Battleground Race Park
Fast-timer Birkhofer on track at Lone Star 100
By Kevin Kovac
World of Outlaws Late Model Series
Brian Birkhofer (center) established a Dirt Late Model track record at Battleground. (ronskinnerphotos.com)
HIGHLANDS, Texas (March 20) — Brian Birkhofer was perfect during Friday night’s Lone Star 100 qualifying program at Battleground Speedway. But the Muscatine, Iowa, standout knows that his Ohlins Shocks Fast Time Award and heat-race victory will become a moot point if he can’t back up his performance with a $20,000 triumph on Saturday night in the inaugural World of Outlaws Late Model Series event at the 3/8-mile oval near Houston. | Video recap | Slideshow
“I felt pretty good tonight,” said Birkhofer, who established a Dirt Late Model track record of 15.471 seconds in time trials and led the first 10-lap heat from flag-to-flag. “But tomorrow night will be a new night. I think the track will be a little bit different.”
Birkhofer, 37, appeared to have no trouble adjusting his Mars Car to Friday night’s tacky, fast conditions after practicing on a hard, slick surface the previous evening. He’s ready to refine his setup again for the Lone Star 100.
“They got more water down in the track tonight and I think tomorrow night’s feature will be better because of it,” Birkhofer said. “Tonight the track was sticky and you could drive the hell out of it, but I think it will slick up more tomorrow and slow down. One hundred laps ought to be a lot of fun.”
Joining Birkhofer on Friday night’s list of heat winners was WoO LMS points leader Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., defending tour champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., and Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., who hustled his Sheltra Motorsports car around the outside of Caledonia, N.Y.’s Vic Coffey to capture the final prelim.
The top-two finishers in each of Friday night’s heat races will redraw on Saturday for positions 1-8 in the Lone Star 100.
The fourth heat was rough for Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., who enters the weekend ranked fourth in the WoO LMS points standings. He was battling for the lead with Coffey on the first lap when the right side of his car dug into the track surface entering turn one, sending the machine bicycling on two wheels before coming back to earth and nosing into the outside wall.
“I thought I was going over,” said Clanton, whose car was towed to the pit area. “I thought it was gonna be a good one.”
Clanton and his crew pulled the thoroughly crunched nosepiece off the car and immediately started working to repair it for Saturday night’s action. Several WoO LMS travelers came over to help Clanton, including Chub Frank, chassis manufacturer Mark Richards and car owner Dale Beitler.
Thirty-three cars were signed in for the first WoO LMS event in Texas since 2004.
Saturday’s program will kick off with a driver autograph session in the grandstand area at 5 p.m., followed by a consolation race and the Lone Star 100. Action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Heat race finishes
(Top four transfer to main event)
First heat: Brian Birkhofer, Chris Wallace, Howard Willis, Al Purkey, Jordan Bland, Robbie Stuart, Chuck Hummer, Duke Whiseant. Scratched: Chas Shellenberger
Second heat: Steve Francis, Jimmy Mars, Chub Frank, Tim Fuller, Kevin Sitton, Jon Mitchell, Dustin Hapka, Bill Koons
Third heat: Darrell Lanigan, Rick Eckert, Brady Smith, Josh Richards, Russ King, James Ward, Michael Coleman, Brent Robinson
Fourth heat: Shannon Babb, Vic Coffey, Clint Smith, Ray Moore, Tyler Reddick, Chris Brown, Shane Clanton, Rob Litton.
