CONCORD, N.C. — Shane Clanton secured his 35th World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series fast time during qualifying night for the World of Outlaws World Finals presented by Can-Am at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Thursday.
Clanton powered his No. 25 Weldbank Energy/Capital Race Cars machine to a fast lap of 14.620 seconds (98.495 mph) around the four-tenths-mile oval in Flight-B of time trials, topping a field of 76 drivers in attendance for the season-ending event.
The Georgia driver is, surprisingly, looking for his first World of Outlaws win of the season.
“I think it’s very important (to start up front),” said Clanton. “Clean air here is big. Hopefully we can get the lead there in the heat race and drive off. Our car is good — it’s turning good — so you just hold it on the mat. We’ll wait until tomorrow and see what we’ve got.
“My goal is always to set the track record everywhere we go … and I guess we didn’t do that tonight, but I don’t know what they can do to slow this place down. Maybe we can even go faster if everybody frees the car up.”
The three fastest drivers on the overall qualifying rostrum for Friday’s program came out of Flight-B time trials, with local favorite Chris Ferguson landing second-quick and defending series champion Brandon Sheppard coming in third on the board.
Flight-A fast qualifier Dale McDowell was fourth in the combined order and Scott Bloomquist completed the top five.
Newly-crowned World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series champion Donny Schatz was sixth-quick for the Friday program, followed by Chris Madden, Earl Pearson Jr., Dakotah Knuckles and series point leader Mike Marlar.
Marlar made up for a poor qualifying effort the first time out with a stellar one in time trials for the Saturday show, however, as he powered to the fastest lap of the night in Flight-A at 14.536 seconds (99.064 mph) in his familiar No. 157 late model.
Bloomquist, Tyler Bare, Jonathan Davenport and Casey Roberts completed the top five.
Just after the conclusion of Flight-A time trials for Saturday’s program, the skies opened up and rain began to drench The Dirt Track at Charlotte, postponing the remainder of qualifying until Saturday following the conclusion of the Super DIRTcar Series Last Chance Showdowns.
For complete qualifying results, advance to the next page.
