Georgian Dominates In Front Of Home State Fans, Wins For Car Owner’s New-Born Twins
SYLVANIA, GA – Feb. 8, 2013 – Shane Clanton kicked off the 2013 World of Outlaws Late Model Series in memorable fashion, capturing Friday night’s 40-lap ‘Winter Freeze’ season opener at Screven Motor Speedway just hours after his car owner became the father of twins.
Racing in front of his home-state fans, the 37-year-old driver from Fayetteville, Ga., roared off the pole position to lead the entire distance in the Kennedy Motorsports Capital Race Car. He was never seriously challenged en route to pocketing $8,050 for his 17th career WoO LMS triumph and first in the tour’s lidlifter.
Two-time WoO LMS champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., finished second in the Rocket Chassis house car, 1.439 seconds behind Clanton. The 24-year-old star moved up from the third starting spot to run in the runner-up position for all 40 circuits.
Scott James of Bright, Ind., advanced from the ninth starting spot to place third in Sanford Goddard’s Warrior Chassis house car. Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., matched his career-best WoO LMS finish of fourth in a Rocket and Casey Roberts of Toccoa, Ga., held off defending WoO LMS champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., to complete the top five in a Capital Race Car.
Clanton, who finished third in the 2012 WoO LMS points standings but won just a single A-Main, had plenty of reasons to smile after his dominating performance. But it seemed he was most satisfied about putting a cherry on top of his car owner John Kennedy’s already unforgettable day.
As Clanton was traveling to Screven on Friday afternoon he learned that Kennedy’s wife had just given birth to twins – boy Grady and girl Keegan – in the couple’s hometown of Phoenix.
“We had a special gift today – our car owner had two babies,” said Clanton, who is in his second season driving for Kennedy Motorsports. “It’s special to dedicate this win to them. The babies’ mama said, ‘They need shoes already, so get up on the wheel.’”
Clanton did just that, controlling the race from start-to-finish. Unlike last year’s ‘Winter Freeze’ at Screven, he didn’t let a pole position start slip through his fingers.
“We looked in our notebook and didn’t do what we did last year,” said Clanton, who slipped backward at the start one year ago and settled for a disappointing fifth-place finish. “We did the opposite of what we did and it was good.
“This is the third year on our (Capital) car, so the more races we run, the better we can judge what we need to do at certain times and what we need to do for adjustments. Right now me and (chief mechanic) Jonathan (Owenby) are jelling pretty good at what we need to do to the car. We worked on a lot of stuff over the winter and have gotten better.”
Clanton would love for Friday’s performance at the three-eighths-mile oval to serve as a harbinger of a big season ahead.
“I hope it’s one those years like Lanigan had (in 2012),” said Clanton, who sits atop the WoO LMS points standings for the first time since he briefly held the spot after the seventh race of the 2009 season. “He started his year out with a win here last year so hopefully I can do the same thing.”
Richards, who plans to return as a WoO LMS regular this season after leaving the tour early last year to compete on the NASCAR Nationwide Series, was satisfied with his second-place run.
“Clanton was definitely better,” said Richards. “I was just a little free. We experimented with a lot of stuff tonight and I feel like we had a really good car, but it’s hard when you try new things and don’t know how far to go. It’s a brand-new car and it felt great, but we just kind of maintained where we were all race, just held onto our track position. We gotta figure out what the car likes a little more.”
Two caution flags slowed the race. On lap one outside polesitter Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., slid sideways between turns one and two due to a broken left-front suspension, setting off a chain-reaction pileup that left Sweeteners Plus teammates Vic Coffey of Caledona, N.Y., and Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., crashed together and unable to continue. Later, on lap 12, Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa., stopped on the inside of turn one.
Lanigan, who started 14th, fell just short of breaking into the top five, placing sixth. WoO LMS Rookie of the Year contender Morgan Bagley of Longview, Texas, was seventh; Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., slipped from the fourth starting spot to eighth; Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., was ninth; and another rookie candidate, Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., finished 10th.
Thirty-nine cars were signed in for the start of the 10th WoO LMS season under the World Racing Group banner.
Richards was fastest in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials with a lap of 14.352 seconds. It was his 32nd career fast time honor, moving him within one of York, Pa.’s Rick Eckert on the tour’s alltime list.
Heat winners were Richards, McDowell, Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., and Clanton. The B-Mains were captured by Casey Barrow of Savannah, Ga., and Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C.
