Mike Ruefer photo

 Moyer Outduels Former Protege' Babb Again For Farmer City Victory

By Kevin Kovac

FARMER CITY, Ill — April 10. Billy Moyer still has Shannon Babb's number in the "Illini 100" at Farmer City Raceway.

For the second time in three years the veteran star denied his former protégé's bid for an emotional hometrack victory, taming the tricky fairgrounds quarter-mile oval on Saturday night to capture the third annual World of Outlaws Late Model Series event before a standing-room-only crowd.

Moyer, 52, of Batesville, Ark., remained undefeated in the Illini 100 with a $20,175 triumph that closely mirrored his thrilling win over Babb in the inaugural race in 2008. While his victory margin wasn't quite as narrow as two years ago, Moyer grabbed the lead on lap 72 when Babb slipped over the turn-one berm while negotiating lapped traffic and then had to repel several frantic late-race challenges from the hard-charging Moweaqua, Ill., driver.

Billy Moyer slips under a high running Shannon Babb before claiming another "Illini 100" win at Farmer City Raceway. (Mike Ruefer) 

Tim McCreadie battles his way past Illinois ace Jason Feger at Farmer City.  McCreadie's third place finish continued an impressive trend of top fives for the still winless driver, while Feger's highly touted appearance with the World of Outlaws regulars yielded a very respectable sixth place. (Mike Ruefer) 

"That was a lot of fun," said Moyer, who became the seventh different winner in as many WoO LMS A-Mains this season. "I like the kind of racetracks that you gotta chase like I did tonight. It was slick, and I think I ran every inch of it out there, every groove there was. That makes it fun for a driver, rather than just running in that one little spot."

Babb, 36, was a deeply disappointed runner-up after leading on three separate occasions during the highly-competitive event. Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who started 17th, joined the lead battle with Moyer and Babb late in the distance but settled for third place, while Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, slipped to fourth at the finish after leading briefly before a mid-race caution flag and sixth-starter Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., placed fifth.

"That's pretty ironic I guess, to run one-two like that again (with Babb)," said Moyer, who did not enter last year's Illini 100. "He's a good kid. We sat here (Moyer and Babb were parked side-by-side in the pit area) and shot the s--- all weekend. I like him from back in the day when he ran for us (Babb drove cars owned by Moyer's father) and we're still good friends."

Moyer, who started seventh, had his Victory Circle by Moyer car up to third place when the race's first caution flag flew on lap 46 for the engine problems

Still trying to get his program back on track following some early season surgery, #25 Shane Clanton put in his best showing to date with eighth place at Farmer City, while #1 Chub Frank continued to struggle with his, taking a dismal 20th place, one lap down. (Mike Ruefer) 

suffered by Rick Eckert of York, Pa. Then Birkhofer, who had become the first driver to supplant Babb as the leader when he slipped in front on lap 44, got off slowly on the restart, allowing Babb and Moyer to move into the top-two spots as lap 47 was scored.

Babb built nearly a straightaway edge over Moyer by lap 52, but less than a dozen circuits later the two drivers were in a battle for the lead. Moyer surged ahead to assume command on lap 64, but Babb split Moyer and a lapped car in turn three to regain the lead on lap 68.

The lead changed hands for the fifth and final time in the event on lap 72 after Babb ran out of racing room as he attempted to go around a lapped car and slid over the turn-one berm in his Sheltra Construction Rocket, handing the top spot back to a shocked Moyer.

"He'd done that twice before and he saved it," Moyer said of Babb's

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