Ocala Speedway
Live updates: Saturday's action from BRP
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
Rick Eckert (25) battles Mike Marlar (5B) late in the feature. (Photos by Crawford)
OCALA, Fla. (Feb. 18) — Seemingly coming from nowhere after a lap-42 caution, Rick Eckert went from fourth to first over two laps and held off a dramatic charge by Mike Marlar to capture the 60-lap finale at the Bubba Army Winter Nationals.
The reigning World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion grabbed his first victory of the season, earning $12,000 as the tour wrapped up three nights of action at Bubba Raceway Park.
Marlar comfortably led the first 42 laps from outside the front row, but gave up the lead to Darrell Lanigan when he slipped over the cushion just after a restart. Lanigan led lap 43, but then he got briefly sideways in turn two, opening the door for the lower-running Eckert to take command as the frontrunners paused with Lanigan's gathering his No. 29
A lap-48 caution reset the field, and Eckert appeared as if he'd pull away. But the high-running Marlar began reeling in Eckert and closed up on his rear deck by the white-flag lap. On the final lap, Marlar pulled alongside Eckert on the outside, but he ended up in the wall after contact between the frontunners at the end of the backstretch. The checkers flew along with the yellow flag as Eckert picked up his 25th career WoO victory.
Friday's winner Josh Richards finished second followed by Lanigan, Shane Clanton and polesitter Pat Doar. Marlar ended up 18th, the last car on the lead lap.
The feature was slowed by four cautions, all for single-car incidents. Tim Fuller slowed on lap 11, Billy Moyer slowed on lap 20 and Greg Johnson spun trying to enter the pits on lap 42. A lap-48 yellow flew when Jared Hawkins spun in turn four.
Bubba Army Winter Nationals (Feb. 18): (1) Rick Eckert, (2) Josh Richards, (3) Darrell Lanigan, (4) Shane Clanton, (5) Pat Doar, (6) Jason Feger, (7) Chub Frank, (8) Vic Coffey, (9) Bub McCool, (10) Gregg Satterlee, (11) Dan Stone, (12) Tim Fuller, (13) Brandon Sheppard, (14) Jason McBride, (15) Billy Moyer Jr., (16) Kent Robinson, (17) John Lobb, (18) Mike Marlar, (19) Dillon Wood, (20) Clint Smith, (21) Jared Hawkins, (22) Greg Johnson, (23) Ron Davies, (24) Billy Moyer, (25) Tim McCreadie. Fast qualifier (among 49 cars): Lanigan, 13.998 seconds. Heat race winners: Lanigan, McCool, Eckert, Richards. Consolation winners: Wood, McBride. Provisional starters: Davies, Robinson, Lobb.
Preliminary results:
Second consolation
Jason McBride came out on top of a three-wide duel on the first lap and held off Jared Hawkins for the victory. Hawkins lost second to Greg Johnson at the checkers when he slowed off turn four, but he held on to finish third and transfer to the main. Polesitter Billy Decker, who started on the pole, ran second early but ended up fourth. The lone caution appeared when Jim Fletcher spun between turns one and two on the third lap.
Finish: Jason McBride, Jared Hawkins, Greg Johnson, Billy Decker, Ron Davies, Frank Heckenast Jr., Christian Augspurger, Nick Lyons, J.R. Hotovy, John Garvin Jr., Tim Lance, Jay Morris, John Gardner Jr., Don Gordon, Jim Fletcher. Scratched. Mason Zeigler.
First consolation
Polesitter Dillon Wood led all the way, transferring along with Dan Stone and outside front-row starter Billy Moyer Jr. They finished far ahead of fourth-place John Lobb in the caution-free prelim with several scratches after the wreck in the first heat.
Finish: Dillon Wood, Dan Stone, Billy Moyer Jr., John Lobb, Jack Sullivan, Austin Kirkpatrick, Tyler Ivey, Kent Robinson, Alan Fink, Charlie Sandercock, Bob Gardner, Mike Hammerle. Scratched: Casey Roberts, John Lowrey, Kevin Weaver, Jill George.
Redraw
Pat Doar got the pole position in a redraw among the heat winners and runners-up. Mike Marlar starts outside the front row. The rest of the top eight: Josh Richards, Jason Feger, Bub McCool, Rick Eckert, Darrell Lanigan and Shane Clanton. The lineup appears to the right.
Fourth heat
Polesitter Josh Richards locked up a heat victory for the third night in a row while fourth-starting Jason Feger grabbed the second spot at the outset and pressured Richards early in the race. Front-row starter Gregg Satterlee had his hands full with Brandon Sheppard most of the way, but held on to finish third just ahead of Sheppard. Fifth-finishing Jason McBride wasn't a factor in the race slowed by a single caution for Jim Fletcher's lap-eight spin inside turn two.
Finish: Josh Richards, Jason Feger, Gregg Satterlee, Brandon Sheppard, Jason McBride, Greg Johnson, Ron Davies, Frank Heckenast Jr., Christian Augspurger, John Garvin Jr., John Gardner Jr., Jim Fletcher.
Third heat
Rick Eckert cruised to victory from the pole, stretching his lead to a straightaway by midway. Pat Doar fought off Tim McCreadie in a tight battle for second while McCreadie and Clint Smith got the other transfer spots. Billy Decker came from eighth and briefly held fourth, but he settled for fifth and a spot in a consolation race. The lone caution appeared when Jay Morris spun in turn one on the second lap. Mason Zeigler, part of a tight three-wide battle with Decker and Jared Hawkins on the backstretch midway through the race, eventually slowed and pulled to the pits.
