Record-Setting Driver Celebrates Unprecedented Third 100-Lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series Win Of ’12 In Victory Lane Downpour
MARNE, MI – Sept. 22, 2012 – Darrell Lanigan’s drive to victory in Saturday night’s Keyser Manufacturing ‘Down & Dirty 100’ Presented by NAPA Auto Parts at Berlin Raceway was so dramatic, even he couldn’t hold back his excitement.
With rain pouring down on the Victory Lane celebration, the normally reserved driver from Union, Ky., was as pumped as the big crowd that watched him rally to overtake Billy Moyer for the lead on lap 95 and bag his unprecedented third 100-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series triumph of 2012.
“Unbelievable,” a visibly overjoyed Lanigan said after his WoO LMS record 15th win of the season. “Man, what a race! That car came on there at the end. I could just run wide open almost all the way around the racetrack.”
Lanigan, 42, appeared dead in the water after a lap-30 scrape damaged his Rocket car’s right-rear corner and dropped him from second to sixth, but he came alive with a late-race charge that carried him to a $20,650 win in the first dirt event since 1965 at the historic Berlin track. The renowned 7/16 th-mile paved oval was covered with over 300 truckloads of clay for the big weekend of racing.
After pulling away from Batesville, Ark.’s Moyer following a lap-96 restart to win by 2.978 seconds, Lanigan had high praise for Berlin’s newly-laid track surface.
“That track was amazing,” said Lanigan, who recorded his record 41st career victory on the WoO LMS. “Man, we could race all over that thing. It was smooth and slick – just unbelievable.
“I think they need to do this to all asphalt tracks – put dirt on top of it, and once a year we’ll go racing.”
Moyer, who turns 55 next month, advanced from the fourth starting spot to lead laps 23-94 but settled for a runner-up finish in his Victory Circle car. He couldn’t stick with Lanigan following the race’s final restart but managed to outrun Rick Eckert of York, Pa., who finished third in his Team Zero by Bloomquist car after starting from the outside pole and briefly slipping out of the top five midway through the A-Main.
Polesitter Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., led laps 1-22 but fell to fourth at the finish in a Kennedy Motorsports Capital Race Car that was plagued by left-front nosepiece damage sustained on lap seven while he was lapping former NASCAR Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series champion Johnny Benson Jr. Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., completed the top five in his Rocket car, which he started from the 23rd spot because he used a provisional after forfeiting his heat-race transfer position for weighing in light at the scales.
Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., finished sixth after starting 12th and climbing as high as second. He challenged Moyer for the lead just before the race’s first caution flag flew on lap 46 but he didn’t threaten again and faded after losing second to Clanton on lap 68.
Lanigan, who started ninth, experienced a fade of his own after his car sustained right-rear bodywork damage on the 30th lap as he overtook Clanton for second, but he was able to right his sinking ship in time to pull off another big-race triumph.
“We got going toward the beginning of the race and got to second and then I got my quarter-panel knocked up,” said Lanigan. “Man, I’m telling ya, I went from second to like sixth or seventh real quick. Then I had a caution (on lap 46) and (a WoO LMS official) straightened that quarter panel back out (as allowed by series rules), and man, it was back on again.
“I didn’t really know the quarter-panel was bent up like it was, so man, I didn’t know what was going on. I just knew I was terrible for some reason. They straightened it out and it was good again.”
More than good enough, in fact, to propel Lanigan forward in stirring fashion with the event winding down. He cracked the top five on lap 69, then passed Fuller for fourth on lap 86, Clanton for third on lap 89 and Eckert for second a couple circuits later.
The last driver on Lanigan’s hit list was Moyer, who succumbed to the Bluegrass Bandit’s assault on lap 95. Lanigan surged underneath Moyer rounding turns three and four and vaulted ahead off the corner.
“Billy slipped up and little getting into three and left the bottom open,” said Lanigan. “Because I was fast through the middle of that corner, I was like, ‘Man, you’re in trouble now.’ I just put it in there and got by him.”
Moyer felt that Lanigan’s deciding pass was a bit aggressive, but he conceded that he was likely a sitting duck. The legendary driver found himself struggling during the final circuits after banging together entering turn one on lap 83 with the lapped car driven by Duane Treadwell of LaGrange, Ga.
“My car was really good until right there at the end,” said Moyer. “What happened that caused it to where (Lanigan) could even get in sight was when we got together with the 55 car and tore my right door up. It wasn’t the same car after that. There was a big hole in the door, and that must made the car a lot looser everywhere.
