Marlar captures WoO LMS victory at Tazewell Speedway

[NickHolt]

Marlar Captures World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory at Tazewell Speedway - Tennessee driver tops Clanton, Eckert for his first series win in 50-lap feature

 

By Chris Tilley

 

TAZEWELL, Tenn. - April 12, 2014 - Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., took advantage of Tim McCreadie's misfortune and went on to capture Saturday night's Scion of Knoxville 50 World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at Tazewell Speedway. This was Marlar's first-career World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory, and he became the series' seventh different winner this season in seven races after holding off Shane Clanton and Rick Eckert to the checkered flag as championship leader Darrell Lanigan finished fourth with last year's top rookie Eric Wells rounding out the top five.

 

"We actually scaled back on racing this year and I think we're going to have one of our best year's yet," said an excited Marlar in victory lane.

 

 

"My steering is bent, my arms are tired, but with all the help from my family and friends, Ronnie Delk (car owner), all of the work they put in, we're going stay in there and drive it all we can," stated Marlar after talking about his near mishap with lapped car Mark Gant.

 

McCreadie and Marlar brought the field of 24 to life for the start of the 50-lapper with McCreadie jumping to the high side and the early lead. Marlar tucked under T-Mac for second with Lanigan moving from his eighth spot to the fifth position by the second circuit. By the sixth lap, sixth-starting Clanton and his Capital Race Cars entry passed Eckert for the third spot.

 

"We're good, just need a little lady luck to start up front and maybe we can win one," said runner-up Clanton of Zebulon, Ga.

Eckert of York, Pa., held on to a third place-finish and said tire choice was the key.

 

"He was a little bit softer on the left rear tire, that one restart he took the bottom off two and snuck by me and I just couldn't get him back cleared," said Eckert.

 

Brandon Overton of Appleton, Ga., finished sixth while Rookie-of-the-Year contender Chase Junghans of Manhattan, Kan., finished seventh. Morgan Bagley of Tyler, Texas, Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., and Rick "Boom" Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., rounded out the top 10.

 

Eight caution flags slowed the main event. The first yellow flag would wave on lap three as Boom Briggs got crossed up in turn four collecting three more. Lap nine would see leader McCreadie slowing for a right rear flat tire. Bryan Hendrix spun at the top of turn two in front of the top-four cars and brought out the yellow on lap 17. Debris brought out the next yellow on lap 26. The next yellow flag would wave on lap-29 as the rescue squad had to come out of the infield and attend to a spectator. Jack Sullivan would slow in turn three for a flat tire on lap 31 to bring out the next yellow flag. The lap-39 caution flag would be for Chub Frank's right-rear flat. Jeff Wolfenbarger would slow for the final yellow with two laps to go with a flat tire.

 

Twenty-four cars entered the event, which brought the WoO LMS to Gary Hall's track outside Tazewell for the lone season visit.

Eckert turned the fastest overall lap of Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, circling the blistering-fast 1/3 mile oval in 11.390 seconds. Heat winners were Eckert, Wells and McCreadie.

 

Darrell Lanigan continues to lead the overall World of Outlaws Late Model Series championship with six top-five's and seven top-10s through seven feature events.

 

The WoO LMS will be back in action April 25-26 with the sixth running of the Illini 100 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway. Time Trials and heat races will be run on Friday night and the $20,000-to-win finale is set for Saturday evening.

 

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 .

 

World of Outlaws Late Model Series Statistical Report; Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway; April 12, 2014

 

Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won:

1. (2) Mike Marlar/50 $10,500

2. (6) Shane Clanton/50 $5,600

3. (3) Rick Eckert/50 $3,650

4. (8) Darrell Lanigan/50 $3,150

5. (5) Eric Wells/50 $2,500

6. (9) Brandon Overton/50 $1,700

7. (12) Chase Junghans/50 $2,300

8. (21) Morgan Bagley/50 $1,850

9. (10) Clint Smith/50 $1,800

10. (15) Rick "Boom" Briggs/50 $1,150

11. (13) Brandon Sheppard/50 $1,550

12. (14) Chub Frank/50 $1,550

13. (18) Josh Putnam/50 $1,050

14. (16) Bryan Hendrix/50 $900

15. (7) Jeff Wolfenbarger/50 $850

16. (23) Mark Gant/49 $800

17. (20) Frank Heckenast Jr./46 $1,320

18. (11) Jack Sullivan/37 $1,300

19. (4) Billy Ogle, Jr./26 $730

20. (1) Tim McCreadie/17 $1,350

21. (17) Terry Wolfenbarger/13 $750

22. (19) Kyle Bronson/9 $700

23. (22) Wade Howerton/8 $700

24. (24) Steve Smith/DNS $0

* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses

Time of Race: 34 Mins,18 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 1.071 Secs.

