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Josh Richards makes his way around The Dirt Track at Charlotte. (pbase.com/cyberslash)

CONCORD, NC – Nov. 1, 2012 – Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., and Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va. – the only two-time World of Outlaws Late Model Series champions since 2004 – shared fast-time honors during Thursday night’s Kellogg’s Qualifying Night at the PEAK Motor Oil World of Outlaws World Finals Presented by NAPA Auto Parts at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Friendly rivals who two years ago battled for the WoO title at The Dirt Track, Lanigan and Richards topped a massive field of 72 Dirt Late Models that were signed in for two rounds of Ohlins Shocks Time Trials. The qualifying program kicked off a blockbuster tripleheader that also attracted 50 winged machines for the companion World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series meet and 40 entries for the Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified action.

Kellogg’s Qualifying Night featured two rounds of WoO time trials – the first to line up Friday night’s heat races and the second to align Saturday night’s preliminaries.

On an evening that saw him clinch his second career WoO points crown simply by entering the competition, Lanigan, 42, blistered the 4/10-mile oval in 15.155 seconds during the first round of time trials. It was his sixth fast time of 2012, giving him sole possession of first place in the category ahead of York, Pa.’s Rick Eckert.

Lanigan went on to time fifth-fastest in the second round of qualifying, leaving him just short of becoming the third driver in history to sweep both legs of WoO time trials during the PEAK World Finals Presented by NAPA. His circuit of 15.522 seconds was just a hair off Richards’s quick lap of 15.425 seconds – even though Lanigan went on the track next to last in the qualifying order.

“We had a real good car,” Lanigan said of his Cornett-powered Rocket. “We missed out on a chance to sweep (the fast times) because the track definitely slowed down by the time we went out in the second round, but we’ll take two top-five qualifying runs. We know we’ll be on the pole for two heats.”

Lanigan, who previously registered a PEAK World Finals Presented by NAPA fast-time award in the first round of qualifying in 2009, will start from the pole position in the first heat on Friday night and the fifth heat on Saturday night.

Richards, 24, steered his father’s Rocket Chassis house car to his fourth WoO fast time of 2012 despite running an abbreviated schedule while pursuing a pavement career on the NASCAR Nationwide Series. It marked the second straight year that he set fast time in one round of qualifying during the PEAK World Finals Presented by NAPA.

While Richards will start Saturday night’s first heat from the pole position, his seventh-fastest lap in Round 1 of time trials handed him the outside pole for Friday night’s first preliminary.

Lanigan was one of four drivers to time inside the top six in both rounds to secure a pair of pole-position starts, joining 2011 LMS champion Eckert, Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., and Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind.

Other pole position winners for Friday’s program were Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., and Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., while Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., will start a Saturday heat from the inside of Row 1.

The PEAK World Finals Presented by NAPA continue on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 2-3), with gates opening at 3 p.m. and hot laps scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. each day. Each card will include a 50-lap A-Main for the WoO LMS, a 30-lap A-Main for the WoO Sprint Car Series and a 40-lap headliner for the Super DIRTcar Series big-block Modifieds.

Saturday night’s World Finals program will be televised by the SPEED cable network from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight ET.

Updates of Thursday's action:

Round two qualifying

Josh Richards posted a lap of 15.425 seconds during Thursday night’s second round of World Finals qualifying to earn the pole for the first of six heat races scheduled for Saturday night at Charlotte’s 4/10-mile oval.

Other polesitters for Saturday’s heat races: Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind.; Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C.; Rick Eckert of York, Pa.; Darrel Lanigan of Union, Ky.; and Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga.

Saturday’s heat races will set the lineup for Saturday night’s 50-lap $10,000-to-win main event, the second of two WoO feature races on the weekend.

Lanigan, who clinched his second WoO championship just by signing in for the weekend’s action, topped Thursday’s first round of qualifying to earn the pole for Friday’s first heat race.

Shane Clanton failed to post a time during round two after jumping the cushion and slamming the wall in turn one on his first lap. Chub Frank had trouble on his first lap, slipping over the cushion and scraping the wall exiting turn four.

