defending champion Rick Eckert of York, Pa., who fought forward from the 24th starting spot to finish ninth.
The race capped a huge day at the Tyler County Fairgrounds, which hosted the ‘Bullring Bonanza’ raffle that distributed over $550,000 in cash and prizes to lucky winners throughout the afternoon. Track promoter Frank Wilson’s unique event benefitting Tyler County’s volunteer fire departments attracted one of the biggest crowds in the history of the speedway.
Lanigan was certainly impressed with Wilson’s promotion, which boasted a $125,000-plus ‘Jackpot 100’ purse that ranks it as the dirt Late Model division’s richest single-day event.
“The purse tonight was unbelievable for a one-day show,” said Lanigan, who registered his second win this season worth $20,000 or more. “How many times do you see a $25,000-to-win one-day show? That’s unbelievable. It was a great show, and I think it’s gonna grow every year.”
The A-Main belonged to Lanigan, who had no trouble gliding away from the pack during the race’s green-white-checkered finish. He crossed the finish line 1.256 seconds ahead of Sheppard, who nipped Casebolt for the runner-up spot by .173 of a second.
“Oh, what a car,” Lanigan said of his self-owned Rocket Chassis machine. “The car drove unbelievable. It was more mental than it was physical out there.
“We went a little different on tires tonight too. I think we were softer than anybody tonight, and it kind of paid off. The tires never quit.
“I knew on the first lap (that the car was capable of winning),” he added. “I could stick on the bottom better than they could.”
The victory was Lanigan’s second in a 100-lap WoO LMS event, joining his ‘Cash Cow 100’ score in March 2011 at Columbus (Miss.) Speedway.
Sheppard, 19, was the race’s biggest secondary story as he charged forward from the 22nd starting spot to claim a career-best WoO LMS finish worth $15,000. He reached fourth place by lap 40, passed Moran for third on lap 66 and then used the lap-98 caution flag for Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., who stopped with terminal engine woes while running sixth, to overtake Casebolt.
“I can’t thank Mark Richards racing enough for giving me a great race car,” said Sheppard, who is filling the high-profile seat recently vacated by two-time WoO LMS champion Josh Richards. “We just stayed down around the hub on the (last) restart and snuck by (Casebolt). I think a couple more laps and another restart, and we probably could’ve had something for (Lanigan).”
Casebolt, 33, also recorded a career-high finish on the WoO LMS. His third-place run came in just his second race of the season – and after he made a last-minute decision to enter the ‘Jackpot 100’ with his MasterSbilt mount.
“I was going to go out to Lucas Oil Speedway (in Wheatland, Mo.) this weekend for the Show-Me (100), which is traditionally where we go on Memorial Day weekend,” said Casebolt, who ended an eight-month absence from dirt Late Model racing when he competed in Friday night’s WoO LMS event at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio. “But I got to looking at the purse for this race, and it’s just unparalleled. Somebody said I’m going to get 12-grand for third, which is just fantastic.
“I hate that I got passed there at the end (for second), but it was still a great run. Mid-race we were all over (Lanigan), but he could just keep digging and our tires got a little slippery and he drove off.”
WoO LMS Rookie of the Year contender Kent Robinson of Bloomington, Ind., finished one lap down in sixth, matching his career-best performance on the tour. Shaver faded to seventh after racing off the outside pole to lead laps 1-16. Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., placed a steady eighth, Eckert was ninth and Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y., rounded out the top 10.
Six caution flags slowed the A-Main. The most serious incident came on lap-17 restart when Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., went spinning out of fourth place in turn two, creating a tangle that to varying degrees also swept up WoO LMS rookie Bub McCool of Vicksburg, Miss., polesitter Chad McClellan of Stoystown, Pa., and Jared Hawkins of Fairmont, W.Va.
Donnie Moran was quickest in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, turning a lap of 12.979 seconds. It was the third WoO LMS fast-time honor of his career but first since 2006.
Heat winners were Casebolt, Rick Williams of Beckley, W.Va., Shaver, Clanton, Lanigan and McClellan. Williams and McClellan captured a WoO LMS heat race for the first time in their careers, while Casebolt scored his first heat victory on the tour since 2007.
The B-Mains were won by Tim Dohm of Cross Lanes, W.Va., McCool and John Lobb of Frewsburg, N.Y. Lobb discovered terminal engine problems after his victory, however, forcing him to start the race at the rear of the field in the car driven by Quintin Wyandt of Hooversville, Pa.
