August 14, 2009

An Outlaw Weekend

By Laura Cornman

BEDFORD, PA –

            The Bedford Speedway’s rain out streak officially ceased Friday evening.  The sunshine drew a spectacular crowd that was more than ready to witness high speed action. The $10,000.00 purse lured a total of 44 World of Outlaw Late Models to the speedway.  Austin Hubbard, a mere 17 years old, set the fast time of the night by turning a 19.684 lap time.  Accompanying the late models were the All American Outlaw Coupes.  Joe Alder and Kevin Palmer both claimed victories during the All American Outlaw Coupe heat races. 

            The pack of 20 All American Outlaws presented the fans with the four-wide salute before the drop of the green flag. Joe Alder had the pleasure of escorting the pack to the cone.  Al Daniels earnestly took over command, but his reign was short lived as Alder reclaimed his position in turn three.  Brooks Coleman and Kevin Palmer battled hard for the third place position, Coleman was successful.  Alder began placing ground between him and the rest of his competitors.  A caution occurred on lap seven.  Alder suffered a flat tire and drifted into the marbles between turns three and four, upon doing so Coleman took command.  Daniels made his way to the front of the heard and occupied the second place position; unfortunately, with seven laps to go he fell off the pace.  Coleman continued to distance himself from the field.  With fifteen laps in the books, another caution was brought out due to a pair of cars who spun in turn two.  Coleman continued to show the way as Palmer followed his tracks.  Dylan Keim attempted to make a move against Daniels, Daniels remained strong.  Coleman’s position was solidified as he drove into victory lane.

        World of Outlaw Late Model results by Kevin Kovac  

Tim Fuller continued his World of Outlaws Late Model Series hot streak on Friday night at Bedford Speedway.

But in order to register a third consecutive victory on the national tour, the 41-year-old from Watertown, N.Y., had to work extra hard in the half-mile fairgrounds oval’s 50-lap A-Main.

Coming off back-to-back flag-to-flag triumphs, Fuller appeared primed for another dominant performance after he drew the pole position. But he was outgunned for the lead at the start by Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., and shortly thereafter lost second to defending WoO LMS champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky.

Fuller dug deep, however, rallying to pass Satterlee for the lead on lap 28 and then march on to a win worth $10,650. He became just the fifth driver since 2004 to capture three straight WoO LMS A-Mains.

“It’s hard to win just one World of Outlaws race, so to win three in a row – man, I never expected to do this,” said Fuller, a former Mr. DIRTcar big-block Modified champion in his third season as a WoO LMS regular. “But this is what it’s all about – for the crew guys that work so hard, the car owners who pour so much money into this, and for me. I’m making some money that I didn’t make in the spring when we were having some bad luck.”

Fuller will attempt to equal the WoO LMS modern-era (2004-present) record of four consecutive wins – set in 2006 by Rick Eckert of York, Pa. – on Saturday night (Aug. 15) at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway.

Fuller steered his Gypsum Express Rocket car across the finish line 1.232 seconds ahead of Ashland, Ky.’s Steve Francis, who was a runner-up in the Beitler Motorsports Rocket for the second consecutive night and fifth time in the last six events.

Lanigan settled for third place in his Lanigan Autosports Rocket – the same position in which he started – and seventh-starter Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., placed fourth in the Mark Richards Racing Enterprises Rocket, keeping the WoO LMS points standings razor-close for another race. Francis left Bedford leading the standings by 10 points over Richards and 14 points over Lanigan.

Satterlee, meanwhile, faded to a fifth-place finish in his family-owned Rocket car after leading laps 1-27. It was a career-best WoO LMS finish for the rising 24-year-old, who wished he had selected a bit harder American Racer tire compound but was happy with his performance nonetheless.

A possible WoO LMS Rookie of the Year applicant next season, Satterlee proved to be a formidable foe for Fuller.

“The first 15 laps or so (Satterlee) was just locked down to the ground and I said, ‘There’s no way I’m gonna pass him,’” said Fuller, the 2007 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year. “Satterlee just kept drawing away and I was driving over my head just to try and keep up with him, so I overheated my (Hoosier) tires and that’s when Lanigan got me (for second on a lap-nine restart).