Round two results (unofficial)

1. 1 - Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va., Rocket/Roush Yates 15.425
2. K71 - Don O'Neal, Martinsville, Ind., MasterSbilt/Dickens 15.433
3. 44 - Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C., Bloomquist/Cornett 15.510
4. 24 - Rick Eckert, York, Pa., Bloomquist/Dickens 15.512
5. 29 - Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky., Rocket/Cornett 15.522
6. 17M - Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga., MasterSbilt/Clements 15.549
7. 20 - Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn., Bloomquist/Cornett 15.559
8. 71c - R.J. Conley, Wheelersburg, Ohio, Rocket/Draime 15.619
9. 1 - Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill., Rocket/Roush Yates 15.627
10. 44 - Clint Smith, Senoia, Ga., Rocket/RaceTek 15.635
11. 6 - Steve Shaver, Vienna, W.Va., Rocket/Rumley 15.650
12. 25 - Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill., Pierce/Rhyne 15.654
13. 87 - Walker Arthur, Forest, Va., MasterSbilt/CAMS 15.660
14. 22 - Gregg Satterlee, Rochester Mills, Pa., Rocket/Roush Yates 15.751
15. 39 - Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y., Warrior/ProPower 15.760
16. 15 - Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky., Wright/Clements 15.763
17. 24 - Kenny Moreland, Charlotte Hall, Md., Rocket/Custom 15.804
18. 44 - Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla., MasterSbilt/Wallace 15.830
19. 91 - Billy Decker, Unadilla, N.Y., Rocket/LJL 15.837
20. 71d - Ron Davies, Warren, Pa., MB Customs/Bullock 15.842
21. 18W - Eric Wells, Hazard, Ky., Bloomquist/Roush-Yates 15.848
22. 32c - Vic Coffey, Caledonia, N.Y., Rocket/ProPower 15.880
23. 0 - Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn., Bloomquist/Roush Yates 15.932
24. 7R - Kent Robinson, Bloomington, Ind., MasterSbilt/Dickens 15.952
25. 71 - B.J. Robinson, Shreveport, La., Victory Circle/Dickens 15.962
26. 72 - John Mason, Millersburg, Ohio, Bloomquist/Hill 15.979
27. 19 - Tim Fuller, Watertown, N.Y., Capital/Clements 15.986
28. 53 - Ray Cook, Brasstown, N.C., MasterSbilt/RED 16.011
29. 14M - Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas, Rocket/Clements 16.050
30. 11 - Austin Hubbard, Seaford, Del., Rocket/Cornett 16.050
31. 28 - Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill., Bloomquist/Rhyne 16.078
32. 88 - Andrew Reaume, Blenheim, Ontario, Rocket/Cornett 16.114
33. 22 - Chris Ferguson, Mount Holly, N.C., Warrior/Clary 16.132
34. 41 - Josh McGuire, Grayson, Ky., MasterSbilt/GCP 16.137
35. 5 - Jared Landers, Batesville, Ark., Wright/Roush Yates 16.142
36. 57J - Bub McCool, Vicksburg, Miss., Victory Circle/Dickens 16.172
37. 20 - Duane Chamberlain, Richmond, Ind., Chamberlain/Dargie 16.184
38. 71R - Rod Conley, Wheelersburg, Ohio, Rocket/Draime 16.212
39. 17 - Zack Dohm, Cross Lanes, W.Va., Rocket/Hill 16.238
40. 11 - Pat Doar, New Richmond, Wis., Mars/ProPower 16.261
41. 18 - Ross Camponovo, Clarksdale, Miss., Victory Circle/RPM 16.303
42. 21D - Dan Stone, Thompson, Pa., Rocket/Cornett 16.316
43. 93 - Pancho Lawler, Hanover, Md., Rocket/Hershey 16.338
44. 15 - Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga., Wright/Roush Yates 16.358
45. 37c - Dennis Franklin, Gaffney, S.C., Wright/Clements 16.363
46. 7JL - Jerry Lierly, Quincy, Ill., Bloomquist/Roush Yates 16.394
47. 31 - Bryan Force, Indiana, Pa., Rocket/Cornett 16.410
48. 20 - Jerry Bowersock, Wapakoneta, Ohio, Rocket/Dargie 16.459
49. 1* - Chub Frank, Bear Lake, Pa., Rocket/Roush Yates 16.464
50. 4ds - Chad Hollenbeck, Kingsley, Pa., Rocket/Clements 16.471
51. 28 - Eddie Carrier Jr., Salt Rock, W.Va., Rocket/Grover 16.562
52. 77x - Coleby Frye, Dover, Pa., Rocket/Kevlar 16.634
53. 00 - Jay Sessoms, Stanley, N.C., Rocket/LED 16.659
54. KB - Kerry King, Delmar, Del. 16.698
55. 555 - Justin Coulter, Leamington, Ontario, Rocket/Dickens 16.749
56. 0 - Dale Hollidge, Mechanicsville, Md., MasterSbilt/Hershey 16.886
57. 10 - Corey Weaver, Imler, Pa., Rocket/ProPower 16.906
58. 5 - Eric Jacobsen, Seacliff Beach, CA, Bloomquist/Roush Yates 16.912
59. 1G - Jacob Hawkins, Fairmont, W.Va., Warrior/Custom 16.973
60. 07 - Brian Ledbetter, Dallas, N.C., Rocket/Maiwald 17.016
61. 55 - Denny Fenton, Clearfield, Pa., Rocket/Malcuit 17.125
62. 8 - Matt Sponaugle, Wileyford, W.Va., Rocket/Baker 17.206
63. c8 - Timothy Culp, W. Monroe, La., TrakStar/PTS 17.224
64. 47 - Brett Miller, Greeneville, Tenn., Warrior/Hill 17.262
65. 2 - Joe Ramey, Haverhill, Ohio, MasterSbilt/Roush Yates 17.270
66. 31 - Bob Gordon, Keyser, W.Va., Rocket/Crescent 17.292
67. D8 - Dustin Mitchell, Pine Level, N.C., MasterSbilt/Hill 17.432
68. 21b - Rich Bell, Sheffield, Ill., Rocket/Runyon 17.477
69. 33 - Don Gordon, Chatham, Ontario, Warrior/Custom 17.688
70. 00s - Randy Sterling, Morrisdale, Pa., Rocket/Edge 17.714
71. 53 - Chris Farrell, Clearfield, Pa., Rocket/RPM 17.927
72. 25 - Shane Clanton, Fayetteville, Ga., Capital/Clements no time

