McCreadie Cruises To Victory In Inaugural World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main At Fonda Speedway
New Yorker Star’s Third Triumph Of 2013 Comes In Caution-Free 50-Lapper
By Kevin Kovac, WoO LMS P.R. Director
FONDA, NY – June 19, 2013 – Mastering a historic track dear to his Big-Block Modified heart, Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., cruised to victory in Wednesday night’s inaugural 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at Fonda Speedway.
The 39-year-old Big-Block-turned-Dirt Late Model star dominated the caution-free event in his Sweeteners Plus Warrior car, racing off the pole position to lead from start-to-finish. He was never seriously challenged en route to his third triumph of 2013 on the national tour.
McCreadie’s $10,650 win was the third of his career at the uniquely-shaped half-mile Fonda oval, but his previous two scores came in 2003 and ’04 in Big-Block Modified features. Wednesday night marked his first-ever start at the track in a dirt Late Model.
Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa., started on the outside pole and chased McCreadie for the entire distance but never got close enough to mount a bid. He steered his family-owned Rocket machine under the checkered flag 0.994 behind McCreadie.
Big-Block Modified veteran Billy Decker of Unadilla, N.Y., finished third – nearly six seconds in arrears of McCreadie – in a brand-new Gypsum Racing Rocket car for a career-best WoO LMS placing. Circuit rookie Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., was fourth and Rick Eckert of York, Pa., took fifth, both driving Team Zero by Bloomquist cars.
McCreadie was at his best when it counted. He shook off a frustrating – albeit still effective – heat-race performance to shine in the headliner.
“We weren’t so good early,” said McCreadie, who nevertheless finished second in his heat race to make the redraw for the A-Main’s top-six starting spots. “In the heat I felt bad, but it just made me go to work on my stuff. We made the Warrior car a lot better for the feature than what it was in the heat – and drawing the pole helped too.”
Making a rare start with his father – legendary DIRTcar Big-Block Modified driver ‘Barefoot’ Bob McCreadie, who owns four career special-event victories at Fonda – in attendance, T-Mac surged into the lead at the initial green flag of the 50-lapper and never looked back. He calmly handled several bouts with lapped traffic to keep Stone at arm’s length.
“We were running just trying to be smooth and keep the tires under the car – not wheel-spin ’em, because when it’s slick like that you can kill your edges,” said McCreadie, who recorded his 23rd career victory on the WoO LMS.
McCreadie enjoyed a Victory Lane family photo with his father and younger brother Jordan and savored a triumph that was well-received by his home-state fans.
“I do really love racing in New York state,” said McCreadie, who moved back past fellow Big-Block Modified transplant Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., for fifth place in the WoO LMS points standings. “When you’re running bad it’s 10 times worse because everybody expects you to be up front, but when you run good it’s a relief as much as it is excitement.
“I’m probably 50-50,” he added. “I’m 50 (percent) excited, and 50 (percent) relieved that we could do it because people expect a lot when you running close to home.”
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Stone, 36, kept McCreadie in his sights throughout the race but couldn’t summon enough power to mount a major run at the top spot.
“I think we were pretty even speed-wise,” said Stone, who has two career WoO LMS victories. “There were a couple bounces (holes) in the turns and once in a while (McCreadie would) hit ’em wrong and he’d get held up and I’d close in, but then I’d get greedy and hit the bumps a little bit wrong (and lose ground).
“I’m not ashamed to lose to Tim in New York. He’s got a few laps around and he’s good in this (slick) condition too.”
Decker, 48, was satisfied with a podium finish in what was his first dirt Late Model appearance of 2013.
“I think the Gypsum Wholesalers car was a little better than I was tonight,” said Decker, who has two career Big-Block Modified wins at Fonda. “I kept missing the line in (turns) one and two. I know when I hit it I was as good as anybody, but I missed it more than I hit it.
“I need to get a little bit better, but all in all I’m tickled to death. I had a lot of fun tonight.”
Finishing in positions 6-10 was Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga.; Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., who slipped backward at the start from his fifth starting spot; Bub McCool of Vicksburg, Miss.; Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.; and Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who had a quiet night and saw his WoO LMS points lead shrink to 26 points over Clanton.
Eckert topped the evening’s 24-car field in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, turning a lap of 18.784 seconds for his first fast-time honor of 2013.
Heat winners were Eckert, Frank and Stone. No B-Main was run.
Former Fonda Big-Block Modified champion Ronnie Johnson of Duanesburg, N.Y., authored a respectable dirt Late Model debut behind the wheel of Frank’s second car. He timed sixth-fastest – just a tick off Frank’s clocking – and finished fourth in his heat before retiring from the A-Main on lap 10 and being credited with a 21st-place finish.
