Babb Earns First Illini 100 Victory In Front of Hometown Crowd

[NickHolt]

Babb Earns First Illini 100 Victory In Front of Hometown Crowd

- Land of Lincoln driver pockets $20,000, becomes eighth different World of Outlaws Late Model Series winner this season

 

By Chris Tilley

 

FARMER CITY, Ill. - April 26, 2014 - Shannon Babb became the first Illinois driver to capture the Illini 100 on Saturday night at Farmer City Raceway.

 

The Moweaqua, Ill., driver started seventh, took the lead on lap 46 from Bobby Pierce and never looked back en route to a $20,000 payday in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series-sanctioned Sixth Annual Illini 100 at Farmer City Raceway. Babb became the eighth different winner in eight races on this year's World of Outlaws Late Model Series tour across America.

 

"Man I'm pumped, 20 grand right here at Farmer City, shoot!" exclaimed a very excited Babb in Victory Lane in front of a packed hometown crowd. "This race means a lot, there's no better crowd in the Midwest than right here, every year they keep supporting it, we've got a lot of good race fans and race teams around here, it's great. Love to win it right here at home."

 

Polesitter Morgan Bagley and Rick Eckert brought the field of 24 to life for the Illini 100 with Eckert taking the point and leading the opening circuit with Pierce, Tim McCreadie and Bagley in tow. On the third lap Pierce took the lead from Eckert coming off the fourth turn and tried to hold off the field.

 

By the eighth lap, points leader and two-time champion Darrell Lanigan made his presence known as he rallied from his eighth starting spot to challenge for third and eventually take the position from McCreadie. By the next lap, Lanigan rolled his Club 29 Race Car to the second.

 

Pierce continued leading, but Lanigan kept the pressure on, closing the gap on Pierce by the 16th lap. Lanigan put his nose to the outside of Pierce on several occasions but Pierce's momentum on the bottom of the quarter-mile bullring keep him out front.

 

Lapped traffic came into play by the 21st circuit as both Pierce and Lanigan had their hands full behind several lapped cars. For the next eight laps the duo worked through lapped cars with Pierce still holding his momentum.

 

Pierce continued to lead until the 45th lap when the caution flew for debris. On the restart, Babb knocked off second place and by the 46th lap he moved up the track and took the lead from Pierce.

 

"When those guys went to the bottom, my mouth was watering, I just got up there and got 'er done," Babb said.

 

As the race went on after the lap-50 yellow flag, Babb could flex his muscle with the lead on the field, but after a final yellow on lap-88, the field bunched up again for the final time but Babb still held off a determined Lanigan for his first WoO LMS victory of the season.

 

Only four caution flags slowed the event which took just over 36 minutes to run. The first yellow flag came on the sixth lap as Steve Sheppard Jr. and Jeep VanWormer both spun in turn one. The next yellow would be on lap 45 for debris in turn four. The third yellow would come out on the 50th lap as Chase Junghans slowed in turn three with a flat tire. The fourth and final yellow would wave on the 88th lap as Clint Smith brought his car to rest in turn four with a right-rear flat tire. Both Junghans and Smith entered the work area and bolted on new rubber for the rest of the main event.

 

Babb drove his Petroff Towing, Donley Trucking and Krekes Powerhouse sponsored Rocket Chassis to the payday. Completing the top-five were eighth-starting Lanigan of Union, Ky., fourth-starting Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., sixth-starting McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., and Eckert, of York, Pa., who drove to his first top-five filling in for three-time series champ Josh Richards in the #1 Rocket Chassis car.

 

Lanigan just couldn't get over the hump he needed to get the win.

 

"We did have a good car all night, that's my fault, I should have took the outside on the first restart and picked the inside," stated Lanigan after his podium finish.

 

Lanigan turned the fastest overall lap of Ohlins Shocks Time Trials on Friday night, circling the blistering-fast oval in 13.369 seconds during Group 'A' of the split qualifying session.

 

Heat winners on Friday were Lanigan, Shannon Babb, Kevin Weaver and Bobby Pierce. Ryan Unzicker and Darren Friedman captured the Last Chance Showdowns on Saturday.

 

The WoO LMS will be back in action to kick off an ultra-busy Month of May on Friday May 2, at Fayetteville Motor Speedway in Fayetteville, N.C., and Saturday, May 3, at Lavonia Speedway in Lavonia, Ga. Each event pays $10,000-to-win.

 

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 Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (7) Shannon Babb/100 $20,050

2. (8) Darrell Lanigan/100 $10,650

3. (4) Bobby Pierce/100 $6,500

4. (6) Tim McCreadie/100 $5,700

5. (2) Rick Eckert/100 $4,650

6. (14) Jason Feger/100 $3,050

7. (3) Kevin Weaver/100 $2,750

8. (13) Chub Frank/100 $3,100

9. (5) Frank Heckenast Jr./100 $3,100

10. (12) Brandon Sheppard/100 $2,650

11. (10) Scott Schmitt/100 $1,950

12. (17) Ryan Unzicker/100 $1,800

13. (9) Shane Clanton/100 $2,250

14. (23) Eric Wells/100 $2,200

15. (22) Brady Smith/100 $1,650

16. (1) Morgan Bagley/100 $2,130

17. (16) Rick "Boom" Briggs/100 $2,110

18. (24) Chase Junghans/100 $2,090

19. (21) Clint Smith/99 $2,070

20. (15) Joe Harlan/78 $1,500

21. (20) Steve Shappard Jr./66 $1,500

22. (11) Brian Diverley/62 $1,500

23. (19) Jeep VanWormer/44 $1,500

24. (18) Darren Friedman/43 $1,525

* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses

Time of Race: 36 Mins., 37 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 0.419 Secs.

