by Ryan Neuharth
Tucson, Ariz (January 15) – Prior to the start of the Wild West Shootout at USA Raceway, Tim McCreadie was approaching the week with cautious optimism. Making his second significant chassis change in the past 12-months, (from Rocket to Victory Circle, and now to Warrior Race Cars) the teams thoughts were focused more on what they had and less on the actual results.

The plan was to use the six race mini-series as a test session in preparation for the 2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series campaign which opens next month in Georgia. After a positive thirteenth to fifth run on Saturday night, things were looking up for the Sweeteners Plus team. At the conclusion of Sunday afternoon’s event, one could consider their test a complete success!

The third starting McCreadie used a wealth of patience and a little racing luck to snag the lead from a resurgent John Anderson on lap eighteen and cruised to his first ever Wild West Shootout win. On a day when Mother Nature did her best to interfere late in the day, track officials hustled along the program, bypassing their normal track prep procedures. Intermittent sprinkles produced a low-line dominate track surface, and when Anderson made a miscue in lapped traffic, McCreadie was there to pounce.

Anderson, who picked up his second heat race win in as many days, beat Billy Moyer, Jr. into turn one for the lead at the drop of the green, while McCreadie settled into third followed by Jimmy Mars, Don O’Neal, Saturday winner Billy Moyer, Will Vaught, Ross Camponovo, Shannon Babb and Shane Clanton.

With a dominate low-line throughout the race, very little was taking place in terms of forward progress behind the top three. The only drivers to venture to the top-side were the 18’s of Babb and Camponovo who were greeted by a thin cushion and not much grip. Unable to make significant progress by lap five, the duo jumped back in line settling near the back of the top ten.

At the front of the field, Moyer, Jr. fired his one and only salvo, pulling even with Anderson for the lead on lap seven. When his forward advance was thwarted, the younger Moyer got excited and overdrove the next corner, giving McCreadie the opening he needed to take second and being to chase down Anderson.

During the next nine circuits, McCreadie would track down Anderson and begin the task of getting around the race leader. With a narrow track surface, treacherous tire barriers guarding the infield, and slower traffic ahead, it took all of the new Warrior House Car driver’s patience to wait for a mistake by Anderson.

That mistake came amid lapped traffic on lap eighteen when Anderson slipped high exiting turn four, giving McCreadie the preferred line entering turn one, essentially securing the win for the former World of Outlaws Late Model Series Champion.

The races only yellow appeared on lap twenty-three when Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth slowed in turn with a flat right-rear tire. With clear track ahead for the final seven trips around the USA Raceway, McCreadie was never challenged in route to the checkers.

A-Main
1 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY $5,000
2 2J John Anderson Omaha, NE
3 21JR Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
4 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
5 71 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN
6 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
7 1V Will Vaught Crane, MO
8 25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove, GA
9 14 Brad Looney Republic, MO
10 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
11 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
12 32 Chris Simpson Oxford, IA
13 8P Lonnie Parker Jr El Mirage, AZ
14 18c Ross Camponova Clarksdale, MS
15 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr Chandler, AZ
16 8 John Lowrey Bakersfield, CA
17 10N Robert Sanders Bakersfield, CA
18 15K Justin Kay Wheatland, IA
19 37W Scott Ward Watertown, SD
20 31 Scott Creel Franklinton, LA
21 57J Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS
22 14M Dean Moore Grand Junction, CO
23 18x Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth Northport, AL
24 00K Randy Korte Highland, IL

B-Main #1
1 18x Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth Northport, AL *
2 8P Lonnie Parker Jr El Mirage, AZ *
3 31 Scott Creel Franklinton, LA *
4 10N Robert Sanders Bakersfield, CA *
5 23 RC Whitwell Tucson, AZ
6 54 Dane Dacus Memphis, TN
7 4R Dereck Ramirez Woodward, OK
8 91T Tony Toste Pismo Beach, CA
9 37 Rob Mayea Bend, OR
10 12 Ron Bartels El Segundo, CA
11 A1 Duke Whiseant Texarkana, AR
12 17s Rick Shafer Vacaville, CA
13 22G Paul Guglielmoni Vacaville, CA
14 42s Don Shaw Ham Lake, MN
15 00x Jesse Stovall Galena, MO
16 51 Joey Moriarty Tucson, AZ
17 6 Dennis Lickliter Tucson, AZ
18 32S Chris Shannon Merced, CA
19 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX

B-Main #2
1 00K Randy Korte Highland, IL *
2 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr Chandler, AZ *
3 37W Scott Ward Watertown, SD *
4 14M Dean Moore Grand Junction, CO *
5 9I Steve Isenburg Marshfield, WI
6 11K Jon Kirby Russellville, AR
7 32B Clay Daly Bakersfield, CA
8 91P Jason Papich Santa Maria, CA
9 92K Brant Kehrer New Memphis, IL
10 10X Leon Henderson Laurel, MS
11 77A Justin Asplin Birch Tree, MO
12 43 Garret Alberson Las Cruces, NM
13 94 James Chavez Jr Tucson, AZ
14 11M Paul Mueller Bismarck, ND
15 6H Al Humphries Giltner, NE
16 77 Jason McBride Carbonville, IL
17 21F Todd Frank Mellen, WI
18 96M Matt Micheli Yuba City, CA
19 99JR Frank Heckenast Jr Orland Park, IL

