By Stan Dillon
HAGERSTOWN, MD. - Two-time national champion Rick Eckert from York, PA returned to his home track Saturday night to score his first World of Outlaws Late Model Series win in the 50-lap Stanley Schetrompf Memorial at the Hagerstown Speedway.
Eckert, who earned $10,000 for his 15th career win at Hagerstown, was the ninth
different late model winner in nine races held this year at the popular half-mile oval.
"I didn't know whether I was ever going to get a WoO win," said Eckert, 38, who posted a pair of runner-up finishes when the Outlaw LM Series was christened at Volusia (Fla.) Speedway Park in February. "It's nice coming home and winning this before my hometown fans. They even brought my 93-year old grandfather, who isn't in good health, to watch tonight. It was a thrill to win with him here."
Eckert started on the outside-pole aboard his familiar orange no. 24 Raye Vest Rocket and quickly pulled away to a 10 car-length lead by the third lap with pole-sitter and dash winner Scott Bloomquist in pursuit. Steve Francis took over second when Bloomquist brought out the caution on lap seven and was able to stay within striking distance of the leader.
Francis closed in on Eckert's bumper on the 15th lap but 'Scrub' was able to open up a five-car length advantage as the leaders began to put the slower cars a lap down on the 23rd circuit. Francis closed in on the leader on lap 27 as Eckert approached two
lapped cars racing side-by-side and even pulled in front going down the backstretch, but Eckert was able to put his nose in front when the two cars finished lap 28 and was back in front when the second and final caution was waved on lap 29.
Eckert set the pace on the restart and was able to maintain a comfortable10 car-length lead over Francis the rest of the way to score his first win in round number 11 of the new World of Outlaw Late Model Series.
"I wanted to win the dash too, but I am glad that Bloomquist won," Eckert added. "He made me go in and work on my car because I knew I definitely needed to get better. Robby (Allen, crew chief) and I came to the conclusion about the things we had to do to get better and made some changes that made us better than we were in the dash, that's for sure."
Third-place starter Francis settled for the runner-up spot for the second time in as many nights. "We're happy with it," said Francis, who chased Chub Frank across the line Friday night in the A-Main staged at Lernerville (Pa.) Speedway. "We thought we had a run at him (Eckert) in lapped traffic, but Rick was a little bit better in the open and I think we were a little bit better in traffic. But it was still a good race and a good weekend. The track was excellent, probably the best we've ever seen this place. Randy (Grove) always has this place right, it was just racy."
Bart Hartman held off seventh-starting Chub Frank for third after setting fast-time of 18.639 seconds in time trials while Brian Birkhofer rounded out the top-five.
"We changed the car quite a bit from the heat race," Hartman said. "The track was good as usual. You could race all over it, bottom, top or the middle. It was racy as usual. I can't say enough about Rocket Chassis, Cornett Motors, Imler Poultry, Hoosier Racing Tires. We just needed to get a little bit better. We had a third place car evidently."
Dale McDowell was next with Bloomquist coming from the rear of the field for seventh after changing tires on the seventh lap. Randall Chupp placed eighth with 18th starting Donnie Moran ninth and 17th starting Mike Balzano completing the top-ten.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series makes a return trip to Tennessee for it's debut at Smokey Mountain Speedway in Marysville on Friday, April 30. Check out the current 2004 WoO LM Series schedule posted on the world wide web by clicking www.worldofoutlawslatemodelseries.com or contact the speedway directly at 706/282-0584 for further information.
WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODEL SERIES
SUMMARY EVENT NO. 11
FEATURE(50-LAPS): 24-RICK ECKERT ($10,000), 15-Steve Francis, 75-Bart Hartman, *1-Chubb Frank, 15b-Brian Birkhofer, 17m-Dale McDowell, 0-Scott Bloomquist, 114-Randall Chupp, 99-Donnie Moran, e1-Mike Balzano, 90-Gary Stuhler, 24m-Jeremy Miller, 21-Billy Moyer, 23-John Blankenship, 9p-Frankie Plessinger, 29-Darrell Lanigan, 83-Scott James, 70j-D.J. Myers, 19j-Davey Johnson, 39-Tim McCreadie, 44-Clint Smith, s9-Dan Schlieper, 05-Roy Deese,Jr., won11-Robbie Blair, 71-Brent Smith.
