Birkhofer Charges to World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory At Lebanon I-44 Speedway
By Kevin Kovac, WoO Late Model Series PR Director

LEBANON, MO. (July 26, 2006) - Brian Birkhofer continued his recent big-show success on Tuesday night, scoring a convincing victory in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series ‘Missouri 50’ at Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

But the Muscatine, Iowa, standout also suffered a “loss” of sorts.

When Birkhofer stopped his black No. 15b machine in the WoO LMS’s COESfx Victory Lane for the first time in 2006, it sported a flat right-rear tire – thus ending the spectacularly profitable run of a Hoosier tire that he used in all five of his $10,000 wins during the month of July.

“I love that tire,” dead-panned the smiling Birkhofer, pointing at the deflated shoe. “I’m gonna try to find the same batch code and get another one of those babies, because that one’s been good to me.

“That thing probably had 300 laps on it, and it won 50-grand for me. I might have to keep it and frame it.”

Birkhofer, 34, dominated the event after slipping underneath Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., to assume command on lap 16. He had a full straightaway edge erased by the race’s only caution flag, for Californian Eric Jacobsen’s turn-two spin on lap 45, but he calmly pulled away on the restart to defeat McDowell by 2.169 seconds.

Seventh-starter Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., finished third, a few car lengths behind McDowell, after coming on strong during the race’s second half. Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., who started 12th, and WoO LMS points leader Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., completed the top five.

The triumph was Birkhofer’s fifth five-figure checkered flag since July 7, when he started his hot streak with a victory in a UMP Summernationals event at Bureau County Speedway in Princeton, Ill.

”We’re just clicking,” said Birkhofer, whose win explosion has come behind the wheel of a Rocket car he debuted in April after running MasterSbilt Late Models religiously for the last five years. “We probably overworked on the car for about a month, then we kinda got in a rhythm with what we need to do.

“My racing dial is just lined up right now. If it clicks off I’ll go back to struggling, but I’ll take it while it comes.”

Birkhofer, who set fast time and won a heat race but started the feature from the inside of Row 2 after finishing third in the dash, didn’t need much assistance to assert control over the field. His job was merely made easier when McDowell, who started second and took the lead from Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., on lap two, bobbled on the 15th circuit.

“There was a little water on the bottom that someone had sprayed out,” said McDowell, who drove his familiar Rocket No. 17M. “When I got into (turn) one behind a lapped car, I hit it just enough to push, and Brian drove by me.”

McDowell, 40, wished he had put up more of a fight, but he conceded that Birkhofer was the night’s star.

“Brian and I had equal cars in the slick (track surface),” said McDowell, who broke out of a funk by registering his best finish of the season on the WoO LMS. “But once it took a little bit of traction he definitely had the best car. He looked to be a little more maneuverable than me.”

Birkhofer dealt with a restart with five laps remaining, but it proved to be little trouble – even with his right-rear tire losing air.

“During that last caution I felt it going down,” said Birkhofer, whose tire was flat by the time he reported to the scales in the pit area following the race. “The car started acting a little different, but luckily the track had rubbered up (become one-lane) and we only had five laps there at the end. There wasn’t much time for the tire to go flat and lose me the race.”

Birky explained his strategy for the final restart: “I was just like, ‘Man, just make your car kinda wide getting in so they don’t get a good run on the outside, and then just stay in the rubber and drive smart.’ I also knew that with Dale behind me, he wasn’t gonna run in there and run over me.”

Birkhofer, who is down on mechanical help this year and isn’t racing for points on any touring series, recorded his fourth career victory on the three-year-old WoO LMS.

Obviously, there’s nothing surprising about Birkhofer downing the WoO regulars. Nevertheless, he modestly spoke of joining Pearson and New Yorker Dick Barton as the only outside drivers who have won WoO LMS events this season.

“I’m kinda in awe that I came in here and won this race,” said Birkhofer, whose last WoO LMS victory was on Aug. 9, 2005, at Dubuque (Iowa) Fairgrounds Speedway. “This was the first time I’ve ever been to this track, we haven’t run on open tires much this year, and these (WoO) guys are tough.

“But everything I do is just clicking right now.”

PRELIMINARIES: Birkhofer’s fast-time winning lap during the 31-car qualifying session was 15.046 seconds around the high-banked, three-eighths-mile oval.

Heat winners were Birkhofer, McDowell and Clanton. Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., captured the B-Main, and Clanton won the dash.

NASCAR INVADER: Nextel Cup Series veteran Kenny Schrader entered his Red Baron Pizza-sponsored dirt Late Model team in the evening’s action.

Schrader didn’t get any hot laps because ignition problems prevented his primary No. 99 from coming up to speed. He pulled out his backup car and qualified through a heat race, but wasn’t a factor in the feature, which he finished 17th.

POINTS BATTLE: Moyer, who entered the night leading the WoO LMS standings over Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., by a mere two points and Rick Eckert of York, Pa., by eight markers, got a bit of breathing room with his steady fifth-place run.

With Eckert, who transferred in his heat after pitting to change a flat tire and then finished 13th in the main, and McCreadie (14th place) experiencing subpar nights, Moyer pushed his edge to 20 points over McCreadie and 24 over Eckert.

STILL AHEAD: The WoO LMS visits Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway on Wednesday night (July 26) and Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., on Friday and Saturday (July 29-30).

