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Darrell Lanigan Overtakes Chub Frank at Big Diamond for Fifth World of Outlaws Late Model Series Win of the Season - Stage set for Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com Thursday-Friday-Saturday at Lernerville Speedway

 

By Kevin Kovac

 

FORESTVILLE, Pa. - June 24 - Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., overtook race-long pacesetter Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., for the lead on lap 25 and marched on to capture Tuesday's World of Outlaws Late Model Series Diamond Shine 40 at Big Diamond Raceway.

 

The 43-year-old Lanigan continued his relentless pursuit of a third career WoO LMS championship, padding his already healthy points lead with his series-leading fifth victory of the 2014 season and the 58th of his career. He earned $8,650 for his second triumph in three career starts at the 3/8-mile oval in Pennsylvania's coal region, which hosted the national tour for the first time in five years.

 

"We've got an A-plus season going right now," said Lanigan, who has 13 top-10 finishes in 14 WoO LMS starts this season. "The piece (Club 29 Race Car) we built and designed has been unbelievable since we brought it out of the box in February, so I couldn't ask for nothing better."

 

Lanigan, who won the inaugural WoO LMS event at Big Diamond in 2008, swept Tuesday night's program. He set fast time in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, won a heat race and stormed to the feature win, which kept him as the only repeat winner on the tour this season.

Starting third in the 40-lap A-Main, Lanigan passed Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., for second on a lap-11 restart and settled in behind the 51-yearold Frank, who started second and grabbed the lead at the initial green flag. Finally, on lap 25, Lanigan surged by Frank to assume command for good.

 

Rick Eckert of York, Pa., sailed around the outside of Frank to take second place on a lap-26 restart and drew close to Lanigan for a short time, but Lanigan's inside line was too much for Eckert to overcome. The home-state driver finished second, 1.430 seconds behind the winner.

 

Frank settled for a third-place finish, with 10th-starter Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa., placing fourth and Wells, who started from the pole, completing the top five.

 

"I just had to wait to get to (lapped) traffic there," said Lanigan. "Chub was pretty good, but our car was pretty good and it was getting better toward the end of the race. Then he kind of chose the wrong line when he got to traffic and we got by him."

 

Eckert, 48, made a gallant attempt to challenge Lanigan riding the high side of the track, but his bid fell short.

 

"The bottom started picking up by the time I got to Darrell," said Eckert, who was seeking his first WoO LMS victory since joining the Rocket Chassis house car team in late April. "It started to rubber a little bit, and I just couldn't keep running up there anymore. That end (turns three and four) got so dirty too that I'd just float the whole car on exit.

 

"We had a great car, and I found something up top to get up to second. We just couldn't get all the way to the front though."

Seeking to end a WoO LMS winless streak dating back to August 2009, Frank led the race's first 24 laps but couldn't stay up front to the finish. He still recorded his second consecutive podium finish on the tour.

 

"I really didn't feel that good, but nobody was catching us for the first half of the race," said Frank, who finished second in the Jackpot 100 on May 25 at West Virginia's Tyler County Speedway. "I think when I got in behind somebody (in traffic) it was dirty (air), and I didn't feel right and Darrell got by us.

 

"I could see where we could adjust the car, so at least we held on to get a good finish."

 

Three caution flags slowed the race: for Ben Whitaker's turn-four spin on lap 11; Boom Briggs slowing on lap 26; and Chase Junghans slowing with a flat tire on lap 36.

 

Thirty-one cars entered the event.

 

Lanigan was fastest in qualifying with a lap of 15.968 seconds, and he joined Wells and Shane Clanton as heat winners.

 

The WoO LMS next heads to Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., June 26-28 for the eighth Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com. Two preliminary programs topped by 30-lap features paying $6,000 to win will be followed the headline $30,000-to-win 100-lapper on Saturday.

 

For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.

 

Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and Facebook at www.facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws.

 

Results of World of Outlaws Late Model Series Diamond Shines 40 at Big Diamond Raceway

 

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

1. (3) Darrell Lanigan/40 $8,650

2. (7) Rick Eckert/40 $4,650

3. (2) Chub Frank/40 $3,250

4. (10) Dan Stone/40 $2,400

5. (1) Eric Wells/40 $2,550

6. (4) Shane Clanton/40 $2,150

7. (5) Jason Covert/40 $1,900

8. (14) Tim McCreadie/40 $2,000

9. (11) Frank Heckenast Jr./40 $2,000

10. (9) Morgan Bagley/40 $1,650

11. (18) Vic Coffey/40 $1,000

12. (8) Clint Smith/40 $1,450

13. (13) Jeff Rine/40 $850

14. (20) Dylan Yoder/40 $950

15. (17) Bryan Bernheisel/40 $750

16. (15) Matt Cochran/40 $700

17. (16) Scott Haus/40 $660

18. (11) Boom Briggs/40 $1,190

19. (12) Chase Junghans/40 $1,170

20. (19) Pancho Lawler/40 $610

21. (24) Tim Wilson/39 $600

22. (21) Ben Whitaker/22 $600

23. (23) Luke Hoffner/2 $600

24. (22) Andy Haus/0 $675

* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses

Time of Race: 19 Mins., 22.843 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 1.493 Secs.