Lap Leader: Eckert, 1-50.
TIME TRIALS: BART HARTMAN (18.639 sec./96.572 mph), Scott Bloomquist (18.803), Rick Eckert (18.968), Steve Francis (19.096), Brian Birkhofer (19.126), Mike Balzano (19.135), Donnie Moran (19.196), Alan Sagi (19.202), Clint Smith (19.217), Dale McDowell (19.239), Roy Deese,Jr. (19.239), Billy Moyer (19.241), Scott James (19.246), Steve Shaver (19.273), Chub Frank (19.277), Jason Covert (19.283), Scott Leberon (19.290), Tim McCreadie (19.341), Matt Miller (19.346), Gary Stuhler (19.348), John Blankenship (19.351), Darrell Lanigan (19.381), Robbie Blair (19.385), Mike Lupfer (19.449), Jeremy Miller (19.501), Davey Johnson (19.548), Frankie Plessinger,Jr. (19.609), D.J. Myers (19.626), Kirk Ryan (19.625), Jerry Foster (19.639), Dan Stone (19.658), Scott Cross (19.661), John Mason (19.670), Dan Schlieper (19.680), Paul Crowl (19.708), Rick Aukland (19.727), Jim Bernheisel (19.732), Brent Smith (19.733), Tom Myers (19.763), Jerry Fifield (20.318), Brian Booze (20.420), Rick Hulson (20.445), Dave Rice,Jr. (20.508), Josh Richards (20.667), Tim Wilson (20.684), Donnie Farlling (20.726), Jeremy Stone (20.852), Tim Murphy (20.864).
HEAT 1: Birkhofer, Hartman, C.Smith, James.
HEAT 2: Bloomquist, McDowell, Chupp, McCreadie.
HEAT 3: Eckert, Frank, Lanigan, Deese.
HEAT 4: Francis, Moyer, Stuhler, Blair.
LAST CHANCE 1: Balzano, Miller, Myers.
LAST CHANCE 2: Moran, Plessinger, Johnson.
DASH: Bloomquist, Eckert, Francis, Birkhofer.
PROVISIONALS: Schlieper, B.Smith, Blankenship.
Total Entries: 49.
HAGERSTOWN, MD. - Two-time national champion Rick Eckert from York, PA returned to his home track Saturday night to score his first World of Outlaws Late Model Series win in the 50-lap Stanley Schetrompf Memorial at the Hagerstown Speedway.
Eckert, who earned $10,000 for his 15th career win at Hagerstown, was the ninth
different late model winner in nine races held this year at the popular half-mile oval.
"I didn't know whether I was ever going to get a WoO win," said Eckert, 38, who posted a pair of runner-up finishes when the Outlaw LM Series was christened at Volusia (Fla.) Speedway Park in February. "It's nice coming home and winning this before my hometown fans. They even brought my 93-year old grandfather, who isn't in good health, to watch tonight. It was a thrill to win with him here."
Eckert started on the outside-pole aboard his familiar orange no. 24 Raye Vest Rocket and quickly pulled away to a 10 car-length lead by the third lap with pole-sitter and dash winner Scott Bloomquist in pursuit. Steve Francis took over second when Bloomquist brought out the caution on lap seven and was able to stay within striking distance of the leader.
Francis closed in on Eckert's bumper on the 15th lap but 'Scrub' was able to open up a five-car length advantage as the leaders began to put the slower cars a lap down on the 23rd circuit. Francis closed in on the leader on lap 27 as Eckert approached two
lapped cars racing side-by-side and even pulled in front going down the backstretch, but Eckert was able to put his nose in front when the two cars finished lap 28 and was back in front when the second and final caution was waved on lap 29.
Eckert set the pace on the restart and was able to maintain a comfortable10 car-length lead over Francis the rest of the way to score his first win in round number 11 of the new World of Outlaw Late Model Series.
"I wanted to win the dash too, but I am glad that Bloomquist won," Eckert added. "He made me go in and work on my car because I knew I definitely needed to get better. Robby (Allen, crew chief) and I came to the conclusion about the things we had to do to get better and made some changes that made us better than we were in the dash, that's for sure."
