April 28, 2012 - Now Bub McCool likes Tazewell Speedway.

He really, really likes it.

After McCool scored his first career World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory in Saturday night’s ‘Outlaw Sizzler 50’ presented by Rusty Wallace Cadillac-GMC-Kia of Morristown, the intimidating high-banked bullring forever earned a special place in his heart.

“I come in here having been here one time,” said McCool, whose previous visit to the third-mile oval came in 2011. “I wasn’t really happy with (the challenging track) because of just not having laps. But it turned out good (on Saturday). I’m starting to like this place.”

McCool, 34, of Vicksburg, Miss., solidified his status as the 2012 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year frontrunner with a flawless performance. He surged into the lead from the pole position at the initial green flag and never looked back, holding off repeated challenges from dirt Late Model legend Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn. – a master of the third-mile Tazewell oval – to emerge triumphant in a caution-free race that was completed in a tour-record 10 minutes, 47.989 seconds.

Racing in front of a crowd that promoter Gary Hall called the biggest in the history of the track, McCool steered his family-owned Victory Circle car across the finish line with a slim edge of 0.281 of a second over Bloomquist’s self-built machine.

Former WoO LMS champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., who started fourth, finished third in a Rocket, close behind the leaders after chasing them for the entire distance. Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., who won the 2011 WoO LMS event at Tazewell, placed fourth in a Team Zero by Bloomquist car and former track champion Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, Tenn., settled for a fifth-place finish in his Rocket after starting third.

While many observers expected another conquest of Tazewell by Bloomquist after he drew the outside-pole starting spot, but McCool would have none of that. He kept Bloomquist at bay throughout the fast-paced event.

“I knew if I could just beat him to that first corner (at the start) and stay ahead until it started rubbering up and not make no mistakes – do my job like I was supposed to – I didn’t think he could get around me,” McCool said of Bloomquist. “We just took it easy, saved our tires and ended up with a win.”

After Bloomquist was unable to mount a serious challenge on the final lap, McCool headed to Victory Lane as this season’s eighth different winner in nine WoO LMS A-Mains. He also became the 45th driver to claim victory on the national tour since 2004.

“It means a lot to win our first World of Outlaws over Bloomquist at a track where he’s real good,” said McCool, who earned $10,550 – the first five-figure race payday of his driving career. “Our goal this year was to win the rookie deal and hopefully win at least one race during the season. Now that we’ve got a win, hopefully this will lead us to (the Rookie of the Year honor).”

McCool entered the 2012 season having entered 16 WoO LMS events and made 10 A-Mains. He never finished better 11th in a WoO LMS show until placing a sterling third on Feb. 17 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.

The victory also vaulted McCool from eighth to fifth in the WoO LMS points standings.

Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., a fan favorite and big winner at Tazewell, fought hard to secure a sixth-place finish after starting 12th. Defending WoO LMS champion Rick Eckert of York, Pa., slipped from the fifth starting spot to a seventh-place finish, followed by Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., Eric Jacobsen of Sea Cliff Beach, Calif., and Brad Neat of Dunnville, Ky., who won his first-ever WoO LMS A-Main the previous night at North Alabama Speeday in Tuscumbia, Ala.

Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., who won the 2010 WoO LMS event at Tazewell, appeared to be a serious contender again after finishing second in his heat race. But engine problems forced his crew to swap in a backup powerplant – work that wasn’t completed until the A-Main starting field was saluting the fans with a four-wide pace lap.

Since Clanton reported late to the A-Main lineup, series rules necessitated that he relinquish his sixth starting spot and tag the back of the field. He managed only a 19th-place finish.

Clanton’s Kennedy Motorsports teammate, John Lobb of Frewsburg, N.Y., also was struck by terminal engines woes midway through the night. He pitted and returned on the lead lap but settled for a fourth-place finish.

The caution-free A-Main supplanted the May 30, 2006, WoO LMS 50-lapper at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., as the fastest feature ever run on the World of Outlaws trail. That race on a quarter-mile oval saw Lanigan take the win in 11 minutes, 36.143 seconds.

Bloomquist was quickest of 32 entrants in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, blistering his home-state track in 11.599 seconds. It was his first WoO LMS fast-time honor of 2012 and the ninth of his career.

Heat winners were Bloomquist, Jacobsen, McCool and Madden. The B-Mains were captured by Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga., and Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier, Ark.

The WoO LMS will remain in the Southeast for two another weekend doubleheader, visiting 311 Motor Speedway in Pine Hall, N.C., on Fri., May 4, and Swainsboro (Ga.) Raceway on Sat., May 5.

For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.

Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and Facebook at Facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws .

Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘Outlaw Sizzler 50 presented by Rusty Wallace Cadillac-GMC-Kia of Morristown’ at Tazewell Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):

1. (1) Bub McCool/50 $10,550

2. (2) Scott Bloomquist/50 $5,200

3. (4) Darrell Lanigan/50 $3,650

4. (8) Chris Madden/50 $2,500

5. (3) Billy Ogle Jr./50 $2,500

6. (12) Jimmy Owens/50 $1,700

7. (5) Rick Eckert/50 $2,050

8. (10) Jonathan Davenport/50 $1,300

9. (7) Eric Jacobsen/50 $1,200

10. (11) Brad Neat/50 $1,100

11. (16) Greg Johnson/50 $1,250

12. (14) Vic Hill/50 $1,000

13. (11) Vic Coffey/50 $1,550

14. (13) Mike Marlar/50 $1,450

15. (18) Jack Sullivan/50 $850

16. (17) Clint Smith/50 $1,350

17. (22) Chub Frank/50 $1,320

18. (21) Tim Fuller/50 $1,300

19. (6) Shane Clanton/50 $1,280

20. (19) Kent Robinson/50 $700

21. (20) Bryan Hendrix/50 $700

22. (24) John Lobb/50 $700

23. (15) Tim McCreadie/18 $1,350

24. (23) Pat Doar/6 $1,250

NOTE: Clanton forfeited his sixth starting spot and tagged the rear of the field after reporting late to the A-Main lineup while completing an engine change

* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses

Time of Race: 10 Mins., 47.989 Secs.

