Georgian Rolls To Fourth World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory Of 2013
BUSTI, NY – June 1, 2013 – Shane Clanton made sure he gave his better half a 25th birthday present to remember on Saturday night at Stateline Speedway.
Racing at a track where his wife Michelle grew up watching her father Ron Davies in action, Clanton surged into the lead on lap 11 and marched on to a $10,550 victory in the 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main.
“Michelle’s birthday is today,” said Clanton, whose wife’s hometown of Warren, Pa., is less than a half-hour drive from the one-third-mile Stateline oval. “She sent me a message this morning and said, ‘I need a W for my birthday.’ I got her one I guess.”
Clanton, 37, of Zebulon, Ga., registered his fourth win of 2013, equaling his single-season career-high on the WoO LMS. He has won three of the national tour’s last eight events and sits second in the points standings, 34 points behind Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who finished sixth after starting 24 th because a broken valve spring in his primary car’s engine forced him to hastily switch to his backup machine and relinquish the sixth starting spot.
Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y., chased Clanton for the final 12 laps but wasn’t able to draw close enough to make a serious bid for his first-ever WoO LMS victory. The 26-year-old settled for a career-best finish of second, flashing under the checkered flag 1.194 seconds behind the victor.
Defending WoO LMS champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who started ninth, climbed as high as second following a lap-33 restart but finished third. It was his seventh consecutive top-three run on the tour.
John Volpe of Lakewood, N.Y., also recorded a career-high WoO LMS finish, placing fourth in a head-turning run forward from the 11th starting spot. The 22-year-old racer traveled most of last year’s WoO LMS as a crewman for Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and still works for Frank during the week, but he isn’t accompanying Frank on road trips this season so he can pursue his driving career by competing on a weekly basis at Stateline and Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa.
Rick Eckert of York, Pa., advanced from the 12th starting spot to complete the top five. He reached fifth place on lap 44 when he overtook Clanton’s father-in-law, Ron Davies of Warren, Pa., who set fast time, won a heat and started from the pole position but failed to lead a lap and faded to a seventh-place finish.
Clanton started sixth in his Kennedy Motorsports Capital Race Car – moving up one row from his original starting spot thanks to Richards’s car change that sent him to the tail of the field – and steadily steered to the front. His deciding maneuvers came on a lap-nine restart when he immediately passed Knight for second and on lap 11 slid underneath race-long pacesetter Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., for the lead.
“We were just waiting, biding our time,” said Clanton, whose only previous starts at Stateline came in the track’s WoO LMS events in 2005 (he finished third) and 2006 (seventh). “(The leaders) were after their tires pretty hard there early in the race and I was just waiting and waiting and waiting, just easing up to ‘em. The opportunity came on the double file restart (on lap nine). I got under Boom and he pushed a little bit and gave me just enough room to get by him.
“We had a good car all night,” he added. “We were good on the bottom just picked ‘em off one at a time.”
After easily handling restarts on lap 18 and 33, Clanton cruised to his 20th career win on the WoO LMS. He was greeted in Victory Lane by a throng of well-wishers, including many of his wife’s family members and friends and his car owner John Kennedy, who flew across the country from his home in Phoenix to spend the weekend with his team.
“This is like racing at home for me now,” said Clanton. “We’ve picked up a lot of fans around here because we’ve spent so much time at Ron’s shop the last few years. It’s like all of Ron’s fans have become my fans now too.”
Clanton also noted the deep-seeded history that his wife’s family has at Stateline. Michelle’s late grandfather (and Ron Davies’s father-in-law), Leonard Briggs, was one of the track’s five founders in 1956.
“The coolest thing about (winning at Stateline) is (Michelle’s) grandfather built it,” said Clanton. “She’s fond of her grandfather, misses him a lot, so for her to have a win here at a big race is pretty special.”
Knight, a two-time dirt Late Model champion at Eriez, outdueled Lanigan for second place by hustling his Rocket machine around the extreme outside of the track but didn’t have the speed to deal with Clanton.
“I’m really happy with our run tonight,” said Knight, who started third. “These (WoO LMS) guys are some of the best out there, and it’s fun to run side-by-side with them when they come here.
“I’d like to finish one place further (ahead), but maybe next time. I’ll keep trying. It’s a good payday anyway for us being weekend racers.”
Finishing in positions 8-10 was Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., who started 16th; WoO LMS rookie Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., who started 17 th; and Frank, who rallied after pitting on lap five to change an axle that broke as he was battling for fifth place with Clanton.
Six caution flags slowed the event, including a lap-33 yellow for David Scott of Garland, Pa., who stopped in turn two while running in third place.
A field of 28 cars was signed in for the event, which was run rapidly with showers and storms threatening the area.
Ron Davies, Dave Hess Jr. of Waterford, Pa., and Briggs were heat winners, and Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., captured the B-Main.
The WoO LMS is off until embarking on a five-track, seven-race swing through the Northeast in late June. The stretch of racing includes Fonda (N.Y.) Speedway on June 19; Brighton (Ont.) Speedway on June 20; Cornwall (Ont.) Motor Speedway on June 23; Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park on June 25; and the Firecracker 100 Presented by GottaRace.com on June 27-29 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa.
