Brian Harris Stuns WoO LMS with Hometown Win
by Mike McGuire

DAVENPORT, IA (May 9, 2007) - Brian Harris used his years of experience at the Davenport Speedway to win the World of Outlaws Late Model Series event Wednesday night.

Harris, of Walcott, Ia., had a career night at the track where he has been a weekly competitor, in recent years. He was fourth fastest in qualifying, won his heat race, and then led all 50-laps of the feature, holding off Jimmy Mars and Brian Birkhofer for the win.

With the victory, his first in the WoO series, Harris earned a $10,000 payday. This was the first time the WoO LMS has raced on the quarter-mile oval. Previous races have been on the half-mile track. Harris' experience on the 1/4-mile includes a year in Legend Car and a couple of years in IMCA late model action.

Harris started the 50-lap feature on the pole alongside Rick Eckert. At the drop of the green, Harris blasted into the lead. Eckert would slide back to fourth by lap ten, with Mars and Birkhofer filling the void. Mars and Birkhofer would swap the second spot a couple of times during the race. Mars got close enough to Harris to rub his bumper, but could not mount a pass for the lead.

Mars went on to finish in the runner-up spot. Birkhofer would settle for third, with Rick Eckert and Brady Smith taking fourth and fifth respectively.

Steve Francis started the race in fifth and finished sixth. Seventh was Chris Madden, followed by Steve Casebolt, Billy Moyer, and WoO LMS point leader Shannon Babb.

In all, thirty-seven drivers representing thirteen states took part in the World of Outlaws portion of the event. Babb set fast time with a lap of 15.347 seconds. Heat race wins went to Babb, Birkhofer, Francis, and Harris. B-mains were won by Tim Lance and Brian Shirley.

V-8 modifieds ran a 20-lap feature with Ryan Dolan of Lisbon, Ia. dominating the feature. Dolan started pole and survived the first couple of rough and tumble laps. As the race progressed, Dolan's only serious challenge would come from Thad Wilson. Dolan would cruise on to the win with Wilson a close second.

Tim Current would finish a distant third, as Milo Veloz Jr. and Jim Willert rounded out the top five.

Heat race wins went to Wilson, Current, Donovan Lodge, and Doug Crampton. Modified B-mains were won by Jeff Morris and Veloz.

The next race at the Davenport Speedway will be this Friday, May 11th.





World of Outlaw Late Models Series

Qualifying

1. Shannon Babb (IL) 15.347 seconds; 2. Brian Birkhofer (IA) 15.358; 3. Steve Francis (KY) 15,512; 4. Brian Harris (IA) 15.536; 5. Billy Moyer (AR) 15.683; 6. Jimmy Mars (WI) 15.710; 7. Brady Smith (WI) 15.754; 8. Rick Eckert (PA) 15.805; 9. Steve Casebolt (IN) 15.809; 10. Eddie Carrier Jr. (WV) 15.834; 11. Josh Richards (WV) 15.872; 12. Chub Frank (PA) 15.919; 13. Todd Shute (IA) 15.921; 14. Mike Mataragas (IL) 15.935; 15. Brian Shirley (IL) 16.002; 16. John Blankenship (WV) 16.011; 17. Tim Fuller (NY) 16.014; 18. Chris Madden (SC) 16.040; 19. Chris Simpson (IA) 16.079; 20. Denny Eckrich (IA) 16.146; 21. Darrell Lanigan (KY) 16.146; 22. Matt Miller (OH) 16.175; 23. Shane Clanton (GA) 16.235; 24. Dennis Erb Jr. (IL) 16.237; 25. Ray Guss Jr. (IL) 16.279; 26. Terry Neal (IA) 16.328; 27. Boone McLaughlin (IA) 16.381; 28. Jay Johnson (IA) 16.394; 29. Dave Eckrich (IA) 16.504; 30. Steve Ihm (WI) 16.517; 31. Clint Smith (GA) 16.587; 32. Eric Gustaf (IL) 16.740; 33. Jacob Murray (IA) 16.754; 34. Bill Koons (NE) 17.182; 35. Roy Mitchell (IN) 17.272; 36. Thad Wilson (IL) 19.899; 37. Tim Lance (IL) 61.388;


Heat 1: 1. Shannon Babb; 2. Billy Moyer; 3. Steve Casebolt; 4. Darrell Lanigan; 5. Todd Shute;

Heat 2: 1. Brian Birkhofer; 2. Jimmy Mars; 3. Chris Madden; 4. Eddie Carrier Jr.; 5. Terry Neal;

Heat 3: 1. Steve Francis; 2. Brady Smith; 3. Josh Richards; 4. Chris Simpson; 5. Brian Shirley;

Heat 4: 1. Brian Harris; 2. Rick Eckert; 3. Chub Frank; 4. Dennis Erb Jr.; 5. Denny Eckrich;

B-main #1: 1. Tim Lance; 2. Mike Mataragas; 3. Ray Guss Jr.; 4. Dave Eckrich; 5. Steve Ihm;

B-main #2: 1. Brian Shirley; 2. Denny Eckrich; 3. Boone McLaughlin; 4. Clint Smith; 5. Jay Johnson;

Feature: 1. Brian Harris; 2. Jimmy Mars; 3. Brian Birkhofer; 4. Rick Eckert; 5. Brady Smith; 6. Steve Francis; 7. Chris Madden; 8. Steve Casebolt; 9. Billy Moyer; 10. Shannon Babb; 11. Denny Eckrich; 12. Clint Smith; 13. Josh Richards; 14. Darrell Lanigan; 15. Brian Shirley; 16. Chub Frank; 17. Tim Lance; 18. Dennis Erb Jr.; 19. Eddie Carrier Jr.; 20. Mike Mataragas; 21. Shane Clanton; 22. Ray Guss Jr.; 23. Chris Simpson; 24. Bonne McLaughlin;



V-8 Modifieds
Heat 1: 1 Tim Current; 2. Troy Emerick; 3. Jim Willert; 4. Marty Thompson; 5. Bryan Rogers;
Heat 2: 1. Doug Crampton; 2. Bob Dominacki; 3. John Bull; 4. Dean Mahlstedt; 5. Bruce Hanford;
Heat 3; 1. Donovan Lodge; 2. Dan Chapman; 3. Ryan Dolan; 4. Jeff Morris; 5. Chris Stein;

Heat 4: 1 Thad Wilson; 2. Brandon Durbin; 3. Todd Bates; 4. Lonne Heap; 5. Jason Thompson;

B-Main #1; 1. Jeff Morris; 2. Marty Thompson; 3. Chris Stein; 4. Chad Patch; 5. Jeremy Gustaf;

B-Main #2: 1 Milo Veloz Jr.; 2. Dean Mahlstedt; 3. Bruce Hanford; 4. Bill Butteris; 5. Kevin Blum;

Feature: 1. Ryan Dolan; 2. Thad Wilson; 3. Tim Current; 4. Milo Veloz Jr.; 5. Jim Willert; 6. Doug Crampton; 7. Troy Emerick; 8. Donovan Lodge; 9. Jeff Morris; 10. Bruce Hanford; 11. Marty Thompson; 12. Chad Patch; 13. Chris Stein; 14. Mike Zemo Jr.; 15. John Bull; 16..Dan Chapman; 17. Bob Dominacki; 18. Todd Bates; 19. Dean Mahlstedt; 20. Brandon Durbin;