The WoO LMS swing through the Northeast continues on Thursday night (June 20) with a first-ever visit to Brighton (Ont.) Speedway for the Excel Tower Service 50.
Results of World of Outlaws Late Model Series at Fonda Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (1) Tim McCreadie/50 $10,650
2. (2) Dan Stone/50 $5,000
3. (3) Billy Decker/50 $3,500
4. (4) Eric Wells/50 $3,400
5. (6) Rick Eckert/50 $2,700
6. (7) Shane Clanton/50 $2,200
7. (5) Chub Frank/50 $1,950
8. (8) Bub McCool/50 $1,900
9. (9) Clint Smith/50 $1,750
10. (11) Josh Richards/50 $1,800
11. (13) Morgan Bagley/50 $1,600
12. (14) Tim Fuller/50 $1,550
13. (15) Vic Coffey/50 $1,000
14. (10) Darrell Lanigan/50 $1,550
15. (17) Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/49 $900
16. (19) Andy Haus/47 $850
17. (21) John Mason/47 $770
18. (16) Dave Zona/47 $800
19. (23) Jon Rohacevich/45 $730
20. (18) Larry Wight/25 $700
21. (12) Ronnie Johnson/10 $700
22. (22) Greg Oakes/9 $700
23. (24) Alan Sagi/7 $700
24. (20) Gil Tegg Jr./5 $725
* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: 17 Mins., 37.435 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 0.994 Secs.
Yellow Flags: None
Lap Leaders: McCreadie (1-50)
Provisional Starters: None
Rookie of the Race: Wells ($250)
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Decker ($500)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 18.784
2. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, KY 19.145
3. 21d-Dan Stone/Thompson, PA 19.231
4. 91-Billy Decker/Unadilla, NY 19.511
5. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 19.561
6. 1*J-Ronnie Johnson/Duanesburg, NY 19.566
7. 14M-Morgan Bagley/Longview, TX 19.617
8. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 19.724
9. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 19.725
10. 99z-Dave Zona/Montrose, PA 19.736
11. 99b-Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 19.870
12. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 19.941
13. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 19.981
14. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 19.991
15. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 20.039
16. 25-Shane Clanton/Zebulon, GA 20.179
17. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 20.202
18. 72-John Mason/Millersburg, OH 20.207
19. 76-Andy Haus/Hamburg, PA 20.357
20. 24J-Jon Rohacevich/Prattsville, NY 20.954
21. 99L-Larry Wight/Phoenix, NY 20.978
22. 22-Greg Oakes/Franklinville, NY 21.354
23. 22x-Gil Tegg Jr./Rochester, NY 20.065 (DQ – light)
24. 31-Alan Sagi/Hagerstown, MD N/T
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 2 redraw): Eckert, Decker, Clanton, Lanigan, Bagley, Zona, Haus, Oakes
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 2 redraw): Frank, Wells, McCool, Richards, Fuller, Briggs, Tegg, Rohacevich
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 2 redraw): Stone, McCreadie, Smith, Johnson, Coffey, Wight, Mason (DNS) Sagi
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal:
Ohlins Shocks ($50 cash to fast qualifier): Rick Eckert
Eibach Springs (one free spring to each B-Main winner): None
VP Race Fuels ‘Nice Jugs’ Award: (One VP 5-gallon container to fastest qualifier who misses A-Main): None
Wrisco Aluminum (3 sheets of aluminum to A-Main winner only): Tim McCreadie
Armor All (One case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO team in A-Main): Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs
Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Tim McCreadie
QuarterMaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner, $50 certificate to 5th-place finish): Tim McCreadie/Andy Haus
MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Tim McCreadie
STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
XS Power ($50 cash to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
Roush Yates ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Rick Eckert
Dominator ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank
American Race Wheels ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main): Bub McCool
VP Race Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Bub McCool
Edelbrock Manifolds ($50 cash to 9th-finisher in A-Main): Josh Richards
Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Josh Richards
XS Power ($60 product certificate to 11th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley
Cometic Gasket ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Vic Coffey
JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Andy Haus
Super Flow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs
JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 16th-place finisher in A-Main, redeemable w/next purchase of set): Andy Haus
Klotz Lubricants ($50 cash to 17th-place finisher in A-Main): Dave Zona
Roush Yates ($50 gift card to 18th-place finisher in A-Main): Dave Zona
QuarterMaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Larry Wight
Arizona Sport Shirts ($100 certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Larry Wight
JE Pistons (one complete set of JE Pro Seal rings to 21st-place finisher in A-Main, redeemable w/next purchase of set): Ronnie Johnson
Roush Yates ($50 gift card to 22nd-place finisher in A-Main): Greg Oakes
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Gil Tegg Jr.
