Lucas Oil Series: McCreadie Ends Slow Week On Top In Winternationals
Final
James Essex
TAMPA, Fla. – Feb. 12. Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y. led from start to
finish to win the finale of the 35th Annual DART Winternationals on Saturday night at East Bay Raceway
Park. McCreadie held off Billy Moyer in the waning laps to capture the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series-sanctioned event that paid $12,000 to win. Trailing the duo to the finish line was Don O’Neal of
Martinsville, Ind., Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. and Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn. Scott
Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn. won the weeklong DART points fund by five points over O’Neal.
Billy Moyer races just ahead of Don O'Neal in the fight for second in the
Winternationals final. (Rick Warren)
“Man the way the week started we weren’t very good, and I was not happy with
anything, but the crew worked so hard the last few days to get us where we are tonight, earlier in the week I
never dreamed we would end up in victory lane, but it’s a great win,” said McCreadie, the second
generation racer who recorded the sixth win of his career on the LOLMDS tour.
“I have to thank Bill Schlieper of Pro Power Engines and Mark Richards of Rocket
Chassis, this is a new car, and I am glad to be the first Rocket driver to win this week,” commented the
winner. The top five finishers were all piloting different chassis brands. Sweeteners Plus, Integra
Shocks and Coffey-McCreadie Enterprises sponsor McCreadie’s car.
David Breazeale, #41 Brad Neat, and #28 Eddie Carrier take it three-wide at East
Bay. (Mike Ruefer)
McCreadie started on the outside of the front row and bolted to the early
lead. McCreadie set a fast pace out in front as the duo of O’Neal and Moyer ran second and third. The
race was going along smoothly until the first caution for a slowing Brian Birkhofer forced the first restart of
the race. The restart saw Moyer slip by O’Neal for second. McCreadie then started to pick-up the tail end
of the field as heavy traffic developed in front of him. Moyer and O’Neal were able to catch up to
McCreadie, as a three-car battle for the lead was about to ensue. O’Neal rpassed Moyer for second on lap 25 in
traffic and then he challenged McCreadie for the lead.
Josh Richards takes a low line inside of #57 Bub McCool and Ray Cook.
(Rick Warren)
Just as O’Neal was about to get by McCreadie to take over the lead the caution
came out. On the restart McCreadie set sail again pulling away from O’Neal and Moyer. McCreadie once again
quickly closed on the back of the pack. As the race entered the later stages McCreadie was still showing
the way and with 15 laps to go he had a comfortable lead over Moyer, who had wrestled second away from O’Neal
was several car lengths back. But Moyer quickly made up ground on McCreadie and the closing laps proved to
be closer than McCreadie would have liked.Moyer closed in on the left rear quarter-panel of McCreadie with two
laps to go, but McCreadie definitely proved he was the car to beat, as he swept to the victory just ahead of
Moyer. O’Neal was a strong third as Feger battled with Owens for most of the last half of the race to secure
the fourth spot.
Teammates Dale McDowell and #77 Jared Landers mix it up before both landed top ten
finishes in the East Bay final. (Mike
Ruefer)
In Preliminary action Jason Feger was the Red Buck Cigars Fast Qualifier among
the 61 entrants. Heat race winners were Don O’Neal, Billy Moyer, Jimmy Owens, Tim McCreadie, Mike Marlar
and Dale McDowell. The B-mains went to Frank Heckenast Jr. and John Blankenship.
Scott Bloomquist was crowned the 2011 DART Winternationals Points Champion by
just five points over Don O’Neal. Bloomquist received a check for $5,000 for his efforts. Trailing
Bloomquist and O’Neal were Jimmy Owens, Mike Marlar and Eddie Carrier Jr. Owens completed a successful week at
East Bay by winning the Outerwears Challenge earning a check for $500.
Tim McCreadie fires off outside of #71 Don
O'Neal before racing to the $12,000 win in Saturday's main event at East Bay.
