Story By: BEN SHELTON / ROCKET1 RACING – SHINNSTON, WV – Tim McCreadie claimed his first win with Rocket1 Racing in a big way on Saturday night with a $50,000 triumph in the 32nd annual Nutrien Ag Solutions Topless 100 aboard his Valvoline / Seubert Calf Ranches No. 1 Rocket1 Racing / Ace Metal Works / XR1 Rocket Chassis / Durham Racing Engine Super Late Model.
The victory marked McCreadie’s second Topless 100 title and the 38th series win of his career. He took the lead on lap 65 and led the rest of the way to claim the triumph.
“I don’t know what to say. It was a grueling race, beating the cushion down for that many laps is way quicker than it’s been since probably the last time I won here. Hats off to this Rocket1 (Racing) team, it’s been a grind. I will tell you these guys haven’t had one bad day, if they did, I would never know it. They do have their faith in me, and I have my faith in them. I told people it’s going to take a little longer when you’ve got two strong-willed guys like me and Mark. It’s been a work in progress; he set down and built this new XR1.2. It’s been bad fast since we’ve got it off the truck,” said the Watertown, New York driver.
Tim McCreadie and the Rocket1 Racing team invaded Batesville Motor Speedway (Locust Grove, Ark.) on Friday afternoon to compete in the 32nd annual Nutrien Ag Solutions Topless 100 presented by Big River Steel.
With 54 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) entries amassed at the 3/8-mile oval for Friday’s preliminary night, McCreadie claimed the Allstar Performance Fast Time Award in time trials with a scorching 13.689-second lap. Starting on the pole of his heat race, McCreadie advanced into the 30-lap prelim with a flag-to-flag victory. With a $5,000 payday up for grabs, Tim rolled to a consistent third-place finish, joining race-winner Ricky Thornton Jr. and Dale McDowell on the podium.
Locked into the second row for Saturday night’s Topless 100 finale, McCreadie tracked down pole-starting Ricky Thornton Jr. after a lap-41 caution and led the ensuing 16 circuits before Thornton regained the lead. Remaining composed after losing the top spot to Thornton amid lapped traffic, Tim inherited the top spot on lap 65 and paced the remainder of the 100-lap affair to secure the $50,000 top prize and his first win with the Rocket1 Racing team.
McCreadie notched his 38th-career LOLMDS triumph ahead of Jonathan Davenport, Garrett Alberson, Ethan Dotson, and Ricky Thornton Jr.
Tim McCreadie sits fourth in the latest LOLMDS championship points.
The team has a trio of races in Pennsylvania on the schedule for this week. Action opens on Wednesday at Lernerville Speedway (Sarver, Pa.) with the Castrol FloRacing Night in America presented by Kubota miniseries. The program pays $20,000 to win.
On Friday and Saturday the action shifts to Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) Rumble By the River doubleheader. The opening round pays $10,000-to-win, while Saturday’s finale posts a $50,000 top prize.