Eckert Ekes Out Win on Final Night of Winter Freeze VI
Story By:Jordan Morris/WoO LM Series Media
Photos By:Dave Dalesandro/Racersguide.com
SYLVANIA, Ga. – Rick Eckert battled Chris Ferguson and held off Boom Briggs on Saturday night to score his first World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series victory of the season on the final night of Winter Freeze VI at Screven Motor Speedway.
Eckert, a native of York, Pa., last tasted victory lane in September at Berlin Raceway but showed his speed early in the night, pacing the first qualifying group with the fastest time.
Drawing fourth in the redraw, Eckert started the A-main from the second row with Donald Bradsher grabbing the pole-position. Bradsher who explained he was “just happy to make the feature” earlier in the night, would not start the final event.
Jason Covert, who finished fifth on the first night of Winter Freeze VI, inherited the first starting position, but lost the lead once the green-flag dropped to second place starter Chris Ferguson. Ferguson dominated the majority of the race, leading 38 laps before tire issues derailed his night, resulting in a disappointing 22nd place finish.
Before the tire issues, a hard-charging Eckert bumped his way around Ferguson for the lead. Once out front, Eckert extended his lead on second place Boom Briggs.
A few late race cautions and a challenge from Briggs were not enough as Eckert lead the remaining 11-laps, scoring his first victory at Winter Freeze VI at Screven Motor Speedway.
“This place is challenging for me, I have never won here,” Eckert said. “Once it gets where we can drive straight, I feel like I can keep up, then it became a tire wear race and I can usually hold my own in that.
“I knew we were going to wear tires, we all knew that when the race started. Chris [Ferguson] got out there in the lead and I feel like I could run right there with him, but then he got to running harder…so I just backed my pace up, and slowed way down entering the corner.”
Briggs, who came up just short at the end of the feature and also just short of a redraw position, started the 50-lap feature near the middle of the pack. After fighting his way to the front, the Bear Lake, Pa. native brought home the runner-up position, improving on his 18th place finish on the first night of the double-header.
“My car was good enough the first 10 or 15 laps that I could get position on those guys,” Briggs said. “I made a couple of passes on the top, but most of them I made on the bottom.
“Definitely the best run I have ever had. To start 10th and finish second on a one-lane racetrack is a pretty good accomplishment.”
The stars of the World of Outlaws invade Volusia Speedway Park for the 45th Annual DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 18 to 20. Shane Clanton dominated the event last year, winning all three nights on his way to the 2016 series championship.
For more information on the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com . Fans can also follow the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsLateModelSeries.
Results of World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Winter Freeze VI at Screven Motor Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (4) Rick Eckert/50 – $10,750
2. (10) Boom Briggs/50 – $5,700
3. (3) Jason Covert/50 – $3,600
4. (5) Frank Heckenast Jr./50 – $3,200
5. (12) Casey Roberts/50 – $2,000
6. (6) Billy Moyer Jr./50 – $2,100
7. (16) Josh Richards/50 – $2,100
8. (13) Morgan Bagley/50 – $2,000
9. (17) Chub Frank/50 – $1,800
10. (18) Billy Ogle Jr./50 – $1,150
11. (9) Dennis Franklin/50 – $1,100
12. (20) Kenny Pettyjohn/50 – $1,000
13. (14) Eric Wells/50 – $1,500
14. (23) Brandon Overton/50 – $1,450
15. (15) Shane Clanton/50 – $1,350
16. (19) Steve Casebolt/50 – $800
17. (22) Chase Junghans/50 – $1,270
18. (24) Jordan Yaggy/50 – $750
19. (8) Joey Coulter/50 – $730
20. (21) Tyler Erb/46 – $700
21. (7) Brian Shirley/39 – $700
22. (2) Chris Ferguson/39 – $700
23. (11) Coleby Frye/14 – $700
24. (1) Donald Brandsher/0 – $725
Time of Race: 23 mins, 2.590 secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.242 secs.
