Wisconsin Driver Tops McCreadie, Lanigan To Win Wild West Tour Opener

HIBBING, Minn. – July 10, 2014 – Jimmy Mars waited a long time for the opportunity to return to Hibbing Raceway for a major event. When the Menomonie, Wis., driver finally got that opportunity at Thursday night’s Wild West Tour opening round race, he didn’t waste it.

Competing at Hibbing’s 3/8-mile clay oval for the first time in nearly two decades, Mars overtook Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., amid heavy traffic on lap 38 of Thursday’s 50-lap main event and led the remaining distance to earn a $10,050 victory in Hibbing’s first-ever World of Outlaws Late Model Series race.

“This is one of the tracks that when I was younger and racing more on a local level, we would come up here and run a lot of their shows,” said Mars, whose Deppe Enterprises-sponsored race team is based roughly four hours from the northeast Minnesota track. “It just seems like we’ve always had other stuff going on so we couldn’t make it back here. But there’s a real good fan base up here and we’ve got a lot of friends up here. To win this one is definitely special for us.”

Mars’ self-designed MB Customs machine crossed the finish line 3.018 seconds ahead of Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who moved by Lanigan for second on lap 39. Lanigan, the WoO LMS points leader who paced the race’s first 37 circuits after moving from third to first on the opening lap, slid back to third at the finish just ahead of eighth-starting Morgan Bagley of Tyler, Texas. Sixth-starting Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., settled for fifth after climbing as high as second.

After falling as far back as fourth from his pole starting spot early in the race, Mars’ hard-compound tire choice allowed him to begin his march back toward the front just before the race’s midway point. He battled back and forth with McCreadie and Frank for the second spot between laps 15 and 30 before finally emerging ahead and setting his sights on Lanigan.

Mars began to pressure Lanigan at lap 35 and was in position to look under the leader when Lanigan attempted to move around a group of slower cars on lap 37. Mars took advantage and pulled ahead of Lanigan exiting turn four on lap 38, then used a strong run into turn three the following lap to slide under the group of cars that had held up Lanigan.

Mars cruised from there, successfully negotiating the slower traffic as he pulled away to the finish.

“I didn’t want to fall back, but I knew I just had to be patient with what I had for tires,” said Mars, who claimed his first WoO LMS triumph since March 31, 2012. “When a driver like Darrell gets out ahead like that you do get worried, but toward the end we got really good and the lapped traffic kind of worked out in our favor.

“Anytime you can race against these guys and beat them, I mean Darrell’s been on a tear. Eckert, McCreadie, Chub – I’m glad to see he’s running good here. I wish I could run more of these races because this is unbelievable.”

In an emotional victory lane celebration, Mars dedicated his victory to family friend Marnie Clement, who died May 14 after a battle with cancer.

“We had a tough month with Marnie passing away,” said Mars. “We weren’t racing there for a little bit so we could support her and take care of some her last wishes. That made it tough on us, but sometimes there’s a lot more to life than racing.”

Like Mars, McCreadie’s Sweeteners Plus Rocket Chassis hit its stride during the race’s middle portions. But he couldn’t seriously challenge Mars late in the race as he struggled to keep pace in traffic.

“It took us a little while to get going, but it was more kinda where we were stuck,” said McCreadie, the 2006 WoO LMS champion who has one victory on this year’s tour. “I was stuck on the bottom when I wanted to be on the top. Then at the end, same deal; I was stuck on the bottom when I wanted to try it again and Jimmy got out there.

“But for Sweeteners and our whole team, we’ll take this and run with it. We haven’t been really competitive in the past four or five races, so this is a step in the right direction.”

The third-starting Lanigan used a nifty three-wide move to overtake both Mars and second-starting Rick Eckert of York, Pa., on the race’s opening lap and appeared to be headed for his eighth WoO LMS victory of the season as he stretched his lead through the race’s middle portions. But Lanigan’s Gotta Race-sponsored Club 29 Race Car didn’t move through traffic as well as his challengers as he faded in the closing laps.

