Lanigan Wins Second Outlaw Feature

By Brian Dunlap

WoO LMS Public Relations Granite City, IL (July 31, 2004)
With seven laps remaining in the Tri-City Speedway 50 lap A-main feature, Darrell Lanigan in the #29 Lanigan Autosports/Accutex Signs/Cornett/AFCO/GottaRace/Hoosier Tire/Rocket Chassis Ford Taurus pulled by Scott Bloomquist at the line to take the lead and go on to win his second World of Outlaws feature Sunday night.

Tim McCreadie's #39 Sweeteners Plus/A-C Speedworld/Texaco Havoline/Rocket Chassis Chevrolet Monte Carlo, with Lanigan on his outside brought the field around the take the green flag before the crowed of nearly 2,500. The two cars raced side by side through turns one and two and down the back chute, but it was Lanigan that prevailed in turns three and four going around McCreadie on the outside.

As the leaders entered turns one and two on lap two Earl Pearson Jr. began to challenge McCreadie for second. Pearson took the position from McCreadie on lap two but McCreadie was able to regain position on lap four and began to race Lanigan for the lead.

Scott Bloomquist in the #0 Miller Brothers Coal/Hawkeye Trucking/Custom Race Engines/Allstar Performance/Hoosier Tire/Sweet Manufacturing Ford Taurus came on strong in lap five as he moved his way up into sixth and began challenging Moyer for a spot in the top five. Bloomquist got around Moyer's #21 J&J Steel/McCarthy One Hour Heating and Air/Banner Valley Hauling Chevrolet Monte Carlo and began to work on Chub Frank for fourth. Bloomquist got by Frank on the next lap and fell in behind Pearson chasing the leaders.

The lead changed on lap nine as McCreadie was able to work his way by Lanigan. McCreadie wasn't able to hold onto the lead for long though as he got loose in turns one and two on lap ten and Lanigan got back by him. McCreadie fell back yet another position two laps later as the strong running Pearson was able to work his way around him.

Once in second, Pearson began his mission to take the lead away from Lanigan. Pearson made a hard charge down the back straight away and captured the lead in turn three on lap 14. Pearson then began to pull away from the field

Bloomquist began to challenge McCreadie for third on lap 19. As the two were racing side by side they entered lap traffic in turn one. McCreadie bumped with lapped car Clint Smith in turn two, spinning out and bringing out the first yellow of the night. Bloomquist was unaffected in the incident, as he was able to squeeze in-between McCreadie and the wall, miraculously moving into third.

As the field took the green the top three cars fell in and raced nose to tail through turns one and two and down the back chute. As the top three cars set up for turns three and four they went three wide with Bloomquist moving into second around Lanigan on the high side.

At this point Steve Francis in the #15 Valvoline/Mopar/Freeport Recycle Center/Action Auto Mart/Rocket Chassis Dodge Intrepid appeared to be a contender as he worked his way up from the tenth starting position, passing Frank for fourth. Francis did not receive an official qualifying time for the night as he had hit the wall on his second lap of qualification and was forced to go to his back up car for the night.

Bloomquist and Pearson appeared evenly matched as they raced for the lead position. The two cars ran inches apart fighting for the lead. Bloomquist, working the high side would get a run on Pearson and pull along side of him but could not complete the pass before both cars entered then next turn. Fans could have thrown a blanket over the two cars they were so close as they raced side by side lap after lap.

With ten laps remaining it was anyone's race as Lanigan had caught back up with the leaders and was running strong. With only seven laps remaining, Bloomquist and Pearson were side by side with Bloomquist on the low side down the front chute. Both cars came together at the line and Pearson went in to the wall and spun to a stop in the bottom of turn one. Bloomquist was able to keep his #0 late model straight and moving, but suffered front end damage.

As the field took the green Lanigan was able to work his way around Bloomquist to regain the lead. Francis then began to challenge Bloomquist for second, but wasn't able to get it done before the checkered flag flew on lap 50.

“I new the car was good,” said Lanigan after his victory. “We gambled and went a little soft on tires, the restart at the end really helped out.”

Bloomquist commented on the lap 43 incident stating, “Pearson and I had been side by side three times, he came across as we entered turn one and we got together, we were fortunate to hold onto second with the front end tore up like it was. We'll take this one and just go onto the next.”

Third place finisher Steve Francis was comfortable with his finish considering how his night went. “We tore up the car in qualifying and had to go to our back up car for the night,” said Francis. “I owe tonight's finish to the hard work of the crew. With a night like tonight, we will take third and be tickled.”

Sunday night's race action will be featured online at www.dirtvision.com . The broadcasts are currently free of charge but you must register to enter the site. For a schedule of upcoming on demand broadcasts visit www.dirtvision.com .

FEATURE (50L):
1 29 - Darrell Lanigan
2 O - Scott Bloomquist
3 15 - Steve Francis
4 1* - Chub Frank
5 21 - Billy Moyer
6 9 - Dan Schlieper
7 24 - Rick Eckert
8 15B - Brian Birkhofer
9 39 - Tim McCreadie
10 75 - Bart Hartman
11 32D - Darren Miller
12 23 - John Blankenship
13 E1 - Mike Balzano
14 OS - Steve Shaver
15 17M - Dale McDowell
16 1 - Josh Richards
17 1A - Justin Allgaier
18 1P - Earl Pearson Jr
19 7 - Matt Miller
20 44 - Clint Smith
21 12 - Rick Aukland
22 OO - Randy Korte
23 50 - Ed Dixon
24 28E - Dennis Erb Jr
25 18 - Shannon Babb


TIME TRIALS:
39 - Tim McCreadie 20.340
29 - Darrell Lanigan 20.364
1P - Earl Pearson Jr 20.396
O - Scott Bloomquist 20.400
1* - Chub Frank 20.458
24 - Rick Eckert 20.508
17M - Dale McDowell 20.526
1 - Josh Richards 20.579
75 - Bart Hartman 20.641
OO - Randy Korte 20.690
15B - Brian Birkhofer 20.765
21 - Billy Moyer 20.770
32D - Darren Miller 20.801
E1 - Mike Balzano 20.843
7 - Matt Miller 20.852
18 - Shannon Babb 20.881
12 - Rick Aukland 20.911
1A - Justin Allgaier 20.915
83 - Scott James 21.007
9 - Dan Schlieper 21.031
OS - Steve Shaver 21.083
44 - Clint Smith 21.211
28E - Dennis Erb Jr 21.228
25 - Shane Clanton 21.241
72 - John Mason 21.291
53 - Ray Cook 21.312
23 - John Blankenship 21.401
50 - Ed Dixon 21.529
75C - Bert Cheatham 21.615
8 - Kyle Steffens 21.783
11Z - Bryan Collins 22.129
81 - Craig Smith 22.383
14 - Reid Millard 22.811
15 - Steve Francis No Time


LAST CHANCE 1: Darren Miller, Mike Balzano, Rick Aukland.

LAST CHANCE 2: Josh Richards, John Blankenship, Dennis Erb Jr.

HEAT 1: Tim McCreadie

HEAT 2: Darrell Lanigan

HEAT 3: Earl Pearson Jr

HEAT 4: Billy Moyer

DASH:
Tim McCreadie,
Darrell Lanigan,
Earl Pearson Jr,
Billy Moyer.

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