Fuller Fires ahead to Super DIRTcar Series Win
Tim Fuller scores second career win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte for night two of PEAK Motor Oil World of Outlaws World Finals presented by NAPA Auto Parts
CONCORD, N. C – November 2, 2012 – After a suspenseful 40 laps at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, with leaders often racing side-by-side through the turns of the 4/10-mile track, Tim Fuller beat off challengers Tim McCreadie and Brett Hearn to win the Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modified A-Feature Friday, Nov. 2, during PEAK Motor Oil World of Outlaws World Finals presented by NAPA Auto Parts.
“It’s always good to win here,” said Fuller, who came all the way from Edwards, N. Y., to compete in both Super DIRTcar Series and World of Outlaws Late Models Series events. “You’ve got a good group of cars and a standing-room only crowd.” (Photos by Mike Petrucci)
Fuller and his Super DIRTcar Series cohort certainly gave the crowds in the grandstands a spectacular show. Following the first-ever 4-wide solute featuring, simultaneously, all three premier series – the Super DIRTcar Series, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, and the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series – the Big-Block Modifieds stayed on the track and revved their 800-plus horsepower engines for the first feature of PEAK World Finals presented by NAPA.
Ryan Godown in the 747 started at the pole, Aussie Peter Britten sharing the front row. Both drivers performed well Thursday for Kellogg’s Qualifying Night, Godown registering the third fastest time in timed hot laps and each winning a heat race for Friday’s show. Fuller started third and McCreadie fourth.
At the initial green, Godown took the lead, but a pile-up in the back straightaway brought out an early yellow in the first lap. Rob Bellinger and Michelle Chicoine were able to drive away, but Tim Kerr and Vince Vitale were towed to the pits.
Racing continued, the double-file restart giving Britten the chance to take the lead from Godown. It didn’t last long, however, as “T-Mac” Tim McCreadie motored around the inside of lap 2 to pass both Godown and Britten. He sped forward, looking to distance his 4* from its followers.
Meanwhile, Hearn and Fuller were making their way up the ranks, Fuller reaching second and Hearn fourth by lap 9. When McCreadie lapped Tim Currier in lap 12, Hearn and Fuller looked forward to see both traffic and opportunity. The top three maneuvered through lapped traffic, Hearn finally beating out Godown for second, and both Hearn and Fuller closing in on the lead. By lap 25, the three leaders were nose-to-nose at every turn, but none had let down his guard.
In lap 28, Fuller finally sped past McCreadie and built a fair lead within a lap, keeping it through 12 green-flag laps to the end.
“When you know you’ve got the car that’s faster than the leader, you’re just looking for that time to pounce,” Fuller said. “You want to get into lapped traffic and wait for it to hit. I found my time – it 
was in lapped traffic – and I could roll through the middle and he couldn’t.”
McCreadie faced tough challenges from Hearn the remaining laps of the race, but stayed strong and finished second. Hearn crossed the finish line just after in third with Godown steady in fourth.
“It’s good to know that we have a car that runs that good here,” said McCreadie, of Watertown, N. Y., who saw the victories at the previous three consecutive Super DIRTcar Series races at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. “I don’t think anybody would mind having the record we’ve had down here with our Modified. We’ve just got to be a little sharper and make sure we do the same.”
Fuller and McCreadie agree that tire choice made a difference in Friday’s race, with Fuller’s team making an offbeat selection.
“He took a shot in the dark. Everybody was running a different tire from him,” said McCreadie, for whom consistent green-flag conditions also had an impact. “He needed more green laps and I needed a yellow. That’s just the way it goes. We didn’t get any yellows that we needed. He did a good job, and we just couldn’t hold him off.”
“My tire choice really worked,” Fuller said. “It didn’t have to, but the track turned out that way.”
Rounding out the top 10 were Gary Tomkins in fifth, Britten in sixth, Justin Haers in seventh, Kenny Tremont, Jr., in eighth, Jimmy Phelps in ninth, and Danny Johnson in tenth.
