Former WoO LMS Champion, Chili Bowl Winner Looking at Options Including a Return to NASCAR

WATERTOWN, N.Y. NOvember 20, 2008: If Tim McCreadie were to stop racing today, he would have accomplished more than many drivers combined. In 2006 alone, he earned the World of Outlaws Late Model Series title as well as a win at the prestigious Chili Bowl. This year alone, he took victories at the Knoxville Late Model Nationals, the Topless 100, the Jackson 100, and finished the season in Victory Lane at the Hagerstown Speedway in Maryland.

But T-Mac isn’t stopping today.

In fact, he’s hungrier than ever and is ready to move to the next level. In 2007, McCreadie ran six races in the NASCAR Nationwide, then Busch, Series for Richard Childress Racing. During that stretch he earned two top-15s at Gateway International Raceway and O’Reilly Raceway Park despite the fact he had never raced on pavement prior to his stint with the legendary team owner. Even with those strong performances, sponsorship could not be procured and McCreadie was released from RCR.

“I think it’s a sign of the economic times,” he said. “We couldn’t get the car sponsored, unfortunately, for a full season. I wasn’t the only one that lost out: Bobby Labonte ran four or five races and then they cut his schedule, too. I guess it really didn’t matter if you were a newcomer or a veteran who has won a bunch of races. It was just a tough deal all around.”

While he knows NASCAR provides more money and visibility, McCreadie has options. Moving to NASCAR has never been about leaving dirt racing; it has been about proving to himself and his fans that he can run with the best racers in the country.

“It was a new experience and I liked doing it,” he said. “But I’ve got a great late model team and I love driving midgets and modifieds and maybe I can jump into some pavement stuff here and there and have some fun doing that.”

T-Mac is riding a wave of momentum that hit full stride this summer when he won the Knoxville Late Model Nationals, topping some of the best in the business, including two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and former USAC Triple Crown winner Tony Stewart.

While Knoxville brings visions of sprint car racing to most, the Late Model Nationals at the historic track is building a reputation as one of the top races of the season. McCreadie understands this and is proud to add that win to his impressive racing resume.

“It’s pretty exciting to be able to win that race,” McCreadie said. “Josh (Richards) and I had a real good final two laps of the race. Until then, I thought we had a car that was really good and we got away from everybody. There were some challenges from Tony Stewart and a couple other guys, but that car was probably the best car I’ve had all year long.”

Not all of his highlights in 2008 have been on the track. Instead of racing at the Syracuse Mile last month, he provided analysis of the Rite Aid 200 for SPEED. While it was a fun and unique experience, McCreadie is quick to say his fans shouldn’t worry that he’ll be heading to the booth permanently anytime soon.

“It’s definitely a lot more nerve-wracking. It seems like there’s a lot more pressure on you when there’s only two people up there,” he said with a laugh. “It was a lot of fun and a great opportunity and I thank everyone who put that together. I know most of the guys who do the TV for SPEED and they would rather have me racing. It was fun to do it once.”

While his win at Hagerstown Speedway is scheduled to be his last start of the season, McCreadie said he would be interested in racing on Thanksgiving night at the Turkey Night midget race at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.). He would only make the trip, however, if he were provided with equipment capable of winning the race.

But no matter what he does in the waning weeks of 2008, one race ahead of all others looms before him: the Chili Bowl. He won the Golden Driller in 2006 in one of the most competitive fields in the event’s history and he would very much like to add his name to the list of racers with multiple wins at the Tulsa, Okla.-based race.

He doesn’t have a ride set in stone yet, but once again, the New York native has options. “I have to touch base with Steve Smith and see what his program’s going to be,” McCreadie said. “Unfortunately, he’s had to go back and forth to Australia a few times this year, so I don’t know what he’s got planned. I’ve got some people up here who might be interested in getting behind a team that I might be a part-owner of.

“The Chili Bowl is such an addictive race. I feel like if I can afford to own anything, I can afford to own a midget once a year. I can’t afford to own anything else! It doesn’t pay a lot to win, but when I won that race, it was one of the most amazing things I’ve done in my career, so I’m looking for a way to improve my program and win that thing again.”

Regardless of where and what he races next year, there are two things race fans can be assured of: T-Mac will race to win and he’ll do it on his terms.