Yellow Flags: Four (laps 6, 45, 50, 88)

Red Flags: None

Lap Leaders: Eckert (1-2); Pierce (3-45); Babb (46-100)

Provisional Starters: Eric Wells and Chase Junghans

WoO LMS 'Bonus Bucks' Winner: Bobby Pierce ($500)

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

Group 'A'

1. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, Ky. 13.369

2. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, N.Y. 13.498

3. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, Pa. 13.560

4. 18B-Shannon Babb-Moweaqua, Ill. 13.588

5. 14m-Morgan Bagley/Tyler, Texas 13.592

6. 25F-Jason Feger/Bloomington, Ill. 13.690

7. 25-Shane Clanton/Zebulon, Ga. 13.718

8. 10-Scott Schmitt/Tonica, Ill. 13.724

9. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, Ga. 13.780

10. 89-Daren Friedman/Forrest, Ill. 13.789

11. 116-Torin Mettille/Cullom, Ill. 13.792

12. 5s-Steve Sheppard Jr./New Berlin, Ill. 13.826

13. 18c-Chase Junghans/Manhattan, Ks. 13.941

14. 77m-Jay Morris/Watseka, Ill. 14.045

15. 32J-Jason Jaggers/Wyant, Ill. 14.143

16. 7T-Steve Thorsten/Milford, Ill. 14.148

17. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, Ky. 14.156

18. 93-Jay Johnson/W. Burlington, Iowa 14.328

Group 'B'

1. B12-Kevin Weaver/Gibson City, Ill. 13.646

2. 1-Rick Eckert/York, Pa. 13.691

3. 99jr-Frank Heckenast Jr./Orland Park, Ill. 13.766

4. 35-Derek Chandler/Pontiac, Ill. 13.780

5. 11d-Brian Diverley/Springfield, Ill. 13.822

6. B5-Brandon Sheppard/New Berlin, Ill. 13.865

7. 24-Ryan Unzicker/El Paso, Ill. 13.866

8. 83-Scott Bull/Fairbury, Ill. 13.898

9. Z-Joe Harlan/El Paso, Ill. 13.904

10. 1w-Donny Walden/Towanda, Ill. 13.922

11. 45-Kyle Hammer/Clinton, Ill. 13.939

12. 99B-Rick 'Boom Briggs/Bear Lake, Pa. 13.977

13. 55-Jeep VanWormer/Pinconning, Mich. 13.992

14. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, Wis. 14.151

15. 74-Russ Adams/Princeville, Ill. 14.475

DNQ. 9D-Daniel Flessner/Roberts, Ill. No Time

DNQ. 32-Bobby Pierce/Oakwood, Ill. No Time

DNQ. 42-McKay Wenger/Fairbury, Ill. No Time

Heat No. 1 (15 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Darrell Lanigan, Morgan Bagley, Shane Clanton, Chub Frank, Chase Junghans, Clint Smith, Torin Mettille, Jason Jaggers, Eric Wells.

Heat No. 2 (15 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Shannon Babb, Tim McCreadie, Scott Schmitt, Jason Feger, Darren Friedman, Steve Sheppard Jr., Jay Morris, Jay Johnson, Steve Thorston.

Heat No. 3 (15 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Kevin Weaver, Frank Heckenast Jr., Brian Diverley, Joe Harlan, Jeep VanWormer, Ryan Unzicker, Kyle Hammer, Russ Adams, Daniel Flessner (DNS).

Heat No. 4 (15 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Bobby Pierce, Rick Eckert, Brandon Sheppard, Rick "Boom" Briggs, Derek Chandler, Scott Bull, Donny Walden, Brady Smith.

Last Chance Showdown No. 1 (12 laps - Top 3 Transfer): Ryan Unzicker, Jeep VanWormer, Clint Smith, Chase Junghans, Eric Wells, Kyle Hammer, Torin Mettille, Jay Johnson, Daniel Flessner.

Last Chance Showdown No. 2 (12 laps - Top 3 Transfer): Darren Friedman, Steve Sheppard Jr., Brady Smith, Jay Morris, Scott Bull, Donny Walden, Derek Chandler, Steve Thorston.

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): Shannon Babb

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

MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Tim McCreadie

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

Wrisco (three sheets of aluminum/certificate to A-Main winner): Shannon Babb

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Edelbrock ($50 cash to 9th-place finisher in A-Main): Frank Heckenast Jr.

Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Brandon Sheppard

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

JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Rick "Boom" Briggs

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

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

JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 16th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley

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

Quartermaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Clint Smith

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

JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 21st-place finisher in A-Main): Steve Sheppard Jr.

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

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

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

Reliable Painting Award (one free tire): Rick Eckert

World of Outlaws Late Model Series 2014 Event Winners:

Brady Smith-Bubba Raceway Park February 14th

Brandon Sheppard-Bubba Raceway Park February 15th

Darrell Lanigan-Bubba Raceway Park February 16th

Casey Roberts-Volusia Speedway Park February 20th

Kyle Bronson-Volusia Speedway Park February 22nd

Billy Moyer Sr.-I30 Speedway March 29th

Mike Marlar-Tazewell Speedway April 12th

Shannon Babb-Farmer City Raceway April 26th

Upcoming World of Outlaws Late Model Series Events:

May 2-Fayetteville Motor Speedway-Fayetteville, NC-$10,000 to win

May 3-Lavonia Speedway-Lavonia, GA-$10,000 to win

May 16-201 Speedway-Sitka, KY-$10,000 to win

May 17-Smoky Mountain Speedway-Maryville, TN-$10,000 to win

May 18-Duck River Raceway Park-Wheel, TN-$10,000 to win