skandal999
08-02-2011, 09:26 AM
New Egypt, NJ (July 30, 2011) – Tim McCreadie of Watertown, NY invaded the New Egypt Speedway Saturday night and picked up the first win of his career at the track pocketing a huge $20,000 for his efforts in the annual Friends of Mike 100 lap event. McCreadie topped a star studded field with a late race charge that saw him get within five car lengths of leader Billy Pauch before Pauch broke with 8 laps to go. McCreadie then overcame a final restart with 3 laps to go and then a near spin in turn four coming for the white flag to claim the popular victory.
“I thought I had made a $20,000 mistake,” explained a winded McCreadie in victory lane, “The car had almost stalled and was pointed toward the inside fence and I was just waiting to get run over when it suddenly came back to life and I was able to drive it off the corner and keep the lead. I wish Billy hadn’t broke, I was catching him and I was looking forward to racing him. I think we would have made it very interesting for the fans!”
David Van Horn and Mike Iles brought the 40 car field to the start with Van Horn taking the early lead while 3rd starter and defending Friends of Mike champ Willie Osmun moved into second. Osmun, who was the fastest car during the five heat races, wasted no time at all as he flew by Van Horn on lap 3 for the top spot. Osmun was looking to run away and hide, however 99 time career feature winner at NES Billy Pauch had other ideas. Pauch had started 12th and was 4th by lap 4 and looked to be the fastest car on the speedway as he ran down the leaders one at a time. Osmun proved to be the toughest of the group however as it took 4 laps of battling before Pauch assumed command on lap 10. Once in front Pauch raced away at will, and began lapping cars wholesale as the fans focused their attentions on some great battles going on behind him involving drivers such as Matt Sheppard, Stewart Friesen, Jeff Strunk, and Duane Howard. 19th starting Howard was very fast as he raced into 3rd behind Pauch and Friesen by lap 14. Howard was up to second by lap 30 and as they raced thru lapped traffic at halfway the top five were Pauch, Howard, Friesen, Strunk and McCreadie. On lap 60 McCreadie found traction on the very bottom groove and began his march to the front as in two laps he passed Strunk and Friesen and began to chase down Howard for second. It took about 10 laps to catch Howard, and another 10 to actually pass him as he finally made the move stick on lap 81. Once he got by Howard, his sights shifted ahead for the leader Pauch who was almost a straightaway out front. Quickly it became obvious to the crowd that McCreadie was very fast as he visibly was cutting into Pauch’s lead with each passing lap. With ten laps remaining only five car lengths separated the two and a showdown seemed imminent. But just as the crowd began to rise to their feet, the rear broke in Pauch’s #1, sending him coasting to the pits with just 8 laps remaining. The final caution with 3 laps left closed up the field and put the nine cars on the lead lap nose to tail for the restart. McCreadie raced away and seemed headed for a comfortable win when the car almost spun on the inside of turn four coming to the white flag. Somehow McCreadie overcame the bobble and as the car roared back to life he was able to correct and hold the lead. At the checkered flag it was McCreadie in the Salerno Racing/4-Star Transmissions #4 taking the victory and the $20,000 first prize. Duane Howard was fast all night long and raced home second, followed by an equally fast Stewart Friesen. 2007 NES champ Matt Sheppard raced home 4th followed by the March RoC winner at New Egypt Jeff Strunk fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Richie Pratt Jr., 2-time defending NES champ Rick Laubach, Danny Johnson, Ron John Koczon and Sam Martz.
“I thought I had made a $20,000 mistake,” explained a winded McCreadie in victory lane, “The car had almost stalled and was pointed toward the inside fence and I was just waiting to get run over when it suddenly came back to life and I was able to drive it off the corner and keep the lead. I wish Billy hadn’t broke, I was catching him and I was looking forward to racing him. I think we would have made it very interesting for the fans!”
David Van Horn and Mike Iles brought the 40 car field to the start with Van Horn taking the early lead while 3rd starter and defending Friends of Mike champ Willie Osmun moved into second. Osmun, who was the fastest car during the five heat races, wasted no time at all as he flew by Van Horn on lap 3 for the top spot. Osmun was looking to run away and hide, however 99 time career feature winner at NES Billy Pauch had other ideas. Pauch had started 12th and was 4th by lap 4 and looked to be the fastest car on the speedway as he ran down the leaders one at a time. Osmun proved to be the toughest of the group however as it took 4 laps of battling before Pauch assumed command on lap 10. Once in front Pauch raced away at will, and began lapping cars wholesale as the fans focused their attentions on some great battles going on behind him involving drivers such as Matt Sheppard, Stewart Friesen, Jeff Strunk, and Duane Howard. 19th starting Howard was very fast as he raced into 3rd behind Pauch and Friesen by lap 14. Howard was up to second by lap 30 and as they raced thru lapped traffic at halfway the top five were Pauch, Howard, Friesen, Strunk and McCreadie. On lap 60 McCreadie found traction on the very bottom groove and began his march to the front as in two laps he passed Strunk and Friesen and began to chase down Howard for second. It took about 10 laps to catch Howard, and another 10 to actually pass him as he finally made the move stick on lap 81. Once he got by Howard, his sights shifted ahead for the leader Pauch who was almost a straightaway out front. Quickly it became obvious to the crowd that McCreadie was very fast as he visibly was cutting into Pauch’s lead with each passing lap. With ten laps remaining only five car lengths separated the two and a showdown seemed imminent. But just as the crowd began to rise to their feet, the rear broke in Pauch’s #1, sending him coasting to the pits with just 8 laps remaining. The final caution with 3 laps left closed up the field and put the nine cars on the lead lap nose to tail for the restart. McCreadie raced away and seemed headed for a comfortable win when the car almost spun on the inside of turn four coming to the white flag. Somehow McCreadie overcame the bobble and as the car roared back to life he was able to correct and hold the lead. At the checkered flag it was McCreadie in the Salerno Racing/4-Star Transmissions #4 taking the victory and the $20,000 first prize. Duane Howard was fast all night long and raced home second, followed by an equally fast Stewart Friesen. 2007 NES champ Matt Sheppard raced home 4th followed by the March RoC winner at New Egypt Jeff Strunk fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Richie Pratt Jr., 2-time defending NES champ Rick Laubach, Danny Johnson, Ron John Koczon and Sam Martz.