Race Week at a Glance – A Buckeye State Bash

CONCORD, NC – MAY 15, 2019 – The World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series is gearing up for back-to-back events this weekend in Ohio, on Friday at Muskingum County Speedway and Saturday at Wayne County Speedway. And who better to make some noise in the Buckeye State than one of the most experienced veterans on the circuit, three-time champion Darrell Lanigan.

Through the first 11 Series races of 2019, Lanigan has garnered a solid five top-five finishes and 10 top-10s, and he’s been closing in on Victory Lane. New for 2019 is his team’s latest-and-greatest Club 29 chassis — a car they’re still trying to fine-tune.

“When bringing out a new car, you’ve got to search to see what the car likes and what issues you can find,” Lanigan said. “Muskingum and Wayne County are decent tracks for us and, if the weather holds up, hopefully we can pick up a win out there.”

The “Bluegrass Bandit” is no stranger to Victory Lane at either facility, as he scored wins at Muskingum County in 2010 and at Wayne County in 2012. Last year, Lanigan drove to a second-place showing in his only visit to Muskingum County. His experience should pay off with the Outlaws this weekend.

Last Friday night, Lanigan and his team made the trip North from their shop in Union, KY to Farmer City Raceway for the annual “Farmer City 74” event, where Lanigan made an impressive run from 18th to finish third behind Kent Robinson and Allen Weisser.

“I was definitely very pleased,” Lanigan said. “Hopefully some of that will translate over to this weekend.”

Of course, what would a visit to Northeastern Ohio be without some stiff competition for the Outlaws to race against?

Wayne County weekly racer Doug Drown will bring his Ely Road Reel Co., ABR Farms, 89 Homes, Wooster Glass #12 into Orrville this weekend, looking to do what Barry Wright Race Cars house pilot Ross Bailes did just a few weeks ago at the Cherokee Speedway – beat the Outlaws at their own game.

“This race is definitely one to circle because it’s the best-of-the-best coming into your home track and you can try to see how you match up against them,” Drown said. “I know they don’t race here every week, but they race on plenty of tracks of comparable size that they know how to get around.”

And he’s right. So far this season, three races have taken place on a 3/8-mile. Interestingly enough, it’s the only size that Series point leader Brandon Sheppard has not won on this year.

Ironically, Sheppard was the man who took the lead away from Drown (who drove around 2013 winner Dave Hess and led several laps) in last year’s Morton Buildings Feature at Wayne County.

“Unfortunately, I had a flat after I took the lead, and then it finally went down and that’s when I got into the wall,” Drown said. “So, we didn’t have the whole 50 laps to put on a show but I think we could’ve had a top-three last year, for sure. Hopefully, we can get out there and redeem ourselves this year.”

Redemption might just be in the cards for Drown’s 2019 campaign, as he returned to weekly competition at Wayne County in a family-owned Black Diamond chassis that he said he’s much more comfortable in, after switching from a Longhorn chassis in 2018 and a Swartz chassis in 2017. So far, he’s picked up a win and a runner-up in local action, and is looking to cash in on that momentum to become the Series’ second first-time winner of the 2019 season.

“Our lap times, lately, have been really quick, even on a slicker track,” Drown said. “Last year, the track was a lot faster. But, [track promoter Jason Flory] has done a phenomenal job of keeping the track smooth and racy.”

“I think we’ll be pretty good,” Drown continued. “I like our chances to run up front, and I’d be disappointed if we didn’t get a top-five.”

Come see Drown, Hess and all of the Outlaws at the track this Friday and Saturday, or if you can’t be there, tune into DIRTVision to watch every lap live with your Late Model Fast Pass!

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN & WHERE
Friday, May 17 at Muskingum County Speedway in Dresden, OH
Saturday, May 18 at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, OH

Friday
• Pit gate opens at 3 p.m.
• Spectator gate opens at 4 p.m.
• Hot Laps at 6 p.m.

Saturday
• Pit gate opens at 2 p.m.
• Spectator gate opens at 3 p.m.
• Hot Laps at 6 p.m.

