Cedar Lake Speedway
T-Mac nabs pole position for 26th USA Nationals
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
Tim McCreadie emerges after winning the dash. (chrisburback.com)
NEW RICHMOND, Wis. (Aug. 2) — Friday's action at Cedar Lake Speedway for the 26th annual USA Nationals. The World of Outlaws Late Model Series action includes heat races and a dash; local Late Models are also in action (preliminary finishes unofficial):
Pole dash
Tim McCreadie edged ahead of polesitter and fellow front-row starter Josh Richards at the start and wrapped up the pole for Saturday's main event with a dash victory. He'll start in the No. 1 position for Saturday's main event with Josh Richards alongside. | T-Mac energized by pole | Video | Slideshow
Finish: Tim McCreadie, Josh Richards, A.J. Diemel, Rick Eckert, Bobby Pierce, Chad Simpson.
Sixth heat
Polesitter Rick Eckert edged away early, then held off a hard-charging Brandon Sheppard to secure a spot in the heat winner's dash. Fifth-starting Shane Clanton, making early progress in the low groove, grabbed the second spot from Sheppard early, but Sheppard rolled around at mid-race and began cutting into Eckert's comfortable lead. Sheppard got close enough where he had to check up when Eckert slid higher on the straightaways, and he thought better of a considered crossover move with two laps remaining, slipping back a bit at the finish. Brady Smith started outside the front row but was a distant fourth ahead of Jonathan Davenport and Bub McCool.
Finish: Rick Eckert, Brandon Sheppard, Shane Clanton, Brady Smith, Jonathan Davenport, Bub McCool, Ricky Weiss, Lance Matthees, Chad Williamson.
Fifth heat
Drivers ranked No. 1 and 2 in DirtonDirt.com's power rankings duked it out in the fifth heat with third-starting Jimmy Owens (No. 2) edging ahead early before the polesitting Josh Richards (No. 1) regained the point on the second lap. Richards went on to pull away while fourth-starting Shannon Babb got rolling after a few laps, sweeping around Owens to take second on the sixth lap. Owens fought back to go back into second on the 11th lap while Babb faded a bit but held on to the third transfer spot, comfortably ahead of fourth-finishing Morgan Bagley in the caution-free affair.
Finish: Josh Richards, Jimmy Owens, Shannon Babb, Morgan Bagley, Jimmy Mars, Dan Stone, Nick Anvelink, Brett Swedberg
Fourth heat
Rolling in the high groove early, outside front-row starter Tim McCreadie edged away from polesitter Kent Robinson in the early laps and cruised to a 15-lap victory. T-Mac stretched his margin to nearly a straightaway after five laps and was never challenged. Robinson fought off a challenge from Dillon Wood on a lap-five restart while Wood held on for the third and final transfer spot. The lone caution appeared on the fifth lap for two-time USA Nationals winner Brian Birkhofer, who started third, slipped high in turn two on the first lap, then spun altogether in the same turn four laps later. Birkhofer is racing with a case on his lower right arm and hand after breaking a bone in a racing accident two weeks earlier.
Finish: Tim McCreadie, Kent Robinson, Dillon Wood, Brian Shirley, Dale McDowell, Tim Isenberg, Scott Bloomquist, Brian Birkhofer, Dennis Erb Jr.
Third heat
Polesitter A.J. Diemel cruised to a caution-free victory in the third heat, finishing nearly a straightaway ahead of last year's USA Nationals winner Darrell Lanigan. Lanigan had his hands full with fast qualifier Donnie Moran in the second half of the race, holding onto the spot as both transferred to Saturday's main event. Jake Redetzke was a distant fourth.
Finish: A.J. Diemel, Darrell Lanigan, Donnie Moran, Jake Redetzke, Tim Fuller, Clint Smith, Devin Moran, Clay Fisher.
Second heat
Outside front-row starter Chad Simpson got the jump at the start and raced to victory in the second heat, leading a parade of mostly high-side runners that included third-starting Don O'Neal and polesitter Gregg Satterlee. Those three broke away from the field as O'Neal dipped lower in turns three and four, nearly pulling alongsideof Simpson before he, too, moved down a bit to hold his position. Simpson, O'Neal and Satterlee were easy transfers while sixth-starting Eric Wells was fourth.
Finish: Chad Simpson, Don O'Neal, Gregg Satterlee, Eric Wells, Jeff Provinzino, Andrew McKay, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Timothy Culp, Charlie McKenna.
First heat
Polesitter Bobby Pierce regained the lead from Billy Moyer on the last lap for a victory in the first of six 15-lap heats. Moyer worked the high groove and edged past on the 11th lap, but the low-running Pierce stuck with his line and edged back ahead at the finish. Jason Feger ran third all the way and got the final transfer spot. Chris Simpson was a distant fourth in the caution-free prelim; Terry Casey retired midway.
Finish: Bobby Pierce, Billy Moyer, Jason Feger, Chris Simpson, Chub Frank, Kevin Weaver, Jared Hawkins, Terry Casey.
Qualifying
Hall of Famer Donnie Moran of Dresden, Ohio, was fastest of 53 qualifier Friday for the $50,000-to-win USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway. Moran turned a lap of 14.815 seconds at the 3/8-mile oval to earn $500 from Box Seat Productions.
With a three-car invert, heat race polesitters are Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill.; Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, Pa.; A.J. Diemel of Navarino, Wis.; RIck Eckert of York, Pa.; Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va.; and Kent Robinson of Bloomington, Ind.
Six heat races will send the top three finishers to the main event. The heat winners will redraw for dash starting spots and the dash finish will set the first three rows of Saturday’s 100-lap main event.
Saturday’s action includes consolation races, a last-chance race and main event. Cedar Lake’s local NASCAR-sanctioned Late Models will run complete programs Friday and Saturday.
Pre-race notes
Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., earned $6,000 and his second career World of Outlaws victory in Thursday’s tuneup program. ... Of drivers who ran Thursday, Pat Doar, John Winge, Chad Williamson and Warrior Race Cars house car driver Scott James aren’t entered. ... New entries include five-time USA Nationals winner Scott Blomquist, last year’s runner-up Jimmy Owens, Chad Simpson, Terry Casey (in the backup car of Ricky Weiss) and Donnie Moran. ... Moran’s son Devin competed last night after they unloaded his car from the team’s broken-down hauler and brought it to the track Thursday. Repairs were made to the Moran hauler overnight and both Morans will be in action. ... USA Nationals merchandise will be available Monday. Visit gottarace.com or call (800) 922-9918 for orders or more information.
Correction: Fixes heat race polesitters.