“I just had to calm down a little bit and let things come to me. On the next restart (lap 14) I was a little bit more on the ball and I got Lanigan back, and then Satterlee started to slow down and I drew in on him. You could see he was starting to ‘hang’ in the corners and that’s how I got under him (for the lead on lap 28).”

Fuller’s biggest late-race obstacle wasn’t the lap-48 caution flag for Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa., who pulled up lame in turn four with a flat right-rear tire and charging from the 21st starting spot to fifth place, but rather a hairy moment in lapped traffic.

“Russ King (the race’s highest-finishing rookie) really cut me a break when I was lapping him,” said Fuller, who recorded his sixth career WoO LMS win. “I pinched him off hard to get to that bottom (in turn one) because that’s where you had to be, so he could’ve easily turned me. It could’ve been ugly, but he got out of there hard and didn’t race me. A move like that is why I hope he wins the Rookie of the Year.”

Francis, 41, slipped by Lanigan for third on lap 30 and grabbed second from Satterlee on lap 33, but the 2007 WoO LMS champion never got close enough to Fuller to make a serious bid for his sixth victory of the season.

“I think we had a shot at (Fuller) until me and Darrell (Lanigan) hit going into three (on lap 20),” said Francis, who started sixth. “It knocked all the bracing out of the right-front (bodywork) of my car, so it kept catching on the right-front wheel and I couldn’t run two consistent laps in a row.

“But really, if I was gonna pass Fuller, it would’ve been a deal where I would’ve had to catch him in lapped traffic or when he jumped over that cushion in turn four. Fuller’s just a little better than us right, so we’ll take second and go on.”

Four caution flags slowed the event, including one on lap nine for a spin in turn two by Rookie of the Year contender Jordan Bland of Campbellsville, Ky., and another on lap 14 for the slowing car driven by Eckert, who pulled into the pits with terminal problems under the hood.

Joining Eckert in the pit area before the checkered flag was his fellow Team Zero by Bloomquist campaigner, Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., who retired on lap 33 with a broken motor.

Austin Hubbard, 17, of Seaford, Del., finished sixth, nipping Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., at the checkered flag by mere inches. Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., was a quiet eighth, followed by Ricky Elliott of Seaford, Del., and Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y.

A field of 44 cars assembled for the event, which was run before a large crowd on a gorgeous summer evening.

Missing from Bedford’s staff on Friday night was track co-promoter J.R. Keifer, who was at his wife Mary Ann’s hospital bed in Pittsburgh. Mary Ann suffered serious elbow, wrist and leg injuries in a motorcycle crash near Bedford on Sunday night.

Hubbard was quickest in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, earning his first career WoO LMS fast-time honor with a lap of 19.684 seconds.

Heat winners were Elliott, Fuller, Francis and Richards. The B-Mains were captured by Bland and Eckert.

Time trials were marred by a wild accident involving Jamie Lathroum of Mechanicsville, Md., whose car dug into the track surface and flipped over the outside guardrail between turns three and four. His machine landed on its wheels and he quickly climbed out under his own power without injury.

Lathroum, who won his first career WoO LMS A-Main on May 28 at Delaware International Speedway, had his badly-battered car hauled back to the pit area dangling between two wreckers.

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

A double-point five division show is scheduled for next week.  The show will include super late models, 358 limited late models, street stocks, hobby stocks, and 4-cylinders.

 

Results:

World of Outlaw Late Models – Compliments of Kevin Kovac

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

 