Yellow Flags: 3 (laps 11, 26, 35)

Lap Leaders: Frank (1-24); Lanigan (25-40) Provisional Starters: Hoffner, Wilson WoO LMS 'Bonus Bucks' Winner: Covert ($500) WoO LMS Rookie of the Race: Heckenast ($250)

 

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

1. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 15.968

2. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, KY 16.179

3. 14M-Morgan Bagley/Longview, TX 16.361

4. 99B-Boom Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 16.379

5. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 16.403

6. 25-Shane Clanton/Zebulon, GA 16.405

7. 1-Rick Eckert/York, PA 16.467

8 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 16.542

9. 18c-Chase Junghans/Manhattan, KS 16.546

10. 21D-Dan Stone/Thompson, PA 16.592

11. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 16.622

12. 72-Jason Covert/York Haven, PA 16.8

13. 2J-Jeff Rine/Danville, PA 16.818

14. 99Jr-Frank Heckenast Jr./Frankfurt, IL 16.828

15. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 16.841

16. 21-Scott Haus/Hamburg, PA 16.872

17. 15-Luke Hoffner/Turbotville, PA 17.039

18. 76-Andy Haus/Easton, PA 17.082

19. 119B-Bryan Bernheisel/Jonestown, PA 17.131

20. 3-Tim Wilson/McClure, PA 17.187

21. 16-Matt Cochran/Williamsport, PA 17.255

22. 118-Sean Merkel/Boyertown, PA 17.276

23. 93-Pancho Lawler/Glenville, PA 17.31

24. 4s-Danny Snyder/Green Lane, PA 17.376

25. 13x-Ben Whitaker/Scott, PA 17.407

26. 3V-Scott Richwine/Carlisle, PA 17.577

27. 44J-James O'Hara/Covington, PA 17.664

28. 769-Steve Nederoster/Walnutport, PA 18.006

29. 4DS-Chad Hollenbeck/Hastings, PA 18.27

30. 24-Dylan Yoder/Selinsgrove, PA N/T

31. 22R-Randall Paxton/Factoryville, PA N/T

 

Heat No. 1 (10 laps - Top 6 Transfer): Lanigan, Briggs, Eckert, Stone, Rine, Haus, Whitaker, Wilson, Merkel, Nederoster

 

Heat No. 2 (10 laps - Top 6 Transfer): Wells, Frank, C. Smith, Heckenast, McCreadie, B. Bernheisel, Lawler, Richwine, Hoffner (DNS) Hollenbeck

 

Heat No. 3 (10 laps - Top 6 Transfer): Clanton, Covert, Bagley, Junghans, Cochran, Coffey, D. Yoder, O'Hara, A. Haus, Snyder

 

Last Chance Showdown (12 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Lawler, D. Yoder, Whitaker, A. Haus, Richwine, Merkel, Wilson, Nederoster, O'Hara, Hoffner, Snyder

 

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): Andy Haus Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Rick Eckert MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Rick Eckert Quartermaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner): Chub Frank Wrisco (three sheets of aluminum/certificate to A-Main winner): Darrell Lanigan STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank Penske Racing Shocks ($50 to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main): Dylan Yoder Roush-Yates ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Dan Stone Mobil 1 ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Dan Stone JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells Lincoln Welders ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Shane Clanton American Racing Wheels ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie Edelbrock ($50 cash to 9th-place finisher in A-Main): Frank Heckenast Jr.Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley Cometic ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Clint Smith JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Dylan Yoder Superflow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Dylan Yoder Quartermaster ($25 certificate to 15th-place finisher in A-Main): Matt Cochran JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 16th-place finisher in A-Main): Matt Cochran Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 18th-place finisher in A-Main): Boom Briggs Quartermaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Chase Junghans Arizona Sports Shirts ($100 certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Ben Whitaker Mobil 1 (20% off gift certicate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Pancho Lawler JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 21st-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Wilson Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 22nd-place finisher in A-Main): Ben Whitaker MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Andy Haus Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO driver): Dan Stone Reliable Painting (one free tire): Chase Junghans

 

2014 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of June 24 - 14 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

 

1. Darrell Lanigan 2098

2. Rick Eckert 1966 (-132)

3. Tim McCreadie 1930 (-168)

4. Shane Clanton 1904 (-194)

5. Chub Frank 1872 (-226)

6. Morgan Bagley 1864 (-234)

7. Eric Wells 1842 (-256)

8. Frankie Heckenast Jr. 1794 (-304)

9. Clint Smith 1790 (-308)

10. Chase Junghans 1708 (-390)

11. Rick 'Boom' Briggs 1666 (-432)

12. Brandon Sheppard 1156 (-942)

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