McCreadie Stops Pierce for Florence Victory

McCreadie Stops Pierce for Florence Victory

Story By: Jeremy Shields/LOLMDS

Photos By: Heath Lawson/LOLMDS

UNION, KY (August 9, 2018) Tim McCreadie broke through on Thursday night at Florence Speedway to win his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event of the season. McCreadie led all 50 laps, holding off Bobby Pierce in the final circuits to take the win in the Sunoco Race Fuels North/South Shootout presented by Lucas Oil.

McCreadie, the reigning Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Champion flashed across the line just 0.759 seconds ahead of Pierce. Nick Hoffman, Josh Richards and Scott Bloomquist rounded out the top five.

Pierce moved into second with nine laps to go, overtaking Hoffman who had held the position since the opening circuit. Pierce then tracked down McCreadie, but despite a last lap ditch effort to take the win, fell just short of victory. Hoffman, an open wheel modified standout, claimed his first-career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series podium finish.

McCreadie, who became the fourteenth different winner on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series in 2018, saluted the fans in victory lane. “Its amazing how things can turnaround. We have kind of meandered around all year. I just haven’t driven it good enough this year. These guys have put together a great piece all year. We went back to the chassis and motor combination we ran last year, and it’s really paid off the last two nights. I took two weeks off and I was with my family, but the crew have been working their tails off in the downtime we had.”

“I could see my crew chief Phillip [Snellen] and I could see him telling me that Bobby [Pierce] was closing. I don’t know if we could have held him off, but we did. Sometimes I am not the most confident person in the world, it’s the crew that keeps me going and family keeps me feeling good at home. This is a tough life for sure. I appreciate all of the fans cheering us, it makes it all worthwhile.”

Pierce, who made one of his customary late-race charges, came up short in his bid for the win. “That was a lot of fun. I really had to kick-it up there at the end. It was a great track tonight. Thanks to Josh King and the whole track crew they never stopped working on this track all day and night. I am sure another night working on it the track can be even better tomorrow night. Congrats to T-Mac on the win. Thanks to everybody who works on this car at Dunn-Benson Motorsports.”

Hoffman, who made his first dirt late model start a year ago in the Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100, earned a hard-fought third-place finish. “It feels good to get two heat wins here the last two nights and then to come back with a podium finish tonight. I had a good car last night. This is something to build on heading into this weekend. He [Pierce] slid me there, he was faster up top, so I just decided not to slide him back.”

The winner’s Coffey-McCreadie Enterprises-owned, Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Pro Power Racing Engine and sponsored by: Sweeteners Plus, Popejoy Inc. Plumbing, Heating and Electric, FK Rod Ends and Penske Shocks.

Completing the top ten were Ricky Weiss, Darrell Lanigan, Hudson O’Neal, Earl Pearson Jr. and Dale McDowell.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Sunoco Race Fuels North/South Shootout – Presented by Lucas Oil
Florence Speedway – Union, KY

Miller Welders Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Bobby Pierce / 17.328 seconds
Fast Time Group B: Brandon Overton / 17.143 seconds (overall)

Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Tim McCreadie, Bobby Pierce, Dale McDowell, Gregg Satterlee, Chad Stapleton, Tyler Erb, Eric Wells, Robby Hensley, Michael Brown-DNS

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Earl Pearson, Jr., Scott Bloomquist, Shanon Buckingham, Trevor Landrum, Donald McIntosh, Austin Rettig, Kody Evans, Joey Moriarty, James Rice

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Josh Richards, Zack Dohm, Jason Jameson, Michael Chilton, Jason Miller, Jesse Lay, Doug Drown, David Seibers, Jeremy Conaway-DNS

QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Hudson O’Neal, Jimmy Owens, Kent Robinson, Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, Dennis Erb, Jr., Craig Vosbergen, Austin Burns, Josh Rice

Sunoco Race Fuels Heat Race #5 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Nick Hoffman, Ricky Weiss, Steve Casebolt , Kyle Bronson, Jared Hawkins, Devin Gilpin, Rob Mayea, Greg Johnson, Rob Anderzack

Lucas Oil Products Heat Race #6 Finish (10 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Darrell Lanigan, Mason Zeigler, Don O’Neal, Jimmy Mars, Scott James , Chris Shannon, Nick Latham, Billy Green, Austyn Mills

Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Gregg Satterlee, Michael Chilton, Trevor Landrum, Jason Miller, Donald McIntosh, Chad Stapleton, Tyler Erb, Eric Wells, Jesse Lay, Austin Rettig, Kody Evans, Doug Drown, Robby Hensley,,, Joey Moriarty, Michael Brown, Jeremy Conaway, James Rice, David Siebers

FAST Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Jimmy Mars, Kyle Bronson, Brandon Overton, Jonathan Davenport, Jared Hawkins, Craig Vosbergen, Dennis Erb, Jr., Scott James , Greg Johnson, Chris Shannon, Austin Burns, Nick Latham, Rob Mayea, Rob Anderzack, Josh Rice, Devin Gilpin, Billy Green-DNS, Austyn Mills-DNS

Race Statistics
Entrants: 54 
Lap Leaders: Tim McCreadie (Laps 1 – 50)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Tim McCreadie
Margin of Victory: 0.759 seconds
Cautions: none 
Series Provisionals: Jonathan Davenport, Kyle Bronson
Florence Speedway Provisional: Trevor Landrum
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Jimmy Mars (Advanced 8 Positions) 
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Jimmy Mars
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Bobby Pierce 
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: Mason Zeigler
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Pro Power Racing Engines 
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis 
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Phillip Snellen (Tim McCreadie)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Tim McCreadie (Lap #1 – 18.1263 seconds)
STEEL-IT Most Laps Led: Tim McCreadie (50 Laps)
Dirty Girl Racewear Farthest Traveler: Craig Vosbergen
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Tim McCreadie 
Time of Race: 15 minutes 57 seconds