With point leader Matt Sheppard finishing twelfth, the series championship is on the line for Saturday’s series finale. Hearn’s third place finish Friday has already bumped him up a spot, replacing Phelps for second, and only a 60-point margin remains to take the lead.
PEAK Motor Oil World of Outlaws World Finals presented by NAPA Auto Parts concludes Saturday, Nov. 3, with qualifying events and features for the Super DIRTcar Series, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, and the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series.
Super DIRTcar Series, Round 16 – The Dirt Track at Charlotte
PEAK Motor Oil World of Outlaws World Finals Presented by NAPA Auto Parts
November 2, 2012
A-Feature (40 laps): 1. 74 Tim Fuller, Edwards, N. Y.; 2. 4* Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N. Y.; 3. 20 Brett Hearn, Sussex, N. J.; 4. 747 Ryan Godwon, Ringoes, N. J; 5. 84 Gary Tomkins, Clifton Springs, N. Y.; 6. 21a Peter Britten, Brisbaine, Queensland, Australia; 7. 3 Justin Haers, Phelps, N. Y.; 8. 115 Kenny Tremont, Jr., West Sandlake, N. Y.; 9. 98h Jimmy Phelps, Baldwinsville, N. Y.; 10. 27J Danny Johnson, Rochester, N. Y.; 11. 1J Stewart Friesen, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario; 12. 9s Matt Sheppard, Waterloo, N. Y.; 13. 91 Billy Decker, Unadilla, N. Y.; 14. 49 Billy Dunn, Watertown, N. Y.; 15. 48T Dave Rauscher, Waterloo, N. Y.; 16. 8 Rich Scagliotta, Bound Brook, N. J.; 17. 62s Tom Sears, Jr., Clay, N. Y.; 18. 5* Tyler Siri, Watkins Glen, N. Y.; 19. 97 Michel Chicoine, Ste-Cecile de Milton, Quebec; 20. 71 Mike Bowman, St-Catharines, Ontario; 21. 8R Rob Bellinger, Dexter, N. Y.; 22. 6N Kevin Bates, Lake Ariel, Penn.; 23. 21m Bob McGannon, Garnerville, N. Y.; 24. 10V Billy VanInwegen, Sparrowbush, N. Y.; 25. 85 Dan Vauter, Forest City, Penn.; 26. 3d Matt DeLorenzo, Cropsyville, N. Y.; 27. 07 Tim Kerr, Picton, Ontario; 28. 56 Vince Vitale, Phoenix, N. Y.
B-Feature 1 (10 laps): 1. 3d Matt DeLorenzo; 2. 8R Rob Bellinger; 3. 56 Vince Vitale; 4. 6N Kevin Bates; 5. 21m Bob McGannon; 6. 63 Adam Roberts; 7. 88 Dave Allen; 8. 10V Billy VanInwegen; 9. 96 Mike Turner; 10. 21K Randy Chrysler; 11. 66x Carey Terrance; 12. 62s Tom Sears, Jr.
