By Brian Dunlap
WoO LMS Public Relations
Chattsworth, GA (May 1, 2004) After racing in Maryville, Tennessee on Friday,
the World of Outlaws Late Model Series made the trip to Chattsworth, Georgia to
race at North Georgia Speedway. Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Georgia proved he
had the car to beat as he was leading the race by almost 1/2 lap at the end of
the 60-lap feature. Clanton, in the #25 SAE Parts car took home his share of the
$42,000 purse, a check for $10,000 for winning the main event.
Steve Francis, in the #15 Valvoline Mopar Dodge Intrepid with Rick Eckert in
the #24 Raye Vest Excavating Ford Taurus on his outside brought the field of 26
late models around the track to take the green flag. Eckert took the lead over
Francis coming off of turn two followed by Randle Chupp #114 Biscotti's
Restaurant Grand Prix, Shane Clanton, Shannon Babb #18 J&J Steel Monte
Carlo, and Dan Schlieper #9 Miller Brothers Monte Carlo.
Just as the race got underway, the red flag was brought out on lap three to
let the ambulance out of the Infield so that it could assist a spectator
experiencing medical problems. Upon the restart all of the top drivers
maintained their positions.
Clanton began to flex his muscles on lap seven as he turned the heat up on
Chupp pressuring him 3rd position.
The caution flag was brought out on lap eight as Frank Ingram's #F9 Hunt
Racing Monte Carlo's motor shut off, collecting Billy Moyer's #21 J&J Steel
Monte Carlo in the incident. Upon the restart, Clint Smith, #44 JP Drilling, was
able to challenge for and take 5th position away from Schlieper. At the same
time Skip Arp #31 CROMAC Motorsports, was able to work his way into 7th
position.
On lap 12, Arp was able to get by Schlieper and began putting the pressure on
Smith for 5th.
By lap 20 Eckert was encountering lap traffic, and by the following lap
Francis had closed on Eckert's lead as Clanton and Chupp raced side by side,
with Chupp on the outside for third position. On lap 23 Clanton was able to pass
Chupp assuming 3rd position. On the next lap Clanton went low in turn two and
passed Francis for second. As Eckert was caught up in lap traffic on lap 27,
Clanton was able to get around him and take the lead in the race.
The caution was brought out on lap 28 bunching the field back up, but
following the restart Clanton was able to open up a sizable lead over Eckert.
Clanton reached lap traffic once again by lap 38, but was unphased as he picked
them off one by one.
Arp was able to pass Eckert who had fallen back, and took third position in
the feature on lap 47. Arp soon began to challenge Francis on the low side for
second.
Eckert fell back in to 4th position as he was passed by Earl Pearson in the
#1P on lap 51. Two laps later, Scott Bloomquist in the #0 Hawkeye Trucking Ford
Mustang got around Eckert and took 5th position. The battle for second between
Francis and Arp continued for the remainder of the race as Clanton was able to
gain a 1/2 lap lead over the field by the end of the 60 laps.
"It's a thriller to be able to out run the best driver in the country.
They call them the Dirty Dozen for a reason, and to out run them feels real
good" remarked Clanton after the main event. "The World of Outlaws
Late Model series was very professional to work with, and a good group
guys" commented Clanton. Clanton contributed his win to car owner Ronnie
Dobbens and help from Rocket Chassis and American Race Tires as well as sponsors
SAE Parts, Custom Race Engines, and Speedy Graphics. "I couldn't have done
it with out my crew chief Gary Winger and crew Bill Bert, David Strickland, and
Mike Stewart as well as all of my family and friends that came out to support
me."
Dirty Dozen driver Steve Francis also commented on the night, "The race
unfolded well, we were busy racing with Rick (Eckert) and then Shane (Clanton)
went around us both. We had a good car tonight, just not good enough to run with
Shane."
Francis was satisfied with his 2nd place finish "We struggled at this
track earlier in the year so it feels good to be able to come back and run as
well as we did." Francis wanted to thank his sponsors Mopar Performance
Parts, Hoosier tires, Rocket Chassis, and AFCO shocks.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series will make their next appearance
Wednesday May 12th in West Fargo, North Dakota. Ticket information for the May
12th event can be found on the Red River Valley Speedway web site at www.redrivervalleyspeedway.com
, or you can call the Speedway direct at 1-800-456-6408.
FEATURE (60L): 25 SHANE CLANTON ($10,000), 15 Steve Francis, 31 Skip Arp, 1P
Earl Pearson, 0 Scott Bloomquist, 24 Rick Eckert, 44 Clint Smith, 75 Bart
Hartman, 9 Dan Schlieper, 29 Darrell Lanigan, 53 Ray Cook, 17M Dale McDowell, 18
Shannon Babb, T31 Shane Tankersley, 29M Gary McPherson, 39 Tim McCreadie, 51
Jeremy Clements, *1 Chub Frank, 21A Joe Armistead, 81 Aaron Ridley, 23 John
Blankenship, E1 Mike Balzano, 00 Freddy Smith, 114 Randle Chupp, F9 Frank
Ingram, 83 Scott James.
TIME TRIALS: 24 RICK ECKERT (13.210), 25 Shane Clanton (13.307), 15 Steve
Francis (13.310), 44 Clint Smith (13.313), 9 Dan Schlieper (13.343), 114 Randle
Chupp (13.355), 75 Bart Hartman (13.357), 18 Shannon Babb (13.410), 44M Chris
Madden (13.428), 1P Earl Pearson (13.434), 0 Scott Bloomquist (13.440), 17M Dale
McDowell (13.450), 31 Skip Arp (13.501), E1 Mike Balzano (13.507), 47 Brad Hall
(13.508), F9 Frank Ingram (13.512), 29M Gary McPherson (13.531), 83 Scott James
(13.533),21 Billy Moyer (13.543), 53 Ray Cook (13.555), 55 Terrance Nowell
(13.576), 95 Randy Burrows (13.616), 00 Freddy Smith (13.623), 21A Joe Armistead
Jr. (13.643), T31 Shane Tankersley (13.655), 51 Jeremy Clements (13.655), *1
Chub Frank (13.664), 6 Tate Davenport (13.669), 39 Tim McCreadie (13.674), 23
John Blankenship (13.683), 12 Rick Aukland (13.683), 1H Vic Hill (13.697), R11
Mike Ritchey (13.708), 81 Aaron Ridley (13.724), 87 Rex Richey (13.740), 8 David
Payne (13.768), 17W Ricky Williams (13.782), 4 Mark Vineyard (13.872), 44H Mike
Head (13.883), 6G Kent Hicks (13.907), K25 David Killian (13.998), X22 Bobby
Mayes (14.037), 37 Kevin Burke (14.085), 25 Jerry Bradley (14.090), 91 Chuck
Laney (15.669).
HEAT 1: Rick Eckert
HEAT 2: Randle Chupp
HEAT 3: Steve Francis
HEAT 4: Shannon Babb
LAST CHANCE 1: Dan Schlieper, Frank Ingram, Chub Frank
LAST CHANCE 2: Shane Tankersley, John Blankenship, Jeremy Clements
DASH: Steve Francis, Rick Eckert, Shannon Babb, Randle Chupp