By Ben Shelton-Hazard, Kentucky (04/30/13) – Eric Wells’ World of Outlaws (WoO) Super Late Model Series weekend tour through Tennessee may have started on a sour note in his #18 Wells Motorsports/Bloomquist/Roush Yates Racing Engine Super Late Model, but it concluded with a $10,000 payday, which marked the biggest of his career.
The World of Outlaws (WoO) Super Late Model tour took Wells Motorsports to Smoky Mountain Speedway (Maryville, Tennessee) on Friday night for a $10,000-to-win event at the 1/2 mile oval. Thirty-five Super Late Models registered for competition, and Eric’s night began on a sour note as the team discovered a broken fuel pump, while warming the engine for hot laps. As a result as a precautionary measure the back-up car was unloaded. Despite having no laps on the car Wells registered the seventh fastest time in his group in qualifications to earn the fourth starting spot for the first heat race. He went on to finish third in his heat to lock into the eleventh starting spot for the 50 lap feature. Unfortunately Eric’s bad luck would not be over as he slowed on lap 18 with mechanical issues that sidelined him to a 23rd place finish in the final rundown.
After seeing Saturday night’s WoO show washed away by rain at Tazewell Speedway Eric Wells made the trip to Duck River Speedway (Wheel, Tennessee) on Sunday evening for a $10,000-to-win event. By the time the final checkered flag of the evening had dropped he had claimed the biggest win of his young career!
Thirty Super Late Models entered the program, and after qualifying ninth fastest Eric finished fourth in his heat race to lock into the twelfth starting spot for the 50 lap finale. During the race’s early stages Wells raced in the top ten before working his way into the fourth position late in the event. It appeared that he was on his way to a fourth place finish, before disaster struck for the lead trio with just three laps remaining as leader, Josh Richards, made contact with a lap car. A melee ensued, which collected Richards, Rick Eckert, and Scott James. With the top three involved in the accident Eric inherited the lead and went on to lead the final three laps to claim the win, which came over Darrell Lanigan, Tim McCreadie, Tyler Reddick, and Tim Fuller.
“We had a pretty good car from the drop of the green,” said Wells, who earned a career-high paycheck of $10,800. “I don’t think I had the car to win if not for the misfortune of (the top three), but sometimes you gotta have luck on your side and tonight we did. I couldn’t be any happier to win a World of Outlaws race this early in our first season (as a regular).”
With the win Wells is now sixth in the latest tour standings, and continues to lead the way in the WoO Rookie standings. Full results from all three events and complete series’ standings are available at www.WoOLMS.com .
Eric will look to use his momentum to find victory lane again on the WoO Super Late Model tour as he enters a pair of $10,000-to-win events this weekend, May 3rd-4th. On Friday night the WoO competitors invade Lavonia Speedway (Lavonia, Georgia) before tackling Swainsboro Raceway (Swainsboro, Georgia) on Saturday evening. For more information on the events please visit www.WoOLMS.com .
Eric Wells would like to thank his sponsors and marketing partners including Wells Motorsports, Bloomquist Race Cars, Roush Yates Racing Engines, Schaeffer’s Lubricants, Ohlins, Hazard Motors, Base Fuels, All Star Performance, Convenient Lube, Cox Wrecker Service, ASI Racewear, CV Products, Dart, Dyer’s Top Rods, Expressions Floral & Gift, Skillsaw Designs, Performance Bodies, Peterson Fluid Systems, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sweet Manufacturing, Wiles Driveshafts, and MSRMafia.com Marketing Services.
For the latest information on Eric Wells and Wells Motorsports, please visit www.EricWells18.com .