Darrell Lanigan takes 2nd World Of Outlaws Late Model Series victory

All is now very well with Darrell Lanigan’s racing program.

The Union, Ky., star continued his emergence from an early-season slump on Wednesday night (June 20), winning the 40-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at Port Royal Speedway.

Lanigan, 37, blasted off the outside pole to lead the entire distance without receiving a single serious challenge. He pocketed $10,000 for his second victory in the last four WoO LMS events.

Rick Eckert of York, Pa., slipped by Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., for second place on lap 27 and stayed there to the finish. It was the third runner-up finish of the season for Eckert who continues to search for his first tour triumph of 2007.

Richards settled for third, followed by Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and WoO LMS points leader Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.

Forty-six cars entered the opening night of the five-race WoO LMS ‘Great Northern Tour.’

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Darrell Lanigan
2. Rick Eckert
3. Josh Richards
4. Chub Frank
5. Clint Smith

Dennis Erb Jr wins Round 6 of the UMP Summernationals

Dennis Erb Jr took his 3rd victory on the 2007 UMP Summernationals tour at Highland Speedway Wednesday June 20. The 40 lap race paid $6000 to win.

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Dennis Erb Jr
2. Don O'Neal
3. Rodney Melvin
4. Mike Marlar
5. Wes Steidinger

Randy Korte wins Round 4 of the UMP Summernationals

Randy Korte took his second straight victory on the 2007 UMP Summernationals tour by winning Round 4 of the Series at Jefferson County Speedway Monday June 18. The 40 lap race paid $6000 to win.

1. Randy Korte
2. Mike Marlar
3. Billy Faust
4. Rodney Melvin
5. Eddie Kirchoff
6. Wes Steidinger
7. Don O'Neal
8. Kevin Weaver
9. Jeep VanWormer
10. Steve Sheppard
11. Michael Kloos
12. Rylan Dagg
13. Patrick Sheltra
14. Dennis Erb
15. Jordan Bland

Clint Smith wins World Of Outlaws Late Model Round and regains Series Points lead

Clint Smith felt a sense of accomplishment after capturing Sunday night’s (June 17) 40-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at the blazing-fast Belleville High Banks.

And that wasn’t because the Senoia, Ga., star emerged victorious in his first-ever appearance at the track and regained the tour points lead in the process.

“This is the first time we won at a racetrack that’s not really (suited to) my style,” said Smith, referencing the full-throttle racing on the famed high-banked, half-mile oval. “We finally had a car on this type of racetrack that would just turn left, not get sideways, and stay right in the fuel.”

Smith, 42, drove his J.P. Drilling/Cliburn Tank Lines GRT car by Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., to assume command on lap 10 and never looked back. He easily handled the race’s only caution flag – on lap 31 for debris in turn one – to cross the finish line 3.891 seconds ahead of Shirley’s Ed Petroff-owned Rocket machine.

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Clint Smith
2. Brian Shirley
3. Billy Moyer
4. Scott Bloomquist
5. Josh Richards

Top 5 Series Points:
1. Clint Smith 2878
2. Steve Francis 2866
3. Chub Frank 2854
4. Josh Richards 2816
5. Shannon Babb 2812

Steve Francis leads World Of Outlaws Late Model Series

Steve Francis has moved to the top of the World Of Outlaws Late Model Series Pointscore.

1. Steve Francis 2736
2. Clint Smith 2728
3. Chub Frank 2722
4. Shannon Babb 2694
5. Josh Richards 2676
6. Rick Eckert 2670
7. Shane Clanton 2648
8. Darrell Lanigan 2573
9. Eddie Carrier Jr 2364
10. Tim Fuller 2145

Shane Clanton takes victory in World Of Outlaws Late Model Series Round

Shane Clanton thought he was about to absorb another frustrating loss on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Then Lady Luck finally shined on the standout from Locust Grove, Ga.

