Hubbard Returns To National Spotlight with World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory at Potomac Speedway
Former WoO LMS Regular Leads All the Way to Earn Third Career Series Victory
By Joshua Joiner, WoO LMS P.R. Coordinator
BUDDS CREEK, Md. – Aug. 15, 2014 – Austin Hubbard may no longer travel nationally, but he’s still capable of competing with the best dirt Late Model drivers in the country. The 22-year-old Seaford, Del., driver proved as much Friday night at Potomac Speedway with a dominating performance in the 3/8-mile oval’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series event.
Hubbard, the former WoO LMS Rookie of the Year who followed the national tour full time in 2010 and 2011, claimed a victory worth $10,050 at the high-banked 3/8-mile oval, leading every lap from the pole starting spot to score his first series victory since winning twice on the series in 2010.
“This is a huge deal for us,” said Hubbard, who has continued to compete part time on the WoO LMS after scaling back his racing program in recent seasons. “I’ve always believed we could win these big races. We’ve got good cars and good people supporting us. I definitely know we can run with these guys and we proved it.”
Hubbard’s victory came in front of a standing-room-only crowd as Potomac Speedway welcomed the WoO LMS back for the first time since 2004 in hosting the second leg of the tour’s tripleheader weekend in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Hubbard’s MasterSbilt by Huey Race Car was fast all night. He set fast time in his group during Ohlins Shocks Time Trials and dominated his heat race before earning the pole through a redraw among the race’s top eight starters. He cruised during the opening stages of the main event before turning back challenges from Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., through the middle portions.
Lanigan pressured Hubbard on a number of restarts, but Hubbard pulled away from Lanigan and third-place finish Gregg Satterlee of Indiana, Pa., during the race’s closing laps to take the checkereds with an advantage of 1.120 seconds.
The performance continued a stellar weekend for Hubbard, who finished third in Thursday night’s WoO LMS A-Main at his home track of Delaware International Speedway in Delmar, Del.
“I’m telling you, this car is on point. It’s been that way all weekend,” said Hubbard, who claimed his third overall victory of the season. “I don’t have to do anything to it and it just goes right around there.”
Lanigan, the two-time WoO LMS champion and current points leader, settled for his second runner-up finish in as many nights in his Club 29 Race Car. Satterlee, who topped Lanigan to claim Thursday’s WoO LMS event at Delaware International Speedway, finished third in a Rocket Chassis. Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., and Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., both also driving Rocket cars, were fourth and fifth respectively.
The victory was a special to Hubbard not only because of the competition it came against but also because of the track at which it came. With his previous WoO LMS victories coming at Georgia’s Screven Motor Speedway and North Dakota’s River Cities Speedway, Hubbard was ecstatic to win a major event in front of many of his fans at the track where he claimed his first-ever Late Model victory.
“This means a lot,” said Hubbard, whose race shop is roughly two and half hours from Potomac. “The first Late Model race I ever won was at this track and it’s pretty cool to win a national tour race at this place too. I love this crowd and this track. It’s always a lot of fun to come out here.”
Lanigan entered the event hoping for a special moment of his own. The veteran racer scored the first of his series-leading 64 career WoO LMS victories at Potomac when the tour made its only previous visit to the track in 2004, but he was denied a return to the track’s victory lane.
“I remember that race here,” said Lanigan, who recorded his 20th top-five finish in 28 WoO LMS A-Mains this season. “It’d been nice to win here again. I really wanted to it, but second is a good points night. We’ll take it and go on to the next one.”
The race was slowed by seven cautions and saw a number of top runners fall by the wayside. Heat race winners Stevie Long of Mechanicsville, Md., and Keith Jackson of Edenton, Md., each gave up top-five spots, Long for an overheating engine on lap 14 and Jackson with a lap-44 spin. B-Main winner Dale Hollidge of Mechanicsville, Md., retired from a top-10 spot to draw a lap-21 caution, and Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., slowed from 10th to draw a lap-35 yellow.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series wraps up a three-race weekend Saturday evening with a visit to Winchester (Va.) Speedway. General admission gates open at 4 p.m. at the 3/8-mile oval with hot laps set for 6:45.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com. Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and Facebook at Facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws .
