Throughout the second half of the 2018 World of Outlaws Late Model Series season three drivers separated themselves from the rest of the pack as they have carried out a battle for the series title. And with just four points-paying features remaining in the campaign, it looks as if that championship fight will go right down to the final weekend at The Dirt Track in Charlotte this November.
Chris Madden, Mike Marlar, and Brandon Sheppard saw their battle tighten even further this past weekend following WoO Late Models events in New York and Pennsylvania. Due to a series of crown jewel type races strung throughout August and early September this national tour has raced on a very limited basis over the past six weeks. As a matter of fact, the last series race before this weekend dated back to August 19th.
Chris Madden held the WoO Late Models points lead until this past Sunday night.
Coming out of that mid-August feature at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, PA, Madden held a 22 point advantage over Marlar with Sheppard trailing the leader by just 30 markers. However, Madden turned in a dominating performance this past Saturday night at Selinsgrove(PA) Speedway and looked as if he might be set to pull away from his competitors when he extended his lead to 28 points over Marlar and 74 ahead of Sheppard.
But the South Carolina native found mechanical troubles on Sunday night as a feature that had been rain delayed from Friday at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee, NY was completed. Sheppard won that race while Marlar came home third. Those finishes along with Madden’s disappointing 19th resulted in Marlar assuming a 4-point lead over Madden with Sheppard closing to with 40 points of the top spot.
Mike Marlar now holds a slim lead in the WoO Late Models standings
The pressure is high as the winner of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series championship will pocket $100,000 at the year-end banquet.
The cancellation of an event scheduled for Dirt Oval Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois leaves just four feature races on the schedule to settle the issue.
Brandon Sheppard lurks in a close third
The WoO Late Models Series will make its way to Alma, Ohio’s Atomic Speedway for a pair of races on September 28 & 29th paying $8,000 and $10,000-to-win respectively. The tour will then conclude its business on November 2nd & 3rd at The Dirt Track at Charlotte with twin features paying $12,000 each.
All of this comes with no “playoffs” or “chase” being part of the format.