(Rick
Warren)
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Big Gains for Hubbard, Pearson, Ogle - The A-Team Has Been Updated 05-15-12
Scott James battles #13 Barry Doss in heat race action at Florence (Ky.) Speedway, but in the $2,000-to-win feature, the only thing anyone saw was the tail end of James' #81 car. (Roy Walker)
After plenty of trash-talking via the electronic media between Jeff Matthews and Ivedent Lloyd last week, it was #21 Lloyd who got the final word as he reeled in #33 Matthews to win Friday's LM feature at Oclala, Fla.'s Bubba Raceway Park. (R.E. Wing)
Fans at Markleysburg, Pa.'s Roaring Knob Motorsports Comlex were treated to dual LM features Saturday - one a makeup from a May 5th rainout. (Above) Tim Senic challenges eventual regular feature winner Chuck Harper, while Jared Hawkins (below) claimed the makeup race. (Tommy Micheals)
Henley, Missouri's Jason Russell leads the way to Victory Lane in the ULMS Late Model feature at Lucas Oil Speedway Saturday. (Chris Bork)
Some fierce racing action at Lucas Oil speedway. (Chris Bork)
Dalton, Ga.'s Craig Reece returned to Dixie Speedway Saturday and led all the way to win the Crate LM victory. (Steve Hixson)
Ray Guss Jr. races last week's Quad City Speedway winner, Mike Murphy, Jr. This time, it was advantage Guss. (Chris Damitz)
With a strong motor back into his mount, Veteran Lamar Scoggins claimed last Friday's Crate LM victory at Boyd's Speedway. (Steve Hixson)
Veteran racer Lance Matthees navigates Spring Lake, Minnesota's Deer Creek Speedway before taking Saturday's WISSOTA Late Model checkers. (Jason Durst)
Racing hard at mid-pack, it's the dueling 55s of Cory Mahder (inside) and Greg Nippoldt at Deer Creek. (Jason Durst)
Ryan King (above and below) swept both the Ltd. Late Model and Crate Late Model features Saturday at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. (Chad Wells)
Still riding his wave in Iowa, Mike Murphy, Jr. in early action before taking the main event win at Davenport last Friday. (Chris Damitz)
Jason Jameson ran a gauntlet to finally capture another win Friday night at Moler
Raceway Park (see main page). (Roy
Walker)
After holding back a charge from Alex Ferree, Chub Frank drove home with a Friday night win at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. (John Stivason)
Bobby Pierce, Brett Sievert, and Mike Glynn race in a tight pack in Kankakee (Ill.) Speedway's "Crosstown Cup", but (below) it was ultimately Shawn Toczek (42) here racing the high side of Mike Provenzano, who sailed to the win. (Dan Simpson)
NALMS Suspends Remaining Season
In a statement released to the racing media Monday, Northern All All Stars Late Model Series (NALMS) owners Shawn Hall and Bob Mooney relased the following statement:
To all NALMS drivers and fans,
Northern Allstars Late Model Series regrets to inform all of our drivers and fans that as of today (May 14, 2012) we will suspend all series races for the remaining 2012 season. The primary reason for the decision to discontinue the series was mainly economics. Tracks, teams and fans are having a hard time these days with the cost of living in general. With the cost of fuel, parts, tires, tickets and lodging, many people just cannot afford to travel to our shows, so we feel it's best to stop for now and try to regroup for the 2013 season.
Our series needs to be able to have at least 18 to 20 shows to cover our cost of putting on these shows and our drivers point funds. With many tracks cutting back on their special events and other tracks just choosing not to have specials at all, it's has really cut our options for race tracks down to a very few unless you are willing to travel several hours away from the Central Illinois area, and that is not cost effective for the racing teams or fans.
In closing we would like to thank all of the drivers and fans whom have supported the series over the years and we hope to be able to come back with a bigger and better season for everyone in 2013.
A-Team Leaders from 1997-2011 (Click on link for complete rundown)
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