GILLETTE, Wyo. - Racing before the largest spectator turnout in the five-year history of the new Gillette Thunder Speedway, Tim Fuller, of Watertown, N.Y., aced his second straight World of Outlaws Late Model Series feature at Wednesday night's "Cowboy 50." at the Wyoming oval.
Fuller took advantage of a late caution to cool his tires and find an outside racing groove to pass Jimmy Mars, of Menomonie, Wis., on the final circuit of the 50-lap finale.
Fuller had led the opening 39 laps, before Mars muscled his way to the front using the inside line on the 1/3-mile dirt oval.
The two drivers swapped the lead for the next two laps before Mars pulled away and appeared headed for his first-ever WoO late model series feature win.
Fuller staked out a middle passing line during the caution and shot past Mars on the outside on the restart, taking the win by .257 of a second at the flag.
The $10,250 triumph was Fuller's second straight on the WoO LMS 'Wild West Tour' and kept Mars shut out of Victory Lane in Outlaws action. Fuller was victorious for the first time in 2008 on July 13 at Williston Basin Speedway in Williston, N.D.
Eddie Kirchoff, of Gillette, was the highest-placing local driver in the feature, 15th.
Also in the field were Black Hills Speedway regulars Mike Stadel, of Rapid City (18th), Eric Mass, of Rapid City (19th) and John Bey, of Deadwood (23rd).
Among the 36 drivers signed in but failing to qualify were Rapid City's Dan Henrikson and Matt Sheesley; Morris Oberle, of Lead; Kelly Hample and Darryn Waldo, of Billings, Mont.; Gillette's Wes McKenney, John Robertson, Kim Horn and Bryan Renken; and Dylan Schmer of Lingle, Wyo.
WoO Late Model Series 'Cowboy 50' results
(Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won): 1. (2) Tim Fuller/50 $10,2502. (3) Jimmy Mars/50 $5,6003. (8) Chub Frank/50 $3,0004. (13) Darrell Lanigan/50 $2,5005. (9) Shannon Babb/50 $2,0006. (1) Clint Smith/50 $1,7007. (5) Shane Clanton/50 $1,4008. (20) Rick Eckert/50 $1,300 9. (16) Al Purkey/50 $1,20010. (12) Vic Coffey/50 $1,350 11. (11) Steve Francis/50 $1,05012. (17) Kelly Boen/50 $1,00013. (7) Josh Richards/50 $950 14. (4) John Blankenship/50 $90015. (6) Eddie Kirchoff/50 $85016. (22) Joe Isabell/49 $80017. (19) Ricky Weiss/49 $77018. (21) Mike Stadel/49 $750 19. (10) Eric Mass/49 $730 20. (15) Sean Beardsley/48 $700 21. (23) Dustin Hapka/47 $70022. (24) Jeff Isabell Jr./47 $70023. (18) John Bey/41 $70024. (14) Darryn Waldo/35 $700Time of Race: 22 mins., 35.856 secs. Margin of Victory: 0.257 Secs.Yellow Flags: 3 (Laps 13, 24, 46)Lap Leaders: Fuller (1-39); Mars (40); Fuller (41); Mars (42-48); Fuller (49-50)Provisional Starters: Hapka, Jeff Isabell Jr.Rookie of the Race: Coffey ($250)WoO LMS 'Bonus Bucks' Winner: Mars ($500)Integra Shocks Crew Chief of the Race ($50): Chris Mars (Jimmy Mars)Chick Hawk Racing Hot Lap Award: (half-off tire warmers)Super Clean 'Start of the Race': Fuller ($100)Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):1. 19T-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 13.9892. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 14.0543. 19-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 14.0604. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 14.2445. 18-Shannon Babb/Moweaqua, IL 14.2516. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 14.3047. 23-John Blankenship/Williamson, WV 14.3078. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 14.4089. 28-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 14.44510. 44M-Eric Mass/Rapid City, SD 14.44711. E5K-Eddie Kirchoff/Gillette, WY 14.52012. 41-Al Purkey/Coffeyville, KS 14.52013. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 14.61314. 7s-Mike Stadel/Rapid City, SD 14.61415. 18s-Sean Beardsley/Central Square, NY 14.65216. 32c-Vic Coffey/Leicester, NY 14.65317. 07-Kelly Boen/Henderson, CO 14.65418. 27J-Jeff Isabell Jr./Pennellville, NY 14.75519. 6J-Joe Isabell/Pennellville, NY 14.76920. 82-John Bey/Deadwood, SD 14.79921. 7-Ricky Weiss/Winnipeg, MAN 14.80522. 2W-Darryn Waldo/Billings, MT 14.86223. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 14.87024. 18H-Dustin Hapka/Grand Forks, ND 14.89425. 17J-John Winge/Rossville, GA 14.95626. 97-Dan Henrikson/Rapid City, SD 15.21327. 13-Wes McKenney/Gillette, WY 15.26228. 36-Kelly Hample/Billings, MT 15.67229. 21R-John Robertson/Gillette, WY 15.72230. 1M-Matt Sheesley/Rapid City, SD 15.78331. 62-Kim Horn/Gillette, WY 15.78532. 71-Morris Oberle/Lead, SD 15.80133. 23d-Dylan Schmer/Lingle, WY 15.87034. 00-Bryan Renken/Gillette, WY 16.02535. 61-James Botts/Broomfield, CO 17.01536. 16-Buddy Rosorelli/Denver, CO N/T
Heat No. 1 (10 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Fuller, Mars, Babb, Lanigan, Boen, Weiss, Winge, Schmer, RobertsonHeat No. 2 (10 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Clanton, Frank, Mass, Waldo, Stadel, Henrikson, Sheesley, Renken, Jeff Isabell Jr.Heat No. 3 (10 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Blankenship, Kirchoff, Francis, Beardsley, Joe Isabell, McKenney, Horn, Eckert, BottsHeat No. 4 (10 laps - Top 4 Transfer): C. Smith, Richards, Coffey, Purkey, Bey, Hapka, Hample, Oberle, RosorelliB-Main No. 1 (12 laps - Top Transfer): Boen, Weiss, Stadel, Winge, Jeff Isabell Jr., Henrikson, Sheesley, Renken, Robertson, SchmerB-Main No. 2 (12 laps - Top Transfer): Bey, Eckert, Joe Isabell, Hapka, McKenney, Horn, Oberle, Botts, Hample, Rosorelli2008 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of July 16 - 23 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/wins/top-5s/top-10s/earnings/points/deficit to leader):1. Darrell Lanigan 2-15-21-$67,350-3167 (-0)2. Josh Richards 4-12-18-$83,610-3101 (-66)3. Chub Frank 1-8-16-$48,730-3047 (-120)4. Rick Eckert 1-9-17-$55,050-3037 (-130)5. Steve Francis 1-9-17-$93,900-3021 (-146)6. Clint Smith 1-8-13-$44,260-2997 (-170)7. Shannon Babb 1-9-16-$63,400-2993 (-174)8. Shane Clanton 0-10-16-$44,430-2991 (-176)9. Tim Fuller 2-5-9-$44,370-2883 (-284)10. John Blankenship 0-0-6-$25,720-2773 (-394)11. Vic Coffey 0-0-4-$19,470-2282 (-885)12. Joe Isabell 0-0-0-$10,790-1977 (-1190)13. Danny Johnson 0-0-1-$11,200-1724 (-1443)14. Sean Beardsley 0-0-0-$6,220-1522 (-1645)15. Tim McCreadie 1-6-9-$38,200-1463 (-1704)