Yellow Flags: Eight (laps 3, 9, 17, 26, 29, 31, 39, 48)

Red Flag: None

Lap Leaders: McCreadie (1-8), Marlar (9-50)

Provisional Starters: None

WoO LMS 'Bonus Bucks' Winner: Mike Marlar ($500)

 

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

1. 24-Rick Eckert/York, Pa. 11.390

2. 157-Mike Marlar/Winfield, Tenn. 11.436

3. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 11.442

4. 25-Shane Clanton/Zebulon, Ga. 11.447

5. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, Ky. 11.551

6. 76-Brandon Overton/Appleton, Ga. 11.605

7. 28-Jeff Wolfenbarger/Clinton, Tenn. 11.712

8. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, Ky. 11.779

9. 18c-Chase Junghans/Manhattan, Ks. 11.788

10. 44-Clint Smith-Senoia, Ga. 11.796

11. 18x-Jack Sullivan/Greenbriar, Ark. 11.824

12. 201-Billy Ogle Jr./Knoxville, Tenn. 11.854

13. 5-Bryan Hendrix/Knoxville, Tenn. 11.856

14. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, Pa. 11.864

15. 212-Josh Putnam/Florence, Ala. 11.884

16. 1-Brandon Sheppard/New Berlin, Ill. 11.975

17. 14-Terry Wolfenbarger/Clinton, Tenn. 11.978

18. 14m-Morgan Bagley/Tyler, Tex. 12.099

19. 40B-Kyle Bronson/Tampa, Fla. 12.139

20. 99j-Frank Heckenast Jr./Orland Park, Ill. 12.156

21. 99-Rick "Boom" Briggs/Bear Lake, Pa. 12.241

22. 113-Mark Gant/Savannah, Tenn. 12.459

23. 71-Steve Smith/Powell, Tenn. 12.522

24. 15-Wade Howerton/Tazewell, Tenn. 12.690

 

Heat No. 1 (10 laps - All cars Transfer): Eckert, Clanton, J. Wolfenbarger, C. Smith, Sheppard, Hendrix, Bronson, Gant (DNS).

 

Heat No. 2 (10 laps - All cars Transfer): Wells, Marlar, Lanigan, Sullivan, Frank, T. Wolfenbarger, Heckenast, S. Smith (DNS).

 

Heat No. 3 (10 laps - All cars Transfer): McCreadie, B. Ogle, Overton, Junghans, Briggs, Putnam, Bagley, Howerton.

 

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

Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton

MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton

Quartermaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton

Wrisco (three sheets of aluminum/certificate to A-Main winner): Shane Clanton

STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main): Shane Clanton

Penske Racing Shocks ($50 to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main): Josh Putnam

Roush-Yates ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley

JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Chase Junghans

Lincoln Welders ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Chase Junghans

American Racing Wheels ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main): Chase Junghans

VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Clint Smith

Edelbrock ($50 cash to 9th-place finisher in A-Main): Clint Smith

Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Rick "Boom" Briggs

Cometic ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank

JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Josh Putnam

Superflow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Jeff Wolfenbarger

Quartermaster ($25 certificate to 15th-place finisher in A-Main): Jeff Wolfenbarger

JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 16th-place finisher in A-Main): Frank Heckenast Jr.

Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 18th-place finisher in A-Main): Jack Sullivan

Quartermaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Billy Ogle Jr.

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

JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 21st-place finisher in A-Main): Terry Wolfenbarger

Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 22nd-place finisher in A-Main): Wade Howerton

MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Wade Howerton

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

Reliable Painting Award (one free tire): Brandon Sheppard