1. (1) Tim Fuller/50 $10,650

2. (6) Steve Francis/50 $5,600

3. (3) Darrell Lanigan/50 $3,600

4. (7) Josh Richards/50 $3,000

5. (2) Gregg Satterlee/50 $2,500

6. (9) Austin Hubbard/50 $1,750

7. (4) Chub Frank/50 $1,900

8. (16) Shane Clanton/50 $1,800

9. (8) Ricky Elliott/50 $1,200

10. (14) Vic Coffey/50 $1,200

11. (19) Nick Dickson/50 $1,050

12. (10) D.J. Myers/50 $1,000

13. (20) J.T. Spence/50 $950

14. (23) Russell King/49 $1,650

15. (12) Clint Smith/49 $1,350

16. (17) Jordan Bland/49 $1,300

17. (15) Tyler Reddick/49 $770

18. (24) Brent Robinson/49 $1,250

19. (21) Jason Covert/47 $730

20. (5) Jeremy Miller/43 $700

21. (22) Jeff Miller/41 $700

22. (11) Brady Smith/33 $1,200

23. (13) Matt Lux/23 $700

24. (18) Rick Eckert/14 $1,200

25. (25) Jack Pencil/8 $700

 

* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses

 

Time of Race: 28 Mins., 01.317 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 1.232 Secs.

Yellow Flags: 4 (Laps 9, 14, 43, 48)

Lap Leaders: Satterlee (1-27); Fuller (28-50)

Provisional Starters: King, Robinson (WoO); Pencil (track)

Rookie of the Race: King ($250)

WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Satterlee ($500)

Integra Shocks Crew Chief of the Race: Mike (‘Smoke’) Countryman (Fuller)

 

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

 

1. 11H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 19.684

2. 19T-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 19.727

3. 19-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 19.733

4. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 19.759

5. 22-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 19.851

6. 14-Jack Pencil/Bedford, PA 19.874

7. 11-Tyler Reddick/Corning, CA 19.899

8. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 19.914

9. 43A-Jason Covert/York Haven, PA 19.971

10. 70J-D.J. Myers/Greencastle, PA 20.008

11. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 20.030

12. 91-J.T. Spence/Winchester, VA 20.036

13. 88-Ricky Elliott/Seaford, DE 20.049

14. 24M-Jeremy Miller/Gettysburg, PA 20.086

15. 21d-Dan Stone/Thompson, PA 20.103

16. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 20.120

17. 99-Donnie Moran/Dresden, OH 20.131

18. 27-Jim Yoder/Selinsgrove, PA 20.142

19. 39-Greg Fetters/Bedford, PA 20.144

20. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 20.161

21. 21-Matt Lux/Franklin, PA 20.165

22. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 20.170

23. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 20.241

24. 33-Scott Haus/Hamburg, PA 20.285

25. 74-Tyler Hershey/Mercersburg, PA 20.289

26. 92-Jeff Rine/Danville, PA 20.305

27. 5-Chuck Clise/Frostburg, MD 20.350

28. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 20.354

29. 7-Gary Stuhler/Greencastle, PA 20.373

30. 12-Jordan Bland/Campbellsville, KY 20.397

31. 50E-D.J. Troutman/Hyndman, PA 20.449

32. 99B-Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 20.452

33. 17-Nick Dickson/Lewistown, PA 20.473

34. 18-Dustin Hapka/Grand Forks, ND 20.479

35. 57-Jeff Miller/Huntingdon, PA 20.484

36. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 20.498

37. 15E-Steve Everhart/Williamsburg, PA 20.527

38. 32-Dylan Yoder/Selinsgrove, PA 20.644

39. 8L-Scott LeBaron/Dover, PA 20.693

40. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 20.751

41. 83R-Scott Rhodes/Somerset, PA 20.768

42. 8A-Alan Sagi/Hagerstown, MD 20.801

43. 43d-Tom Decker Jr./Tyrone, PA 20.873

44. 6- Jamie Lathroum/Mechanicsville, MD N/T

 

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top Transfer): Elliott, Satterlee, Hubbard, Lux, Moran, Dickson, Stuhler, Hershey, Everhart, Covert, Rhodes

 

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top Transfer): Fuller, Jeremy Miller, Myers, Coffey, Bland, J. Yoder, Sagi, D. Yoder, Rine, Hapka, Pencil

 

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top Transfer): Francis, Frank, B. Smith, Reddick, Clise, Jeff Miller, Troutman, Fetters, LeBaron, Stone, Decker

 

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top Transfer): Richards, Lanigan, C. Smith, Clanton, Eckert, Spence, Haus, Robinson, Briggs, King