Finish: Rick Eckert, Pat Doar, Tim McCreadie, Clint Smith, Billy Decker, Jared Hawkins, Nick Lyons, J.R. Hotovy, Tim Lance, Jay Morris, Don Gordon, Mason Zeigler.
Second heat
Bub McCool outdueled polesitter and fellow front-row starter Mike Marlar for a victory in the second prelim, which ran caution free. McCool and Marlar pulled away from the field in battling with McCool never seriously challenged. Vic Coffey was a distance third with Tim Fuller transferring in fourth. Billy Moyer Jr. was fifth and there was another straightaway back to sixth-finishing John Lobb.
Finish: Bub McCool, Mike Marlar, Vic Coffey, Tim Fuller, Billy Moyer Jr., John Lobb, Tyler Ivey, Austin Kirkpatrick, Jack Sullivan, Kent Robinson, Bob Gardner, Mike Hammerle.
First heat
Shane Clanton, in a rare event this week, got the jump on fast qualifier Darrell Lanigan, but Lanigan stalked him before making a pass for the lead on the seventh lap. Lanigan held on the rest of the way in the two-car breakaway. Chub Frank was a distant third ahead of Billy Moyer for the final transfer spots, while Dillon Wood was fifth. The first start was scrapped when contact between Frank and John Lowrey exiting turn two triggered a multicar scramble that ended Lowrey, Kevin Weaver and Jill George piled up in a tight heap at the top of the backstretch. A red flag appeared for a 25-minute cleanup and tending to George, who officials described as "banged up" but refused medical treatment; she was taken back to the pits.
Finish: Darrell Lanigan, Shane Clanton, Chub Frank, Billy Moyer, Dillon Wood, Dan Stone, Casey Roberts, Alan Fink, Charlie Sandercock, John Lowrey, Kevin Weaver, Jill George. Scratched: Jay Sessoms.
Qualifying
Staking his claim this week's Bubba Raceway Park battle with Josh Richards, Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., topped 49 qualifiers Saturday in the finale of the Bubba Army Winter Nationals. Lanigan turned a lap of 13.998 seconds as the only driver to crack the 14-second mark at the 3/8-mile trioval.
The third and final event of the miniseries pays $12,000 to the winner. Friday's winner Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., Thursday's winner Lanigan of Union, Ky., have finished 1-2 both nights and 47 other drivers will try to spoil their rubber match at the 3/8-mile trioval.
Lanigan will start on the pole of the first heat. Other heat race polesitters: Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn.; Rick Eckert of York, Pa.; and Richards.
The night's action includes four heat races (10 laps, top four transfer), two consolation races (12 laps, top three transfer) and a 60-lap main event. The top two finishers in each heat will qualify for the feature redraw and two drivers will be added as provisionals (one from last year's points, one from this year's points).
Pre-race notes
The World of Outlaws confirmed that the series will compete at the Ocala oval in 2013; details will be announced. ... To do a little extra track prep, hot laps have been pushed back a half-hour to 6:30 p.m. ... Famed wrestler Hulk Hogan, a buddy of track co-owner Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, is serving as the grand marshal of the event. ... Jay Sessoms of Stanley, N.C., is the only newcoming driver for Saturday's action. ... Ron Davies of Warren, Pa., is celebrating his 54th birthday. ... Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., wasn't allowed to compete in Saturday's event because of unsportsmanlike conduct during Friday's event. Officials said Shirley veered his car at a WoO official in the pits amid a dispute of his time-trial disqualification for illegal windows in his car's sailpanels. ... Tim Fuller is fielding a No. 19 car that's from Maryland-based Beitler Motorsports, which fielded cars for Austin Hubbard last season but has closed its full-time operations.
Heat race lineups
First heat
Row 1: Darrell Lanigan, Shane Clanton
Row 2: Billy Moyer, Chub Frank
Row 3: John Lowrey, Dillon Wood
Row 4: Casey Roberts, Dan Stone
Row 5: Kevin Weaver, Charlie Sandercock
Row 6: Jill George, Alan Fink
Row 7: Jay Sessoms
Second heat
Row 1: Mike Marlar, Bub McCool
Row 2: Vic Coffey, Billy Moyer Jr.
Row 3: Tim Fuller, John Lobb
Row 4: Kent Robinson, Jack Sullivan
Row 5: Tyler Ivey, Austin Kirkpatrick
Row 6: Bob Gardner, Mike Hammerle
Third heat
Row 1: Rick Eckert, Pat Doar
Row 2: Tim McCreadie, Clint Smith
Row 3: J.R. Hotovy, Mason Zeigler
Row 4: Jared Hawkins, Billy Decker
Row 5: Nick Lyons, Jay Morris
Row 6: Tim Lance, Don Gordon
Fourth heat
Row 1: Josh Richards, Gregg Satterlee
Row 2: Brandon Sheppard, Jason Feger
Row 3: Ron Davies, Jason McBride
Row 4: Frank Heckenast Jr., Greg Johnson
Row 5: Christian Augspurger, John Garvin Jr.
Row 6: John Gardner Jr., Jim Fletcher
