Post by LMR on 02/13/16 at 2:34am
World of Outlaws Late Model Series
Screven Motor Speedway
February 12, 2016
_______________________________________
Clanton Claims Thriller on Opening Night of Winter Freeze VI
Defending champ completes daring pass to score season opener
SYLVANIA, GA (February 12) - Defending World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series champion Shane Clanton rocketed around both Josh Richards and Jason Covert in one pass as he claimed the season opener at Screven Motor Speedway’'s Winter Freeze VI on Friday.
Clanton started from the sixth position but made quick work powering his way into the top three. Richards, who is in the midst of a hot streak, drew the pole-position after winning his heat race earlier in the night.
Richards led just two laps before second place starter Covert battled past. Covert controlled the field for the first half of the race but could never pull away from Richards and eventually a hard-charging Clanton.
Clanton saw an opening in turn four on lap 15 when Richards pulled even with Covert for the lead. Clanton rocketed his car to the outside of the leaders, creating a three-wide drag race for the lead as they approached lapped traffic.
Clanton, a native of Zebulon, Ga., completed the pass in turn one on the following lap, with Richards settling into second. Richards stayed glued to Clanton’s back bumper, taking shots at the leader on multiple occasions but Clanton held on to the lead and dominated the remaining laps, winning the opening night of Winter Freeze VI at Screven Motor Speedway.
“It was a phenomenal race,” Clanton said. “Sometimes it sucks being the leader and catching that many lapped cars going two and three-wide. Covert didn’t know to run the top [line] because he has never been here before, but you can lean on that top.
“The experience being around this place as much as I have really helps out. It boosts our confidence to come in here and win and beat the hottest guy in the pit area. Josh [Richards] hasn’t finished outside the top three yet this year, but to be able to beat him and outrun him on the first night we have raced against him this year, that feels pretty good.”
Richards settled for second after challenging for the lead all night, which is an improvement on his results from this race last year in which he finished fourth.
“We had a great car, we definitely had a car good enough to win,” the Shinnston, W.Va. native said. “We were following Covert there and got jammed up in lapped traffic and got stuck on the bottom.
“Clanton got a good run and got around us, then after that it was going to be hard to get back in front of him. I feel like at the end of the race we were better than him, but the way the lapped traffic played out it was hard to get back up there.”
Action continues at Screven tomorrow night as Clanton looks to go back-to-back early in 2016 and repeat as winner of night two of Winter Freeze VI.
A-Main
1 25 Shane Clanton Zebulon, GA
2 1 Josh Richards Shinnston, WV
3 3s Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
4 76 Brandon Overton Appleton, GA
5 72 Jason Covert York Haven, PA
6 B1 Paul Wilmoth Clarksburg, WA
7 1* Chub Frank Bear Lake, PA
8 2F Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC
9 7v Rick Eckert York, PA
10 93 Donald Bradsher Burlington, NC
11 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
12 2 Joey Coulter Charlotte, NC
13 38 Kenny Pettyjohn Millsboro, DE
14 14M Morgan Bagley Tyler, TX
15 18c Chase Junghans Manhattan, KS
16 21 Ivedent Lloyd Jr. Ocala, FL
17 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY
18 99B Rick Briggs Bear Lake, PA
19 99jr Frank Heckenast Jr. Orland Park, IL
20 0 Coleby Frye Dover, PA
21 94 Austin Rettig Sikeston, MO
22 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
23 98 Casey Barrow Savannah, GA
24 1W Dillon Wood New Smyrna, FL
B-Main #1
1 0 Coleby Frye
2 21 Ivedent Lloyd Jr
3 21JR Billy Moyer Jr
4 C9 Steve Casebolt
5 D8 Dustin Mitchell
6 35TC Tristan Sealy
7 25F Jason Feger
8 28 Kelly Guy
9 16H Mike Hammerle
10 1N Jordy Nipper
11 4L Brian Ligon
12 11 Austin Smith
13 16 Rusty Griffaw
14 3 Chesley Dixon
15 101 Casey Roberts
B-Main #2
1 98 Casey Barrow
2 38s Kenny Pettyjohn
3 14M Morgan Bagley
4 91 Tyler Erb
5 18 Eric Wells
6 22 Chris Ferguson
7 201 Billy Ogle Jr
8 11B Stacy Boles
9 16T Tyler Bruening
10 48 Tim Lance
11 121 Harry Wallace
12 77 Jordan Yaggy
13 99jr Frank Heckenast Jr
14 93L Pancho Lawler
15 1d Brent Dixon
Heat #1
1 1 Josh Richards
2 3s Brian Shirley
3 93 Donald Bradsher
4 2 Joey Coulter
5 4L Brian Ligon
6 21JR Billy Moyer Jr
7 11 Austin Smith
8 C9 Steve Casebolt
9 25F Jason Feger
10 21 Ivedent Lloyd Jr
11 28 Kelly Guy
12 16H Mike Hammerle
Heat #2
1 25 Shane Clanton
2 B1 Paul Wilmoth
3 94 Austin Rettig
4 53 Ray Cook
5 0 Coleby Frye
6 D8 Dustin Mitchell
7 16 Rusty Griffaw
8 3 Chesley Dixon
9 101 Casey Roberts
10 1N Jordy Nipper
11 35TC Tristan Sealy
Heat #3
1 72 Jason Covert
2 1* Chub Frank
3 99B Boom Briggs
4 1W Dillon Wood
5 38s Kenny Pettyjohn
6 14M Morgan Bagley
7 22 Chris Ferguson
8 99jr Frank Heckenast Jr
9 18 Eric Wells
10 201 Billy Ogle Jr
11 11B Stacy Boles
12 121 Harry Wallace
Heat #4
1 76 Brandon Overton
2 2F Dennis Franklin
3 7 Rick Eckert
4 18c Chase Junghans
5 98 Casey Barrow
6 48 Tim Lance
7 91 Tyler Erb
8 1d Brent Dixon
9 77 Jordan Yaggy
10 93L Pancho Lawler
11 16T Tyler Bruening
For more information on the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com .
--results unofficial
EAST BAY HEADLINES
February 13: Zeigler beats Bloomquist in Winternationals finale at East Bay Raceway Prk
February 12: Davenport grabs second Winternationals victory at East Bay Raceway Park
February 11: Bloomquist runs away with Thursday Winternationals at East Bay Raceway
February 10: Davenport captures first Winternationals victory at East Bay Raceway Park
February 9: Richards keeps rolling at Winternationals victory at East Bay Raceway Park
February 8: Richards stays hot with win in Winternationals opener at East Bay Raceway
SCREVEN HEADLINES
February 12: Clanton tops Richards in World of Outlaws run at Screven Motor Speedway