Preliminary action was marred by a grinding wreck involving Jill George of Cedar Falls, Iowa, after the checkered flag had fallen on the second heat. The 33-year-old driver tangled with Kris Southern of Jane Lew, W.Va., just after passing the start/finish line, turning both cars into the outside wall and sending George’s machine spinning in the air.
George’s car came to rest sitting on the right side of Southern’s mount – minus its entire front end. Everything from the fire wall of George’s car forward was ripped asunder by the vicious impact, including the frame rails, suspension pieces, wheels and engine, which were left lying in a smoldering heap about 20 feet away from the wrecked cars.
While George was alert and talking to safety crews immediately after the accident, she was removed from the cockpit on a backboard and transported to a local hospital for precautionary reasons.
The WoO LMS will complete its Memorial Day weekend tripleheader on Sunday night (May 27), visiting I-77 Raceway Park in Ripley, W.Va., for the first time. The card will be headlined by a 50-lap A-Main paying $10,000 to win.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘Jackpot 100’ at Tyler County Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (4) Darrell Lanigan/100 $25,150
2. (22) Brandon Sheppard/100 $15,100
3. (6) Steve Casebolt/100 $12,000
4. (7) Donnie Moran/100 $10,000
5. (13) Tim McCreadie/100 $8,150
6. (8) Kent Robinson/99 $6,200
7. (2) Steve Shaver/99 $5,050
8. (10) Clint Smith/99 $4,050
9. (24) Rick Eckert/99 $3,100
10. (14) Vic Coffey/99 $2,550
11. (25) Chub Frank/98 $2,250
12. (11) Greg Johnson/98 $2,050
13. (5) Shane Clanton/98 $2,050
14. (9) Mike Marlar/96 $2,050
15. (12) Jacob Hawkins/96 $2,000
16. (23) Chris Ferguson/81 $2,050
17. (17) Pat Doar/69 $2,050
18. (16) Mike Benedum/66 $2,000
19. (26) Jack Sullivan/40 $2,000
20. (19) Tim Dohm/29 $2,000
21. (15) Jared Hawkins/21 $2,000
22. (1) Chad McClellan/17 $2,000
23. (20) Bub McCool/17 $2,050
24. (18) Tim Fuller/15 $2,050
25. (27) Corey Conley/15 $2,000
26. (3) Rick Williams/13 $2,050
27. (21) John Lobb/0 $2,000
* Earnings include cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: 43 Mins., 9.873 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.256 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 6 (Laps 2, 17, 17, 42, 45, 98)
Lap Leaders: Shaver (1-15); Lanigan (16-100)
Provisional Starters: Frank, Sullivan (WoO); C. Conley (track)
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Casebolt, Donnie Moran, McCreadie, Weigle, Sheppard, Z. Dohm, Wilmoth, R. Conley, Rine, Nething, Fleegle
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Williams, Robinson, Coffey, T. Dohm, C. Conley, Parker, Brown, George, Southern, M. Ferguson, Doll
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Shaver, Marlar, Jared Hawkins, Meadows, Sullivan, C. Ferguson, Satterlee, Corbitt, S. Conley, Wyandt, McGill
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Clanton, Smith, Benedum, McCool, Watts, Henry, Bates, Harris, Gault (DNS) Sessoms, Campbell
Heat No. 5 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Lanigan, Johnson, Doar, Lobb, McDowell, Frank, Hamrick, Thomas, Stefanick, Devin Moran
Heat No. 6 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): McClellan, Jacob Hawkins, Fuller, Eckert, Senic, Arthur, Dotson, Ruza, Frazier, Sampson, Irvin
B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): T. Dohm, Sheppard, C. Conley, Z. Dohm, Parker, Fleegle, Brown, Rine, R. Conley, Ferguson, Weigle, Wilmoth (DNS) George, Southern, Nething, Doll
B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): McCool, C. Ferguson, Meadows, Sullivan, Satterlee, Watts, S. Conley, Corbitt, Wyandt, Henry, Bates, Harris (DNS) Gault, Sessoms, McGill, Campbell
