The Pennsylvania native picks up his first World of Outlaws feature win of the season
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. - July 21, 2012 - Vindication. Atonement. Redemption.
Cody Darrah doesn't mind what his performance on Saturday is called because he ended the night covered in confetti in Victory Lane. Darrah captured his first World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series feature win of the season at the 11th annual Summer Nationals at Williams Grove Speedway - site of his first career Outlaws victory in 2009.
Sandwiched between those signature wins at a home track located a little more than a half hour from where he grew up, Darrah's life has been a roller coaster.
"It's awesome to be back home and it's even better to be on the frontstretch," Darrah said. "I got my first World of Outlaws win at this race in 2009 back in my dad's car. It's been a long road since then. We've had struggles."
Following the 2009 victory - another Summer Nationals event - Darrah was signed by NASCAR notable Kasey Kahne to pilot one of his sprint cars only to be devastated by a car crash on the way to the 2010 season opener.
Darrah returned from a broken leg near the end of the 2010 season for a handful of races before gutting through an up-and-down campaign last year. However, Darrah has found consistency throughout this season and he showcased it on a cool Saturday night in front of a nearly packed facility.
After Friday's opening round of the Summer Nationals was rained out, Darrah and the rest of the drivers were greeted with a wet track for most of Saturday. There wasn't much passing and track position was pivotal until the feature.
Darrah qualified 11th quickest of the 45 competitors to make the inversion. He then led all eight laps of his heat race after starting on the outside of the front row. That locked him into the dash, which he also started second after the No. 6 was draw for the dash inversion.
Darrah finished second to Gerard McIntyre, who claimed his first career World of Outlaws dash to earn the pole for the 30-lap feature. It didn't take long for Darrah to find the lead, which he never relinquished.
By the time the duo crossed the flag stand under the green flag, Darrah had the advantage. He began to pull away only to be slowed on the second lap for the first of seven cautions.
Jason Sides slid by McIntyre for the runner-up position on the restart as Darrah checked out. However, ninth-running Danny Holtgraver got into the wall in turn three on the fifth lap to bring out another caution.
Seventh-running Craig Dollansky spun in turn two on the restart, Fred Rahmer flipped violently down the backstretch on lap six while competing with Sammy Swindell just outside the top 10 and eighth-running Stevie Smith flipped in turn one on that restart to prompt an open red before the feature had completed six green-flag laps.
Dollansky then flipped in turn four on lap 13 and later crashed hard at the end of the backstretch on lap 20 to bring out two more red flags, which erased several car length leads for Darrah, who didn't mind.
"I really needed the race to play out the way it did without lapped traffic," he said. "Everything kind of worked in our favor tonight, so I'll take it."
The cautions also allowed several cars in the back to make runs toward the front of the field. Lucas Wolfe, World of Outlaws championship standings lead Steve Kinser, Donny Schatz, Cory Haas and Kerry Madsen each made a bid at a top 10 after starting 21st or worse.
Wolfe capitalized on a late rally to finish sixth after starting 22nd, Kinser charged from 23rd to seventh, Schatz ended 11 th after starting 25th, Haas advanced from 21st to 10th and Kerry Madsen earned the KSE Hard Charger Award after maneuvering from 27th to ninth.
Meanwhile, Sides held off Greg Hodnett in a close battle that didn't decide second place until the checkered flag.
"Our car we kind of set it up for the bottom," Sides said. "I know that some of the other guys like Hodnett and them got to running pretty good around the top. They were catching us. We're just happy to be here in second."
For Hodnett, it was his third podium finish in as many World of Outlaws races at Williams Grove Speedway this season.
"I think we were a little bit faster than Jason," he said. "He was just wide enough where I couldn't get by and I didn't want to crash. We made the best of it."
Kraig Kinser was fourth and Adam Wilt rounded out the top five.
Summer Nationals Notebook
NOTES - Steve Kinser was presented with a $10,000 bonus during the dash draw for being the championship points leader at the midpoint of the season. … Greg Hodnett earned his first quick time in qualifying with the World of Outlaws this season. … Adam Wilt claimed his first heat race victory, Kraig Kinser his sixth, Cody Darrah his fifth and Sammy Swindell his series-leading 14th of the season. … Chad Layton became the seventh different C Main winner in as many events this year. … Gerard McIntyre won his first dash of the season. … Danny Lasoski became the 30th different Last Chance Showdown winner of the season.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS - MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Cody Darrah; Comp Cams ($50 certificate): Jason Sides; Armor All (case of product): Jason Sides; STP ($50 cash): Jason Sides; UNOH ($50 cash): Lucas Wolfe; Gravely Tractors ($50 cash): Kerry Madsen; VP Racing Fuel ($50 cash): Kerry Madsen; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; JE Pistons (set of rings): Tyler Walker; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; Wix Filters ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; Superflow ($50 cash): Tyler Walker; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Ryan Smith; JE Pistons (set of rings): Daryn Pittman; MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Chad Kemenah; Klotz Synthetic Lubricants ($50 cash): Ryan Smith.
WINNERS - Sammy Swindell - 7 (Eldora Speedway on July 14, Lakeside Speedway on June 30, Red River Valley Speedway on June 16, Eldora Speedway on May 5, Knoxville Raceway on April 28, Missouri State Fair Speedway on April 20 and Merced Speedway on March 30); Craig Dollansky - 5 (Lernerville Speedway on July 17, I-96 Speedway on June 2, Hagerstown Speedway on May 20, Tri-State Speedway on April 21 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Kraig Kinser - 4 (Beaver Dam Raceway on July 7, Dodge City Raceway Park on June 23, River Cities Speedway on June 15 and Kokomo Speedway on June 5); Joey Saldana - 4 (Eldora Speedway on July 13, The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 25, Paducah International Raceway on April 13 and Perris Auto Speedway on March 10); Tim Kaeding - 3 (Cedar Lake Speedway on July 6, Thunderbowl Raceway on March 16 and The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 8); Steve Kinser - 3 (Dodge City Raceway Park on June 22, Orange County Fair Speedway on May 19 and Williams Grove Speedway on May 12); Kerry Madsen - 3 (Limaland Motorsports Park on July 11, Belleville High Banks on June 29 and Knoxville Raceway on June 9); Donny Schatz - 3 (Farmer City Raceway on April 25, Silver Dollar Speedway on March 23 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Chad Kemenah - 2 (Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 28 and Eldora Speedway on May 4); Cody Darrah - 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on July 21); Danny Dietrich - 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 10); Mark Dobmeier - 1 (Huset's Speedway on July 3); Danny Lasoski - 1 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 18); Paul McMahan - 1 (Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on May 16); Fred Rahmer - 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on May 11); Tony Stewart - 1 (Lernerville Speedway on July 17) and Brad Sweet - 1 (Clay County Fairgrounds on June 8).
TIME TRIALS - Greg Hodnett was the fastest qualifier around the half-mile oval with a time of 16.745 seconds to earn five championship points. Also earning points were Don Kreitz Jr. (4 points), Craig Dollansky (3), Joey Saldana (2) and Daryn Pittman (1).
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- Admin Account on Jul 23, 2012
- Article Date: 7/21/2012 by Shawn Miller - World of Outlaws