“Just trying to make a move on the outside to get by some of that traffic and let Jimmy sneak by there,” said Lanigan, the two-time WoO LMS champion who entered Thursday’s race fresh off a $30,000 Firecracker 100 victory June 28 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. “I went back to the top to try to get by him and I let McCreadie get by, too. I probably should’ve stayed in the bottom and followed my line. It’s my own fault.

“It absolutely kills me to lose one like that. But we’ll go to the next one and work twice as hard.”

Mars’ sixth career WoO LMS victory came in the first leg of the four-race Wild West Tour. The series makes a stop at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, on Saturday (July 12) before heading to Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, S.D., Tuesday (July 15) and River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., Friday (July 18).

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 Wild West Tour at Hibbing Raceway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (1) Jimmy Mars/50 $10,050

2. (5) Tim McCreadie/50 $5,650

3. (3) Darrell Lanigan/50 $3,650

4. (8) Morgan Bagley/50 $3,050

5. (6) Chub Frank/50 $2,650

6. (2) Rick Eckert/50 $2,450

7. (11) Brady Smith/50 $1,500

8. (17) Donny Schatz/50 $1,800

9. (23) Shane Clanton/50 $1,800

10. (15) Frank Heckenast Jr./50 $1,900

11. (10) Chase Junghans/50 $1,600

12. (9) Lance Matthees/50 $1,050

13. (12) Jeff Provenzino/50 $950

14. (19) Harry Hanson/49 $1,000

15. (22) John Kaanta/49 $850

16. (13) Clint Smith/49 $1,400

17. (18) Eric Wells/49 $1,320

18. (4) Boom Briggs/49 $1,250

19. (14) Pat Doar/43 $730

20. (21) Brent Larson/32 $700

21. (7) Jordan Yaggy/29 $750

22. (16) Tim Fuller/27 $700

23. (24) Jeff Massingill/13 $700

24. (20) Jason Krohn/11 $725

* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses

Time of Race: 19 Mins. 38 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 3.018 Secs.

Yellow Flags: 2 (laps 17, 18)

Lap Leaders: Lanigan (1-37); Mars (38-50)

Provisional Starters: Clanton (WoO points); Massingill (fast time)

WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Schatz ($500)

WoO LMS Rookie Bonus: Heckenast ($250)

Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):

Group ‘A’

1. 77-Jordan Yaggy/Rochester, Minn., 13.043

2. 99B-Boom Briggs/Bear Lake, Pa., 13.080

3. 14M-Morgan Bagley/Tyler, Texas, 13.157

4. 18c-Chase Junghans/Manhattan, Kan., 13.226

5. 90-Lance Matthees/Winona, Minn., 13.311

6. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, Pa., 13.366

7. 15-Donny Schatz/Fargo, N.D., 13.664

8. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, Wis., 13.720

9. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 13.723

10. 7-Harry Hanson/Eveleth, Minn., 13.769

11. IOU1-Brent Larson/Lake Elmo, Minn., 13.848

12. 71D-Zachary Wohleris/Pengilly, Minn., 14.010

13. 33x-Adam Hensel/Baldwyn, Wis., 14.013

14. 3c-Bobby Carlson/Kelly Lake, Minn., 14.036

15. 15E-Caley Emerson/Grand Rapids, Minn., 14.055

16. 14F-Greg Ferris/Emo, Ontario, 14.080

17. 87-Trevor Wilson/Superior, Wis., 14.113

18. 23-Kyle Peterlin/Hibbing, Minn., 14.234

19. 31-Travis Budisalovich/Minneapolis, Minn., 14.371

20. 24A-Aaron Lillo/Proctor, Minn., 14.427

21. 41-Mikey Vajdl/Chism, Minn., 14.573

22. 32-Don Frider/Hibbing, Minn., 14.780

Group ‘B’

1. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, N.Y., 13.190

2. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, Ky., 13.211

3. 1-Rick Eckert/York, Pa., 13.361

4. 28m-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, Wis., 13.381

5. 7k-Jason Krohn/Slayton, Minn., 13.416

6. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, N.Y., 13.522

7. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, Wis., 13.681

8. 28-Jeff Provenzino/Hibbing, Minn., 13.774

9. 99jr-Frankie Heckenast Jr./Frankfort, Ill., 13.782

10. 6m- Jeffery Massingill/Keewatin, Minn., 13.800

11. 25-Shane Clanton/Zebulon, Ga., 13.806

12. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, Ky., 13.888

13. 8-Gregg Hill/Eveleth, Minn., 14.080

14. 58-A.J. Diemel/Elk Mound, Wis., 14.081

15. 85-John Kaanta/Elk Mound, Wis., 14.160

16. 35-George Ledin Jr./Grand Rapids, Minn., 14.204

17. 13-Roger Paolo/Hibbing, Minn., 14.433

18. 18j-Chris Olson/Hibbing, Minn., 14.477

19. 24j-Jay Kintner/Hibbing, Minn., 14.528

20. 21x-Joel Collins/Princeton, Minn., 14.716

21. T23-John Toppozini/Thunder Bay, Ontario, 16.107

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Yaggy, Bagley, Matthees, C. Smith, Schatz, Larson, Hensel, Emerson, Wilson, Budisalovich.

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Briggs, Frank, Junghans, Doar, Hanson, Wohleris, Peterlin, Ferris, Lillo, Carlson, Frider.

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Eckert, McCreadie, B. Smith, Heckenast, Krohn, Clanton, Kaanta, Hill, Kintner, Paolo. Scratch: John Toppozini.

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Lanigan, Mars, Provenzino, Fuller, Wells, Diemel, Massingill, Olson, Ledin, Collins.

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Schatz, Hanson, Larson, Hensel, Carlson, Peterlin, Wohleris, Wilson, Ferris, Lillo, Emerson, Frider, Vajdl.

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Wells, Krohn, Kaanta, Diemel, Massingill, Kintner, Olson, Collins, Paolo, Toppozini, Ledin, Clanton.

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): Jorday Yaggy

Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Tim McCreadie

MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Jimmy Mars

Quartermaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner): Tim McCreadie

Wrisco (three sheets of aluminum/certificate to A-Main winner): Jimmy Mars

STP ($50 cash to 2^nd-place finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie

Penske Racing Shocks ($50 to 3^rd-place finisher in A-Main): Brady Smith

Roush-Yates ($50 cash to 4^th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank

JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5^th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank

Lincoln Welders ($50 cash to 6^th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank

American Racing Wheels ($50 cash to 7^th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells

VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 8^th-place finisher in A-Main): Shane Clanton

Edelbrock ($50 cash to 9^th-place finisher in A-Main): Shane Clanton

Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10^th-place finisher in A-Main): Frank Heckenast Jr.

Cometic ($50 cash to 12^th-place finisher in A-Main): Lance Matthees

JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13^th-place finisher in A-Main): Harry Hanson

Superflow Dynos ($50 cash to 14^th-place finisher in A-Main): Harry Hanson

Quartermaster ($25 certificate to 15^th-place finisher in A-Main): Clint Smith

JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 16^th-place finisher in A-Main): Clint Smith

Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 18^th-place finisher in A-Main): Boom Briggs

Quartermaster ($50 certificate to 19^th-place finisher in A-Main): Pat Doar

Arizona Sports Shirts ($100 certificate to 20^th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Fuller

JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 21^st-place finisher in A-Main): Jordan Yaggy

Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 22^nd-place finisher in A-Main): Jeffrey Massingill

MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24^th-place finisher in A-Main): Jason Krohn

Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO driver): Jimmy Mars

2014 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of 18 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

1. Darrell Lanigan 2670

2. Rick Eckert 2478 (-192)

3. Tim McCreadie 2474 (-196)

4. Morgan Bagley 2394 (-276)

5. Chub Frank 2386 (-284)

6. Shane Clanton 2332 (-338)

7. Eric Wells 2320 (-350)

8. Frankie Heckenast Jr. 2268 (-402)

9. Clint Smith 2248 (-422)

10. Chase Junghans 2134 (-536)

11. Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs 2108 (-562)

12. Mike Marlar 1330 (-1340)

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), Lincoln Welder (Official Welder), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), 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, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, QuarterMaster, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, GRT Chassis, Jake’s Carts, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis and TNT Rescue.