Mere moments after losing his race-long lead to Brian Shirley, Clanton watched the Chatham, Ill., driver succumb to mechanical trouble with five laps remaining, sending him to his first victory of the season in Saturday night’s (June 16) co-sanctioned World of Outlaws/MARS DIRTcar Series ‘Kansas City 50’ at Lakeside Speedway.

“We got the monkey off our back,” said Clanton, who has struggled this season to reclaim the consistency that carried him to a career-best runner-up finish in the 2006 WoO LMS point standings. “Hopefully we’ll keep the momentum going.”

Clanton, 31, held off a lap-45 restart challenge from budding WoO LMS Rookie of the Year contender Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., to preserve the $10,000 triumph, which came in the first-ever tour event at the half-mile oval.

Fuller settled for second place, 1.074 seconds behind Clanton. It was the second consecutive bridesmaid finish for Fuller, who scored his first career WoO LMS win in the opener of the five-race Midwest swing, on June 12 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.Dak.

31 racers contested the $10,000 to win event.

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Shane Clanton
2. Tim Fuller
3. Billy Moyer
4. Rick Eckert
5. Clint Smith

Darrell Lanigan wins World Of Outlaws Late Model Series Round

Bad luck has plagued Darrell Lanigan all season, but a reversal of fortune propelled him to victory in Friday night’s (June 15) 50-lap Mediacom Late Model Shootout at Knoxville Raceway.

Lanigan, 37, of Union, Ky., inherited the lead on lap 38 when race-long pacesetter Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., slowed with mechanical trouble, and held on to register his first win of 2007 on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.

“If Josh wouldn’t have broke, it would’ve been pretty hard to pass him,” said Lanigan, who earned $10,000 for his seventh career WoO LMS triumph. “I hate what happened to him, but hey, you gotta finish 50 laps. I’ve been on both ends so I know all about that.”

29 entries were received for the race, with Lanigan pocketing $10,000.

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Darrell Lanigan
2. Tim Fuller
3. Steve Francis
4. Billy Moyer
5. Chub Frank

Randy Korte wins Round 3 of UMP Summernationals

Randy Korte stopped the Dennis Erb Jr UMP Summernationals victory parade by taking the win in the 40 lap $6000 Main at Tri-State Speedway Sunday June 17. The event was Round 3 of the 2007 UMP Summernationals Series.

1. Randy Korte
2. Don O'Neal
3. Kevin Cole
4. Steve Sheppard, Jr.
5. Mike Marlar
6. Dennis Erb Jr
7. A.J. Diemel
8. Michael Kloos
9. Chad Zobrist
10. Mark Faust
11. Wes Steidinger
12. Eddie Kirchoff
13. Jeep Van Wormer
14. Rusty Schlenk
15. Jason Fegers
16. Rodney Melvin
17. Terry Casey
18. Kevin Weaver
19. Greg Johnson
20. Mark Voigt

Dennis Erb Jr wins Round 2 of UMP Summernationals

Dennis Erb Jr made it two wins from two starts in the 2007 UMP Summernationals after taking victory in the 40 lap $10,000 to win Main event at Kamp Motor Speedway Saturday June 16.

1.Dennis Erb Jr
2.Mike Marlar
3.Don O'Neal
4.Steve Sheppard Jr
5.Jason Feger
6.Terry Casey
7.Randy Korte
8.Wes Steidinger
9.Greg Johnson
10.Rodney Melvin
11.Richie Hedrick
12.Patrick Sheltra
13.Jeep VanWormer
14.Dan Walden
15.Mike Mataragas
16.Rusty Schlenk
17.Kevin Weaver
18.Tim Manville
19.A.J. Diemel
20.Michael Kloos
21.Mark Burgtorf

Dennis Erb Jr wins Round 1 of UMP Summernationals

One of the Midwest’s hottest drivers entering this year’s grueling tour, Erb marched to victory in Friday night’s (June 15) 40-lap Summernationals opener at Kankakee Motor Speedway. 

