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Shannon Babb Cleans Up in Jani-King Southern Showdown,
Banks $18,000 for World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory
CONCORD, N.C. (Oct. 10, 2007) - Shannon Babb cleaned up during the
50-lap finale of the Jani-King Southern Showdown presented by Ferris
Commercial Mowers Wednesday night at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor
Speedway.
The veteran late model driver from Moweaqua, Ill., started eighth in
the World of Outlaws Late Model Series event and romped to an $18,000
victory.
"We drove all night to get here and had thoughts about not coming
for a little bit, but I sure am glad we did," Babb said. "The track was
super racey and there was a ton of good cars out there tonight."
Babb first took the lead on lap nine, but led only one trip around
the four-tenths-mile clay oval before Josh Richards drove around him on
the
outside. Richards' time at the front was short-lived however, as he
retired
with mechanical problems on lap 13, handing the lead back to Babb.
Babb was never seriously challenged during the final 37 laps as he
claimed his first victory at The Dirt Track and his fifth triumph of
the
season on the nomadic World of Outlaws circuit.
Mike Balzano had an up-and-down night en route to a second-place
finish. The Parkersburg, W.Va., driver started from the pole, but a
flat
left-rear tire sent him to the pits during an early caution flag. He
then
charged back through the field to claim the $5,000 runner-up check.
Veteran Darrell Lanigan, of Vienna, W.Va., sliced through the field
from the final starting spot in the 28-car field to finish third while
series points leader Steve Francis was fourth under the checkered flag.
Defending series champion Tim McCreadie rounded out the top five.
The feature was slowed by seven caution flags, one of which was
waved when a lap-13 tangle collected nearly 20 cars.
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Ryan Newman was impressive in his
first late model start at The Dirt Track, finishing 11th.
The 12-lap heat races were won by Donnie Moran, Jackie Boggs; Chuck
Harper; Scott Bloomquist, Eric Jacobsen and Babb. Steve Shaver, Clint
Smith
and Richards worked their way into the 50-lap finale by winning the
12-lap
last chance races.
The most serious incident of the evening came during the heat races
when Jared Hawkins slammed into one of the tractor tires lining the
inside
of the track. The Jackson, Ohio, driver was not injured, but his car
was
heavily damaged.
The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway returns to action Nov. 1-3
with the inaugural World of Outlaws World Finals. The unique
doubleheader
features the season finales for both the World of Outlaws Sprint Series
and
the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. The three-night program is
highlighted by four $10,000-to-win features, two for the sprint cars
and two
for the late models. Qualifying is Thursday night with complete
programs for
both divisions on tap Friday and Saturday nights.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket
office at 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.
The results:
First Heat (12 laps): 1. Donnie Moran; 2. Brian Shirley; 3. Damon
Eller; 4. Dan Stone; 5. Austin Dillon; 6. Billy Hicks; 7. Chesley
Dixon; 8.
Steve Francis; 9. Rick Eckert; 10. Tre Martin
Second Heat (12 laps): 1. Jackie Boggs; 2. Tim McCreadie; 3. Brady
Smith; 4. Eddie Carrier Jr.; 5. Darrell Lanigan; 6. Steve Shaver; 7.
Ronnie
Hoover; 8. Brian Ledbetter; 9. Corey Conley; 10. Jonathon Davenport.
Third Heat (12 laps): 1. Chuck Harper; 2. Tim Dohm; 3. Jayme Zidar;
4. Audie Swartz; 5. Jeff Smith; 6. Kirk Baker; 7. Luke Roffers; 8.
Keith
Jacobs; 9. Billy Moyer; 10. Jordan Bland.
Fourth Heat (12 laps) 1. Scott Bloomquist; 2. Mike Balzano; 3. Chub
Frank; 4. Clint Smith; 5. Dennis Franklin; 6. Steve Lucas; 7. G.R.
Smith; 8.
Kenny Wallace; 9. Kenny Christy; 10. Roy Mitchell.
Fifth Heat (12 laps): 1. Eric Jacobsen; 2. Chris Madden; 3. Jimmy
Owens; 4. Shane Tankersley; 5. Furman Parton; 6. Ryan Newman; 7. Joe
Ramey;
8. Tim Allen; 9. Ricky Weeks.
Sixth Heat (12 laps) 1. Shannon Babb; 2. Earl Pearson Jr.; 3. Shane
Clanton; 4. Larry Blankenship; 5. Mike Duvall; 6. Josh Richards; 7.
Brent
Robinson; 8. Jared Hawkins; 9. Anthony Huber.
First Last Chance Race (12 laps): 1. Steve Shaver; 2. Eddie Carrier
Jr.; 3. Rick Eckert; 4. Darrell Lanigan; 5. Billy Moyer; 6. Ronnie
Hoover;
7. Brian Ledbetter; 8. Steve Francis; 9. Corey Conley; 10. Tre Martin;
11.
Austin Dillon; 12. Billy Hicks; 13. Chesley Dixon; 14. Jonathan
Davenport.
Second Last Chance Race (12 laps): 1. Clint Smith; 2. Steve Lucas;
3. Audie Swartz; 4. Luke Roffers; 5. Kenny Christy; 6. G.R. Smith; 7.
Kirk
Baker; 8. Jordan Bland; 9. Roy Mitchell; 10. Jeff Smith; 11. Dennis
Franklin; 12. Keith Jacobs; 13. Kenny Wallace; 14. Billy Moyer.
Third Last Chance Race (12 laps): 1. Josh Richards; 2. Ryan Newman;
3. Tim Allen; 4. Shane Tankersley; 5. Joe Ramey; 6. Larry Blankenship;
7.
Furman Parton; 8. Anthony Hubert; 9. Mike Duvall; 10. Brent Robinson;
11.
Jared Hawkins; 12. Ricky Weeks.
Feature (50 laps): 1. Shannon Babb; 2. Mike Balzano; 3. Darrell
Lanigan; 4. Steve Francis; 5. Tim McCreadie; 6. Rick Eckert; 7. Chub
Frank;
8. Jackie Boggs; 9. Eric Jacobsen; 10. Brady Smith; 11. Ryan Newman;
12.
Damon Eller; 13. Brian Shirley; 14. Jimmy Owens; 15. Tim Dohm; 16.
Chris
Madden; 17. Donnie Moran; 18. Chuck Harper; 19. Earl Pearson Jr.; 20.
Josh
Richards; 21. Tim Allen; 22. Clint Smith; 23. Steve Lucas; 24. Shane
Clanton; 25. Jayme Zidar; 26. Eddie Carrier Jr.; 27. Scott Bloomquist;
28.
Steve Shaver. |
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