Results of WoO Late Model Series(Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won): 1. (3) Brian Birkhofer/50 $10,000; 2. (2) Dale McDowell/50 $6,000; 3. (7) Earl Pearson Jr./50 $3,500; 4. (12) Jimmy Mars/50 $2,500; 5. (5) Billy Moyer/50 $2,200; 6. (4) Josh Richards/50 $2,000; 7. (1) Shane Clanton/50 $1,800; 8. (11) Clint Smith/50 $1,600; 9. (9) Steve Francis/50 $1,400; 10. (19) Terry Phillips/50 $1,200; 11. (8) Chub Frank/50 $1,000; 12. (6) Darrell Lanigan/50 $900; 13. (10) Rick Eckert/50 $800; 14. (18) Tim McCreadie/50 $700; 15. (15) Eddie Carrier Jr./50 $700; 16. (17) Justin Wells/50 $700; 17. (16) Kenny Schrader/50 $700; 18. (21) Will Vaught/50 $700; 19. (14) Ed Dixon/49 $700; 20. (23) John Blankenship/49 $700; 21. (24) Eric Jacobsen/49 $700; 22. (22) Garrett Durrett/49 $700; 23. (20) Scott Drake/35 $700; 24. (13) Shannon Babb/16 $700.
Margin of Victory: 2.169 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 1 (Lap 45)
Lap Leaders: Clanton (1); McDowell (2-15); Birkhofer (16-50)
Provisional Starters: Blankenship, Jacobsen.


Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):


1. 15b-Brian Birkhofer/Muscatine, IA 15.046
2. 17M-Dale McDowell/Chickamauga, GA 15.186
3. 28M-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 15.192
4. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 15.250
5. 60-Ed Dixon/Washington, MO 15.259
6. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 15.325
7. 21-Billy Moyer/Batesville, AK 15.328
8. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 15.357
9. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 15.450
10. 1p-Earl Pearson Jr./Jacksonville, FL 15.461
11. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 15.481
12. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 15.510
13. 99-Kenny Schrader/Concord, NC 15.571
14. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 15.585
15. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 15.658
16. 18-Shannon Babb/Moweaqua, IL 15.676
17. 10-Justin Wells/Aurora, MO 15.767
18. 28-Eddie Carrier Jr./Salt Rock, WV 15.790
19. 75-Terry Phillips/Springfield, MO 15.813
20. 12-Scott Drake/Webb City, MO 15.845
21. 42-Brandon McCormick/Lebanon, MO 15.856
22. 58c-Garrett Durrett/Simsboro, LA 15.990
23. 8K-Jason Bodenhamer/Warsaw, MO 16.072
24. 1cr-Christian Rayburn/Camdenton, MO 16.098
25. 23-John Blankenship/Williamson, WV 16.118
26. 14L-Brad Looney/Republic, MO 16.316
27. 14-Reid Millard/Jefferson City, MO 16.415
28. 71-Jason Meadors/Fordland, MO 16.508
29. 17M-Matt Miller/Camdenton, MO 16.901
30. 5-Eric Jacobsen/Santa Cruz, CA 16.932
31. 1v-Will Vaught/Crane, MO 16.964


Heat No. 1 (10 laps - Top 6 Transfer): Birkhofer, Moyer, Pearson, Eckert, Schrader, Babb, Phillips, Durrett, Vaught, Meadors, Blankenship.


Heat No. 2 (10 laps - Top 6 Transfer): McDowell, Lanigan, Frank, C. Smith, Dixon, Wells, Drake, Bodenhamer, Looney, Miller.


Heat No. 3 (10 laps - Top 6 Transfer): Clanton, Richards, Francis, Mars, Carrier, McCreadie, Jacobsen, McCormick, Millard, Rayburn.


B-Main (12 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Phillips, Drake, Vaught, Durrett, Blankenship, Bodenhamer, Looney, Jacobsen, McCormick, Millard, Meadors, Rayburn, Miller.


Dash (6 laps): Clanton, McDowell, Birkhofer, Richards, Moyer, Lanigan.


WoO LMS Points Standings (after July 25): 1. Billy Moyer 2,622; 2. Tim McCreadie 2,602; 3. Rick Eckert 2,598; 4. Shane Clanton 2,570; 5. Darrell Lanigan 2,566; 6. Steve Francis 2,556; 7. Chub Frank 2,546; 8. Dale McDowell 2,496; 9. Clint Smith 2,413; 10. Josh Richards 2,406; 11. John Blankenship 2,128; 12. Eddie Carrier Jr. 2,115; 13. Eric Jacobsen 2,059; 14. Garrett Durrett 2,025; 15. Mike Balzano 998; 16. Ricky Elliott 849; 17. Billy Decker 783; 18. Earl Pearson Jr. 739; 19. Dave Hess Jr. 715; 20. Brady Smith 675.


LISTEN ONLINE: If fans can’t get to a track to see the series, they can experience the excitement of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series live on Dirtvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network. To listen to the audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo. Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions, e-mail webmaster@dirtvision.com.


The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by several sponsors and partners, including Series sponsor Hoosier Tire; Promotional sponsors AMB i.t., Choice Hotels International, COESfx, The University of Northwest Ohio and Snap-on. Contingency sponsors include DART Machinery, Holley Performance Products Inc., MSD Ignition, Quarter Master, Ohlins and Wrisco Industries.