Round one qualifying

Darrell Lanigan clinched his second World of Outlaws championship just by signing in at Charlotte, but that doesn’t seem to have taken away any of the Union, Ky., driver’s competitiveness.

Besting a field of 71 Late Models, Lanigan posted a lap of 15.155 seconds around Charlotte’s 4/10-mile oval during Thursday’s first round of qualifying to earn the pole starting spot for the first of six heat races slated for Friday evening. Other polesitters for Friday’s heat races: Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky.; Rick Eckert of York, Pa.; Chris Madden of Gaffney, S.C.; Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind.; and Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn.

The six heats will determine the lineup for Friday’s 50-lap $10,000-to-win main event. Another time trials session Thursday will determine the heat race lineups for Saturday’s event, another $10,000-to-win event.

O’Neal, driving a Childress Racing MasterSbilt, posted the fifth-fastest time on his first qualifying lap, but lost power and slowed in turns three and four on his second lap.

A number of drivers had trouble negotiating the track’s thick cushion. Kenny Moreland, Dennis Franklin, Dale McDowell and Gregg Satterlee were among drivers who got over the cushion and tagged the wall at some point during their qualifying run. None suffered serious damage.

Coleby Frye of Dover, Pa., ran into trouble on his second lap, spinning at the entrance of turn three and nosing into the wall in turn four.