“(Lanigan) was a little better than we were at the end, yeah, but he could’ve passed me without running over me. Look at my left door – it’s caved in 12 inches.”
Lanigan’s victory pushed his 2012 WoO LMS earnings over the $300,000 mark and also virtually assured him of another $100,000 check for winning his second career tour title. With a 210-point over Eckert, Lanigan can clinch the championship by merely finishing at least 26th in the season’s four remaining A-Mains.
Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., finished seventh in Mark Richards’s Rocket Chassis house. He ran as high as fourth after starting 15th, but he slowed with a flat tire to bring out the race’s fourth and final caution flag, on lap 96, and rallied over the final tours.
Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., was a quiet eighth; Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., limped home ninth after folding his car’s right-front bumper when he caught a hole in turn two while bidding for fifth place on lap 98; and Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y. completed the top 10.
The most high-profile contender to retire early from the 100 was Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who spun out of third place on lap 46 after he clipped an inside marker tire off turn two. He attempted to return after a pit stop but pulled off on lap 53 because his car’s bumper was folded under.
Thirty-two cars were signed in for the event, which was completed in one day after rain washed out Friday night’s scheduled qualifying program. Saturday’s show was run under a threat of rain but the showers stayed away until the skies opened just after Lanigan took the checkered flag.
Eckert was quickest in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, blazing around the D-shaped track in 15.433 seconds to earn his fourth fast-time honor 2012.
Heat winners were Eckert, Moyer and Coffey, and Ryan VanderVeen of Six Lakes, Mich., captured the B-Main.
The next action for the WoO LMS will come during NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week XLI with a visit on Thurs., Oct. 4, to Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, N.Y.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and Facebook at Facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws .
Results of WoO Late Model Series Keyser Manufacturing ‘Down & Dirty 100’ Presented by NAPA Auto Parts at Berlin Raceway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (9) Darrell Lanigan/100 $20,650
2. (4) Billy Moyer/100 $10,200
3. (2) Rick Eckert/100 $6,650
4. (1) Shane Clanton/100 $5,550
5. (23) Clint Smith/100 $4,550
6. (12) Tim Fuller/100 $3,550
7. (15) Brandon Sheppard/100 $2,800
8. (5) Dennis Erb Jr./100 $2,600
9. (8) Chub Frank/100 $2,850
10. (6) Vic Coffey/100 $2,650
11. (14) Mike Spatola/99 $2,450
12. (17) Duane Treadwell/97 $1,800
13. (24) Eric Spangler/96 $1,800
14. (22) Brad Harden/94 $1,700
15. (19) Ryan VanderVeen/94 $1,600
16. (11) Pat Doar/90 $2,130
17. (16) Rich Neiser/81 $1,610
18. (18) Bub McCool/57 $2,340
19. (7) Tim McCreadie/53 $2,170
20. (3) Kent Robinson/33 $2,050
21. (20) Tom Sprague Jr./25 $1,500
22. (10) Jeep VanWormer/11 $1,500
23. (21) Johnny Benson Jr./9 $1,500
24. (13) Curt Spalding/2 $1,550
* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: 43 Mins., 19.976 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 2.978 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 4 (laps 46, 51, 58, 96)
Lap Leaders: Clanton (1-22); Moyer (23-94); Moyer (95-100)
Provisional Starters: C. Smith, Spangler
Rookie of the Race: McCool ($250)
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Spatola ($500)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 15.433
2. 21-Billy Moyer/Batesville, AR 15.939
3. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 15.998
4. 28-Dennis Erb Jr./Carpentersville, IL 16.027
5. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 16.214
6. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 16.248
7. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 16.266
8. 89-Mike Spatola/Manhattan, IL 16.336
9. 7R-Kent Robinson/Bloomington, IN 16.413
10. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 16.501
11. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 16.513
12. 1-Brandon Sheppard/New Berlin, IL 16.532
13. 55-Jeep VanWormer/Pinconning, MI 16.602
14. 55-Duane Treadwell/LaGrange, GA 16.704
15. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 16.756
16. 111-Curt Spalding/Hartford, MI 16.796
17. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 16.919
18. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 16.937
19. 15-Rich Neiser/Fruitport, MI 16.952
20. 23V-Ryan VanderVeen/Six Lakes, MI 17.152
21. 10-Johnny Benson Jr./Charlotte, NC 17.154
22. 22-Doug Ausra/Dowagiac, MI 17.205
23. 15A-Phil Ausra/Dowagiac, MI 17.348
24. 27-Eric Spangler/Lake City, MI 17.401
25. 21s-Tom Sprague Jr./Muskegon, MI 17.483
26. 52x-Brad Harden/Ovid, MI 17.627
27. 20-Kody Weisner/Lima, OH 17.983