ABOUT THE TRACKS
Muskingum County Speedway is a 3/8-mile, semi-banked clay oval. The track record is 14.629, held by Steve Casebolt.
Online – www.muskingumcountyspeedway.com
Phone – (740) 607-2299

Wayne County Speedway is a 3/8-mile dirt oval. The track record is 16.580, held by Chris Madden.
Online – http://waynecountyspeedway.com
Phone – (330) 465-2365

TICKETS
Tickets for Muskingum can be purchased at the gate on the day of the event.
WAYNE COUNTY TICKETS

3/8-MILE WINNERS
There have been three races on 3/8-mile tracks so far this year, two at the Screven Motor Speedway, won by Brandon Overton on February 8 and Shane Clanton on February 9, and the other at Cherokee Speedway on May 3, won by Ross Bailes.

MUSKINGUM COUNTY SPEEDWAY PREVIOUS WINNERS
2010 – Darrell Lanigan on July 30
2009 – Chub Frank on August 20
2008 – Steve Francis on July 24

WAYNE COUNTY SPEEDWAY PREVIOUS WINNERS
2018 – Brandon Sheppard on June 16
2017 – Brandon Sheppard May 27
2013 – Dave Hess Jr. on May 24
2012 – Darrell Lanigan on May 25
2006 – Chub Frank on May 6

ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws Late Model Series – www.worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels
Twitter – Twitter.com/ WoOLateModels (@WoOLateModels)
Instagram – Instagram.com/ WoOLateModels (@WoOLateModels)
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsLateModelSeries
YouTube – YouTube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – Dirtvision.com – Get your Late Model Fast Pass to watch all races LIVE for only $39/month!
Twitter – Twitter.com/DIRTVision – @DIRTVision
Facebook – Facebook.com/WatchDIRTVision

DRIVER INFO
Follow full-time World of Outlaws drivers on Twitter:
Brandon Sheppard – @B_Sheppard_B5
Chris Madden – @chrismadden44
Darrell Lanigan – @DarrellLanigan
Chase Junghans – @ShopQuik18
Dennis Erb Jr. – @DennisErbJr
Boom Briggs – @boom99b
Brent Larson – @BrentLarsonB1
Ricky Weiss – @weissracing7
Kyle Hardy – @kylehardy9
Cade Dillard – @CDillard97
Blake Spencer – www.blakespencer.com (not on Twitter)

AROUND THE TURN: The World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series next heads back to the Southeast region for back-to-back races at Cochran Speedway and Lancaster Speedway on May 31 and June 1.

2019 STATS
There have been 11 World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series Feature events this season.

MORTON BUILDINGS FEATURE WINNERS (6 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL – 6
2 – Brandon Overton, Evans, GA – 1
– Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA – 1
– Jimmy Owens, Newport, TN – 1
– Brian Shirley, Chatham, IL – 1
– Ross Bailes, Clover, SC – 1

QUALIFYING QUICK TIME (10 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs
1 – Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL – 2
2 – Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA – 1
– Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY – 1
– Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, TN – 1
– Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA – 1
– Jason Covert, York Haven, PA – 1
– Kent Robinson, Bloomington, IN – 1
– Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS – 1
– Tanner English, Benton, KY – 1
– Ross Bailes, Clover, SC – 1

DRYDENE HEAT RACE WINNERS (23 different winners)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL – 8
2 – Chris Madden, Gray Court, SC – 7
3 – Scott Bloomquist – Mooresburg, TN – 4
4 – Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA – 3
– Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS – 3
6 – Darrell Lanigan, Union, KY – 2
– Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY – 2
– Kyle Hardy, Stephens City, VA – 2
– Brian Shirley, Chatham, IL – 2
– Josh Richards, Shinnston, WV – 2
11 – Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, GA – 1
– Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA – 1
– Jimmy Owens, Newport, TN – 1
– Devin Moran, Dresden, OH – 1
– Brandon Overton, Evans, GA – 1
– Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, IL – 1
– Jason Covert, York Haven, PA – 1
– Kent Robinson, Bloomington, IN – 1
– Ricky Weiss, Headingley, MB, Canada – 1
– Frank Heckenast Jr., Frankfort, IL – 1
– Tanner English, Benton, KY – 1
– Ross Bailes, Clover, SC – 1
– Chris Ferguson, Mt. Holly, NC – 1

