SARVER, PA — Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., kicked off the eighth annual Firecracker 100 presented by GottaRace.com weekend in fine fashion, powering past Scott Bloomqusit of Mooresburg, Tenn., for the lead on lap 21 and marching on to victory in Thursday night’s 30-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series preliminary A-Main at Lernerville Speedway.
Lanigan, 43, continued his mastery of the 2014 WoO LMS campaign, winning his second straight event and for the sixth time in 15 starts. His already comfortable lead in the national tour’s points standings ballooned to 152 points over Rick Eckert of York, Pa., who finished 10th.
The race also marked Lanigan’s long-awaited first-ever triumph at Lernerville, a four-tenths-mile oval where he’s come frustratingly close to a checkered flag on numerous occasions. He’s been the runner-up in the Firecracker 100 in four of the last six years, so he hopes reaching the finish line first in the weekend’s first preliminary feature is a good omen for Saturday night’s $30,000-to-win spectacular.
Bloomquist, 50, battled forward from the fourth starting spot to grab the lead from race-long pacesetter Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., on lap 19, but he couldn’t hold off Lanigan. The two-time Firecracker 100 champion was able to repel a late challenge from Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., to secure a second-place finish, 1.462 seconds behind Lanigan.
Owens, making his first Firecracker 100 appearance in five years, placed third after slipping by Davenport on lap 27 and seeing his last-ditch bid to overtake Bloomquist fall short. Davenport, who started outside of Lanigan on the front row and outgunned the eventual winner for the lead at the initial green flag, slipped to fourth at the finish and seventh-starter Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., completed the top five.
Results of WoO Late Model Series Firecracker 100 Presented by GottaRace.com Preliminary A-Main No. 1 at Lernerville Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (1) Darrell Lanigan/30 $6,150
2. (4) Scott Bloomquist/30 $3,200
3. (4) Jimmy Owens/30 $2,050
4. (2) Jonathan Davenport/30 $1,750
5. (7) Mike Marlar/30 $1,500
6. (8) Tim Fuller/30 $1,250
7. (19) Jared Miley/30 $1,300
8. (15) Alex Ferree/30 $1,150
9. (9) Morgan Bagley/30 $1,100
10. (12) Rick Eckert/30 $1,200
11. (22) Tim McCreadie/30 $1,050
12. (6) Doug Drown/30 $875
13. (21) Dale McDowell/30 $750
14. (5) Austin Hubbard/30 $725
15. (16) Max Blair/30 $700
16. (25) Eric Wells/30 $730
17. (10) John Blanenship/30 $670
18. (23) Chub Frank/30 $710
19. (18) Shane Clanton/30 $690
20. (20) Dave Hess Jr./30 $620
21. (26) Frankie Heckenast Jr./30 $900
22. (24) Boom Briggs/30 $650
23. (27) Clint Smith/30 $160
24. (11) Mason Zeigler/30 $600
25. (28) Chase Junghans/29 $160
26. (13) Mike Knight/21 $600
27. (17) Dan Stone/17 $600
28. (14) Kent Robinson/8 $600
* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses
Time of Race: 12 Mins., 58.909 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.462 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 2 (laps 9, 17)
Lap Leaders: Davenport (1-18); Bloomquist (19-20); Lanigan (21-30) Provisional Starters: Wells, Heckenast (WoO points); Junghans (WoO emergency) Rookie of the Race: Heckenast ($250) WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Miley ($500)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
Group ‘A’
1. 157-Mike Marlar/Winfield, TN 16.221; 2. 0-Scott Bloomquist/Mooresburg, TN 16.425; 3. 20d-Doug Drown/Wooster, OH 16.631; 4. 20-Jimmy Owens/Newport, TN 16.75; 5. 7R-Kent Robinson/Bloomington, IN 16.792; 6. 14M-Morgan Bagley/Longview, TX 16.805; 7. J4-John Garvin/Sarver, PA 16.858; 8. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 16.883; 9. 10-Alex Ferree/Saxonburg, PA 16.961; 10. 21-Tony Musolino II/Pittsburgh, PA 16.987 11. H1-Jared Miley/South Park, PA 16.994; 12. 99Jr-Frank Heckenast Jr./Frankfurt, IL 17.04 13. 1J-Davey Johnson/Latrobe, PA 17.177 14. 18-Eric Wells/Hazard, KY 17.181; 15. 44H-Dave Hess Jr./Waterford, PA 17.19 16. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 17.199 17. 56-Russ King/Bristolville, OH 17.251; 18. 66-Todd Bachman/Natrona Heights, PA 17.338 19. 5-Eric Jacobsen/Sea Cliff Beach, CA 17.388 20. 101-Casey Roberts/Toccoa, GA 17.474; 21. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 17.48 22. 9K-Mike Knight/Ripley, NY 17.512; 23. 14-Dan Angelicchio/Mt. Pleasant, PA 17.53; 24. 48-John Flinner Jr./Zelionople, PA 17.542; 25. c33-Chris Casner/Mifflintown, PA 17.575 26. 37-Brian Tavenner/Winchester, VA 17.773; 27. 75-Colton Flinner/Allison Park, PA 17.803 28. 10L-Gary Lyle/Leechburg, PA 17.935
Group ‘B’
