Rick Eckert of York captured the World of Outlaws late model championship and $100,000 during the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday night.
Eckert appeared headed to a runner-up finish in the points until the final lap of the 50-lap late model feature on Saturday night.
Two-time champion Josh Richards was several spots ahead of Eckert and looked like he was going to make it three straight titles. However, Richards blew a right rear tire on the final lap allowing Eckert to drive by and capture the point title.
Eckert went into the weekend leading the points by 14 over Richards, but lost ground after the Friday night results. He was only two points ahead going into the Saturday night finale.
A fourth turn crash on lap 37 nearly collected both drivers and there was contact made as they made their way through the accident scene and that could have led to the flat tire for Richards. Eckert ended up 12th and Richards was 18th.
Eckert was the winner of the Selinsgrove Speedway Late Model Open back in October.
Jimmy Owens won the late model feature on Saturday and Jonathan Davenport won on Friday.
Donny Schatz swept the sprint car portion of the World Finals with feature wins on Friday and Saturday. Schatz, a four-time Outlaw sprint car champion, settled for second in this year's points behind Jason Meyers, who secured his second straight title by simply starting on Friday night.
Sammy Swindell, Meyers, Craig Dollansky and Joey Saldana followed Schatz on Friday night. Steve Kinser and Dollansky ran second and third on Saturday. Red Lion's Cody Darrah and Thomasville's Greg Hodnett completed the top five.
The northeast sprint car season comes to an end this weekend with the Final Showdown at Susquehanna Speedway Park on Saturday afternoon. The 410 and 358 sprints will be in competition.
Hagerstown Speedway will run its rescheduled Octoberfest this weekend featuring the sprints, late models, big block and small block modifieds. Qualifying will be held on Saturday afternoon and then features on Sunday afternoon. The sprint cars will qualify and run their 50-lap main event on Sunday due to the race at Susquehanna.
Racing Recap
World of Outlaws World Finals
The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, N.C.
Friday
Sprints, 30 laps: 1. Donny Schatz. 2. Sammy Swindell. 3. Jason Meyers. 4. Craig Dollansky. 5. Joey Saldana. 6. Sam Hafertepe Jr. 7. Steve Kinser. 8. Daryn Pittman. 9. Paul McMahon. 10. Chad Kemenah.
Fast Time: Hafertepe Jr., 12.667.
Heats: Pittman, Schatz, McMahon, Dollansky, Swindell.
D-main: Ryan Myers.
C-main: David Gravel.
Last Chance: Hafertepe Jr.
Dash: Schatz.
Late Models, 50 laps: 1. Jonathan Davenport. 2. Steve Shaver. 3. Dale McDowell. 4. Chris Madden. 5. Austin Hubbard. 6. Josh Richards. 7. Scott Bloomquist. 8. Dennis Erb Jr. 9. Vic Coffey. 10. Jimmy Owens.
Fast Time: Richards, 15.126.
Heats: Richards, Davenport, Hubbard, McDowell, Madden, Bloomquist.
B-mains: Morgan Bagley, Mike Marlar, Pat Doar.
Modifieds, 40 laps: 1. Tim McCreadie. 2. Matt Sheppard. 3. Tim Fuller. 4. Jimmy Horton. 5. Jimmy Phelps. 6. Justin Haers. 7. Gary Tomkins. 8. Kenny Tremont Jr. 9. Billy Dunn. 10. Brett Hearn.
Fast Time: Sheppard, 15.553.
Heats: Phelps, Fuller, Hearn, Sheppard.
Saturday
Sprints, 30 laps: 1. Donny Schatz. 2. Steve Kinser. 3. Craig Dollansky. 4. Cody Darrah. 5. Greg Hodnett. 6. Sammy Swindell. 7. Kerry Madsen. 8. Jason Meyers. 9. Kraig Kinser. 10. Chad Kemenah.
Fast Time: Meyers, 12. 662.
Heats: Ian Madsen, Dollansky, Kemenah, Darrah, Danny Holtgraver.
D-main: Brian Brown.
C-main: Shane Stewart.
Last Chance: Ed Lynch Jr.
Dash: Madsen.
Late Models, 40 laps: 1. Jimmy Owens. 2. Scott Bloomquist. 3. Jonathan Davenport. 4. Steve Shaver. 5. Dennis Erb Jr. 6. John Blankenship. 7. Chub Frank. 8. Darrell Lanigan. 9. Earl Pearson Jr. 10. Eddie Carrier Jr.
Fast Time: Davenport, 15. 057.
Heats: Davenport, Bloomquist, Shaver, Will Vought, Blankenship, Owens.
B-mains: Dale McDowell, Rick Eckert, Vic Coffey.
Modifieds, 40 laps: 1. Tim McCreadie. 2. Matt Sheppard. 3. Billy Decker. 4. Jimmy Phelps. 5. Tim Fuller. 6. Justin Hears. 7. Brett Hearn. 8. Pete Britten. 9. Gary Tomkins. 10. Larry Wight.
Heats: Sheppard, McCreadie, Phelps, Decker.