Tim McCreadie
*Interview provided by Knoxville Raceway announcer Kris Krug.
Tim McCreadie is in the midst of a year of transition. The former World of Outlaws Late Models champion made the decision during the past off-season to move onto the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for the 2016 campaign. And to date, the Watertown, NY native is proving to be highly competitive even after switching from one tour to the other.
Although he has yet to score a feature victory in the series, McCreadie currently sits fifth in the LOLMDS standings. And according to the driver, consistency has been the key.
“It’s been okay,” McCreadie said of his current season in an interview with InsideDirtRacing.com “We’ve been pretty consistent. We’ve had some speed and we’ve led races but we just can’t seem to put it all together to finish first. But all in all, it’s been a pleasant surprise. We’ve been working hard to get better but we’ve just got to put it all together.”
This weekend’s North/South 100 at the Florence(KY) Speedway employs a passing points system that will require drivers to race in two separate heats on Friday night prior to Saturday’s big show. Starting positions in the $50,000-to-win main event will be determined by the number of cars passed during those preliminary races. McCreadie is okay with the format as a break from the more traditional qualifying and heat race method of lining cars up for the main event.
“I don’t mind the double heats,” the 42-year-old said. “It reminds me of how I did it when I was younger with go-karts. It’s probably the most fair way you can do things because if you only get one set of heats and a pill draw it’s tough because there’s nights when if you’re car is not fast enough in the first heat it gives you a shot to get going in the second. Plus it’s real fair because it enables guys who can pass cars to start up front and that’s all any of us ask for is to line up based on performance.”
McCreadie in his familiar No. 39 machine
Heat has been a significant factor throughout much of the country this summer and this weekend appears to be no different. Drivers must prepare for the elements in advance of race day.
“You just do what they tell you,” McCreadie explained. “You just try to take in a lot of liquids, and other than that, there’s not much you can do. For a guy like me, it’s not that hot where I come from so it’s a little tough. It’s just like anything at the end of the day, $50,000 will make it alright.”
McCreadie made the move from WoO Late Models to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