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 World of Outlaws Late Model Series at Stateline Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (6) Shane Clanton/50 $10,550
2. (3) Mike Knight/50 $5,600
3. (9) Darrell Lanigan/50 $3,650
4. (11) John Volpe/50 $2,550
5. (12) Rick Eckert/50 $2,650
6. (24) Josh Richards/50 $2,350
7. (1) Ron Davies/50 $1,400
8. (16) Tim Fuller/50 $1,850
9. (17) Eric Wells/50 $2,100
10. (8) Chub Frank/50 $1,650
11. (19) Clint Smith/50 $1,600
12. (13) Rich Gardner/50 $1,000
13. (7) Jason Dupont/50 $1,100
14. (22) Dick Barton/50 $900
15. (20) Greg Oakes/50 $900
16. (14) Bub McCool/50 $1,350
17. (10) Morgan Bagley/50 $1,320
18. (23) Bump Hedman/50 $750
19. (5) David Scott/33 $730
20. (15) Chris Hackett/31 $700
21. (18) Tim McCreadie/17 $1,350
22. (2) Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/15 $700
23. (21) Andy Boozel/14 $700
24. (4) Dave Hess Jr./5 $725
* NOTE: Josh Richards was scheduled to start sixth but was forced to start last (24) after changing to his backup car for the A-Main
* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: 27 Mins., 42.581 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.194 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 6 (laps 0, 5, 5, 9, 18, 33)
Lap Leaders: Briggs (1-10); Clanton (11-50)
Provisional Starters: Hedman, Barton
Rookie of the Race: Wells ($250)
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Knight ($500)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 71d-Ron Davies/Warren, PA 16.155
2. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 16.578
3. 99B-Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 16.585
4. N07-Jason Dupont/Cyclone, PA 16.599
5. 44H-Dave Hess Jr./Waterford, PA 16.604
6. 9K-Mike Knight/Ripley, NY 16.615
7. 3-David Scott/Garland, PA 16.620
8. 25-Shane Clanton/Zebulon, GA 16.669
9. B22-Bump Hedman/Sugar Grove, PA 16.684
10. 14b-Dick Barton/Ashville, NY 16.688
11. 53-John Volpe/Lakewood, NY 16.690
12. 14M-Morgan Bagley/Longview, TX 16.705
13. 9-Scott Gurdak/Bear Lake, PA 16.720
14. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 16.727
15. 33-Chris Hackett/Corry, PA 16.767
16. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 16.791
17. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, KY 16.803
18. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 16.807
19. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 16.819
20. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 16.853
21. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 16.854
22. 1g-Rich Gardner/Waterford, PA 16.883
23. 22B-Darrell Bossard/Centerville, PA 16.897
24. 40-Dutch Davies/Warren, PA 16.917
25. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 16.945
26. 22-Greg Oakes/Franklinville, NY 17.007
27. 72-John Mason/Millersburg, OH 17.189
28. 12B-Andy Boozel/Clymer, NY 17.314
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): R. Davies, Scott, Dupont, Frank, Gardner, McCool, McCreadie, Boozel, Gurdak, Barton
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Hess, Richards, Clanton, Volpe, Eckert, Wells, Smith, Oakes, Bossard
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 6 Transfer): Briggs, Knight, Lanigan, Bagley, Hackett, Fuller, Hedman, Mason, D. Davies
B-Main (12 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Smith, McCreadie, Boozel, Oakes, Hedman, Gurdak, D. Davies, Bossard, Mason, Barton
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): Jason Dupont
Eibach Springs (one free spring to each B-Main winner): Andy Boozel
VP Race Fuels ‘Nice Jugs’ Award: (One VP 5-gallon container to fastest qualifier who misses A-Main): Scott Gurdak
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): Mike Knight
Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton
QuarterMaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner, $50 certificate to 5th-place finish): Mike Knight/Greg Oakes
MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Mike Knight
STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main): Mike Knight
XS Power ($50 cash to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main): Darrell Lanigan
Roush Yates ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): John Volpe
JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Josh Richards
Dominator ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
American Race Wheels ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
VP Race Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Fuller
Edelbrock Manifolds ($50 cash to 9th-finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank
XS Power ($60 product certificate to 11th-place finisher in A-Main): Rich Gardner
Cometic Gasket ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Jason Dupont
JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Jason Dupont
Super Flow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Greg Oakes
JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 16th-place finisher in A-Main, redeemable w/next purchase of set): Bub McCool
Klotz Lubricants ($50 cash to 17th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley
Roush Yates ($50 gift card to 18th-place finisher in A-Main): Bump Hedman
QuarterMaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie
Arizona Sport Shirts ($100 certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie
JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 21st-place finisher in A-Main, redeemable w/next purchase of set): Tim McCreadie
Roush Yates ($50 gift card to 22nd-place finisher in A-Main): Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Dave Hess Jr.
XS Power ‘Power Move of the Race’ ($60 product certificate): Mike Knight
Roush Yates ($25 gift card to driver who leads most laps in the A-Main): Shane Clanton
Reliable Painting Award (one free tire): Rick Eckert
2013 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of – A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
1. Josh Richards 2560
2. Shane Clanton 2526 (-34)
3. Darrell Lanigan 2500 (-60)
4. Rick Eckert 2458 (-102)
5. Tim Fuller 2330 (-230)
6. Tim McCreadie 2312 (-248)
7. Eric Wells 2294 (-266)
8. Chub Frank 2262 (-298)
9. Bub McCool 2260 (-300)
10. Morgan Bagley 2250 (-310)
11. Clint Smith 2138 (-422)
12. Scott James 1958 (-602)
13. Dillon Wood 1426 (-1134)
14. Gregg Satterlee 1248 (-1312)
15. Mike Benedum 994 (-1566)
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: American Racing Custom Wheels (Official Custom Wheel), Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), KMC (Official Custom Truck Wheel), 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, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis, TNT Rescue, and Warrior Chassis.