 

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top Transfer): Bland, Dickson, Covert, J. Yoder, Stuhler, Everhart, Rine, Moran, Hershey, Sagi, Hapka, D. Yoder (DNS) Rhodes, Pencil

 

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top Transfer): Eckert, Spence, Jeff Miller, Clise, Troutman, Haus, Stone, Robinson, LeBaron, Briggs, Decker, Fetters, King (DNS) Lathroum

 

World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners:

 

* Arizona Sport Shirts ($50 product certificate to fifth-place finisher in B-Mains): Gary Stuhler, D.J. Troutman

* Champ Pans ($50 product certificate to ‘Bonus Bucks’ winner w/decal): Gregg Satterlee

* Crane Cams ($100 cash award to A-Main winner w/decal): Tim Fuller

* Crane Cams ($100 cash award to 10th-place finisher in A-Main w/decal): Vic Coffey

* Crane Cams ($100 product certificate to Heat 3 winner w/decal): Steve Francis

* Eibach Springs (one free spring to each B-Main winner w/decal): Jordan Bland, Rick Eckert

* Fusion Energy ($50 cash award to Heat 2 winner w/decal): Tim Fuller

* Ohlins Shocks ($50 cash award to fast qualifier w/decal): Austin Hubbard

* Quarter-Master ($100 product certificate to A-Main winner w/decal): Tim Fuller

* Quarter-Master ($50 product certificate to fifth-place finisher in A-Main w/decal): Greg Satterlee

* Quarter-Master ($25 product certificate to 15th-place finisher in A-Main w/decal): Clint Smith

* Super Clean ‘Start of the Race’ (one case of product): Gregg Satterlee

* VP Racing Fuels ‘Nice Jugs Award’ (two free VP five-gallon containers to fastest qualifier who does not make the A-Main if decal is displayed): Chuck Clise

* Wrisco Aluminum (three sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner w/decal): Tim Fuller

 

2009 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of Aug. 14 – 28 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):

 

1. Steve Francis 3953 (-0)

2. Josh Richards 3943 (-10)

3. Darrell Lanigan 3939 (-14)

4. Rick Eckert 3829 (-124)

5. Tim Fuller 3795 (-158)

6. Shane Clanton 3773 (-180)

7. Brady Smith 3718 (-235)

8. Chub Frank 3703 (-250)

9. Clint Smith 3587 (-366)

10. Russell King 3139 (-814)

11. Jordan Bland 3125 (-828)

12. Brent Robinson 3011 (-942)

13. Dustin Hapka 2785 (-1168)

14. Tyler Reddick 2576 (-1377)

15. Vic Coffey 2369 (-1584)

16. Austin Hubbard 1942 (-2011)

17. Shannon Babb 1470 (-2483)

18. Matt Lux 1455 (-2498)

19. Gregg Satterlee 1204 (-2749)

20. Dan Stone 1138 (-2815)

 

FOLLOW THE ACTION ON TWITTER: Fans can now keep up-to-date with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series online and through text messages on cell phones via the Twitter, the internet’s fast-growing social-networking and micro-blogging website. Updates are provided to Twitter ‘followers’ of the WoO LMS throughout each race night, and fans also receive breaking news and interesting notes from the tour.

 

To sign-up as a WoO LMS ‘follower’ on Twitter to receive updates anywhere at anytime, visit http://twitter.com/WoOLateModels.

 

LISTEN ONLINE: If fans can’t get to a track to see the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, they can experience the excitement of the nation’s premier tour live on DIRTvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network.

 

To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.

 

Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions, e-mail customerservice@dirtvision.com.

 

 

 

All American Outlaw Coupes

 

Feature

 

Heat #1

 

Heat #2

1. #99 Kevin Palmer

2. # 1 Hunter Nester

3. #95 Fred Cullum

4. #48 Brad Alexander

5. #5 Tommy Crummitt

6. #22 Allen Daniels

7. #00 Scott Jorda

8. #07 Dylan Keim

9. # 38 Denny Gross

10. #01 Jessie Morrison