Erb, 34, of Carpentersville, Ill., earned $10,000 for capturing the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals lidlifter for the second consecutive season. Last year he went on finish fifth in the tour point standings. 

A winner of two $10,000 World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Mains last month, Erb continued his big-money surge by driving forward from the eighth starting spot in his Petroff Towing/Thomason Transportation Rayburn. He passed race-long pacesetter Rodney Melvin of Benton, Ill., for the lead on lap 25 and never looked back. 

It was the fourth career Summernationals triumph for Erb, a favorite to stand as the points champion at the end of this year’s 28-race/30-day series. 

Melvin, who has raced infrequently so far this season while gearing up for a Summernationals assault, held on to finish second at the high-banked oval. 

Mike Marlar, a first-time Summernationals hopeful from Winfield, Tenn., came from the 12^th starting spot to finish third, followed by 2004 Summernationals titlist Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., and current UMP DIRTcar Racing national Late Model points leader Wes Steidinger of Fairbury, Ill., who started from the pole position. 

Getting off to a tough start was 2006 Summernationals points runner-up Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, Mich. He started seventh but was the first driver out of race, finishing 21^st. 

Forty-four cars entered the event. 

Heat winners were Melvin, O’Neal, Ryan Dauber of Tonica, Ill., and Steidinger. Matt Miller of Waterville, Ohio, and Jason Feger of Springfield, Ill., captured the B-Mains. 

UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals Feature Finish (40 laps): 

1. Dennis Erb
2. Rodney Melvin
3. Mike Marlar
4. Don O’Neal
5. Wes Steidinger
6. Greg Johnson
7. Terry Casey
8. Kevin Weaver
9. Matt Miller
10. Randy Korte
11. Steve Sheppard
12. Shawn Toczek
13. Richie Hedrick
14. Jason Fegers
15. Rusty Schlenk
16. Russ Scheffler
17. Ryan Dauber
18. Garrett Slager
19. Mike Provanzano
20. Tony Izzo
21. Jeep VanWormer 

Jimmy Mars wins two on the trot in WDRL Series

Jimmy Mars made it two wins in as many nights Thursday (June 14), racing to a wire-to-wire victory in the Westurn Roofing and Siding 50, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series sanctioned event at Superior Speedway.

Mars, who won the series event on his home track in Menomonie, Wisconsin on Wednesday night, started the $10,000-to-win event on the inside pole and held off late-race pressure from Illinois driver Darren Miller to grab the victory in front of a partisan full-house crowd.

 “It’s a great feeling to win in front of so many fans who follow us from the Menomonie area all the way up here to Superior,” commented Mars following the win. “We normally just run the specials up here, but when we can run up here and win, its definitely a pleasure.”

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Jimmy Mars
2. Darren Miller
3. Brady Smith
4. John Kaanta
5. Denny Eckrich

Jimmy Mars takes WDRL victory at Red Cedar Speedway

Jimmy “The Ice Man” Mars raced to a flag-to-flag victory Wednesday night (June 13) in the J & K Concrete 50, a WORLD Dirt Racing League PolyDome Late Model Series sanctioned event at Red Cedar Speedway.

The popular local driver picked up a $5,000 paycheck in the non-stop affair run before a nearly full-house crowd on the Dunn County Recreation Park third-mile semi-banked oval.

“It’s nice to win back here,” said Mars in AMSOIL Victory Lane. “We’ve run three WDRL shows this year and I felt like we’ve had a car that could contend for the win in any of them, but it just seemed like things wouldn’t go our way."

“I don’t know how many second places we’ve had this year, but finally tonight we picked one off, so it is nice to get the monkey off our back.”