Round one results (unofficial)

1. 29 - Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky., Rocket/Cornett 15.155
2. 18W - Eric Wells, Hazard, Ky., Bloomquist/Roush-Yates 15.242
3. 24 - Rick Eckert, York, Pa., Bloomquist/Dickens 15.252
4. 44 - Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C., Bloomquist/Cornett 15.294
5. K71 - Don O'Neal, Martinsville, Ind., MasterSbilt/Dickens 15.372
6. 0 - Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn., Bloomquist/Roush Yates 15.388
7. 1 - Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va., Rocket/Roush Yates 15.407
8. 39 - Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y., Warrior/ProPower 15.470
9. 20 - Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn., Bloomquist/Cornett 15.477
10. 87 - Walker Arthur, Forest, Va., MasterSbilt/CAMS 15.507
11. 17M - Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga., MasterSbilt/Clements 15.514
12. 44 - Clint Smith, Senoia, Ga., Rocket/RaceTek 15.553
13. 15 - Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky., Wright/Clements 15.570
14. 25 - Jason Feger, Bloomington, Ill., Pierce/Rhyne 15.590
15. 17 - Zack Dohm, Cross Lanes, W.Va., Rocket/Hill 15.605
16. 5 - Eric Jacobsen, Seacliff Beach, CA, Bloomquist/Roush Yates 15.619
17. 37c - Dennis Franklin, Gaffney, S.C., Wright/Clements 15.637
18. 71d - Ron Davies, Warren, Pa., MB Customs/Bullock 15.653
19. 6 - Steve Shaver, Vienna, W.Va., Rocket/Rumley 15.669
20. 1 - Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill., Rocket/Roush Yates 15.673
21. 7R - Kent Robinson, Bloomington, Ind., MasterSbilt/Dickens 15.675
22. 1* - Chub Frank, Bear Lake, Pa., Rocket/Roush Yates 15.734
23. 11 - Austin Hubbard, Seaford, Del., Rocket/Cornett 15.751
24. 28 - Eddie Carrier Jr., Salt Rock, W.Va., Rocket/Grover 15.760
25. 28 - Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill., Bloomquist/Rhyne 15.766
26. 71c - R.J. Conley, Wheelersburg, Ohio, Rocket/Draime 15.769
27. 44 - Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla., Longhorn/Wallace 15.784
28. 25 - Shane Clanton, Fayetteville, Ga., Capital/Clements 15.791
29. 32c - Vic Coffey, Caledonia, N.Y., Rocket/ProPower 15.794
30. 14M - Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas, Rocket/Clements 15.798
31. 53 - Ray Cook, Brasstown, N.C., MasterSbilt/RED 15.804
32. 19 - Tim Fuller, Watertown, N.Y., Capital/Clements 15.832
33. 57J - Bub McCool, Vicksburg, Miss., Victory Circle/Dickens 15.860
34. 7JL - Jerry Lierly, Quincy, Ill., Bloomquist/Roush Yates 15.871
35. 71 - B.J. Robinson, Shreveport, La., Victory Circle/Dickens 15.930
36. 22 - Gregg Satterlee, Rochester Mills, Pa., Rocket/Roush Yates 15.938
37. 88 - Andrew Reaume, Blenheim, Ontario, Rocket/Cornett 15.969
38. 00 - Jay Sessoms, Stanley, N.C., Rocket/LED 15.998
39. 41 - Josh McGuire, Grayson, Ky., MasterSbilt/GCP 16.033
40. 5 - Jared Landers, Batesville, Ark., Wright/Roush Yates 16.034
41. 18 - Ross Camponovo, Clarksdale, Miss., Victory Circle/RPM 16.046
42. 20 - Duane Chamberlain, Richmond, Ind., Chamberlain/Dargie 16.070
43. 11 - Pat Doar, New Richmond, Wis., Mars/ProPower 16.073
44. 91 - Billy Decker, Unadilla, N.Y., Rocket/LJL 16.174
45. 72 - John Mason, Millersburg, Ohio, Bloomquist/Hill 16.197
46. 71R - Rod Conley, Wheelersburg, Ohio, Rocket/Draime 16.214
47. 22 - Chris Ferguson, Mount Holly, N.C., Warrior/Clary 16.217
48. 20 - Jerry Bowersock, Wapakoneta, Ohio, Rocket/Dargie 16.218
49. 24 - Kenny Moreland, Charlotte Hall, Md., Rocket/Custom 16.438
50. 21D - Dan Stone, Thompson, Pa., Rocket/Cornett 16.444
51. KB - Kerry King, Delmar, Del. 16.512
52. 31 - Bryan Force, Indiana, Pa., Rocket/Cornett 16.586
53. 0 - Dale Hollidge, Mechanicsville, Md., MasterSbilt/Hershey 16.598
54. 4ds - Chad Hollenbeck, Kingsley, Pa., Rocket/Clements 16.620
55. 47 - Brett Miller, Greeneville, Tenn., Warrior/Hill 16.647
56. c8 - Timothy Culp, W. Monroe, La., TrakStar/PTS 16.668
57. 31 - Bob Gordon, Keyser, W.Va., Rocket/Crescent 16.688
58. 2 - Joe Ramey, Haverhill, Ohio, MasterSbilt/Roush Yates 16.699
59. 93 - Pancho Lawler, Hanover, Md., Rocket/Hershey 16.740
60. 555 - Justin Coulter, Leamington, Ontario, Rocket/Dickens 16.835
61. 77x - Coleby Frye, Dover, Pa., Rocket/Kevlar 16.882
62. 15 - Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga., Wright/Roush Yates 16.901
63. 8 - Matt Sponaugle, Wileyford, W.Va., Rocket/Baker 16.916
64. 10 - Corey Weaver, Imler, Pa., Rocket/ProPower 16.943
65. 21b - Rich Bell, Sheffield, Ill., Rocket/Runyon 17.153
66. D8 - Dustin Mitchell, Pine Level, N.C., MasterSbilt/Hill 17.196
67. 53 - Chris Farrell, Clearfield, Pa., Rocket/RPM 17.259
68. 07 - Brian Ledbetter, Dallas, N.C., Rocket/Maiwald 17.301
69. 55 - Denny Fenton, Clearfield, Pa., Rocket/Malcuit 17.573
70. 00s - Randy Sterling, Morrisdale, Pa., Rocket/Edge 17.605
71. 33 - Don Gordon, Chatham, Ontario, Warrior/Custom 17.832
72. 1G - Jacob Hawkins, Fairmont, W.Va., Warrior/Custom 17.922