1. 6-Jonathan Davenport/Blairsville, GA 16.543; 2. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 16.845; 3. 11-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 16.921; 4. 25b-Mike Benedum/Salem, WV 17.014; 5. 2-Dan Stone/Thompson, PA 17.02; 6. 66-Justin Kann/Hesston, PA 17.027; 7. 22-Gregg Satterlee/Indiana, PA 17.101; 8. 25z-Mason Zeigler/Chalk Hill, PA 17.117; 9. 25-Shane Clanton/Zebulon, GA 17.12; 10. 23-John Blankenship/Williamson, WV 17.169; 11. 29K-Garrett Krummert/Butler, PA 17.199; 12. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 17.22; 13. 111-Max Blair/Titusville, PA 17.237; 14. 17M-Dale McDowell/Chickamauga, GA 17.251; 15. 1-Rick Eckert/York, PA 17.326; 16. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 17.495; 17. 18c-Chase Junghans/Manhattan, KS 17.606 18. 72-Michael Norris/Sarver, PA 17.608; 19. 88-Chuck Sarver/W. Sunbury, PA 17.649; 20. 28M-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 17.656 21. 99B-Boom Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 17.683; 22. 1c-Mike Pegher Jr./Wexford, PA 17.691; 23. 16-Matt Cochran/Williamsport, PA 18.01 24. 7x-Herman Bertolini/Creighton, PA 18.04; 25. 79-Mike Altobelli/Saxton, PA 18.132; 26. 29s-Ken Schaltenbrand/Sarver, PA 18.157; 27. 57-Bo Lockwood/Brookville, PA 18.391
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Owens, Marlar, Knight, Garvin, McCreadie, Casner, Lyle, Mussolino, D. Johnson, Jacobsen
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Bloomquist, Fuller, Robinson, Miley, Wells, Angellicchio, King, Roberts, Tavenner
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Drown, Bagley, Ferree, Hess, Heckenast, Bachman, C. Smith, J. Flinner, C. Flinner
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Davenport, Blankenship, Blair, Satterlee, Frank, Benedum, Pegher, Altobelli, Sarver
Heat No. 5 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Lanigan, Zeigler, Stone, McDowell, Mars, Krummert, Schaltenbrand, Cochran, Junghans
Heat No. 6 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Hubbard, Eckert, Clanton, Kann, Briggs, Coffey, Norris, Lockwood, Bertolini
B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Miley, McCreadie, Wells, Garvin, King, Angellicchio, Casner, Jacobsen, Mussolino, Tavenner, Lyle, D. Johnson, Roberts
B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Hess, Frank, Satterlee, Benedum, Heckenast, C. Smith, Bachman, Pegher, J. Flinner, Sarver, Altobelli, C. Flinner
B-Main No. 3 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): McDowell, Briggs, Mars, Krummert, Norris, Schaltenbrand, Cochran, Kann, Junghans, Bertolini, Coffey, Lockwood
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): Jimmy Owens Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Jimmy Owens MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Scott Bloomquist Quartermaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner): Tim McCreadie Wrisco (three sheets of aluminum/certificate to A-Main winner): Darrell Lanigan STP ($50 cash to 2nd-place finisher in A-Main): Jared Miley Penske Racing Shocks ($50 cash to 3rd-place finisher in A-Main): Scott Bloomquist Roush-Yates ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Rick Eckert Mobil 1 ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): Tim McCreadie JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley Lincoln Welders ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Jared Miley American Racing Wheels ($50 cash to 7th-place finisher in A-Main): Jared Miley VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Alex Ferree Edelbrock ($50 cash to 9th-place finisher in A-Main): Morgan Bagley Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Rick Eckert Cometic ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Doug Drown JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank Superflow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells Quartermaster ($25 certificate to 15th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 16th-place finisher in A-Main): Eric Wells Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 18th-place finisher in A-Main): Chub Frank Quartermaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Shane Clanton Arizona Sports Shirts ($100 certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Dave Hess Jr. Mobil 1 (20% off gift certicate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Dave Hess Jr. JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 21st-place finisher in A-Main): Frank Heckenast Jr. Roush-Yates ($50 certificate to 22nd-place finisher in A-Main): Boom Briggs MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Chase Junghans Armor All (one case of product to highest-finishing non-WoO driver): Scott Bloomquist Reliable Painting (one free tire): Rick Eckert.
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 Welders (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, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, Jake’s Carts, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis and TNT Rescue.