The ‘Winter Freeze’ weekend concludes on Saturday night (Feb. 9) with a 50-lap WoO LMS A-Main paying $10,000 to win.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘Winter Freeze’ Night 1 at Screven Motor Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (1) Shane Clanton/40 $8,050
2. (3) Josh Richards/40 $4,100
3. (9) Scott James/40 $3,300
4. (6) Gregg Satterlee/40 $2,350
5. (8) Casey Roberts/40 $2,050
6. (14) Darrell Lanigan/40 $1,750
7. (13) Morgan Bagley/40 $1,500
8. (3) Clint Smith/40 $1,350
9. (10) Pat Doar/40 $1,250
10. (21) Eric Wells/40 $1,200
11. (16) Brian Reese/40 $1,000
12. (7) Tim Fuller/40 $950
13. (18) Ray Cook/40 $850
14. (25) Chub Frank/40 $300
15. (20) Larry Timms/40 $750
16. (15) Kenny Pettyjohn/40 $700
17. (19) Dillon Wood/40 $710
18. (23) Rick Eckert/39 $740
19. (22) Sam Stile/39 $670
20. (26) Bub McCool/28 $60
21. (27) Kent Robinson/15 $50
22. (5) Ron Davies/12 $600
23. (11) Dan Stone/12 $600
24. (17) Casey Barrow/11 $600
25. (2) Dale McDowell/1 $625
26. (12) Vic Coffey/1 $650
27. (24) Tim McCreadie/1 $750
* Earnings include cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: l8 Mins., 13.209 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.439 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 2 (Laps 1, 12)
Lap Leaders: Clanton (1-40)
Provisional Starters: Eckert, McCreadie (WoO points); Frank, McCool, Robinson (WoO emergency)
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: James ($500)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 14.352
2. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 14.368
3. 22-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 14.562
4. 101-Casey Roberts/Toccoa, GA 14.597
5. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, KY 14.664
6. 17M-Dale McDowell/Chickamauga, GA 14.699
7. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 14.723
8. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 14.728
9. 1W-Dillon Wood/New Smyrna Beach, FL 14.732
10. 98-Casey Barrow/Savannah, GA 14.766
11. 21d-Dan Stone/Thompson, PA 14.771
12. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 14.787
13. 1G-Scott James/Bright, IN 14.852
14. 71d-Ron Davies/Warren, PA 14.872
15. 71-Larry Timms/Hodges, SC 14.873
16. 53-Ray Cook/Brasstown, NC 14.936
17. 3d-Chesley Dixon/Swainsboro, GA 14.974
18. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 14.989
19. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 14.990
20. 33-Brian Reese/Sharpsburg, GA 15.013
21. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 15.035
22. 1N-Jordy Nipper/Macon, GA 15.085
23. 38-Kenny Pettyjohn/Millsboro, DE 15.086
24. 52-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 15.100
25. 14M-Morgan Bagley/Longview, TX 15.131
26. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 15.175
27. d8-Dustin Mitchell/Pine Level, NC 15.184
28. 5b-Mike Marlar/Winfield, TN 15.195
29. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 15.212
30. 3-Philip Pittman/Vidalia, GA 15.244
31. 4ds-Chad Hollenbeck/Kingsley, PA 15.402
32. 2s-Sam Stile/Charleroi, PA 15.427
33. 7R-Kent Robinson/Bloomington, IN 15.490
34. b5-Brandon Sheppard/New Berlin, IL 15.641
35. 12-Hunter Peacock/Gray, GA 15.729
36. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 15.751
37. 76-Brandon Overton/Evans, GA 15.894
38. 25B-Mike Benedum/Salem, WV 16.135
39. 50-Scott Phillips/Marlette, MI 16.144
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Richards, C. Smith, James, Bagley, Wood, Robinson, Dixon, Overton, Wells, McCreadie
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): McDowell, Davies, Doar, Lanigan, Eckert, Barrow, Nipper, Sheppard, Benedum, P. Pittman
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Fuller, Satterlee, Stone, Pettyjohn, Timms, Mitchell, Phillips, Hollenbeck, Frank, Peacock
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Clanton, Roberts, Coffey, Reese, Marlar, Cook, Stile, McCool, Hubbard
B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Barrow, Wood, Wells, Eckert, Dixon, Sheppard, Nipper, Benedum, McCreadie, Robinson, Pittman (DNS) Overton
B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Cook, Timms, Stile, Mitchell, Hollenbeck, Phillips, Frank, McCool (DNS) Marlar, Hubbard, Peacock
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal:
Ohlins Shocks ($50 cash to fast qualifier): Eric Wells
Eibach Springs (one free spring to each B-Main winner): Eric Wells/Larry Timms
VP Race Fuels ‘Nice Jugs’ Award: (One VP 5-gallon container to fastest qualifier who misses A-Main): Chesley Dixon
Wrisco Aluminum (3 sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner only): Shane Clanton
Armor All (One case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main): Gregg Satterlee
Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton
QuarterMaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner, $50 certificate to 5th-place finish): Shane Clanton/Larry Timms
MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton
STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main): Scott James
XS Power ($50 cash to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main): Scott James
Roush Yates ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Gregg Satterlee
JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Casey Roberts
Dominator ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley
American Race Wheels ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley
VP Race Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Clint Smith
Edelbrock Manifolds ($50 cash to 9th-finisher in A-Main): Pat Doar
Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
XS Power ($60 product certificate to 11th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank
Cometic Gasket ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank
JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Sam Stile
Super Flow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank
JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 16th-place finisher in A-Main, redeemable w/next purchase of set): Kenny Pettyjohn
Klotz Lubricants ($50 cash to 17th-place finisher in A-Main): Dillon Wood
Roush Yates ($50 gift card to 18th-place finisher in A-Main): Sam Stile
QuarterMaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Sam Stile
Arizona Sport Shirts ($100 certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Bub McCool
JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 21st-place finisher in A-Main, redeemable w/next purchase of set): Dan Stone
Roush Yates ($50 gift card to 22nd-place finisher in A-Main): Sam Stile
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Dale McDowell
XS Power ‘Power Move of the Race’ ($60 product certificate): Scott James
Roush Yates ($25 gift card to driver who leads most laps in the A-Main): Shane Clanton
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, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, MSD Ignition, Ohlins Shocks, QuarterMaster, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Superflow Dynos, Wrisco Aluminum and XS Power Racing Batteries; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, GRT Chassis, Jake’s Carts, Longacre, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis, TNT Rescue, and Warrior Chassis.