Darrell Lanigan Powers to Second Straight World of Outlaws Late Model Series Win at Lavonia
Third victory of 2014 for Union, Ky., driver who pads championship points lead
By Chris Tilley
LAVONIA, Ga. – May 3, 2014 – Darrell Lanigan made a power move on Tim McCreadie with 10 laps to go Saturday night at Lavonia Speedway to earn his second consecutive World of Outlaws Late Model Series win.
This was Lanigan’s third victory of the season as well as his 56th-career series victory while driving the Keyser Manufacturing, Baird Transport, Performance Rod & Custom, GottaRace, Lanigan Racing, Cornett Racing Engines powered Club 29 Race Car to the $10,000 payday.
“The car has been awesome this weekend, it’s been awesome since we brought it out, can’t thank my crew enough, we definitely got good piece here, can’t wait for the rest of the year,” stated an excited Lanigan, who now becomes the only driver this season to capture multiple victories on the tour.
Brent Dixon and McCreadie would bring the field of 20 to life for the start of the main event. A false start for Dixon, who fired before the starting point, moved him back to the second row and new polesitter Clint Smith brought himself and McCreadie to the green on the next try. Smith hugged the middle and held down the top spot to lead the opening circuit. McCreadie eventually took the spot from Smith on the third lap with Smith, Lanigan, Dixon and Rick Eckert in tow.
By the eighth lap, Tim Elrod was the first lapped car McCreadie would encounter. Meanwhile, Lanigan worked his way up behind Smith for second and finally grabbed the spot on the 21st lap.
Following another caution on lap 28, McCreadie brought the field down for the restart, then just 10 circuits later Lanigan was on his back bumper to challenge for the lead. Coming off the second turn, Lanigan powered to the inside and grabbed the spot away from McCreadie and held him off for the remaining 10 circuits.
Lanigan crossed the line ahead of McCreadie, Eckert, and Clint Smith, who grabbed his second-straight top ten. Local favorite Brent Dixon finished fifth.
Completing the top 10 were Rookie-of-the-Year contender Rick “Boom” Briggs, Morgan Bagley, Shane Clanton, Chase Junghans and Kyle Bronson.
McCreadie, who was runner-up, led the majority of the race, says he blames himself for losing the lead to Lanigan behind lapped traffic.
“I tried to move him, which was probably the wrong move, and it cost me the race, dumb mistake on my part, we made big gains in a month, that’s all I can say, give us another month, we’ll be even better,” said McCreadie, of Watertown, N.Y.
Lanigan liked the track, which brought the WoO LMS to town for the very first time.
“You could definitely maneuver all over this place,” said Lanigan about the racy track surface.
Rick Eckert of York, Pa., turned the fastest overall lap of Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, circling the oval at 15.940 second. Heat race winners were Brent Dixon and Tim McCreadie.
Eckert, who was third, made a run at the end of the 50-lapper and the Rocket Chassis House Car came to life.
“I made a mistake in the heat race, probably cost me the feature, but the car was really good in the (feature) race there. The race track was excellent, you could go wherever you wanted to,” said Eckert, who claimed his second-straight podium finish.
Twenty cars entered the event, which brought the WoO LMS to Lavonia, Ga., for the first time ever.
The WoO LMS will be back in action for a triple-header of action May 16-18 as the WoO LMS gang will make its first-ever visit to 201 Speedway in Sitka, Ky on Friday May 16th, then Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. on Saturday May 17th then back to Bob Harris’ Duck River Speedway in Wheel, Tenn. on Sunday Night May 18th. All three events pay $10,000-to-win.