McCreadie returns to DIRT roots

Tim McCreadie's racing career hit a snag early this season, but only briefly.

The Watertown native has returned to DIRT Motorsports World of Outlaws late model racing after spending most of the 2007 season as a developmental driver for NASCAR's Richard Childress Racing (RCR).

Early this year, McCreadie was in limbo, not knowing if he would be racing in any of the several NASCAR divisions. Lack of sponsorship money was the reason that RCR gave for not having McCreadie racing for them this season.

Had McCreadie been able to find a sponsor that wanted to part with a few million, he might be still racing for RCR. That never happened, so McCreadie is back racing a late model for Sweeteners Plus of Avon.

In his last race, McCreadie finished second in a late model series race at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. His last win came over a week ago in a UMP (United Midwest Promoters) race in Arkansas. He collected $25,000 for that win and his team won $5,100 for the second-place finish in Tennessee.

He said there has been little communication between him and Richard Childress, although he did see the race-car owner at a late model race recently and they exchanged pleasantries.

"We didn't talk racing,'' McCreadie said. "I'm focusing on winning late model races now.''

He said it took awhile to get his two-man team together for the late model tour. Al Stevens is his pit crewman. "It's just a two-man operation, me and Al,'' McCreadie said.

Following his win in Arkansas, McCreadie told Arkansas Democrat and Gazette reporter Steve Rogers that he was happy being back on the late model tour.

"To heck with the asphalt guys if they don't want me around,'' said a laughing McCreadie. "The only way I know how to be is to have fun and live life to the fullest. I love dirt racing. I love the dirt people. I love the sport.''

BIG-BLOCK MODIFIED NEWS

The 200-lap modified features begin next month with racing at Lebanon Valley Speedway and Rolling Wheels Raceway Park.

They will kick off the high-dollar Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series in September with nationally recognized events at the New York State Fairgrounds and Orange County Fair Speedway, closing out the DIRTcar Racing's 33rd consecutive season of operation in October.

The Rite Aid 200 at the Fairgrounds on Oct. 12 in Syracuse continues to rank among the most prestigious dirt races in the country. The Eastern States 200 at Orange County in Middletown, plus the Coors National 200 at Lebanon Valley on Sept. 6 and the World Series Weekend at Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge on Sept. 27 are the only 200-lap races on the annual tour.

EVERNHAM AT OSWEGO

Ray Evernham, co-owner of the NASCAR Budweiser No. 9 driven by Kasey Kahne, will again try his hand at driving at the Oswego Speedway during Budweiser Classic Week on Friday. Evernham was on hand with team driver Erin Crocker on June 21st when rain washed away the program. Evernham and Crocker will be back with their car to compete in the Tobias race car on Friday.

The Tobias SpeedSTR's highlight the program Friday along with the 15th Burke's Do-It Best winged Super National 50. Saturday is the Bud Pole Night with the Race of Champions Parts Plus 125 along with the Buckeye super sprints. The Budweiser Classic time trials first round and the small-block supermodified time trials will also be held.

On Sunday, the program begins with the Budweiser Classic time trials (2nd round) and the consolation races for the supermodifieds and small-block supermodifieds. The small-block supermodified 100-lap race will be held with the 52nd annual Budweiser Classic 200 concluding the three days of racing.