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Top-10 finish in Gopher 50 prelim at Deer Creek

Papich Racing pilot Earl Pearson Jr. made a midweek stop at Davenport Speedway (Davenport, Iowa) on Wednesday to join the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) on the quarter-mile bullring. (Heath Lawson photo)

After starting the night off with a heat race victory, Pearson faded near the middle stages of the 50-lap feature to finish 15th.

For the opening round of the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 on Thursday at Deer Creek Speedway (Spring Valley, Minn.), Earl missed a transfer spot in both his heat race and B-Main, ending his night early.

The following night, Pearson’s third-place finish in his heat placed him on the fifth row for the final preliminary feature. With $5,000 on the line, Earl gained two spots in the 25-lapper to finish eighth.

Earning the 13th-starting position for Saturday’s $50,000-to-win Gopher 50 via preliminary points, Earl gained one spot in the 75-lap affair to place 12th.

Earl sits in sixth in the latest LOLMDS point standings.

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