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (23 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Brandon Overton, Evans, GA – 2
2 – Darrell Lanigan, Union, KY – 1
– Josh Richards, Shinnston, WV – 1
– Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, GA – 1
– Steve Casebolt, Richmond, IN – 1
– Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN – 1
– Devin Moran, Dresden, OH – 1
– Jimmy Owens, Newport, TN – 1
– Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, MN – 1
– Tyler Bruening, Decorah, IA – 1
– Kent Robinson, Bloomington, IN – 1
– Tyler Erb, New Waverly, TX – 1
– Kyle Hardy, Stephens City, VA – 1
– Tanner English, Benton, KY – 1
– John Ownbey, Cleveland, TN – 1
– Cory Hedgecock, Loudon, TN – 1
– Tommy Kerr, Maryville, TN – 1
– Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, IL – 1
– Ryan Unzicker, El Paso, IL – 1
– Bob Gardner, Washington, IL – 1
– Blake Spencer, St. Augustine, FL – 1
– Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA – 1
– Donald Bradsher, Burlington, NC – 1

PODIUM FINISHES (18 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – # of podiums
1 – Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL – 9
2 – Chris Madden, Gray Court, SC – 3
– Brian Shirley, Chatham, IL – 3
– Don O’Neal, Martinsville, IN – 3
5 – Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA – 2
6 – Brandon Overton, Evans, GA – 1
– Kyle Hardy, Stephens City, VA – 1
– Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS – 1
– Josh Richards, Shinnston, WV – 1
– Scott Bloomquist, Mooresville, TN – 1
– Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN – 1
– Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS – 1
– Tanner English, Benton, KY – 1
– Jimmy Owens, Newport, TN – 1
– Ricky Weiss, Headingley, MB, Canada – 1
– Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL – 1
– Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, WI – 1
– Ross Bailes, Clover, SC – 1

HARD CHARGERS (10 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – # of merits
1 – Darrell Lanigan, Union, KY – 2
2 – Cade Dillard, Robeline, LA – 1
– Frank Heckenast Jr., Frankfort, IL – 1
– Brian Shirley, Chatham, IL – 1
– Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, GA – 1
– Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN – 1
– Morgan Bagley, Longview, TX – 1
– Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA – 1
– Spencer Diercks, Davenport, IA – 1
– Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS – 1

TOTAL LAPS LED (10 different drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Laps
1 – Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, IL – 233
2 – Jimmy Owens, Newport, TN – 60
3 – Brandon Overton, Evans, GA – 50
– Shane Clanton, Zebulon, GA – 50
– Ross Bailes, Clover, SC – 50
6 – Tanner English, Benton, KY – 32
7 – Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS – 24
8 – Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY – 20
– Brian Shirley, Chatham, IL – 20
10 – Chris Madden, Gray Court, SC – 11

2019 World of Outlaws Schedule & Winners
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Friday, Feb. 8 / Screven Motor Speedway / Sylvania, GA / Brandon Overton (1)
2. Saturday, Feb. 9 / Screven Motor Speedway / Sylvania, GA / Shane Clanton (1)
3. Wed, Feb. 13 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brandon Sheppard (1)
4. Thursday, Feb. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brandon Sheppard (2)
5. Friday, Feb. 15 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brandon Sheppard (3)
6. Saturday, Feb. 16 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brandon Sheppard (4)
7. Friday, March 22 / Duck River Raceway Park / Lewisburg, TN / Brandon Sheppard (5)
8. Saturday, March 23 / Smoky Mountain Speedway / Maryville, TN / Jimmy Owens (1)
9. Friday, April 4 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL / Brian Shirley (1)
10. Saturday, April 5 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL / Brandon Sheppard (6)
11. Friday, May 3 / Cherokee Speedway / Gaffney, SC / Ross Bailes (1)

2019 World of Outlaws Championship Top 10 (Through Cherokee Speedway)