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Shane Clanton wins emotional World 100 at Eldora.
ROSSBURG, OH (Sept. 6) – Several years ago, upon his first visit to Eldora Speedway, Shane Clanton made a vow to himself “some day I AM going to win the World 100”. That vow was fulfilled Saturday night as he ruled the 38th annual running of the famed Late Model event in front of one of the largest crowds to ever witness action at Eldora.
Like most of the previous first-time winners, Clanton was emotional in victory lane and the 31-year old Locust Grove, GA chauffeur admitted at the post-race press meeting “this still hasn’t sunk in. I can’t believe it.” Clanton had only qualified for the World 100 twice before, 2004 and 2005, with an 11th place finish each time.
He may not have been the quickest of the 175 cars taking time trial runs on Friday night, with a clocking of 15.974 to put him 34th on the grid, but it worked to his favor when quick qualifier Earl Pearson, Jr. was called to the stage to draw for the heat race inversion. Pearson, the 2006 World 100 winner and new track record holder with a 15.350 effort around the one-half mile clay oval, drew a six. The placed Clanton on the pole of the 4th heat.
He clinched a win in that race to line him up third within the 28-car starting field.
As the tension and excitement reach a feverish pitch, the green flag for the 100 lap, 50-mile chase was unfurled, with pole-sitter and defending champion Jimmy Owens jumping into the early lead. However, before one lap could be completed, Brian Birkhofer looped it in turn three to slow the field.
That was to be the final caution flag for a long spell, as with the restart, the talented field rolled off 82 consecutive laps before another yellow bunting would be displayed.
Owens resumed the command point on the restart, with Clanton and Don O’Neal in pursuit. Jeep VanWormer and Billy Moyer completed the top five during the early stages, while an undaunted Birkhofer was moving forward through the pack.
The fast pace allowed Owens to open was appeared to be an insurmountable lead over the pack, while Clanton ran his own pace as lapped cars came into play by lap 17. Owens was clicking them off rapidly, but that process allowed Clanton and company to gain some ground.
Lap 23 provided the first surprise of the chase, as crowd favorite Scott Bloomquist exited the race with a badly smoking power plant to record a 28th place finish, the worst of his 19 starts.
No caution flag was needed and at the quarter century mark, Owens remained in control, with Clanton second, Pearson up to third, followed by Jeep VanWormer, Matt Miller and Scott James. Second quick timer Tim McCreadie was having trouble duplicating his time trial run and was running near mid-pack.
About ten laps later, things began to get real interesting, as Clanton pulled within inches and Owens and for several laps, the duo raced side by side. At the mid-point, the crowd was in a frenzy as Owens and Clanton literally took turns at ruling the roost. Lap 56 was the turning point, as Clanton finally took the lead he was to hold until the checkered flag.
Owens simply didn’t have anything for Clanton through the distance.
A pair of show stoppers on lap 82 proved to be the only slowing points. The worst of the pair was a three car pile-up involving five-time winner Moyer, James and Shannon Babb. Heavy damage to Moyer’s mount eliminated him from action, while James and Babb were able to continue.
Even that realignment of the field failed to deter Clanton from his mission.
With a nine mile, 18-lap run to the checkered, Clanton remained cool, calm and collected. The popular driver was being congratulated by nearly every competing team as he drove from the scale area to victory lane and once upon the stage to accept the hallowed ‘globed trophy’, he exited the car to a tumultuous approval from the fans.
Owens came home second, with a strong running VanWormer third, followed by Matt Miller and a late race improving McCreadie up to fifth..
The quick pace set by Owens and Clanton found only nine cars on the lead lap at the finish, with Birkhofer redeeming himself for a 7th place finish.
2008 World 100 -- 175 Cars
Fast Qualifier – Earl Pearson Jr. 15.350 (New World 100 track record)
Non-Qualifier 1: Dusty Moore, Rick Corbin, Jimmy Dean, Wayne Maffit Jr., Shannon Thornsberry, Anthony Ferguson, Dean Anderson, Larry
Kingseed, Adam Thrush, Kevin Mack, Jill George, Dennis Potridge, Doug Zartler, Nick Marloft, Scott Koskovich
Non-Qualifier 2: Tim Isenberg, Kevin Reeve, Steve Lance Jr., Justin Shaw, David Hilliker, Mark Thrasher, Brian Claudnic, John Mayes Jr., Randy
Woodling, Justin McNeill, Michael Stiltner, Gary Schalmo, Chuck Roelle, Larry Allen, Chris Dick
Non-Qualifier 3: Justin Ratliff, Dona Marcoulier, Jeff Wolfenbarger, Bill Williams, Scott Schmitt, Jeff Beyers, Scott Daly, Joseph Pomeroy, Brandon
Thirlby, Donald Beyers, Jeff Schackelford, Fred Perry, Don Gordon, Brandon Perkins, Tony Izzo jr.