Pre-race notes

On-track action kicked off with hot laps at 5 p.m. Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 6. Late Models and sprint cars will each complete two qualifying sessions while modifieds will run two sets of heat races. … Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., is making his first Charlotte appearance since 2008 behind the wheel of a Childress Racing MasterSbilt. O’Neal, who normally drives the MasterSbilt house car, previously drove the Louisiana-based Childress Racing entry to victory in Whynot (Miss.) Motorsports Park’s Coors Light Fall Classic and a fifth-place finish in the Southern Belle Cotton Pickin’ 100 at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, Miss. … After stepping aside to let O’Neal run at Whynot and Magnolia, Childress Racing driver B.J. Robinson of Shreveport, La., will pilot Chris Wall’s Childress entry this weekend. … Jacob Hawkins of Fairmont, W.Va., is driving the Warrior Race Cars house car this weekend thanks to a one-race deal put together with help from Bobby Lake Motorsports. … Coleby Frye of Dover, Pa., is making his first appearance at Charlotte in a Carey Terrance-owned Rocket Chassis. The ride was opened up for Frye after Terrance and Dale Planck parted ways earlier this week. … Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., will wrap up his second World of Outlaws championship when he completes both rounds of time trials. … Rick Eckert of York, Pa., has won the past two WoO events, including Oct. 10’s Late Model Showdown at Charlotte.

Correction: Fixes Earl Pearson Jr.'s chassis to Longhorn, sted MasterSbilt.

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