OneDirt

Darrell Lanigan Celebrates his $50,000 Victory (Photo Source: World of Outlaws Late Model Series)

Darrell Lanigan continued his impressive 2012 season on Saturday night when he took home the 25th Annual World of Outlaws Late Model Series USA Nationals presented by U.S. Steel at Cedar Lake Speedway in Wisconsin.  The 42-year-old veteran from Union, Kentucky took off from his outside pole starting spot in the feature to take the early lead of the 100-lap feature event.

Lanigan would dominate the feature while surviving a mid-race challenge from Don O’Neal and a last lap mechanical issue to take home the $50,000 payday in the richest World of Outlaws Late Model Series event of the season.  The win was Lanigan’s first in five career starts at the USA Nationals.  Lanigan pushed his 2012 WoO Late Model Series win total to 11 which only added to his modern-era (2004-present) single-season win record.  The win was also Lanigan’s fourth consecutive victory with the WoO Series which tied him with Rick Eckert (2006) and Tim Fuller (2009) for most tour wins in a row.

Darrell Lanigan’s #29 Lat Model at Cedar Lake Speedway

After the race Lanigan said, “It’s definitely awesome to pick up one of the bigger (race) wins of the year.  I think this is one of the top five races in the country, so winning it makes a great season even better.”  Lanigan did experience a mechanical issue on the last lap of the race as his rear lift bar broke as he commented, “You can tell God’s with you out there because we crossed the finish line and broke the (rear) lift bar.  Sometimes it’s just meant to be. If it had happened earlier, I wouldn’t have made another lap.  To break at the finish line – it’s unbelievable. When your luck’s behind you, it’s behind you.”

Jimmy Owens came up in the runner-up spot to claim $20,000 while holding off Mike Marlar who came home third.  Brian Shirley earned an impressive fourth place finish and Frankie Heckenast Jr. rounded out the top-five.  The World of Outlaws Late Model Series will return to action on Monday night at Iowa’s Independence Motor Speedway where Darrell Lanigan will look to break the record for most wins in a row.  For more information on the WoO Late Model Series fans can visit www.woolms.com.