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Jimmy Mars
2. Ashley Anderson
3. Brady Smith
4. Justin Fegers
5. Pat Doar

Jimmy Owens wins Lucas Oil Late Model Series Round at North Georgia Speedway

Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN became the 12^th different winner in 15 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events this year as he led all 40 laps in capturing the Harris-Sutton Chevrolet 40 on Friday Night (June 15) at North Georgia Speedway.  The series first ever visit to the Monty Morrow promoted facility drew 53 cars before a packed grandstand.

Owens earned $7,000 for his second career win in the Mike Reece owned Bloomquist Race Cars Ford Fusion.  Wendell Wallace got around Brad Neat late in the race to finish second.  Neat’s third place finish was his career best in Lucas Oil competition.

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Jimmy Owens
2. Wendell Wallace
3. Brad Neat
4. Shane Tankersley
5. Robert Gant

Scott James wins Lucas Oil Late Model Series Round

Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN led all 40 laps in winning the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event at Duck River Speedway on Thursday Night (June 21).  James fought off a furious charge from Billy Drake to take his second series win of the year.  With his third career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series triumph James moved to second place in the season championship point’s standings.  Drake finished a close second.

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Scott James
2. Billy Drake
3. Dale McDowell
4. Dan Schlieper
5. Wendell Wallace

Late Models at Northam Speedway June 24

Dirt Late Models will compete at Northam Speedway (WA) Sunday June 24 as part of a combined Speedway / Off Road Racing daylight meeting.

LMRA 2007 Awards Banquet Images

For images from the Late Model Racing Australia 2007 Awards Banquet click on the following link:

http://www.latemodelracingaustralia.com/130607_lmra_awards_banquet.htm

Clint Smith leads World Of Outlaws Late Model Series Points

Clint Smith leads the World Of Outlaws Late Model Series Pointscore after 14 Rounds of the 2007 Series. The top 10 on points read:

1. Clint Smith 2482
2. Shannon Babb 2458
3. Steve Francis 2456
4. Chub Frank 2450
5. Josh Richards 2424
6. Rick Eckert 2394
7. Shane Clanton 2360
8. Darrell Lanigan 2285
9. Eddie Carrier Jr 2140
10. Chris Madden 2083

Chub Frank wins Deer Creek World Of Outlaws Late Model Series Round

Everything seems to be going Chub Frank’s way these days on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.

The popular driver known as ‘Chubzilla’ registered his third win in the last five tour events, capturing Thursday night’s (June 14) 28th annual Featherlite Trailers ‘Gopher 50’ Charity Late Model Race at Deer Creek Speedway.

“You just keep riding the wave, because you know things can change,” said Frank, who earned $10,000 for his first-ever victory in the prestigious dirt Late Model special organized by the Blooming Prairie (Minn.) Lions Club. “You get on that low side a lot, so it’s nice to get on the high side. We just have to try and make it last.”

Frank, 45, of Bear Lake, Pa., mastered the slick three-eighths-mile oval with his Lester Buildings/Corry Rubber Rocket No. 1*, leading the A-Main from flag-to-flag after starting on the outside pole. He repelled periodic pressure from WoO LMS points leader Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., for much of the distance to preserve his 10th career win on the nation’s premier tour.

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Chub Frank
2. Clint Smith
3. Darrell Lanigan
4. Billy Moyer
5. Steve Francis

Tim Fuller wins first World Of Outlaws Late Model Series Round

Tim Fuller has officially arrived as a dirt Late Model racer.


The DIRTcar big-block Modified veteran from Watertown, N.Y., made his mark on the full-fender division in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night (June 12), passing Eddie Carrier Jr. for the lead with four laps remaining and then holding on to capture the ‘Seven Clans Casino 50’ at River Cities Speedway.

It was the first-ever World of Outlaws Late Model Series triumph for Fuller, a 38-year-old who is leading the tour’s 2007 Rookie of the Year chase.

Top 5 Feature Results:
1. Tim Fuller
2. Eddie Carrier Jr
3. Shannon Babb
4. Shane Clanton
5. Steve Francis