MUSKOGEE, OK (March 13, 2016) – VLR Point Leader XCR_Orso held off a powerful late race surge by defending champion SKM_18 to win the “Crank it Up 50” at Outlaw Motor Speedway on Sunday night. It was Orso’s third win of the season and the Herrin, ILL star banked $35 for his efforts, bringing his season earnings to $220 after seven events.
Orso powered through the field after starting fifth and worked his way by outside pole-sitter VLR_JW on lap 32. Dry conditions prevailed over the track and opened up the racing lanes and made the top and bottom grooves equally fast. Orso made the bottom line work all race and held off a strong rally from SKM_18 in the closing laps to get the win.
SKM_18 ended up second after working his way past JW in the late stages and quickly set his sights on Orso. However, Orso’s tires held up just long enough and he managed to edge the 18 machine to the line by half a second.
“We had a fast car tonight and I made a gamble on tire selection and was lucky it paid off. We went probably softer than anyone and so I knew I had to get to the front as quick as possible and try to get a big lead. It didn’t quite work out that way since I was battling with JW for most of the race, but we still managed to hang on and get the win.
“I saw Wheel (SKM_18) in the mirror getting bigger and bigger every lap up on the high side so I just prayed that we could hang on to it there and fortunately we did. I’d like to thank my sponsors, Scuf Gaming, Main Performance PC, Team XCR, Vic Hill Racing Engines, Simpson seats, and Team VLR for the show,” said the winner after the grueling 50 lap event.
SKM_18 came home second after methodically working his way up through the field. The 21 year-old Wisconsin driver made a late run at the leader Orso but came up short. Despite finishing second, he was not happy after the race as he felt he was being held up and getting raced too hard by third-place finisher JW.
The two hard-nosed drivers battled close in the final laps with neither wanting to give an inch. SKM_18 felt that he had the better car as his tires began to come in late, but the 70 machine of JW did not go without a fight.
“I would’ve won that race if JW wasn’t blocking and walling me every lap,” said the opinionated driver of the #18 Mopar Dirt Late Model. “He just can’t drive at all. I run him down up high and then he goes out of his way to make sure I can’t pass him. I knew after that we wouldn’t be able to get to Orso. Some guys just don’t know how to race.
“I’m not happy with second because I know we should’ve won the race, but good job to Orso since he found a way by JW. This track was really fun and my tires were perfect at the end but it’s hard to get up there and battle when you got somebody running over you every lap.”
Last week’s winner VLR_JW ended up in third place, but saw the battle with SKM_18 a little differently. “He (Wheel) will be OK. I let him pass me and everything to catch Orso but he’s always got to whine about something if he doesn’t get his way and win every race. I may have bumped him a few times but he did the same to me so there shouldn’t be a problem.
Completing the top ten were ICE_KG, VLR_LP, fast qualifier VLR_Shock, VLR_JJ, BLS_BW43, VLR_777 and DeadBolt.
In preliminary action, VLR_Shock, VLR_JW, and VLR_LastPlace won their respective heat races. BLS_BW43 and ICE_KingGinger won their respective B-Mains. KingGinger earned the hard charger award after powering from 8th to 4th in the feature.
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Full Results:
Pos Driver
1 XCR_Orso
2 SKM_18
3 VLR_JW
4 XCR_KingGinger
5 VLR_LastPlace
6 VLR_Shock
7 VLR_JJ
8 BLS_BW43
9 VLR_Atwood
10 DeadBolt
11 SKM_DS5
12 VLR_43a
13 XRL_blake28
14 VLR_Bubba
15 VLR_Rac
16 WFO_GetReal
17 War48
18 WFO*Duster
19 Heartland1
20 peanut
21 WFO_Gates
22 XRL_RB!
23 ICE_KK21JR