XS Power ‘Power Move of the Race’ ($60 product certificate): Tim McCreadie
Roush Yates ($25 gift card to driver who leads most laps in the A-Main): Tim McCreadie
Reliable Painting Award (free tire): Rick Eckert
2013 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of June 19 – 19 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
1. Josh Richards 2690
2. Shane Clanton 2664 (-26)
3. Darrell Lanigan 2622 (-68)
4. Rick Eckert 2598 (-92)
5. Tim McCreadie 2462 (-228)
6. Tim Fuller 2456 (-234)
7. Eric Wells 2436 (-254)
8. Chub Frank 2398 (-292)
9. Bub McCool 2394 (-296)
10. Morgan Bagley 2378 (-312)
11. Clint Smith 2270 (-420)
12. Scott James 1958 (-732)
13. Dillon Wood 1426 (-1264)
14. Gregg Satterlee 1248 (-1442)
15. Mike Benedum 994 (-1696)
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: American Racing Custom Wheels (Official Custom Wheel), Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), KMC (Official Custom Truck Wheel), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), Vicci (Official Uniform), VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award); in addition to contingency sponsors: Butlerbuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Dominator Race Products, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, MSD Ignition, Ohlins Shocks, QuarterMaster, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Superflow Dynos, Wrisco Aluminum and XS Power Racing Batteries; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, GRT Chassis, Jake’s Carts, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis, TNT Rescue, and Warrior Chassis.
LIVE UPDATES 6/19: World of Outlaws Late Model Series at Fonda Speedway
FONDA, NY – June 19, 2013 – After an 18-day hiatus the World of Outlaws Late Model Series returns to action tonight with a first-ever visit to Fonda Speedwaty.
A historic Big-Block Modified track that sits about 40 minutes Northwest of Albany, N.Y., Fonda is an egg-shaped half-mile oval that features an old-style covered grandstand on the frontstretch.
For live updates of news, pit notes and results from tonight’s action, click the ‘Full Story’ link below. Be sure to refresh your browser throughout the night to see the latest information.
Attack of T-Mac
9:55 p.m. – Tim McCreadie dominated the 50-lap A-Main, leading the caution-free event from start-to-finish off the pole position to register his third WoO LMS triumph of 2013.
A winner at Fonda twice previously in Big-Block Modified competition a decade ago, McCreadie wasn’t seriously challenged in a race that was completed in 17 minutes, 37.435 seconds. Dan Stone chased McCreadie throughout the distance and finished second, with Billy Decker taking third, Eric Wells fourth and Rick Eckert fifth.
A-Main Finish: 1. Tim McCreadie, 2. Dan Stone, 3. Billy Decker, 4. Eric Wells, 5. Rick Eckert, 6. Shane Clanton, 7. Chub Frank, 8. Bub McCool, 9. Clint Smith, 10. Josh Richards, 11. Morgan Bagley, 12. Tim Fuller, 13. Vic Coffey, 14. Darrell Lanigan, 15. Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs, 16. Andy Haus, 17. John Mason, 18. Dave Zona, 19. Jon Rohacevich, 20. Larry Wight, 21. Ronnie Johnson, 22. Greg Oakes, 23. Alan Sagi, 24. Gil Tegg Jr.
Prepping for feature
8:40 p.m. – With the 30-lap Big-Block Modified feature now on the track, WoO LMS teams are making final preparations for the 50-lap A-Main. Tim McCreadie, who has two career Big-Block Modified wins at Fonda, drew the pole position for the headliner.
The eight-minute horn to line up the A-Main will be blown halfway through the Big-Block Modified feature.
A-Main Lineup:
Row 1: Tim McCreadie/Dan Stone
Row 2: Billy Decker/Eric Wells
Row 3: Chub Frank/Rick Eckert
Row 4: Shane Clanton/Bub McCool
Row 5: Clint Smith/Darrell Lanigan
Row 6: Josh Richards/Ronnie Johnson
Row 7: Morgan Bagley/Tim Fuller
Row 8: Vic Coffey/Dave Zona
Row 9: Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs/Larry Wight
Row 10: Andy Haus/Gil Tegg Jr.
Row 11: John Mason/Greg Oakes
Row 12: Jon Rohacevich/Alan Sagi
Fast heats
8:05 p.m. – Rick Eckert, Chub Frank and Dan Stone were victorious in the three 10-lap heat races. The top-two finishers from each are headed to Fonda’s Checkeredboard Square for the A-Main redraw.
Heat results can be seen here.
Quick Rick
7:35 p.m. – Rick Eckert topped the evening’s 24-car field in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, earning his first fast-time honor of 2013 with a lap of 18.784 seconds.
Eckert’s fellow Team Zero by Bloomquist campaigner, Eric Wells, was second-fastest at 19.145 seconds.
