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Kevin Kovac
ZANESVILLE, Ohio (July 22) - Rain struck Muskingum County Speedway during qualifying on Thursday night, forcing officials to postpone the opening event of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series Ohio Speedweek.
The 'Pepsi 40' has been rescheduled for Thurs., Aug. 20, setting up three huge nights of late-summer WoO LMS racing in Ohio. Muskingum County's program will lead into the $20,000-to-win 'Buckeye 100' on Aug. 21-22 at K-C Raceway in Alma, Ohio.
A track-soaking shower before the start of Thursday night's second heat race proved to be too much to overcome. MCS owner Ronnie Moran had his track crew attempt to grade the three-eighths-mile oval's racing surface shortly after the precipitation ended, but he realized the effort was a losing battle and made the decision to call off the evening's action at 9:40 p.m.
"The track was just too wet," said Moran, who has owned the track since 1980. "We couldn't get it run-in in a reasonable amount of time, so the best thing to do for the racers and fans is to come back and try again next month."
While time trials and one heat race were completed before the rain, the Aug. 20 program will start from scratch. WoO LMS rules state that a new program must be run if an event is postponed to a later date without all heat races being completed.
A banner field of 45 cars was signed in for the event, which brought the WoO LMS to Muskingum County for the second consecutive season.
Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., who won last year's WoO LMS event at MCS, established a new track record of 15.132 seconds in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials. He earned a $150 bonus ($100 from Creno's Pizza and $50 from Ohlins Shocks) for his fast time, which bettered the MCS mark of 15.246 seconds that Bart Hartman of Zanesville, Ohio, had held since May 27, 2000.
Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., won the first heat after outgunning Francis for the lead at the initial green. Moments later, as the second heat headed onto the track, rain began to fall.
The postponement was a godsend to Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who entered the night tied for second with Francis in the WoO LMS points standings. Lanigan suffered a flat left-rear tire during his time-trial laps, leaving him last in the qualifying rundown.
MCS officials said rainchecks and pit bands from Thursday's program will be accepted on Aug. 20.
Ohio Speedweek continues for the WoO LMS on Fri., July 24, at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park; Sat., July 25, at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio; and Sun., July 26, at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa. All three programs are headlined by 50-lap A-Mains paying $10,000 to win.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 19-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 15.132 (NTR)
2. 11H-Rick Combs/Bethel, OH 15.149
3. 75-Bart Hartman/Zanesville, OH 15.190
4. 22s-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 15.254
5. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 15.277
6. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 15.323
7. 99B-Rick 'Boom' Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 15.382
8. 37-Jared Hawkins/Fairmont, WV 15.436
9. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 15.436
10. 19T-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 15.447
11. 56-Russell King/Bristolville, OH 15.457
12. 11A-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 15.464
13. 12-Jordan Bland/Campbellsville, KY 15.468
14. 12d-Doug Dodd/Cambridge, OH 15.485
15. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 15.500
16. 3-Brent Robinson/Smithfield, VA 15.551
17. won11-Robbie Blair/Titusville, PA 15.604
18. 18h-Dustin Hapka/Grand Forks, ND 15.629
19. 28-Eddie Carrier Jr./Salt Rock, WV 15.674
20. 12x-Doug Drown/Wooster, OH 15.687
21. c9-Steve Casebolt/Richmond, IN 15.687
22. 9k-Mike Knight/Ripley, NY 15.694
23. 30-Steve Shaver/Vienna, WV 15.702
24. 12A-Rick Aukland/Zanesville, OH 15.773
25. 17T-Tim Dohm/Cross Lanes, WV 15.803
26. 18c-Chris Carpenter/Parkersburg, WV 15.806
27. 63-Cody Parker/Zanesville, OH 15.864
28. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 15.900
29. 99-Donnie Moran/Dresden, OH 15.951
30. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 15.958
31. 21M-Jason Montgomery/Jackson, OH 16.094
32. 11R-Tyler Reddick/Corning, CA 16.124
33. 1DJ-Craig Vosbergen/Perth, AUSTR 16.159
34. 11B-Kyle Bates/Kimbolton, OH 16.208
35. 22G-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 16.224
36. 12H-Weston Hutchinson/New Concord, OH 16.268
37. 33-Steve Bigley/Guysville, OH 16.276
38. 99d-Devin Moran/Dresden, OH 16.381
39. 43d-Don Shrigley/Pataskala, OH 16.521
40. 21W-Bryan Casey/Coshocton, OH 16.670
41. 45-Russ Frohnopfel/Columbus, OH 16.741
42. 67-Tracy Fritter/Zanesville, OH 17.153
43. 88d-Eric Dixon/Newark, OH 17.583
44. 83-Steve Prince/Newark, OH 18.534
45. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 19.202
Heat No. 1 (10 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Clanton, Francis, Bland, Eckert, Blair, Donnie Moran, Dohm, Lanigan, Casebolt, Frohnopfel, Vosbergen, Bigley
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