B-Main #3
1 15K Justin Kay Wheatland, IA
2 32 Chris Simpson Oxford, IA
3 8 John Lowrey Bakersfield, CA
4 57J Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS
5 9T Tim Isenburg Marshfield, WI
6 7 Ricky Weiss Headingly, MB
7 28X Jeff Provinzino Hibbing, MN
8 27 Nick Bartels El Segundo, CA
9 2 Trevor Glaser Tangent, OR
10 5B Klint Byars Carrollton, MS
11 28 John Lobb Frewsburg, NY
12 93 Ray Moore Shreveport, LA
13 10eh Ed Turnbull Estevan, MB
14 5E Shane Edginton Winnipeg, MB
15 7V David Vennard Edmonton, AB
16 24 Terry Belcher Jr Phoenix, AZ
17 26 Mark Carrell Redmond, OR
dns 38 Marc Herrera Las Cruces, NM

________________________________________

Heat #1
1 1 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO *
2 3 15K Justin Kay Wheatland, IA
3 8 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY
4 6 8 John Lowrey Bakersfield, CA
5 2 23 RC Whitwell Tucson, AZ
6 7 54 Dane Dacus Memphis, TN
7 5 77 Jason McBride Carbonville, IL
8 10 10X Leon Henderson Laurel, MS
9 9 7V David Vennard Edmonton, AB
10 4 99JR Frank Heckenast Jr Orland Park, IL

Heat #2
1 6 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR *
2 2 9T Tim Isenburg Marshfield, WI
3 5 32 Chris Simpson Oxford, IA
4 4 32S Chris Shannon Merced, CA
5 10 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr Chandler, AZ
6 1 92K Brant Kehrer New Memphis, IL
7 9 77A Justin Asplin Birch Tree, MO
8 7 21F Todd Frank Mellen, WI
9 3 6H Al Humphries Giltner, NE
10 8 93 Ray Moore Shreveport, LA

Heat #3
1 2 25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove, GA *
2 7 71 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN
3 1 9I Steve Isenburg Marshfield, WI
4 8 31 Scott Creel Franklinton, LA
5 4 28X Jeff Provinzino Hibbing, MN
6 3 11M Paul Mueller Bismarck, ND
7 9 27 Nick Bartels El Segundo, CA
8 6 A1 Duke Whiseant Texarkana, AR
9 5 43 Garret Alberson Las Cruces, NM
10 10 5E Shane Edginton Winnipeg, MB

Heat #4
1 4 18c Ross Camponova Clarksdale, MS *
2 7 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
3 8 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
4 3 14M Dean Moore Grand Junction, CO
5 5 91P Jason Papich Santa Maria, CA
6 2 24 Terry Belcher Jr Phoenix, AZ
7 6 2 Trevor Glaser Tangent, OR
8 10 26 Mark Carrell Redmond, OR
9 1 91T Tony Toste Pismo Beach, CA
dns 38 Marc Herrera Las Cruces, NM

Heat #5
1 6 2J John Anderson Omaha, NE *
2 5 21JR Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
3 4 32B Clay Daly Bakersfield, CA
4 7 37W Scott Ward Watertown, SD
5 3 37 Rob Mayea Bend, OR
6 2 12 Ron Bartels El Segundo, CA
7 1 28 John Lobb Frewsburg, NY
7 10 4R Dereck Ramirez Woodward, OK
9 9 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
dns 17s Rick Shafer Vacaville, CA

Heat #6
1 2 1V Will Vaught Crane, MO *
2 1 00x Jesse Stovall Galena, MO
3 5 18x Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth Northport, AL
4 3 57J Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS
5 8 42s Don Shaw Ham Lake, MN
6 7 11K Jon Kirby Russellville, AR
7 4 51 Joey Moriarty Tucson, AZ
8 6 94 James Chavez Jr Tucson, AZ
dns 96M Matt Micheli Yuba City, CA

Heat #7
1 2 14 Brad Looney Republic, MO *
2 3 10N Robert Sanders Bakersfield, CA
3 1 7 Ricky Weiss Headingly, MB
4 8 00K Randy Korte Highland, IL
5 6 8P Lonnie Parker Jr El Mirage, AZ
6 7 5B Klint Byars Carrollton, MS
7 5 10eh Ed Turnbull Estevan, MB
8 9 22G Paul Guglielmoni Vacaville, CA
9 4 6 Dennis Lickliter Tucson, AZ