HARTFORD, MI – April 29, 2011 – Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., glided forward from the sixth starting spot to score a convincing victory in Friday night’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Cabin Fever 50’ at Hartford Motor Speedway.
The 40-year-old star continued his spectacular early-season surge, winning for the third time in the six events that have been contested so far on the national tour. He missed the season-opening race in February due to a medical issue but has quickly roared back into title contention with four consecutive top-three finishes.
“I’m telling you, right now we’re on a roll,” said Lanigan, who earned $10,775 for a victory that gave him sole possession of third place on the WoO LMS win list since 2004, with 22 career wins. “The Rocket Chassis is awesome, the Cornett motor is awesome, the crew’s doing a great job and I’m feeling better than I have in a while after getting a cortisone shot for my lower-back (which has been causing him discomfort due to the fractured tailbone recently found by doctors). Everything is just going great.”
Click here to watch a video of Darrell Lanigan talking about his triumph.
Lanigan discovered an extreme outside line around the sprawling 9/16th-mile oval before any of his rivals and used it almost exclusively to sweep through the top five. He completed his charge by passing pole sitter Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill., for the lead on lap 17.
“I knew I had a good car at the beginning, but they kind of got me bundled up there on the bottom,” said Lanigan, who moved to fourth place in the WoO LMS points standings, just 38 points behind leader Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va. “I couldn’t go nowhere, so I said, ‘I’m just going to the top.’ And I’ll tell ya, that thing was a rocket on the top.”
The remainder of the distance belonged to Lanigan, who pulled away from the field following the race’s second and final caution flag on lap 24. The 2008 WoO LMS champion crossed the finish line 3.859 seconds – nearly a full straightaway – ahead of Feger, who registered a season-best runner-up outing in his Bob Pierce-built car.
“Man, that guy is on fire right now,” the 32-year-old Feger said of Lanigan. “He passed me and took off there. It was his night.
“It’s not very often I get passed on the top side, but that’s part of the disadvantage of leading – you don’t know who’s coming behind you. But I don’t know if I would’ve been able to hold him off even if I could’ve gotten to the top. We’re just happy to run second finally. We’ve been fast lately but haven’t had any good results.”
Richards, the two-time defending WoO LMS titlist and current points leader, finished third, but he had to rally during the second half of the A-Main after falling from third to fifth when he slid high between turns one and two on the lap-24 restart. He finally secured third place on lap 46 by passing outside pole sitter Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who settled for a fourth-place finish that marked his first top-five run of the 2011 tour.
McCreadie’s Sweeteners Plus Racing teammate, Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y., completed the top five. The race’s third starter recorded a season-best finish and also earned the $500 WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ cash for being the highest-placing driver who hasn’t won a tour A-Main and wasn’t ranked among the top 12 in the points standings entering the event.
Rick Eckert of York, Pa., ran a steady-but-quiet race to finish sixth, keeping him second in the points standings. Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., moved up from the 10th starting spot to place a season-high seventh, followed by top-finishing WoO LMS rookie Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., and Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del.
Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., who debuted a self-owned effort sponsored by Pennsylvania’s BPG Inc., brought out the race’s first caution flag on lap five when he stopped on the backstretch. He drove into the pit area and did not return due to a possible lost cylinder.
Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich., suffered the feature’s toughest break. He smacked the turn-three wall on lap 24 and was towed off the track just moments after his outside-groove assault had put him in sixth place.
A field of 41 cars was signed in for the evening’s action.
Heat winners were Feger, Eckert, Doar and Lanigan. The B-Mains were captured by Fuller and WoO LMS rookie John Lobb of Frewsburg, N.Y.
Feger was quickest in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, earning his third career WoO LMS fast-time honor with a lap of 18.770 seconds. He narrowly missed the two-year-old track record of 18.745 seconds held by Frankie Heckenast Jr. of Orland Park, Ill.