Notable was the lap turned in by Fonda Big-Block Modified regular Ronnie Johnson, who clocked sixth-fastest at 19.566 seconds to earn an outside-pole starting spot in tonight’s third and final heat race. He was a tick behind his car’s owner, Chub Frank, who turned a lap of 19.561 seconds.
Complete results from time trials can be found here.
Good start for Bub
7 p.m. – Bub McCool, who finished 10th in the 2011 Lucas Oil Series event at Fonda, looked good in hot laps, topping the speed chart with a lap of 17.775 seconds.
On a surface that was evolving as the hot-lap session went on, Billy Decker was second-fastest at 17.805 seconds in a brand-new Gypsum Express Rocket car. Eric Wells was third-fastest (17.894), followed by Dan Stone (18.046) and Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs (18.100). First-time dirt Late Model runner Ronnie Johnson clocked in 15th-fastest at 19.172 seconds.
Ohlins Shocks time trials will be getting the green flag momentarily….
Hoping for a better run
6:45 p.m. – WoO LMS rookie Eric Wells has visited Fonda twice before, in 2010 and ’11 when the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series ran at the track. Ask him how he fared in those shows, however, and you get an interesting response.
“Let me get my notes (from his previous visit),” said Wells. “I’ll show you.”
After going into his trailer and grabbing a spiral notebook that contains various setup notes he jots down at all his events, Wells found the page with information from his ’11 appearance at Fonda. There were no words, but there was a picture he drew to describe his outing.
“When I’m as bad as I was that night,” said Wells, “I don’t even have to write down any notes. This picture pretty much describes how our night went.”
The photo of the illustration Wells drew to sum up his Fonda run is below — and quite self-explanatory.
New experience
6:30 p.m. – Chub Frank has spent much of his time since arriving at the track giving Fonda Big-Block Modified standout Ronnie Johnson of Duanesburg, N.Y., a crash course in dirt Late Model racing. The two are pictured below (Ronnie at right) chatting near Johnson’s Modified pit stall.
The 2011 Fonda Big-Block Modified champion, Johnson, 39, headed over to Frank’s trailer shortly after the Pennsylvanian’s arrival and climbed into Frank’s No. 1* to get comfortable in the seat.
“It’s definitely different than a Modified,” said Johnson, who owns 22 career Big-Block Mod wins at Fonda. “It’s gonna be interesting to see how it feels out there.”
Johnson is the son of DIRTcar Big-Block Modified legend Jumpin’ Jack Johnson, who is Fonda’s alltime winningest driver. Jumpin’ Jack, who hasn’t raced since beginning to suffer from the effects of a muscular disease several years ago, was hoping to attend tonight’s program to watch his son make his dirt Late Model debut (and compete in the supporting Big-Block Modified show), but he is currently being treated in a local hospital for health problems related to his muscular condition. Ronnie took his father in for medical treatment yesterday and stayed up most of the night, so he’s “running on just about no sleep tonight,” he said.
Ronnie actually thought about skipping tonight’s racing altogether to stay with his father, but Jumpin’ Jack — ever the racer — would have none of it. “He said, ‘You go race,'” remarked Ronnie, who hopes to lift his dad’s spirits with a pair of strong outings tonight.
Engines firing
5:55 p.m. – The pit area has come to life as tonight’s 24-car WoO LMS field begins readying for hot laps on the quirky Fonda layout, which has produced many looks of wonder from the dirt Late Model standouts who are seeing it for the first time.
“It’s hard to tell how many straightaways there are at this place,” WoO LMS star Rick Eckert said after eyeballing the track. “There’s short-chutes, extra turns. It’s definitely a weird shape.”
The track’s backstretch also runs parallel to the Mohawk River, which can be seen on the left side of the photo below (racetrack at far right). Just jersey barriers and a row of trees and bushes separate the track surface from the river, which has seen several cars reach its water over the years.
One driver, in fact, who once flipped his Big-Block Modified into the drink is DIRTcar legend ‘Barefoot’ Bob McCreadie, the father of WoO LMS traveler Tim McCreadie. Bob, who is here tonight watching his son in action, escaped injury when he ended up in the water during a Fonda 200 weekend nearly two decades ago.
What a day
4:55 p.m. – With temperatures in the high 70s and the sun shining through patches of puffy white clouds, today’s weather just might be the best there’s been for any WoO LMS event this season.
Haulers are still rolling through the pit gate, but already set to go are all 11 WoO LMS regulars plus such drivers as Billy Decker, Larry Wight, Dan Stone, John Mason, Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs and 2011 Fonda Speedway Big-Block Modified champion Ronnie Johnson, who is scheduled to make his dirt Late Model driving debut behind the wheel of Chub Frank’s second car.
The drivers’ meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. with hot laps set to begin a half-hour later, so things will soon be ramping up here.
