7/20/2012
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Birkhofer and Reddick on Front Row for Silver Dollar Nationals
GREENWOOD, NE (July 20, 2012) – Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA and Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA will start on the front row for Saturday Night’s Second Annual Silver Dollar Nationals at I-80 Speedway. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and Lucas Oil MLRA sanctioned event will pay $25,000 to win.
Of the ten heat races run on Friday Night, only Birkhofer and Reddick were able to win both of the heats they competed in. The top-18 in passing points after Friday’s preliminaries will make up the first nine rows of the 80-lap main event on Saturday. Both rounds of action-packed heat races were witnessed by a very large crowd.
Reddick came from the farthest back to win his heat race, as he started eighth and captured one of the opening round heats. Steve Francis of Ashland, KY, who won his heat after starting in sixth, will start third in the Silver Dollar Nationals alongside; will be Hall of Famer, Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR. Moyer claimed a heat race win in round two after finishing second in his first heat after starting ninth.
Defending Silver Dollar Nationals winner, Don O’Neal of Martinsville IN will start fifth in the MasterSbilt House Car with veteran Terry Phillips of Springfield, MO lined up next to him. O’Neal, who is currently second in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series point’s standings, leads the series with nine victories in 2012. O’Neal won the only other LOLMDS sanctioned race ever held in the state of Nebraska, when he was victorious at Junction Motor Speedway in 2005.
Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series point’s leader, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN will start 16th right in front of current Lucas Oil MLRA point’s leader, John Anderson of Omaha, NE, who fires off 18th on the grid.
In preliminary action, Jimmy Owens, Eric Wells, Steve Francis, Tyler Reddick, and Brian Birkhofer won their respective heat races in the first round. Billy Moyer, Brian Birkhofer, Tyler Reddick, Chris Simpson, and Don O’Neal won their respective heat races in the second round.
Tomorrow night, July 21st, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series caps off the “2nd Annual Silver Dollar Nationals” at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE. The drivers meeting will take place at 7:00PM, Hot Laps will follow at 7:20PM, and B-Mains will begin at 8:00PM, followed by the 12-lap Al Belt Custom Homes Builders Bash for the non-qualifiers. The 80-Lap Silver Dollar Nationals main event will top off another night of action packed racing at the Joe Kosiski-promoted facility.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and be sure to follow the series at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Fri Night, July 20th, 2012 “2nd Annual Silver Dollar Nationals” I-80 Speedway – Greenwood, NE
Round 1 – Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (11 Laps): Jimmy Owens, Scott Bloomquist, Jimmy Mars, Dave Eckrich, Earl Pearson Jr., Mark Dotson, Ryan Gustin, Brian Kenkel
Round 1 – U. S. Steel Second Heat (11 Laps): Eric Wells, Terry Phillips, Denny Eckrich, Chris Simpson, Eric Turner, John Anderson, Jonathan Davenport, Rob Moss, Mike Stadel
Round 1 – Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (11 Laps): Steve Francis, Tommy Weder, Kyle Berck, Chris Spieker, Bill Koons, Scott Lewis, Junior Coover, Michael Walker, Alonzo Grosse
Round 1 – HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (11 Laps): Tyler Reddick, Don O’Neal, Bill Leighton Jr., John Blankenship, Travis Dickes, Corey Zeitner, Mike Wiarda, Mike Collins, Steve Kempt
Round 1 – Wiles Driveshafts Fifth Heat (11 Laps): Brian Birkhofer, Billy Moyer, Will Vaught, Chad Simpson, Jared Landers, Wendell Wallace, Justin Zeitner, Jason O’Brien, Kevin Sather
Round 2 – Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps): Billy Moyer, Steve Francis, Earl Pearson Jr., Rob Moss, Mike Collins, Will Vaught, Mike Stadel, Michael Walker, Ryan Gustin-DNS
Round 2 – U. S. Steel Second Heat (11 Laps): Brian Birkhofer, Scott Bloomquist, John Anderson, Travis Dickes, Eric Wells, Wendell Wallace, Mike Wiarda, Tommy Weder, Brian Krenkel
Round 2 – Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (11 Laps): Tyler Reddick, John Blankenship, Chris Spieker, Dave Eckrich, Justin Zeitner, Denny Eckrich, Jimmy Owens, Kevin Sather, Alonzo Grosse
Round 2 – HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (11 Laps): Chris Simpson, Terry Phillips, Mark Dotson, Jason O’Brien, Kyle Berck, Corey Zeitner, Junior Coover, Steve Kempt, Jared Landers
Round 2 – Wiles Driveshafts Fifth Heat (11 Laps): Don O’Neal, Chad Simpson, Tim Isenberg, Jonathan Davenport, Bill Leighton Jr., Jimmy Mars, Eric Turner, Scott Lewis, Bill Koons
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields