CONCORD, NC – Nov. 12, 2007 – Shannon Babb made it clear on the 2007 World of Outlaws Late Model Series that he knows how to go fast.
 
The Moweaqua, Ill., star recorded the most National Interstate Insurance Fast Time Awards on the national tour, earning him a $1,000 bonus from the Richfield, Ohio-based company that is a leading provider of transportation insurance products for specialty personal and commercial markets.
 
Babb, 33, will receive his $1,000 check from National Interstate Insurance on Thurs., Dec. 6, during the WoO LMS ‘Night of Champions’ Awards Banquet at the International Plaza Resort and Spa in Orlando, Fla.
 
Driving the Car City Rayburn No. 18 fielded by Billy Moyer Sr., Babb turned the fastest lap in time trials six times. He beat out a pair of four-time National Interstate Insurance fast-timers – Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., and Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark. – for the bonus that was earmarked for the season’s most prolific qualifier.
 
Babb’s National Interstate Insurance Fast Time Awards came on April 17 at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa.; April 27 at Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway; May 9 at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway; June 2 at Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway; June 12 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D.; and July 26 at Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway.
 
Babb pulled a double on three occasions, setting fast time and winning the evening’s A-Main at Lernerville, Farmer City and Hagerstown. His consecutive fast times at Hagerstown and River Cities also made him the only driver on the 2007 WoO LMS to top time trials on back-to-back nights at different tracks.
 
A two-time UMP DIRTcar Racing Summernationals champion, Babb became a familiar face on the WoO LMS for the first time in his career this season. He entered 32 of the tour’s 45 events, including the first 22 shows on the schedule.
 
The ‘Moweaqua Missile’ started the WoO LMS campaign strong, winning three of the first eight A-Mains, including consecutive races on April 14 at Virginia Motor Speedway and April 17 at Lernerville. He was one of only three drivers to register back-to-back wins on the tour, joining Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., and Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va.
 
Babb’s third victory of the season, at Farmer City, left him with sole possession of the points lead by 10 points over Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga. He swapped the top spot in the standings with Smith over the ensuing eight events, and after scoring his fourth win of the season, at Hagerstown, he began giving serious consideration to making an unplanned run at the $100,000 WoO LMS championship.
 
Alas, Babb slumped during a five-race swing through the Midwest in mid-June, scoring only a single top-10 finish and falling to fifth in the points standings. Struggling with his car’s setup and feeling like he was not fully prepared for the meat of the summer WoO LMS schedule because he had not geared up during the off-season to follow the grueling tour, he decided to curtail his fulltime traveling and enter selected events for the remainder of the campaign.
 
Babb entered 10 events during the second half of the season. He added another victory – worth a cool $18,225 – to his ledger on Oct. 10 in the Jani-King Southern Showdown at The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., and he also rang up runner-up finishes on July 27 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, and Sept. 15 at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo.
 
Overall, Babb won five WoO LMS A-Mains in 2007, second only to Frank’s total of six. He finished a career-high 10th in the points standings, which will add $21,000 in points-fund cash to his earnings of $102,295 on this year’s tour.
 
A total of 23 drivers won National Interstate Insurance Fast Time Awards in 2007, including 10 multiple award winners.
 
National Interstate Insurance became a big part of the WoO LMS in 2007. The company sponsored the Fast Time and Hard Luck awards at each tour stop, and in late July served as the title sponsor of the inaugural National Interstate Insurance Speedweek that included three scheduled events at tracks in Ohio.
 
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
 
2007 World of Outlaws Late Model Series National Interstate Insurance Fast Time Award Winners (Rank/Driver/Hometown/Fast Times)
 
1. Shannon Babb/Moweaqua, IL - 6
2. Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA - 4
2. Billy Moyer/Batesville, AR - 4
4. Steve Francis/Ashland, KY - 3
4. Steve Shaver/Vienna, WV - 3
6. Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY - 2
6. Chris Madden/Gray Court, SC - 2
6. Earl Pearson Jr./Jacksonville, FL - 2
6. Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA - 2
6. Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV - 2
11. Robbie Blair/Titusville, PA - 1
11. Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY - 1
11. Eddie Rickman/Columbus, MS - 1
11. Brian Shirley/Chatham, IL - 1
11. Jeremy Miller/Gettysburg, PA - 1
11. D.J. Myers/Greencastle, PA - 1
11. Dutch Davies/Warren, PA - 1
11. Tony Stewart/Columbus, IN - 1
11. Robbie Scott/Shinnston, WV - 1
11. Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI - 1
11. Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI - 1
11. Clint Smith/Senoia, GA - 1
11. Rick Rogers/Knoxville, TN - 1