Eckert Enforces WoO Late Model Points Lead with Win at Rolling Wheels

story by Kevin Kovac
Elbridge, NY | Oct. 6, 2011 - Rick Eckert knows that the best way to maintain his lead in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series points standings is to win races. So that's what the veteran driver from York, Pa., did on Thursday night, snapping a nearly five-month checkered flag drought with a powerful triumph in the national tour's 50-lap A-Main at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park...

Racing at a five-eighths-mile track where he had finished second in his only two previous WoO LMS starts, Eckert passed race-long pacesetter Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., for the lead on lap 34 and never looked back. He dominated the remainder of the distance, pulling away after the event's lone caution flag flew on lap 37 to cross the finish line 3.483 seconds ahead of Thompson, Pa.'s Dan Stone.

The $11,325 score was Eckert's third of the 2011 WoO LMS season and extended his points lead to 22 points over two-time defending champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., who finished third after surviving a white-flag scrape on the homestretch with Fuller. Teenager Austin Hubbard of Seaford, Del., placed fourth after slipping by Fuller, who led laps 1-33 but settled for a fifth-place finish because he slowed on the final due to a flat left-rear tire sustained in the incident with Richards.  FULL STORY & RESULTS

WoO Late Model Series A-Main RESULTS:
Rolling Wheels Raceway Park
(Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (4) Rick Eckert/50 $11,325
2. (1) Dan Stone/50 $5,050
3. (6) Josh Richards/50 $4,150
4. (3) Austin Hubbard/50 $3,550
5. (2) Tim Fuller/50 $3,050
6. (8) Shane Clanton/50 $2,750
7. (10) Chub Frank/50 $2,450
8. (12) Vic Coffey/50 $2,350
9. (14) Tim McCreadie/50 $2,350
10. (15) Dale Planck/50 $1,600
11. (13) Ricky Elliott/50 $1,050
12. (5) Pat Doar/50 $2,300
13. (11) Russell King/49 $950
14. (16) Ron Davies/49 $1,950
15. (22) Dave Zona/49 $850
16. (18) John Lobb/48 $800
17. (23) Chad Hollenbeck/47 $770
18. (24) Alan Fink/40 $750
19. (19) Lee Gill/34 $730
20. (9) Clint Smith/23 $1,750
21. (22) Rick 'Boom' Briggs/23 $700
22. (7) Darrell Lanigan/12 $1,850
23. (19) Ross Robinson/8 $700
24. (21) Alan Sagi/4 $725