EASTABOGA, Ala. — Tim McCreadie led all the way for his sixth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season Saturday night at Talladega Short Track.
With the victory, McCreadie now has a 215-point advantage over Brandon Sheppard heading into next week’s season finale at Portsmouth Raceway Park.
Ricky Thornton Jr. tracked down McCreadie in the final stages of the race, finishing 0.661 seconds behind the 48-year-old New York racer.
Dale McDowell finished in third followed by Garrett Alberson and Brandon Sheppard. Michael Page, a multi-time Ice Bowl winner at Talladega, crossed the finish line in fourth but was disqualified after failing post-race droop check.
McCreadie had to fight lapped traffic late in the race but held on for the win.
“I was trying to get by Ross [Robinson] there and I know he was trying to lay low down the straightaway and let me get a good run on the outside,” McCreadie said. “Ross was trying to help me out, but I just figured if I backed up a little bit and let him get out a little further maybe it won’t mess me up so much in the middle so once I did that I thought just stay where you are, and we got it done.”
Thornton, with his runner-up finish looks to secure third place in the championship points heading to Portsmouth next week where he will defend his Dirt Track World Champion title.
“I thought about one time a Hail Mary on the top in three and four,” Thornton said. “Then I thought better of it. I was like at this point if I could run second, it was a lot better than destroying a car. We’ll take it. T-Mac was really good. The only reason I got close to him was because of lapped traffic.”
The finish:
Tim McCreadie, Ricky Thornton Jr., Dale McDowell, Garrett Alberson, Brandon Sheppard, Spencer Hughes, Tyler Erb, Ross Bailes, Dylan Knowles, Earl Pearson Jr., Chris Mullinax, Ryan Wilson, Ross Robinson, Chase Oliver, Sam Seawright, Brandon Overton, Dillon Tidmore, Todd Morrow, Daulton Wilson, Scott Crigler, Hudson O’Neal, Dalton Cook, Shane Clanton, Michael Page.