Yellow Flags: 4 (Lap 5, 14, 39, 47)
Lap Leaders: Ferguson (1-38) Eckert (39-50)
Provisional Starters: Overton, Yaggy
Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Best Lap):
Group A
1. 7 Rick Eckert – 14.285
2. 2 Joey Coulter – 14.345
3. 99jr Frank Heckenast Jr. – 14.369
4. 53 Ray Cook – 14.569
5. C9 Steve Casebolt – 14.591
6. 93 Donald Brandsher – 14.626
7. 1W Dillon Wood – 14.631
8. 1* Chub Frank – 14.670
9. B1 Paul Wilmoth – 14.714
10. 25F Jason Feger – 14.749
11. 2F Dennis Franklin – 14.755
12. 76 Brandon Overton – 14.771
13. 14M Morgan Bagley – 14.799
14. 18 Eric Wells – 14.814
15. D8 Dustin Mitchell – 14.823
16. 99B Boom Briggs – 14.885
17. 94 Austin Rettig – 14.931
18. 35TC Tristan Sealy – 14.941
19. 48 Tim Lance – 14.983
20. 91 Tyler Erb – 15.025
21. 98 Casey Barrow – 15.054
22. 16 Rusty Griffaw – 15.363
23.16H Mike Hammerle – 15.769
Group B
1. 21JR Billy Moyer Jr. – 14.151
2. 3s Brian Shirley – 14.217
3. 72 Jason Covert – 14.265
4. 22 Chris Ferguson – 14.331
5. 25 Shane Clanton – 14.347
6. 101 Casey Roberts – 14.352
7. 0 Coleby Frye – 14.406
8. 201 Billy Ogle Jr. – 14.532
9. 11 Austin Smith – 14.613
10. 18c Chase Junghans – 14.617
11. 38s Kenny Pettyjohn – 14.621
12. 1 Josh Richards – 14.674
13. 11B Stacy Boles – 14.711
14. 77 Jordan Yaggy – 14.838
15. 1N Jordy Nipper – 14.878
16. 28 Kelly Guy – 14.887
17. 21 Ivedent Lloyd Jr. – 14.945
18. 1d Brent Dixon – 14.958
19. 3 Chesley Dixon – 14.962
20. 93L Pancho Lawler – 14.968
21. 4L Brian Ligon – 15.030
22.16T Tyler Bruening – 15.072
23. 121 Harry Wallace – 16.482
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Heckenast Jr., Eckert, Franklin, Bagley, Casebolt, Barrow, Wilmoth Jr., Lance, Mitchell, Hammerle, Wood, Rettig.
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Coulter, Bradsher, Briggs, Wells, Frank, Feger, Erb, Griffaw, Overton, Cook, Sealy.
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Moyer Jr., Covert, Frye, Clanton, Pettyjohn, Smith, Nipper, Dixon, Lloyd Jr., Boles, Ligon, Wallace.
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Shirley, Ferguson, Roberts, Richards, Ogle Jr., Junghans, Yaggy, Guy, Lawler, Bruening, Dixon.
Last-Chance Showdown No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Frank, Casebolt, Erb, Wilmoth Jr., Barrow, Feger, Lance, Overton, Wood, Griffaw, Sealy, Rettig, Hammerle, Mitchell, Cook.
Last-Chance Showdown No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Ogle Jr., Pettyjohn, Junghans, Smith, Nipper, Yaggy, Ligon, Boles, Lawler, Guy, C. Dixon, Lloyd Jr., Wallace, Bruening, B. Dixon.
World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal):
Comp Cams – $50 Product certificate: Eckert
MSD – $50 Cash: Eckert
QuarterMaster – $100 Product certificate: Eckert
Wrisco Aluminum – 3 Sheets of aluminum: Eckert
Penske Shocks – TBD Product certificate: Moyer Jr.
Mobil 1 – $50 Cash: Moyer Jr.
JE Pistons – $50 Cash: Moyer Jr.
VP Racing Fuels – $50 Cash: Frank
Edelbrock – $50 Cash: Frank
Comp Cams – $50 Cash: Ogle Jr.
Morton Buildings – $50 Cash: Franklin
Cometic Gasket – $50 Cash: Wells
JRI Shocks – $50 Cash: Frye
SuperFlow – $50 Cash: Overton
QuarterMaster – $25 Product certificate: Clanton
JE Pistons – Set of rings: Casebolt
QuarterMaster – $50 Product certificate: Coulter
Arizona Sport Shirts – $100 Product certificate: Coulter
Mobil 1 – 20% Off product certificate: Frye
JE Pistons – Set of rings: Shirley
MSD – $25 Cash: Bradsher
QA1 – $50 Cash: Moyer Jr.
Bonus Bucks – $500 Cash: Covert
Rookie Bonus – $250 Cash: Moyer Jr.
Craftsman Bonus – $200 Cash: Eckert, Briggs, Heckenast Jr., Richards, Bagley
Craftsman Bonus – $100 Cash: Covert
2016 World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series Point Standings as of Feb. 13 – 2 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/residence/points/deficit to leader):
1 1 Josh Richards Shinnston, WV 284 0
2 72 Jason Covert York Haven, PA 284 0
3 7v Rick Eckert York, PA 282 2
4 25 Shane Clanton Zebulon, GA 272 12
5 1* Chub Frank Bear Lake, PA 270 14
6 76 Brandon Overton Evans, GA 266 18
7 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC 264 20
8 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX 258 26
9 99B Boom Briggs Bear Lake, PA 258 26
10 99Jr Frank Heckenast Jr. Frankfort, IL 256 28
11 3s Brian Shirley Chatham, IL 254 30
12 38 Kenny Pettyjohn Millsboro, DE 252 32
13 21JR Billy Moyer Jr. Batesville, AR 246 38
14 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY 242 42
15 2 Joey Coulter Moorsevile, NC 240 44
The World of Outlaws Craftsman® Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), Bad Boy Buggies (Official Side-by-Side Vehicle), The Kenny Wallace Dirt Racing Experience (Official Racing Experience), VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel), Morton Buildings (Official Building) and DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award); in addition to contingency sponsors, including: Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Mobil 1, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, Penske Shocks, QA1, QuarterMaster, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Capital Race Cars, Integra Shocks, Impact Racing Products, Intercomp, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis and TNT Rescue.