B-Main No. 3 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Lobb, Eckert, McDowell, Frank, Arthur, Senic, Dotson, Hamrick, Frazier, Devin Moran, Sampson, Stefanick, Ruza (DNS) Thomas, Irvin
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 99-Donnie Moran/Dresden, OH 12.979
2. 12-Rick Williams/Beckley, WV 12.993
3. 6-Steve Shaver/Vienna, WV 13.025
4. 00-Jay Sessoms/Stanley, NC 13.037
5. 99M-Devin Moran/Dresden, OH 13.053
6. 119-Chad McClellan/Stoystown, PA 13.094
7. c9-Steve Casebolt/Richmond, IN 13.170
8. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 13.186
9. 5b-Mike Marlar/Winfield, TN 13.188
10. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 13.195
11. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 13.214
12. 20H-Jacob Hawkins/Fairmont, WV 13.215
13. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 13.216
14. 6T-Tim Dohm/Cross Lanes, WV 13.229
15. 33-Chris Meadows/Crag Orchard, WV 13.254
16. 25b-Mike Benedum/Salem, WV 13.265
17. 49-Greg Johnson/Bedford, IN 13.282
18. 87-Walker Arthur/Forest, VA 13.289
19. 75-Steve Weigle/Middlebourne, WV 13.324
20. 7R-Kent Robinson/Bloomington, IN 13.359
21. 37-Jared Hawkins/Fairmont, WV 13.389
22. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 13.415
23. 17M-Dale McDowell/Chickamauga, GA 13.431
24. 15-Donald Dotson/W. Union, WV 13.433
25. B1-Paul Wilmoth Jr./Clarksburg, WV 13.444
26. 14-Corey Conley/Wellsburg, WV 13.446
27. 1MC-Butch McGill/W. Union, WV 13.492
28. 04-David Watts/Buchannon, VA 13.494
29. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 13.506
30. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 13.511
31. 17d-Zack Dohm/Cross Lanes, WV 13.526
32. 63-Cody Parker/Zanesville, OH 13.544
33. 22s-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 13.551
34. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 13.553
35. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 13.555
36. 3-Scott Irvin/Jacksonburg, WV 13.566
37. 1-Brandon Sheppard/New Berlin, IL 13.572
38. 87d-Derek Doll/Greenwood, WV 13.638
39. 1s-Jack Sullivan/Greenbrier, AR 13.642
40. 17-Mike Gault/Gaffney, SC 13.647
41. 28-John Lobb/Frewsburg, NY 13.678
42. s2-Tim Senic/Elkins, WV 13.689
43. 18-Rick Conley Jr./Wellsburg, WV 13.816
44. 54-Billy Brown/Clarksburg, WV 13.856
45. 22F-Chris Ferguson/Mt. Holly, NC 14.020
46. 11b-Kyle Bates/Cambridge, OH 14.041
47. X-Dusty Hamrick/Clarksburg, WV 14.054
48. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 14.074
49. 0NO-Buck Rine/Reader, WV 14.107
50. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 14.130
51. 1x1-Sonny Conley/New Martinsville, WV 14.151
52. 60-Dwight Henry/Marietta, OH 14.221
53. 57-Kyle Thomas/Pennsboro, WV 14.251
54. 12s-Tracie Sampson/Lumberport, WV 14.276
55. 55-Don Nething/Hanibal, OH 14.515
56. K2-Kris Southern/Jane Lew, WV 14.620
57. 45-Nick Corbitt/Waverly, WV 14.678
58. 111-Lincoln Campbell/Proctor, WV 14.739
59. 44s-Derek Stefanick/Oakdale, PA 14.863
60. 9R-Danny Ruza/Moundsville, WV 14.893
61. 113-Casey Fleegle/Shanksville, PA 14.894
62. 4-Melvin Ferguson Jr./Proctor, WV 14.905
63. 118-Quintin Wyandt/Hooversville, PA 15.016
64. 96-Kenny Harris/Lumberport, WV 16.199
65. 0-Richard Frazier/Mt. Claire, WV N/T
2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of May 26
13 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
1. Darrell Lanigan 1864
2. Rick Eckert 1760 (-104)
3. Chub Frank 1704 (-160)
4. Shane Clanton 1670 (-194)
5. Tim McCreadie 1652 (-212)
6. Vic Coffey 1632 (-232)
7. Clint Smith 1614 (-250)
8. Bub McCool 1580 (-284)
9. Mike Marlar 1498 (-366)
10. Pat Doar 1496 (-368)
11. Kent Robinson 1468 (-396)
12. Tim Fuller 1424 (-440)
13. Greg Johnson 1390 (-474)
14. John Lobb 1388 (-476)
15. Jack Sullivan 1374 (-490)
16. Jill George 1048 (-816)
17. Brandon Sheppard 1046 (-818)
18. Josh Richards 974 (-890)
19. Billy Moyer 870 (-994)
20. Jared Hawkins 852 (-1012)