World of Outlaws Late Model Series Regulars Richards & Lanigan Among Heat Winners In Wednesday’s ‘Scorcher 100’ Qualifying

BULLS GAP, TN – Aug. 22, 2007 – World of Outlaws Late Model Series regulars Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., were among the heat winners in Wednesday night’s ‘Scorcher 100’ qualifying action at Volunteer Speedway.

A field of 58 cars was signed in for the Young Oil Company-sponsored event, which is part of the WoO LMS for the first time in its four-year history.

Richards, 19, drove his Seubert Calf Ranches Rocket No. 1 to top honors in the second of six 10-lap heat races. He held off a spirited challenge from fellow tour traveler Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., to score a preliminary victory in his first-ever start at the high-banked, four-tenths-mile oval.

“We had an awesome car all night,” said Richards, a three-time winner on the 2007 WoO LMS. “It was a little on the free side, but once we tighten it up for tomorrow night we should be O.K.”

The 37-year-old Lanigan, meanwhile, benefited from Earl Pearson Jr.’s misfortune to win the fifth heat.

Jacksonville, Fla.’s Pearson appeared headed to victory in the prelim until slowing on the sixth lap with a broken lower-control arm on his Bobby Labonte-owned mount. Lanigan then assumed command and never looked back behind the wheel of his gottarace.com Rocket.

Other heat winners included defending ‘Scorcher 100’ champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., who has won a pair of major WoO LMS events this season (the Colossal 100 and Firecracker 100); Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C.; Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C.; and recent North-South 100 winner Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., who turned the fastest lap of the six heat winners (12.810 seconds).

The heat winners will redraw for the top-six starting positions in Thursday night’s $20,000-to-win ‘Scorcher 100.’

WoO LMS points leader Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., transferred to the ‘Scorcher 100’ with a third-place finish in the night’s fourth heat, giving him the 16th starting spot for the headliner.

But Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., who ranks second in the points standings, had a miserable evening. He was forced to make a hasty engine swap after discovering terminal problems following time trials and reported late to the track for the third heat, which he started from the rear of the field.

Smith dropped out of the heat when his car began to overheat. He is scheduled to start 11th in the first of Thursday night’s two 20-lap B-Mains, each of which will transfer only two drivers to the ‘Scorcher 100.’

Third-place WoO LMS points man Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., finished third in the evening’s sixth heat, giving him the 18th starting spot for the 100-lapper. His team had worked until the early-morning hours to install a backup engine after encountering problems during Tuesday night’s open practice session.

Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., earned $100 for winning the National Interstate Insurance Fast Time Award with a lap of 12.400 seconds.

Thursday’s racing program will begin with hot laps shortly after 7:30 p.m. The $100,000-plus ‘Scorcher 100’ will culminate the evening’s card.

For more information on the ‘Scorcher 100,’ visit www.volunteerspeedway.com.

Additional info on the WoO LMS is available by logging on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.

Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):

1. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 12.400
2. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 12.503
3. 44M-Chris Madden/Gray Court, SC 12.510
4. 15b-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 12.513
5. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 12.531
6. 20-Jimmy Owens/Newport, TN 12.559
7. 0-Scott Bloomquist/Mooresburg, TN 12.571
8. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 12.612
9. 17M-Dale McDowell/Chickamauga, GA 12.620
10. 53-Ray Cook/Brasstown, NC 12.635
11. 44p-Earl Pearson Jr./Jacksonville, FL 12.645
12. 41-Brad Neat/Dunnville, KY 12.656
13. 44b-Shannon Buckingham/Morristown, TN 12.676
14. 116-Randy Weaver/Crossville, TN 12.677
15. 9-Dan Schlieper/Sullivan, WI 12.688
16. 99-Donnie Moran/Dresden, OH 12.691
17. 1H-Vic Hill/Morristown, TN 12.693
18. 3-Austin Dillon/Welcome, NC 12.697
19. 55-Jeep VanWormer/Pinconning, MI 12.730
20. 52d-Mark Douglas/Knoxville, TN 12.733
21. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 12.738
22. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 12.746
23. 44R-Rick Rogers/Knoxville, TN 12.793
24. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 12.767
25. 52s-Scott Sexton/Sevierville, TN 12.793
26. 0M-Jeff Maupin/Greenville, TN 12.796
27. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 12.803
28. 16-Justin Rattliff/Campbellsville, KY 12.806
29. 5E-Michael England/Glasgow, KY 12.819
30. 34-Mike Marlar/Winfield, TN 12.836
31. 77-Joe Armes/Petroes, TN 12.857
32. 6-Kerry Jones/Bristol, TN 12.869
33. 32w-Shane Roberts/Blountville, TN 12.884
34. 3s-Brian Shirley/Chatham, IL 12.900
35. 97-Bobby Giffin/Maryville, TN 12.913
36. 25K-Rodney Kiker/Greenville, TN 12.922
37. 201-Billy Ogle Jr./Knoxville, TN 12.938
38. 28-Jimmy Mars/Memomonie, WI 12.945
39. 18-Brandon Kinzer/Allen, KY 12.959
40. B7-Ben Adkins/W. Portsmouth, OH 12.965
41. i4-Damon Eller/Crumpler, NC 13.024
42. 5-Bryan Hendrix/Knoxville, TN 13.049
43. 81-Aaron Ridley/Chatsworth, GA 13.055
44. 4s-Michael Smith/Rogersville, TN 13.057
45. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 13.065
46. 32s-Lamar Scoggins/Cleveland, TN 13.128
47. 35-Tony Martin/Madisonville, TN 13.148
48. 17-Greg Burchett/Churchill, TN 13.194
49. 22-Herman Goddard/Knoxville, TN 13.209
50. 23-John Blankenship/Williamson, WV 13.218
51. 7-Marty Calloway/Maynardville, TN 13.268
52. Q-Mike Jackson/Greenville, TN 13.358
53. 3ss-Steve Smith/Powell, TN 13.418
54. 4A-Ricky Arms/Moss, TN 13.439
55. 50-Vern Lester/Dandridge, TN 13.698
56. 63-Dale Groves Jr./Tallahassee, FL 13.753
57. 0H-Lewis Hudson II/Waynesboro, VA 14.343
58. 93-Roy Mitchell/Rensselaer, IN 15.004

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Bloomquist, B. Smith, Buckingham, VanWormer, Ogle, Armes, Goddard, Lester, Ridley (DNS) Sexton

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Richards, Clanton, Douglas, Weaver, Jones, Maupin, M. Smith, Mars, Blankenship, Groves

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Madden, McDowell, Schlieper, Eckert, Roberts, Kinzer, Fuller, Calloway, Hudson, C. Smith

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Cook, Birkhofer, Francis, Moran, Shirley, Rattliff, Adkins, Jackson, Mitchell (DNS) Scoggins

Heat No. 5 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Lanigan, England, Eller, S. Smith, Giffin, Rogers, Pearson, Martin, Hill

Heat No. 6 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Owens, Neat, Frank, Dillon, Marlar, Hendrix, Kiker, Burchett (DNS) Arms