B-Feature 2 (10 laps): 1. 1J Stewart Friesen; 2. 71 Mike Bowman; 3. 48too Dave Rauscher; 4. 97 Michel Chicoine; 5. 26 Rick Richner; 6. 55 Matt Hulsizer; 7. 5* Tyler Siri; 8. 10h Matt Hitchcock; 9. 1H Tim Hindley; 10. T21 Roger Chrysler; 11. 4 Jerry Shaffer; DNS 10c Tim Currier
Results from Kellogg’s Qualifying Night, Thursday, Nov. 1:
Qualifying heats (8 laps, top 4 qualify, top 2 to redraw)
Friday Heat 1 Finish: 1. 4* Tim McCreadie, 2. 74 Tim Fuller, 3. 3 Justin Haers, 4. 27J Danny Johnson, 5. 3d Matt DeLorenzo, 6. 66x Carey Terrance, 7. 62s Tom Sears, Jr., 8. 21K Randy Chrysler, 9. 21m Bob McGannon, 10. 96 Mike Turner
Friday Heat 2 Finish: 1. 21a Pete Britten, 2. 20 Brett Hearn, 3. 98h Jimmy Phelps, 4. 9s Matt Sheppard, 5. 1J Stewart Friesen, 6. 88 Dave Allen, 7. 6N Kevin Bates, 8. 10V Billy VanInwegen, 9. 63 Adam Roberts, 10. 56 Vince Vitale
Friday Heat 3 Finish: 1. 747 Ryan Godown, 2. 115 Kenny Tremont, Jr., 3. 49 Billy Dunn, 4. 07 Tim Kerr, 5. 8R Rob Bellinger, 6. 71 Mike Bowman, 7. 5* Tyler Siri, 8. 10h Matt Hitchcock, 9. 10c Tim Currier, 10. T21 Roger Chrysler
Friday Heat 4 Finish: 1. 84 Gary Tomkins, 2. 91 Billy Decker, 3. 8 Rich Scagliotta, 4. 85 Dan Vauter, 5. 97 Michel Chicoine, 6. 48too Dave Rauscher, 7. 26 Rich Richner, 8. 55 Matt Hulsizer, 9. 1H Tim Hindley, 10. 4 Jerry Shaffer
Timed hot laps session: 1. 20 Brett Hearn, 16.151; 2. 21a Peter Britten, 16.359; 3. 747 Ryan Godown, 16.393; 4. 98h Jimmy Phelps, 16.488; 5. 74 Tim Fuller, 16.491; 6. 91 Billy Decker, 16.611; 7. 27J Danny Johnson, 16.663; 8. 115 Kenny Tremont, Jr., 16.801; 9. 3 Justin Haers, 16.816; 10. 4* Tim McCreadie, 16.831; 11. 9s Matt Sheppard, 16.835; 12. 3d Matt DeLorenzo, 16.843; 13. 84 Gary Tomkins, 16.946; 14. 07 Tim Kerr, 16.962; 15. 1J Stewart Friesen, 16.970; 16. 62s Tom Sears Jr., 16.975; 17. 49 Billy Dunn, 16.977; 18. 8R Rob Bellinger, 17.023; 19. 10V Billy VanIngewen, 17.038; 20. 5* Tyler Siri, 17.120; 21. 21m Bob McGannon, 17.156; 22. 10c Tim Currier, 17.225; 23. 97 Michel Chicoine, 17.227; 24, 8 Rich Scagliotta, 17.236; 25. 56 Vince Vitale, 17.254; 26. 6N Kevin Bates, 17.271; 27. 66x Carey Terrance, 17.281; 28. 71 Mike Bowman, 17.362; 29. 88 Dave Allen, 17.427; 30. 1H Tim Hindley, 17.454; 31. 85 Dan Vauter, 17.474; 32. 48too Dave Rauscher, 17.503; 33. 63 Adam Roberts, 17.511; 34. 26 Rick Richner, 17.544; 35. 4 Jerry Shaffer, 17.549; 36. 55 Matt Hulsizer, 17.650; 37. 21K Randy Chrysler, 17.653; 38. 96 Mike Turner, 17.733; 39. 10h Matt Hitchcock, 17.905; 40. T21 Roger Chrysler, 18.206
The Super DIRTcar Series and DIRTcar Racing in the Northeast Region is brought to fans by several sponsors and partners including Hoosier Racing Tire, VP Racing Fuels, Chevy Performance Parts, Gander Mountain, NAPA Auto Parts, Nationwide Insurance, and Safety-Kleen. Promotional partners include the University of Northwestern Ohio. Contingency sponsors are ASI, Bicknell Racing Products, Bilstein Shocks, Brodix, ButlerBuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Intercomp, JE Pistons, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, KSE Racing Products, Motorsports Safety Systems, MSD Ignition, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, Superflow, Vicci Racing Apparel, WIX Filters, Wrisco Industries, and Xtreme Lubricants.