Heat 1: Jeep VanWormer, Brian Birkhofer, Earl Pearson Jr., Shannon Buckingham, April Farmer, Eric Wells, Greg Johnson, Eric Smith, Scott Orr,
Brady Smith, Rick DeLong, Shon Flanary, Jason Keltner, Bobby Wolter Jr., Josh McGuire, Derek Chandler, Kevin Claycomb, Jackie Boggs, Rusty Schlenk, Wayne Chinn
Heat 2: Scott James, Brian Shirley, Brad Neat, Jimmy Mars, Ben Adkins, Mike Marlar, Doug Drown, Brian Ruhlman, Tommy Kerr, Matt Lux, Steve
Barnett, Casey Noonan, Chris Combs, Rod Conley, Ky Harper, Justin McRee, Tim McCreadie, Dustin Neat, Eddie Carrier Jr., Jon Henry
Heat 3: Billy Moyer, Kevin Weaver, Donnie Moran, Shannon Babb, Scott Bloomquist, Jason Feger, Dan Schleiper, John Blankenship, Ronny
Hollingsworth, Chris Madden, Steve Casebolt, John Mason, Andrew Reaume, Jay Johnson, Freddy Smith, Johnny Wheeler, Rusty Suever,
Jerry Rice, Dusty Moore, Ryan Vanderveen
Heat 4: Shane Clanton, Matt Miller, Darrell Lanigan, Randy Korte, Josh Richards, Jordan Bland, Audie McWilliams, Aaron Scott, Curt Spalding,
Jesse James Lay, Chris Ross, Jared Hawkins, Jeff Watson, Mark Douglas, Michael England, Justin Labonte, Steve Kempt, Davey
Johnson, Jeff Maupin, Michael Walker
Heat 5: Don O’Neal, Ray Cook, Dale McDowell, Darren Miller, Vic Hill, Terry Casey, Rick Eckert, Chad Ruhlman, Jerry Bowersock, Wes Steidinger,
Tim Manville, Steve Smith, Tony Knowles, Ryan Dauber, Kris Patterson, Mike Collins, DJ Wells, Josh Williams, Michael Chilton, Ivedent
Lloyd
Heat 6: Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, John Gill, Dennis Erb, RJ Conley, Steve Sheppard, Tim Dohm, Rodney Melvin, David Webb, Brandon Kinzer,
Victor Lee, Jason Fitzgerald, Terrance Nowell, Brett Wyatt, Justin Paxton, Lee DeVasier, Curtis Roberts, Clint Smith, Chub Frank, Shawn
Toczek
B Main 1: Jimmy Mars, Shannon Babb, Ben Adkins, Jason Feger, Chris Madden, Mike Marlar, Shannon Buckingham, Dan Schlieper, John
Blankenship, Ronny Hollingsworth, Eric Smith, Eric Wells, Doug Drown, Brian Ruhlman, Matt Lux, Tommy Kerr, Rick DeLong, John
Mason, Steve Barnett, April Farmer, Greg Johnson, Scott Orr
B Main 2: Randy Korte, Darren Miller, Rick Eckert, Jordan Bland, RJ Conley, Vic Hill, Aaron Scott, Audie McWilliams, Steve Sheppard, Jesse James
Lay, David Webb, Wes Steidinger, Tim Dohm, Dennis Erb, Rodney Melvin, Brandon Kinzer, Chad Ruhlman, Jerry Bowersock, Chris Ross,
Curt Spalding, Terry Casey, Victor Lee
A Main: Shane Clanton, Jimmy Owens, Jeep VanWormer, Matt Miller, Tim McCreadie, Brian Shirley, Brian Birkhofer, Dale McDowell, Earl Pearson
Jr, Shannon Babb, Scott James, Darren Miller, Rick Eckert, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran, Kevin Weaver, Brad Neat, Jason Feger, Jordan
Bland, Don O’Neal, Billy Moyer, John Gill, Ben Adkins, Ray Cook, Randy Korte, Jimmy Mars, Darrell Lanigan, Scott Bloomquist
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