Results of World of Outlaws Late Model Series at Potomac Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (1) Austin Hubbard/50 $10,050
2. (7) Darrell Lanigan/50 $5,650
3. (3) Gregg Satterlee/50 $3,000
4. (6) Tim McCreadie/50 $3,200
5. (9) Chub Frank/50 $2,550
6. (4) Shane Clanton/50 $2,250
7. (8) Frank Heckenast Jr./50 $2,150
8. (22) Kenny Pettyjohn/50 $1,950
9. (15) Rick Eckert/50 $1,850
10. (20) Eric Wells/50 $1,650
11. (24) Chase Junghans/50 $1,550
12. (14) Ross Robinson/50 $1,050
13. (23) Clint Smith/50 $1,450
14. (2) Keith Jackson/50 $1,050
15. (11) Jason Covert/50 $850
16. (21) Morgan Bagley/43 $1,300
17. (12) Kenny Moreland/43 $770
18. (13) Vic Coffey/38 $750
19. (17) Tim Fuller/35 $730
20. (16) Jamie Lathroum/27 $700
21. (18) Dale Hollidge/21 $700
22. (5) Stevie Long/15 $700
23. (19) J.T. Spence/13 $700
24. (10) Dan Stone/10 $725
* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: 28 Mins. 32 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.120 seconds
Yellow Flags: 7 (laps 13, 14, 15, 21, 35, 38, 43, 44)
Lap Leaders: Hubbard (1-50)
Provisional Starters: Smith (WoO points), Junghans (WoO points)
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Kenny Pettyjohn ($500)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
Group A
1. 29-Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky., 14.686
2. 39-Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y., 14.773
3. 19-Tim Fuller, Watertown, N.Y., 14.919
4. 11j- Keith Jackson, Edenton, Md., 14.920
5. 22-Gregg Satterlee, Indiana, Pa., 14.967
6. 91-J.T. Spence, Winchester, Va., 15.018
7. 32c-Vic Coffey, Caledonia, N.Y., 15.138
8. 99b-Boom Briggs, Bear Lake, Pa., 15.178
9. 1*-Chub Frank, Bear Lake, Pa., 15.190
10. 21d-Dan Stone, Thompson, Pa., 15.236
11. 18c-Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., 15.268
12. 14m-Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas, 15.430
13. 44w-Amanda Whaley, Millsboro, Del., 15.477
14. 90-Larry Ramsey, Lexington, Va., 15.532
15. 19g-Rance Garlock, Three Springs, Pa., 15.584
16. 41-Ryan Hackett, La Plafa, Md., 15.674
17. 151-Kyle Lear, Severna Park, Md., 15.720
18. 7-Ross Robinson, Georgetown, Del., 15.918
Group B
1. 11-Austin Hubbard, Seaford, Del., 14.905
2. 44L-Stevie Long, Mechanicsville, Md., 14.979
3. 38-Kenny Pettyjohn, Millsboro, Del., 15.003
4. 24-Kenny Moreland, Waldorf, Md., 15.103
5. 25-Shane Clanton, Zebulon, Ga., 15.188
6. 99jr-Frank Heckenast Jr., Frankfort, Ill., 15.198
7. 1-Rick Eckert, York, Pa., 15.205
8. 6-Jamie Lathroum, Mechanicsville, Md., 15.222
9. 72-Jason Covert, York Haven, Pa., 15.235
10. 0-Dale Hollidge, Mechanicsville, Md., 15.287
11. 18-Eric Wells, Hazard, Ky., 15.329
12. 88-Ricky Elliott, Seaford, Del., 15.361
13. 44-Clint Smith, Senoia, Ga., 15.369
14. 93-Pancho Lawler, Glenville, Pa., 15.520
15. 44g-Deane Guy, Clements, Md., 15.885
16. 92-Nick Davis,Millsboro, Del., 15.984
17. 66x-Tom Wagner, Hughesville, Md., 16.094
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Lanigan, Satterlee, Frank, Coffey, Fuller, Whaley, Junghans, Lear, Garlock.
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Jackson, McCreadie, Stone, Robinson, Bagley, Briggs, Hackett, Ramsey, Spence.
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Hubbard, Clanton, Covert, Eckert, Wells, Pettyjohn, Smith, Guy.
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Long, Heckenast, Moreland, Lathroum, Hollidge, Davis, Lawler, Elliott.
B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Fuller, Spence, Bagley, Briggs, Junghans, Garlock, Whaley, Ramsey, Hackett.
B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Hollidge, Wells, Pettyjohn, Lawler, Davis, Smith, Guy.
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal):
Ohlins Shocks ($50 cash to fast qualifier): Keith Jackson
Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Austin Hubbard
MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Austin Hubbard
Quartermaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner): Austin Hubbard
Wrisco (three sheets of aluminum/certificate to A-Main winner): Austin Hubbard
STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main): Darrell Lanigan
Penske Racing Shocks ($50 to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main): Kenny Pettyjohn
Roush-Yates ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie
Mobile 1 ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie
JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank
Lincoln Welders ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Shane Clanton
American Racing Wheels ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main): Kenny Pettyjohn
VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Kenny Pettyjohn
Edelbrock ($50 cash to 9th-place finisher in A-Main): Rick Eckert
Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells
Cometic ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Ross Robinson
JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Keith Jackson
Superflow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Keith Jackson
Quartermaster ($25 certificate to 15th-place finisher in A-Main): Jason Covert
JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 16th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley
Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 18th-place finisher in A-Main): Jamie Lathroum
Quartermaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim Fuller
Arizona Sports Shirts ($100 certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Jamie Lathroum
Mobil 1 (20% off gift certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Jamie Lathroum
JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 21st-place finisher in A-Main): Dale Hollidge
Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 22nd-place finisher in A-Main): Dan Stone
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Dan Stone
Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO driver): Austin Hubbard
Reliable Painting award (one free tire): Shane Clanton
2014 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of Aug. 15 – 28 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
1. Darrell Lanigan 3,958
2. Rick Eckert 3,704 (-254)
3. Tim McCreadie 3,658 (-300)
4. Morgan Bagley 3,530 (-428)
5. Chub Frank 3,514 (-444)
6. Eric Wells 3,462 (-496)
7. Shane Clanton 3,450 (-508)
8. Frank Heckenast Jr. 3,400 (-558)
9. Clint Smith 3,276 (-682)
10. Chase Junghans 3,276 (-764)
11. Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs 2,194 (-902)
12. Tim Fuller 2,290 (-1,668)
Rookie of the Year Standings as of Aug. 15 (28 A-Mains completed; best 25 races counted)
1. Frank Heckenast Jr. 3,220
2. Chase Junghans 3.014 (-206)
3. Boom Briggs 2,876 (-344)
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: American Racing Custom Wheels (Official Custom Wheel), Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), Lincoln Welder (Official Welder), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award); in addition to contingency sponsors: Butlerbuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Mobil 1, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, QuarterMaster, Penske Shocks, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, Intercomp, Jake’s Carts, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis, and TNT Rescue.