The WoO LMS moves to Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, Ky., on Saturday night (April 30) for the ninth annual ‘My Old Kentucky Home Shootout.’ A 50-lap A-Main paying $10,000 to win tops the evening’s agenda.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘Cabin Fever 50’ at Hartford Motor Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (6) Darrell Lanigan/50 $10,775
2. (1) Jason Feger/50 $5,650
3. (4) Josh Richards/50 $3,650
4. (2) Tim McCreadie/50 $3,150
5. (3) Vic Coffey/50 $2,500
6. (5) Rick Eckert/50 $2,250
7. (10) Clint Smith/50 $1,950
8. (8) Pat Doar/50 $1,550
9. (11) Shane Clanton/50 $1,750
10. (12) Austin Hubbard/50 $1,650
11. (14) Ron Davies/50 $1,050
12. (16) Matt Miller/50 $1,000
13. (7) Brady Smith/50 $950
14. (13) J.R. Hotovy/50 $950
15. (20) Brent Robinson/49 $1,400
16. (18) John Lobb/49 $800
17. (21) Chub Frank/48 $1,320
18. (15) Brian Ruhlman/48 $750
19. (19) Curtis Roberts/48 $730
20. (23) Jill George/48 $700
21. (9) Jeep VanWormer/23 $700
22. (22) Zack Olger/15 $700
23. (17) Tim Fuller/4 $1,250
24. (25) Alan Vochaska/0 $700
25. (24) Kent Robinson/0 $725
* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: 23 Mins., 16.485 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 3.859 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 2 (Laps 5, 24)
Lap Leaders: Feger (1-16); Lanigan (17-50)
Provisional Starters: George, K. Robinson (WoO); Vochaska (track)
Rookie of the Race: Doar ($250)
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Coffey ($500)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 25-Jason Feger/Bloomington, IL 18.770
2. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 18.927
3. 11d-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 18.934
4. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 18.940
5. 9R-Curtis Roberts/Coleman, MI 18.959
6. 71d-Ron Davies/Warren, PA 18.998
7. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 19.029
8. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 19.034
9. 13-J.R. Hotovy/Hartford, MI 19.107
10. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 19.113
11. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 19.136
12. 19H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 19.137
13. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 19.278
14. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 19.280
15. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 19.304
16. 7-Matt Miller/Waterville, OH 19.316
17. 55-Jeep VanWormer/Pinconning, MI 19.319
18. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 19.394
19. 49-Brian Ruhlman/Clarklake, MI 19.406
20. V77-Guy Volk/Portage, IN 19.494
21. 49J-Greg Johnson/Bedford, IN 19.546
22. 111-Curt Spalding/Hartford, MI 19.571
23. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 19.662
24. 7R-Kent Robinson/Bloomington, IN 19.668
25. 34-Alan Vochaska/South Haven, MI 19.700
26. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 19.779
27. 15-Phil Ausra/Dowagiac, MI 19.901
28. 14-Kerry Matthew/Rennselaer, IN 20.026
29. 20-Chad White/Coloma, MI 20.045
30. 85-Mark Anderson/Blanchard, MI 20.073
31. 0x-Zack Olger/St. Johns, MI 20.104
32. 1L-John Lobb/Frewsburg, NY 20.120
33. 23v-Ryan Vanderveen/Six Lakes, MI 20.177
34. 87-Richard Neiser/Fruit Port, MI 20.536
35. 69-John Nobach/Lakeview, MI 20.649
36. 71E-Pat Elhert/Ovid, MI 20.661
37. 3A-Steve Ausra/Dowagiac, MI 20.813
38. 22A-Doug Ausra/Dowagiac, MI 21.058
39. 1%-Jeremy Ferguson/Hartford, MI 21.675
40. 86-Louis Miller/Battle Creek, MI 21.745
41. 78-Mark Wagner/St. Joseph, MI N/T
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Feger, Richards, VanWormer, Hotovy, Roberts, Vochaska, G. Johnson, Vanderveen, White, S. Ausra (DNS) Wagner
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Eckert, McCreadie, C. Smith, Davies, Fuller, Frank, Spalding, Anderson, D. Ausra (DNS) Neiser
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Doar, Coffey, Clanton, Ruhlman, B. Robinson, P. Ausra, Olger, George, Ferguson, Nobach
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Lanigan, B. Smith, Hubbard, Miller, Lobb, Volk, Matthew, Elhert, Miller, K. Robinson
B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Fuller, Roberts, Frank, G. Johnson, Vochaska, Spalding, Vanderveen, Anderson, Neiser, S. Ausra, White, D. Ausra (DNS) Wagner
B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Lobb, B. Robinson, Olger, P. Ausra, Volk, George, Elhert, Ferguson, Matthew (DNS) Miller, Nobach, K. Robinson
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners:
Arizona Sports Shirts ($100 apparel certificate to 22nd fastest qualifier): Jill George
Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main w/decal): Jason Feger
Comp Cams ($50 cash to A-Main winner or next highest w/decal): Jason Feger
Comp Cams (certificate to 11th place in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Austin Hubbard
Eibach Springs (one free spring to each B-Main winner or next highest w/decal): Curtis Roberts/John Lobb
JE Pistons ($50 cash to A-Main winner or next highest w/decal): Josh Richards
JE Pistons (one set of Pro Seal rings to 11th-place or next highest w/decal, redeemable w/next purchase of one complete set of rings): J.R. Hotovy
JE Pistons (one set of Pro Seal rings to 21st-place or next highest w/decal, redeemable w/next purchase of one complete set of rings): Zack Olger
MSD Ignition ($75 cash to A-Main winner or next highest w/decal): Darrell Lanigan
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to last-place in A-Main or next lowest w/decal): Kent Robinson
Ohlins Pole Award ($50 cash to fast qualifier or next highest w/decal): Rick Eckert
Quartermaster ($100 product certificate to A-Main winner or next highest w/decal): Darrell Lanigan
Quartermaster ($50 product certificate to 5th-place or next highest w/decal): Vic Coffey
Quartermaster ($25 product certificate to 15th-place or next highest w/decal): Brent Robinson
R2C Performance ($100 certificate to highest-finishing driver w/decal or $100 cash if race winner is using R2C filter and decal is displayed): Darrell Lanigan (cash)
STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Jason Feger
Superflow Dynos ($50 cash to 7th-place in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Clint Smith
VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to winner of Heat 1 or next highest w/decal): Jason Feger
VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (one five-gallon plastic fuel jugs to fastest qualifier who does not make the A-Main or next highest w/decal): Guy Volk
WIX Filters ($50 cash to 13th-place in A-Main or next highest w/decal): J.R. Hotovy
Wrisco Aluminum (Three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner w/decal): Darrell Lanigan
2011 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of April 29 – 6 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
1. Josh Richards 932
2. Rick Eckert 924 (-8)
3. Austin Hubbard 906 (-26)
4. Darrell Lanigan 894 (-38)
5. Jason Feger 884 (-48)
6. Shane Clanton 862 (-70)
7. Tim McCreadie 860 (-72)
8. Chub Frank 842 (-90)
9. Clint Smith 840 (-92)
10. Tim Fuller 798 (-134)
11. Brent Robinson 784 (-148)
12. Vic Coffey 756 (-176)
13. Pat Doar 754 (-178)
14. Steve Francis 752 (-180)
15. Ron Davies 694 (-238)
16. John Lobb 666 (-266)
17. Jill George 648 (-284)
18. Jonathan Davenport 632 (-300)
19. Billy Moyer 596 (-336)
20. Scott Bloomquist 570 (-362)
FOLLOW THE ACTION ON TWITTER: Fans can keep up-to-date with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series online and through text messages on cell phones via Twitter, the internet’s fast-growing social-networking and micro-blogging website. Updates are provided to Twitter ‘followers’ of the WoO LMS throughout each race night, and fans also receive breaking news and interesting notes from the tour.
Over 3,500 fans are now WoO LMS ‘followers’ on Twitter. To sign-up and receive updates anywhere at anytime, visit http://twitter.com/WoOLateModels.
LISTEN ONLINE: If fans can’t get to a track to see the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, they can experience the excitement of the nation’s premier tour live on DIRTvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network.
To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to http://www.dirtvision.com/welcome.php and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.
BLOGGING: WoO LMS fans can now read interesting stories from the road by checking out two blogs –‘Life As An Outlaw’ by series announcer Rick Eshelman and ‘The Scoop With Scoop’ by tour P.R. director Kevin Kovac. Both blogs can be accessed by clicking on the preceding links or the specific ‘Blog’ buttons on the right-hand side of http://www.woolms.com/.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), Vicci (Official Uniform), VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award), McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award), Chizmark Larson Insurance, Factory Value Parts and RacingJunk.com; in addition to contingency sponsors Comp Cams, Eibach Springs, JE Pistons, MSD Ignition, Ohlins Shocks, Pro Power Engines, Quartermaster, Rocket Chassis, R2C Performance, Superflow Dynos, Wix Filters and Wrisco Aluminum.