Margin of Victory: 0.281 Secs.

Yellow Flags: None

Lap Leaders: McCool (1-50)

Provisional Starters: Doar, Lobb

WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Ogle ($500)

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

1. 0-Scott Bloomquist/Mooresburg, TN 11.599

2. 5J-Eric Jacobsen/Sea Cliff Beach, CA 11.604

3. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 11.647

4. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 11.665

5. 41-Brad Neat/Dunnville, KY 11.706

6. 201-Billy Ogle Jr./Knoxville, TN 11.711

7. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 11.718

8. 44M-Chris Madden/Gray Court, SC 11.739

9. 5b-Mike Marlar/Winfield, TN 11.579

10. 1V-Vic Hill/Morristown, TN 11.759

11. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 11.768

12. 20-Jimmy Owens/Newport, TN 11.806

13. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 11.845

14. 7R-Kent Robinson/Bloomington, IN 11.850

15. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 11.866

16. 49-Greg Johnson/Bedford, IN 11.875

17. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 11.891

18. 15-Jonathan Davenport/Blairsville, GA 11.897

19. 90J-Jason Trammell/Knoxville, TN 11.907

20. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 12.038

21. 28L-John Lobb/Frewsburg, NY 12.039

22. 14-Terry Wolfenbarger/Powell, TN 12.052

23. 5-Bryan Hendrix/Knoxville, TN 12.074

24. 1s-Jack Sullivan/Greenbrier, AR 12.076

25. 1W-Dillon Wood/New Smyrna Beach, FL 12.134

26. 3-Steve Smith/Powell, TN 12.150

27. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 12.202

28. 28-Jeff Wolfenbarger/Clinton, TN 12.225

29. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 12.245

30. 17-Shannon Thornsberry/Martin, KY 12.346

31. 22-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 12.712

32. J12-Jeff Franklin/10 Mile, TN 12.767

Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Bloomquist, Lanigan, Neat, Marlar, C. Smith, Fuller, Lobb, Wood

Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Jacobsen, Ogle, Davenport, Hill, Robinson, T. Wolfenbarger, S. Smith, Thornsberry

Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): McCool, Clanton, Coffey, McCreadie, Hendrix, Trammell, Doar, George

Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Madden, Eckert, Owens, Johnson, Sullivan, Frank, J. Wolfenbarger, Franklin

B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): C. Smith, Robinson, Fuller, T. Wolfenbarger, S. Smith, Wood, Thornsberry, Lobb

B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Sullivan, Hendrix, Frank, Trammell, Doar, J. Wolfenbarger, Franklin, George

The 4 Cylinder class got the opportunity to qualify for their feature, and the 99 of Chuck McMahan broke the track qualifying record with a lap of 14.484 seconds. On the start of the feature, the C11 of Michael Courtney, who was also under the track qualifying record in time trials, took the lead into turn one. The events only caution drew at lap 8 for a hard crash in turn four for the 44J of Jeromy Collins, ending his night. Courtney would lead the last laps en route to his flag-to-flag victory.

Four Cylinders Results:

1. C11 - Michael Courtney
2. 99 - Chuck McMahan
3. 01 - Rocky McNabb
4. B7 - Bubby Braden
5. 72 - Rufus Collett
6. 13 - John Collett
7. 1 - Mark Wallace
8. 44J - Jeromy Collins
9. 007 - Hayston Collett
10. 20 - Shane Taylor

Modified Street time trials wound up with the P21 of Robbie Buchanan setting fast time at 13.799 seconds. On the initial start, the second fast qualifier Larry Burke spun out of two. The field was lined back up for a complete restart. On the restart, Buchanan pulled into turn one first grabbing the lead from the high side. The feature ran twenty caution-free laps with Buchanan taking the flag-to-flag victory.

Modified Street Results:

1. P21 - Robbie Buchanan
2. 54 - Larry Burke
3. 4 - Clyde Overholt
4. 33 - Warren McMahan
5. 56 - Tony Horton
6. 14 - Wayne Overholt
7. B2 - Bo Smith
8. 1 - Scott Johnson
9. 66 - Daniel Reece
10. 56H - Jordan Horton
DNS - 86 - Brandon Jarnigan

The final feature of the night was the Classics. Robbie Sands claimed fast time in time trials with a lap of 14.349 seconds. The event was slowed by two cautions, both by single car spin from Eli Keck and Jason Beeler. However, no one proved to be a match for Sands as he cruised to the victory. After some rule/protest debating, the protest was called off and Sands was declared the winner making that three in a row for the 17 crew.

Classic Car Results:

1. 17 - Robbie Sands
2. 34 - Phillip Shockley
3. 59 - Shawn Walton
4. 1 - Shane Lockhart
5. 3 - Jason Beeler
6. 8 - Daris Braden
7. 18 - Eli Keck
8. 20 - Matt Tharp
9. 7 - Joe Keck

Gary Hall would like to thank all the great fans for their support in forming the largest crowd ever in Tazewell Speedway history. Mr. Hall and the rest of the Tazewell Speedway crew would like to invite everyone back out this Saturday night as we return to our weekly racing program featuring the Tazewell Late Models, Modified Street, Pure Street, Classics, and 4 Cylinders.