Tim McCreadie Fifth In Late Model Knoxville Nationals; Clinches Spot In Chase For The Championship
News Director 
Story By: BEN SHELTON / ROCKET1 RACING – SHINNSTON, WV – With a fifth-place finish in Saturday night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals Tim McCreadie clinched a spot in the 2024 Big River Steel Chase for the Championship presented by ARP.
McCreadie will now pursue his third-career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series title and his first aboard the Valvoline / Seubert Calf Ranches No. 1 Rocket1 Racing / Ace Metal Works / XR1 Rocket Chassis / Durham Racing Engine Super Late Model.
“I can’t say enough about this team, and how hard everybody worked to earn a spot in the championship field. I mean, it was a fire drill to get this deal in motion back in March and to now be standing where we are… it just says so much about everyone who works on and supports this team, and I’m thankful for each and every one of them,” McCreadie said. “It was definitely a nailbiter to see if we would have a good enough finish on Saturday night to get the final spot in the championship battle. We gave 110% effort and all the cards fell our way, so now we are excited to go after a title.”
Action with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) resumed for Rocket1 Racing and Tim McCreadie on Thursday evening with the opening round of the Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway.
Following a fifth-to-second heat race showing, McCreadie rode to a fifth-place finish in Thursday’s 25-lap preliminary feature. He trailed Jonathan Davenport, Bobby Pierce, Hudson O’Neal, and Devin Moran to the checkers.
In Friday’s prelim, Tim was on the unfortunate end of the invert after picking up a heat race win. Taking the green from 16th in the 25-lap preliminary feature, McCreadie climbed one position to finish 15th.
Locked into a second row, starting position for Saturday’s $50,000-to-win Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals finale via preliminary points tallied on Thursday and Friday, Tim raced to as high as the third position before crossing the finish line in fifth in a 75-lap finale that was temporarily preempted by rain.
McCreadie’s finish on Saturday secured the Rocket1 Racing team a Big Four LOLMDS playoff spot, and they will now compete in a seven-race battle for the $200,000 title.
McCreadie was the 2021 and 2022 LOLMDS Champion, while Rocket1 Racing won the title in 2023.
The team now turns their attention to a busy week of action this is scheduled to open on Wednesday at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway with a $20,000-to-win Castrol FloRacing Night in America presented by Kubota event.
After an off day on Thursday the LOLMDS will thunder into Brownstown Speedway on Friday and Saturday for the first two Big River Steel Chase for the Championship presented by ARP events. Friday’s third annual C.J. Rayburn Memorial posts a $10,000 winner’s check, while Saturday’s 45th annual Jackson 100 boasts an event-record $50,000 top prize.
