Roaring Knob Mtsprts Complex
T-Mac outduels Smith for victory at Roaring Knob
By Jason Shank
DirtonDirt.com correspondent
Winner Tim McCreadie roars in victory lane at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex. (Jason Shank)
MARKLEYSBURG, Pa. (June 4) — Polesitter Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., won a mid-race battle with fellow front-row starter Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., on Monday at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex and raced to his first career victory on the Appalachian Mountain Speedweek presented by Harbaugh Amusement.
McCreadie earned $5,000 for the 40-lap victory as he pulled away in the late going at the 3/8-mile oval. | Slideshow | Video
“This place was fun to race on tonight. It’s a pleasure,” McCreadie said in victory lane. "This Warrior Race Car, we don’t sit still. We’ve been changing and changing and changing. I think I finally hit on something at Hagerstown and we did a little bit more tonight, and everything was good.
“These types of track here, you might not always set a track record, but I believe the racing was 10 times than when it’s just stomp on the gas and hope you can turn.”
Runner-up Rick Eckert nipped Smith on the last lap to get the second spot while Smith was third. Sixth-row starters Corey Conley of Wellsburg, W.Va., and Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa., rounded out the top five.
“Timmy was good and Brady was good,” Eckert said. "I did work my way up through there and had a really good car. I fought Brady hard them last five laps. I about got into his door in (turn) three one time and got us both off the racetrack, but we collected ‘em up, and he was still ahead of me. I finally got by him on the last lap.”
The long-traveling Smith, who failed to make the series-opening feature in Hagerstown, Md., and finished 20th the previous night in Winchester, Va., was glad to post a solid run.
“We hate to lead races and give up the lead, but the way our week’s been going, we’re going to take it and move on to the next one,” he said.
McCreadie and Smith led the field to the green with Smith using the momentum of the outside lane to carry him into the lead over McCreadie and Jason Covert of York Haven, Pa., a frequent special-event winner at Roaring Knob.
Jeremy Miller slowed on the fourth lap for a caution that bunched the field, and Smith edged away again on the restart with McCreadie giving chase. Jared Hawkins of Fairmont, W.Va., moved past Covert to take third on the 10th lap while T-Mac began reeling in the leader.
As the frontrunners entered lapped traffic, McCreadie inched closer while Covert faded from contention, losing the fourth spot to Eckert. Fast qualifier Chad McClellay of Stoystown, Pa., stopped on the 16th lap to draw a yellow flag that reformed the field.
McCreadie continued stalking Smith while Eckert moved into the third spot ahead of Hawkins and Conley, who reached the top five by the halfway point.
Working the inside groove, McCreadie ducked under Smith on lap 23 in a bid for the lead. Smith held his ground on the outside as the two battled for nearly side-by-side for three laps before McCreadie completed the winning pass on lap 26.
As the frontrunners battled, Eckert closed the gap and challenged Smith for second before Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa., who entered the race leading the series points after his Winchester victory, stopped on the frontstretch for the final yellow on lap 31.
McCreadie took advantage on the restart to pull away while Smith and Eckert dueled the rest of the way for the runner-up spot.
Notes: McCreadie’s Carl and Ann Myers-owned Warrior Race Car has a Pro Power engine and sponsorship from Sweeteners Plus. ... McCreadie notched his fourth victory overall of an up-and-down season. ... His Sweeteners Plus teammate Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y., finished sixth. ... Dan Stone posted his third straight top-five finish in AMS action. ... Prominent drivers failing to make the AMS feature lineup: John Garvin Jr., Alex Ferree, Mike Benedum, Davey Johnson, Coleby Frye, Keith Barbara, Scott Rhodes, D.J. Myers, Nick Dickson, Chuck Harper, Jared Miley, Boom Briggs and Devin Friese. ... Other DNQs: Danny Pugh, Doug Glessner, Al Cheney, Shane Hitt, Pancho Lawler, Danny Snyder, Quintin Wyandt, Danny Mitchell, L.C. Powers, Scott LeBarron, Greg Gellner and Casey Fleegle. ... Dan Angelicchio of Greensburg, Pa., outraced three-time winner Nolan Dalton in the 30-lap Fastrak-sanctioned feature for Crate Late Models. ... Tuesday’s second-to-last AMS event is scheduled for Dog Hollow Speedway, another $5,000-to-win event, while Wednesday’s $7,000-to-win Charlie Grinestaff Memorial wraps up the miniseries.
Appalachian Mountain Speedweek presented by Harbaugh Amusement @ Roaring Knob: (1) Tim McCreadie, (2) Rick Eckert, (3) Brady Smith, (4) Corey Conley, (5) Dan Stone, (6) Vic Coffey, (7) Keith Jackson, (8) Tim Senic, (9) Ron Delano Jr., (10) Jason Covert, (11) Kenny Pettyjohn, (12) Bob Gordon, (13) Booper Bare, (14) Tim Wilson, (15) Cody Hardesty, (16) Billy Holbert, (17) Mason Zeigler, (18) Matt Cosner, (19) Jared Hawkins, (20) Gregg Satterlee, (21) Mike Johnson, (22) Mike Lupfer, (23) Chad McClellan, (24) Chad Hollenbeck, (25) Jeremy Miller. Fast qualifier (among 50 cars): McClellan, 16.023 seconds. Heat race winners: Johnson, McCreadie, Pettyjohn, Jackson, Senic. Consolation winners: Miller, Cosner.
