Tim McCreadie collected $6,000 for his win in the first Lucas Oil feature on Friday night
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series moved to the Lucas Oil Speedway for a big three-race weekend that will culminate with the crown jewel Show-me 100 on Saturday night. The Cowboy Classic had originally been scheduled for Thursday evening but weather forced the race to be moved to Friday to run as part of a double-header with the Tribute to Don and Billie Gibson. At the end of the first feature of Friday, it was Tim McCreadie who scored the victory at the Wheatland, MO track. The Watertown, NY driver earned $6,000 for his efforts in a race shown live by MavTV Plus.
A total of 58 cards were signed in for competition.
Brandon Sheppard, driving his family owned No. B5 machine, set the fast time in Group A qualifying with a lap of 15.678 seconds around the 3/8 mile clay oval to beat out Tim McCreadie, Tony Jackson Jr., Billy Moyer Sr., and Stormy Scott.
Frank Heckenast Jr. led Group B time-trials with a lap of 16.478 seconds with an effort of Shannon Babb, Mike Marlar, Scott Crigler, and Ryan Gustin.
Brandon Sheppard earned the pole for the feature by virtue of his victory in the night’s first heat race as he topped Scott Bloomquist and Billy Moyer Jr. then Tim McCreadie won the second preliminary with Josh Richards and Stormy Scott also transferring to the feature out of that race.
Bobby Pierce took the third heat heat ahead of Tony Jackson Jr. and Brian Shirley.
Scott Crigler would start the feature from the outside of the front after he beat Frank Heckenast Jr. and Kyle Bronson in the fourth heat while Ryan Gustin outran Shannon Babb and Chris Ferguson in the fifth heat.
Finally, Hudson O’Neal defeated Ricky Thornton Jr. and Earl Pearson Jr. in the sixth and final heat race.
Jonathan Davenport and Jimmy Owens advanced to the main event out of the first B-main of the night. Rick Eckert and Jake Timm made into the big show from the second B-main just before Mike Marlar and Shane Clanton went to the main event out of the final B-main.
At the start of the 45-lap feature it was McCreadie who went to the early lead with Sheppard, Crigler, Pierce, and Gustin in his wake. By lap 5, Sheppard had closed back in on McCreadie and offered a challenge for the top spot. Further back, Pierce, took third away from Crigler.
Pearson slowed to bring out a yellow flag on lap 8 and briefly slow the action.
On the restart, Gustin jumped up to fourth while Sheppard and Pierce fought over the runner-up position. By the 10th circuit, Pierce established himself as the second-place runner with Sheppard falling back into the clutches of Gustin.
By lap 15, it was O’Neal who began to move forward the No. 71 machine advanced to fourth and looked for move even further up the leaderboard. O’Neal initiated a battle with Sheppard for third on lap 20 and was able to wrest the spot away two laps later.
Further ahead of that fight, Pierce closed in on McCreadie and looked as if he might challenge for the lead. But lap the 30th lap O’Neal joined the top-2 to contest the lead of the race. O’Neal took second away from Pierce on lap 32 but by the time that battle had been settled, McCreadie had slipped away from his pursuers.
Over the closing laps, McCreadie would go unthreatened and eventually drive under the checkered flag to claim the win in the non points paying race.
“When you see the 32 on the board, Pierce, and Hudson, those guys don’t take laps off,” McCreadie said of his competition in his victory lane interview. “I just knew the best shot I had was to not wait around, catch a guy and pass him. I got beat a month ago by being a little too cautious at the end of the race by JD.”
Feature Finish: 1. Tim McCreadie, 2. Hudson O’Neal, 3. Bobby Pierce, 4. Brandon Sheppard, 5. Josh Richards, 6. Ryan Gustin, 7. Jimmy Owens, 8. Frank Heckenast Jr., 9. Stormy Scott, 10. Scott Bloomquist, 11. Ricky Thornton Jr., 12. Scott Crigler, 13. Tony Jackson Jr., 14. Shane Clanton, 15. Shannon Babb, 16. Jonathan Davenport, 17. Chris Ferguson, 18. Mike Marlar, 19. Kyle Bronson, 20. Rick Eckert, 21. Billy Moyer Jr., 22. Jake Timm, 23. Brian Shirley, 24. Earl Pearson Jr.