Third-place starter Francis settled for the runner-up spot for the second time in as many nights. "We're happy with it," said Francis, who chased Chub Frank across the line Friday night in the A-Main staged at Lernerville (Pa.) Speedway. "We thought we had a run at him (Eckert) in lapped traffic, but Rick was a little bit better in the open and I think we were a little bit better in traffic. But it was still a good race and a good weekend. The track was excellent, probably the best we've ever seen this place. Randy (Grove) always has this place right, it was just racy."
Bart Hartman held off seventh-starting Chub Frank for third after setting fast-time of 18.639 seconds in time trials while Brian Birkhofer rounded out the top-five.
"We changed the car quite a bit from the heat race," Hartman said. "The track was good as usual. You could race all over it, bottom, top or the middle. It was racy as usual. I can't say enough about Rocket Chassis, Cornett Motors, Imler Poultry, Hoosier Racing Tires. We just needed to get a little bit better. We had a third place car evidently."
Dale McDowell was next with Bloomquist coming from the rear of the field for seventh after changing tires on the seventh lap. Randall Chupp placed eighth with 18th starting Donnie Moran ninth and 17th starting Mike Balzano completing the top-ten.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series makes a return trip to Tennessee for it's debut at Smokey Mountain Speedway in Marysville on Friday, April 30. Check out the current 2004 WoO LM Series schedule posted on the world wide web by clicking www.worldofoutlawslatemodelseries.com or contact the speedway directly at 706/282-0584 for further information.
WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODEL SERIES
SUMMARY EVENT NO. 11
FEATURE(50-LAPS): 24-RICK ECKERT ($10,000), 15-Steve Francis, 75-Bart Hartman, *1-Chubb Frank, 15b-Brian Birkhofer, 17m-Dale McDowell, 0-Scott Bloomquist, 114-Randall Chupp, 99-Donnie Moran, e1-Mike Balzano, 90-Gary Stuhler, 24m-Jeremy Miller, 21-Billy Moyer, 23-John Blankenship, 9p-Frankie Plessinger, 29-Darrell Lanigan, 83-Scott James, 70j-D.J. Myers, 19j-Davey Johnson, 39-Tim McCreadie, 44-Clint Smith, s9-Dan Schlieper, 05-Roy Deese,Jr., won11-Robbie Blair, 71-Brent Smith.
Lap Leader: Eckert, 1-50.
TIME TRIALS: BART HARTMAN (18.639 sec./96.572 mph), Scott Bloomquist (18.803), Rick Eckert (18.968), Steve Francis (19.096), Brian Birkhofer (19.126), Mike Balzano (19.135), Donnie Moran (19.196), Alan Sagi (19.202), Clint Smith (19.217), Dale McDowell (19.239), Roy Deese,Jr. (19.239), Billy Moyer (19.241), Scott James (19.246), Steve Shaver (19.273), Chub Frank (19.277), Jason Covert (19.283), Scott Leberon (19.290), Tim McCreadie (19.341), Matt Miller (19.346), Gary Stuhler (19.348), John Blankenship (19.351), Darrell Lanigan (19.381), Robbie Blair (19.385), Mike Lupfer (19.449), Jeremy Miller (19.501), Davey Johnson (19.548), Frankie Plessinger,Jr. (19.609), D.J. Myers (19.626), Kirk Ryan (19.625), Jerry Foster (19.639), Dan Stone (19.658), Scott Cross (19.661), John Mason (19.670), Dan Schlieper (19.680), Paul Crowl (19.708), Rick Aukland (19.727), Jim Bernheisel (19.732), Brent Smith (19.733), Tom Myers (19.763), Jerry Fifield (20.318), Brian Booze (20.420), Rick Hulson (20.445), Dave Rice,Jr. (20.508), Josh Richards (20.667), Tim Wilson (20.684), Donnie Farlling (20.726), Jeremy Stone (20.852), Tim Murphy (20.864).
HEAT 1: Birkhofer, Hartman, C.Smith, James.
HEAT 2: Bloomquist, McDowell, Chupp, McCreadie.
HEAT 3: Eckert, Frank, Lanigan, Deese.
HEAT 4: Francis, Moyer, Stuhler, Blair.
LAST CHANCE 1: Balzano, Miller, Myers.
LAST CHANCE 2: Moran, Plessinger, Johnson.
DASH: Bloomquist, Eckert, Francis, Birkhofer.
PROVISIONALS: Schlieper, B.Smith, Blankenship.
Total Entries: 49.
