Tyler County Speedway
Lanigan trying to hit Tyler's Jackpot again
By Chris Tilley
World of Outlaws Late Model Series
Darrell Lanigan won last year at Tyler County. (Todd Battin)
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series makes it lone visit to West Virginia on Memorial Day weekend for the $20,000-to-win Jackpot 100 at Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne on May 24-25.
Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., continues to lead the WoO standings by 98 points over Rick Eckert of York, Pa. Lanigan will make a run at winning the Jackpot for the third consecutive season.
“We’ve had different cars most of the time we’ve been there (for the Jackpot 100),” Lanigan said. “You have to get up on the wheel and get it done. It’s a little tricky track, it gets really dirty and you gotta have a good setup.”
Lanigan’s small fleet of Club 29 Race Cars has not only been noticeable with the World of Outlaws, but around the country as well.
“I think we’re definitely on top of the game right now,” Lanigan said. “The cars are definitely great, got a good package under it, got a good team, good engine program going, you got to have a good program to put all the pieces together and if you get all the good pieces, it will definitely work.”
In regards to where Lanigan and team are with the building and putting more of his cars on the track, Lanigan says he’s fairly content with their program at this time.
“We’re branching out some, it’s definitely going to be in limited order this year,“ said Lanigan, who puts his special touches on the Black Diamond Chassis built by Ronnie Stuckey in Shreveport, La. ”We can only get so many cars done being on the road, definitely having Jimmy (Owens) out there helps, and Donald (McIntosh) and Kent Robinson, he’s been running well, we got a bunch of good drivers out there in the cars, they’re definitely helping our program and helping with feedback.”
Rick Eckert of York, Pa. sits in second spot behind Lanigan in the tour’s championship points and after a handful of top-five finishes in the Rocket Chassis House Car since he climbed into the car before Farmer City Raceway's Illini 100. Since Eckert’s move to the Mark Richards Racing entry, he missed a top-five finish just once.
While Eckert is Lanigan’s closest pursuer, the points leader says he’s more concerned about winning races and not yet focused just yet on his third World of Outlaws crown.
”Honestly, we never look at the championship until we get towards the end of the year,” Lanigan said. “Right now we go out to win every race and it shows, we give it 100 percent no matter what it is and we’re there to win.”
Lanigan and Eckert lead the full-fendered WoO crew of Outlaws into Tyler County this weekend with Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga. and Morgan Bagley of Tyler, Texas rounding out the top five in the point standings. The rest of the top 12 in points: Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa.; Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky.; Frank Heckenast Jr. of Frankfort, Ill.; Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.; Chase Junghans of Manhattan, Kan.; Boom Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa.; and Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill.
An open practice is scheduled for May 23 with live entertainment to follow. Friday’s action includes a full show for the Renegades of Dirt Modifieds and Stars Mod Lite Tour.
On Saturday, WoO action begins with Ohlins Shocks Time Trials and heat races followed by racing in the Stars Mod Lite Tour, Renegades of Dirt Modifieds as well as heat races for Crate Late Models.
On Sunday, consolation races and the 75-lap feature are scheduled for WOO competitors while hotmods, the Stars Mod Lite Tour, Crate Late Models are in action along with the $5,555-to-win feature on the Renegades of Dirt Modifieds tour.
Pit gates open daily at 2 p.m. with grandstands at 3. Hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. each evening with qualifying and racing action to follow.
A three-day pit pass is $75 while a three-day general admission grandstand pass is $65 ($15 for children). Single-day grandstand tickets: $10 Friday, $30 Saturday and $30 Sunday. For more details, visit tylercountyspeedwayonline.com.
