|
Kevin Kovac
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (September 26) - Score another checkered flag for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series at Knoxville Raceway.
Points leader Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., became the second tour regular in as many nights to grab the spotlight at the fifth annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals presented by SuperClean, pulling off a dramatic last-lap victory in Friday's 25-lap semi-feature.
Lanigan, 38, made a breathtaking outside pass of Newport, Tenn.'s Jimmy Owens rounding turns three and four for the final time to steal the race's $7,000 top prize. His performance followed the Thursday-night semi-feature triumph by fellow WoO LMS traveler Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who opted to sit out Friday night's preliminary program while awaiting delivery of a backup engine.
Though Lanigan started from the pole position in his Fusion Energy Rocket car, he slipped back several spots early in the headline event. He found his rhythm around the top of the famed half-mile oval, however, and erased a half-straightaway deficit over the final five circuits to nip Owens at the finish line by less than a car length.
"I just got my momentum going on the top," Lanigan said of his late rally. "We just got lucky those last five laps and hit it right. Jimmy got held up a little going into (turn) three by those lapped cas on the bottom (on the last lap) and we just got a helluva run on the top."
While Lanigan was ecstatic about his victory, he felt Owens's pain.
"I've lost 'em that way and won 'em that way," bottom-lined Lanigan.
The victory was the second of Lanigan's career at Knoxville, where he was triumphant in a WoO LMS event on June 15, 2007. He's an admitted lover of long, sweeping layouts like Knoxville - though his performance on the 2008 WoO LMS makes it clear that he's much more than a big-track specialist.
Lanigan has authored arguably the most consistent season in WoO LMS history, rolling up 25 top-five and 35 top-10 finishes (including 15 consecutive top-fives during one amazing stretch) in 39 A-Mains to put himself on the brink of his first career tour championship. He holds a commanding 126-point lead over defending WoO LMS champ Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., with only four events (three offering full points) remaining on the 2008 schedule.
While Lanigan has only won two WoO LMS A-Mains this season (his last score came on June 25 at Big Diamond Raceway in Minersville, Pa.), he's looking to close out his '08 campaign with a flourish. With the $100,000 WoO LMS title sitting ready for his taking, he'd love to add Saturday night's 100-lap Knoxville Nationals finale to his ledger as a signature victory.
Lanigan sits in perfect position to capture Saturday night's $40,000 top prize. He had the top points total from the two preliminary programs, giving him the pole starting spot for the 100-lapper.
All four of Lanigan's fellow WoO LMS regulars at the Knoxville Nationals are also already locked into Saturday night's A-Main thanks to their points totals. Richards will start third in the event, followed by Francis (11th starting spot after a 24th-place finish on Friday); Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill. (13th starting spot after placing 14th on Friday); and Rick Eckert of York, Pa. (15th starting spot after finishing ninth on Friday).
The next WoO LMS action is set for Tues., Oct. 7, at Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway (the completion of an event postponed by rain on Aug. 15) and Wed., Oct. 8, at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. (the Armour Vienna Sausage Southern Showdown that will be contested 'topless,' ie., with roofs removed from the cars for the first time in WoO LMS history).
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
|