28. 51-Dale Sheehy/Twin Lakes, MI 18.105
29. 32-Ross Meeuwsen/Zeeland, MI 18.227
30. 66-Curt Mesman/Grand Rapids, MI 18.321
31. 3-Scott Wenell/Muskegon, MI 18.345
32. 71e-Pat Ehlert/Ovid, MI 18.926
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Eckert, Erb, McCreadie, VanWormer, Spalding, Neiser, D. Ausra, Sprague, Sheehy, Wenell (DQ) C. Smith
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Moyer, Clanton, Frank, Doar, Spatola, Treadwell, VanderVeen, P. Ausra, Harden, Ehlert, Meeuwsen
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Coffey, Robinson, Lanigan, Fuller, Sheppard, McCool, Benson, Weisner, Mesman, Spangler
B-Main (12 laps – Top 4 Transfer): VanderVeen, Sprague, Benson, Harden, Smith, D. Ausra, P. Ausra, Spangler, Weisner, Sheehy, Mesman, Meeuwsen, Ehlert (DNS) Wenell
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners:
Arizona Sport Shirts ($100 product certificate to 23rd-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Eric Spangler
Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Billy Moyer
Cometic Gasket ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Eric Spangler
Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Vic Coffey
Comp Cams ($50 product certificate to A-Main winner or next highest w/decal): Billy Moyer
Dominator ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Mike Spatola
Eibach Springs (one free spring to each B-Main winner or next highest w/decal): Tom Sprague Jr.
Gravely ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Dennis Erb Jr.
JE Pistons ($50 cash to 16th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Pat Doar
JE Pistons (one compete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 11th-place finisher or next highest w/decal – $285 value): Mike Spatola
JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 21st-place finisher or next highest w/decal – $285 value): Tom Sprague Jr.
Klotz Synthetic Lubricants ($50 cash to 17th-place finisher or next highest finisher): Rich Neiser
MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner or next highest w/decal): Billy Moyer
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Curt Spalding
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): Billy Moyer
Quartermaster ($50 product certificate to 5th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Tim Fuller
Quartermaster ($25 product certificate to 15th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Ryan VanderVeen
Roush-Yates Performance Products ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Brandon Sheppard
Roush-Yates Performance Products (carburetor repair kit to 18th-place finish in A-Main or next highest w/decal – $100 value): Tom Sprague Jr.
Roush-Yates Lap Leader Award (one pair of Wiley X Sunglasses to driver who leads most laps in A-Main): Billy Moyer
STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Billy Moyer
SuperFlow ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Brad Harden
VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 9th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Chub Frank
VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (one VP 5-gallon container to fastest qualifier who misses A-Main or next highest with decal – $30 value): Phil Ausra
WIX Filters ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Eric Spangler
Wrisco Aluminum (three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner if decal displayed – $200 value): Darrell Lanigan
XS Power ($50 cash to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Dennis Erb Jr.
XS Power ($60 product certificate to 8th-place finisher in A-Main or next highest w/decal): Dennis Erb Jr.
XS ‘Power Move of the Race’ ($60 product certificate): Darrell Lanigan
2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of Sept. 22 – 36 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
1. Darrell Lanigan 5056
2. Rick Eckert 4846 (-210)
3. Shane Clanton 4664 (-392)
4. Tim McCreadie 4596 (-460)
5. Chub Frank 4586 (-470)
6. Clint Smith 4496 (-560)
7. Bub McCool 4458 (-598)
8. Vic Coffey 4382 (-674)
9. Tim Fuller 4276 (-780)
10. Pat Doar 4136 (-920)
11. Kent Robinson 4060 (-996)
12. Jack Sullivan 3474 (-1582)
13. John Lobb 2422 (-2634)
14. Jill George 2370 (-2686)
15. Mike Marlar 1966 (-3090)
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), Gravely Tractors (Official Lawn Equipment), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), Vicci (Official Uniform), VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award); in addition to contingency sponsors Butlerbuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Dominator Race Products, Eibach Springs, JE Pistons, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, MSD Ignition, Ohlins Shocks, QuarterMaster, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Superflow Dynos, Wix Filter, Wrisco Aluminum and XS Power Racing Batteries; along with manufacturer sponsors Integra Shocks, GRT Chassis, Jake’s Carts, Longacre, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis, TNT Rescue, and Warrior Chassis.