World of Outlaws Notebook
Notes: Richards grabs lead in WoO title chase
By Kevin Kovac
World of Outlaws Late Model Series
Josh Richards during pre-race ceremonies at K-C Raceway. (pbase.com/cyberslash)
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series points battle remained tight after last week's Ohio events at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville and K-C Raceway near Chillicothe, but now there’s two drivers neck-and-neck instead of three.
Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., ended the weekend leading the standings by 14 points over 2007 champ Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., but defending champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., fell 58 points out of first place after finishing 15th in K-C's Buckeye 100 because a leaking oil line caused his car’s motor to seize up. | WoO schedule/results
Richards had the steadiest swing, following up a quiet eighth-place finish at Muskingum County with a solid runner-up outing in the Buckeye 100. He’s swapped the points lead with Francis after each of the last three WoO features.
Francis arrived at K-C with the points lead after finishing second at Muskingum County — his sixth bridesmaid finish in the last eight events — but experienced a rough weekend. A broken oil-pump belt on Francis’s Beitler Motorsports No. 19 knocked him from the lead in a Friday-night qualifying heat and necessitated an engine change, and on Saturday he had to use a provisional to start the A-Main and struggled to a 12th-place finish (last car on the lead lap) in the Buckeye 100.
Fuller finally cools off
Tim Fuller wasn’t disappointed after his WoO win streak ended at a record-tying four in-a-row with a third-place finish at Muskingum County, but he had a long look on his face after the Buckeye 100.
The Watertown, N.Y., driver was running just outside the top 15 when his car’s engine broke a rod on lap 21, prompting him to slide off the track in turn three to get away from the onrushing pack. Flames belched from the motor, which had carried Fuller to all four of his recent victories.
Despite seeing his hot streak crash-and-burn with a 23rd-place finish, Fuller gladly ceded the title of Hottest World of Outlaws Driver to his good buddy Chub Frank, who won both events in Ohio. Fuller freely admitted that he provided Frank some valuable insight into the secrets of his successful run — assistance for which Frank thanked Fuller in victory lane.
“I have no problem helping Chub get going again with some stuff we’ve been doing,” said Fuller. “He was really the first one who helped me along when I got started (in Dirt Late Model racing), so it’s like repaying a favor.”
More rain at Eriez
There were plenty of disappointed people after showers following heat action forced the postponement of Sunday night’s show at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa., to Sept. 1, but Chad Valone and 2007 Eriez champion Mike Knight of Ripley, N.Y., were probably a bit more perturbed at Mother Nature.
Valone, 37, of Warren, Pa., and the 22-year-old Knight timed second- and third-fastest and both drivers won heat races. They were anxiously awaiting the redraw for starting spots in the feature, but now they’ll have to spend two weeks stewing over their fates.
Knight entered Sunday’s program one week after making a hospital visit north of the border. He crashed hard into the turn-four wall at Cornwall (Ontario) Motor Speedway on Aug. 16 during the finale of a three-race Canadian weekend with the Ontario Dirt Late Model Series, ringing his bell and leaving him with some neck pain. Track safety workers decided to transport him to a nearby hospital for tests, but no problems were found and he was discharged in less than two hours with a diagnosis of a mild concussion.
Odds and ends
Russ King was the lone WoO rookie contender to qualify for the Buckeye 100. His 14th-place finish allowed him to extend his lead in the rookie standings to 51 points over Jordan Bland. .... Rookie Brent Robinson loaded up and left K-C Raceway on Friday after his backup car was sidelined by a broken engine piston during hot laps. The malfunction came after the powerplant in his primary machine over-revved due to a broken pinion shaft as he led a consolation race Thursday at Muskingum County. With no backup engine available, Robinson did not return to Eriez for Sunday’s rescheduled event. ... Two sons of winning Dirt Late Model racers — 14-year-old Devin Moran (son of Hall of Famer Donnie) and 20-year-old Zack Dohm (son of Tim) — qualified for the Muskingum County feature in their first-ever WoO starts. Devin finished 16th and Dohm placed 24th. ... World of Outlaws competitors now head south for an Aug. 28 race at Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway and an Aug. 29 event at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga. Both 50-lappers pay $10,000 to the winner.
