PORTSMOUTH, Ohio – Tim McCreadie earned the pole starting spot for the 40th annual General Tire Dirt Track World Championship presented by Optima Batteries on Friday night.
The New York native captured the first heat race after coming from the third starting spot in preliminary action at Portsmouth Raceway Park.
Brandon Overton will join McCreadie on the front row for Saturday’s $100,000-to-win season finale for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
McCreadie was the overall fast qualifier of the 63 entrants and had to spin the invert wheel, ultimately landing on an invert of three for the six heat races.
McCreadie worked his way from the third starting spot to win. He managed to get by polesitter Jimmy Owens in turn two and then battled with fellow Longhorn driver Zack Dohm for the race lead.
McCreadie pulled away from Dohm to take the victory in the first heat of the night. Zack Dohm’s father, Tim, held off Owens to get the third and final transfer spot.
In heat number two, Chris Ferguson led the entire distance of the 15-lap race. Chris Madden came home in second to earn his first DTWC start since 2006.
Darrell Lanigan, the 2003 DTWC victor, grabbed the third and final transfer spot.
The third heat went to three-time DTWC winner Scott Bloomquist. He took the victory over defending DTWC winner, Brandon Sheppard. Brian Shirley charged from his fifth starting spot to get the final transfer position.
The fourth heat saw Brandon Overton recover from a first-lap miscue to win. He got around Billy Moyer Jr. with two laps to go and race leader Steve Casebolt on the final lap to earn the front row starting spot alongside McCreadie.
Casebolt finished second followed by Moyer Jr., as both transferred into the DTWC.
The fifth heat saw Ricky Thornton Jr. use the inside route to take the win. Josh Richards followed Thornton Jr. across the finish to take second, while Robby Hensley took the final transfer position.
The sixth and final heat race of the night saw Mike Marlar take the win. Marlar led wire-to-wire for the victory in the 15-lap heat.
Boom Briggs finished second to advance to Saturday’s DTWC, with Jared Landers taking the third and final transfer spot.