Shane Clanton (left) and Mike Marlar (right) both scored World of Outlaws CASE Late Model victories over the weekend. Clanton won at River Cities Speedway on Friday, while Marlar took the victory at Red Cedar Speedway on Sunday. Photos: Jacy Norgaard
Shane Clanton and Mike Marlar topped World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series action over the weekend, as both made trips to victory lane.
Clanton was the winner on Friday night at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, North Dakota, while Marlar took the victory on Sunday night at Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie, Wisconsin.
On Friday night, Shane Clanton scored his first series victory since 2019, as he led all 40 laps at the 3/10-mile River Cities Speedway en route to the win.
“We came full circle,” the Zebulon, Georgia speedster said. “We hot lapped good, qualified on the pole, won our Heat, started on the pole, and won the race. When you have the fastest car in qualifying and the (heat race), you’re supposed to do that.
“I really thought we had the best car in the race; we just needed to be in the right lines. They said (Mike Marlar) was coming, but I didn’t move up until I had to, and I could just mash the gas. It was just right timing, I guess.”
Dennis Erb, Jr. challenged Clanton for the win in the race’s late stages, but in the end had to settle for second.
“Well, I saw a blue car, and I figured it was Dennis,” Clanton said. “I know Dennis runs the bottom real good, better than anyone in the business. I knew he was probably there and shut the door on him, and I caught a lap car on the last lap and said I’ve got to go because if I miss it, Dennis is going to drive by me off turn 4.
“I went to the middle, and I could just bend the floorboard then. It’s probably where I should’ve been the last five or six laps anyway. I just didn’t know to get up there.”
The win marks the 47th of Clanton’s series career his second at River Cities Speedway.
Marlar finished in third, with Tyler Bruening in fourth, and Tanner English in fifth.
The series was scheduled to compete on Saturday night at I-94 Sure Step Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, only to see the event washed out by heavy rain and thunderstorms. The race was been rescheduled for Tuesday, August 2.
On Sunday, Mike Marler recorded his second series win of the 2022 season at Red Cedar Speedway.
The Winfield, Tennessee driver started on the pole, but lost the lead to Ricky Weiss in the first few laps before he found the cushion on a lap 5 restart. That’s when he blasted past Weiss on the outside of turn 2 and held on to earn his 10th career series victory.
“When I took off, my right rear tire didn’t fire like I wanted it to,” Marlar said. “It was kind of just not going very good. So, when that happened, I was just kind of no good for a few laps there, and then we had that caution, and I scrubbed it around under caution and felt it was gripping a little better.”
While Marlar led 35 laps, Ryan Gustin challenged him for the lead on multiple occasions.
The Marshalltown, IA driver chased Marlar for more than 20 laps, banging the rear of his car off the wall lap after lap, until something broke in the rear-end of his Rocket chassis.
“Ryan really does an awesome job running the cushion,” Marlar said. “He’s a fierce competitor, and he’s not afraid to put (the car) in tight spots.
“When I saw it was him on the (scoreboard) and that he was running second, it changed my attitude for sure. I was kind of not really taking it easy, but I was driving pretty conservatively until I saw what he was doing. And then I knew it was game on from here on out.”
Weiss crossed the line second, with series points leader Dennis Erb, Jr. in third, Shane Clanton in fourth, and Jimmy Mars in fifth.
Up next, the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models travels to Boone Speedway in Boone, Iowa on Monday, July 25. For more information, visit WorldofOutlaws.com.
WoO CASE Late Model Series
River Cities Speedway – Grand Forks, ND
Race Results – July 15, 2022
1. 25-Shane Clanton
2. 28-Dennis Erb, Jr.
3. 157-Mike Marlar
4. 16-Tyler Bruening
5. 81E-Tanner English
6. 7-Ricky Weiss
7. 11-Gordy Gundaker
8. 19R-Ryan Gustin
9. B1-Brent Larson
10. 111V-Max Blair
11. 7P-Joey Pederson
12. 76-Blair Nothdurft
13. 12S-Brad Seng
14. 6M-Jeff Massingill
15. 10-Mike Balcaen
16. 99B-Boom Briggs
17. 55C-Chad Mahder
18. 5G-Scott Greer
19. 17-Mike Greseth
20. 1-Josh Richards
21. 21-Billy Moyer, Sr.
22. E85-Jason Strand
23. 70-Jesse Teunis
24. 5E-Shane Edginton
WoO CASE Late Model Series
Red Cedar Speedway – Menomonie, WI
Race Results – July 17, 2022
1. 157-Mike Marlar
2. 7-Ricky Weiss
3. 28-Dennis Erb, Jr.
4. 25-Shane Clanton
5. 28M-Jimmy Mars
6. 111V-Max Blair
7. 81E-Tanner English
8. 55C-Chad Mahder
9. 21-Billy Moyer, Sr.
10. B1-Brent Larson
11. 11-Gordy Gundaker
12. 1-Josh Richards
13. 99B-Boom Briggs
14. 28S-Sam Mars
15. 49-Jake Timm
16. 68-Mike Prochnow
17. 85-John Kaanta
18. 6M-Jeff Massingill
19. 90-Lance Matthees
20. 19R-Ryan Gustin
21. 11G-James Giossi
22. 29-Spencer Diercks
23. 7X-Jesse Glenz
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