4/23/2010
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Jimmy Owens Takes Second Straight Series Win on Friday Night at Bedford Speedway
BEDFORD, PA (April 23, 2010) – Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN scored his second straight Lucas Oil Model Dirt Series victory winning Friday Night’s Bedford Valley Petroleum $10,000 to win event at Bedford Speedway. Owens took the lead on lap 13 from Will Vaught and managed to hold off Brian Birkhofer in the waning laps to take the victory. Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA finished second followed by Vaught of Crane, MO; Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; and Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA. With the win Owens closed to within five points of series leader, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN; who finished eleventh.
Owens and Vaught made up the front row for the 50 lap main event with Vaught taking the lead at the start of the race with Owens and Birkhofer trailing. Vaught was racing at Bedford for the first time in his career. Vaught began to enter traffic by lap ten and Owens closed right on his bumper.
Vaught held the lead by two car lengths over Owens, as the top five remained the same for the first 12 laps of the race. Vaught relinquished the lead to Owens on lap 13 as Vaught fell to second with Birkhofer still running third followed by Davenport and Pearson. With twenty laps in the books, Owens held a three-car length lead as Vaught and Birkhofer stayed close to Owens. By the halfway mark, the top ten cars were all on the straightaway as Owens tried to pass Dan Schlieper, who was the last car on the lead lap.
Birkhofer made the decision that it was time to make a pass on the second place running Vaught as the two came off of turn four on lap 34. Birkhofer then began to give Owens a run for the lead. Pearson got by Davenport with ten laps to go to take fourth, but all eyes were up front to see if Birkhofer was going to be able to pass Owens and with less than five laps to go. Birkhofer put himself in a position to do so and with two circuits to go Birkhofer took a stab at Owens in turn 2, but had to back out of the gas, allowing Owens to get away.
Owens went on to lead the final two laps unchallenged to score his 15th career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win and his first at Bedford Speedway in the Mike Reece owned, Reece Monument Company, Gantte Appraisals, Red Line Oil, Hoosier Tires, VP Racing Fuels, Byrd’s Radiator, C&C Trucking and Ohlins Shocks.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the second consecutive series event after his dominating win at Brownstown (IN) Speedway last month. Owens complimented his crew for making the right tire choice. “I have to thank my crew chief Chris Fox for choosing the right tires again tonight, the car was just perfect from the get go, we set fast time, won the heat and once the track got one-lane we knew it would be tough for anybody to pass us, Will (Vaught) got a good jump on us at the start and he drove a heck of a good race tonight, but fortunately for us we were able to get by him and then passing became difficult, the track was fast all night, it was a shame it rubbered up like that, but we’ll take the win and head to Hagerstown.”
With the win, Owens, who trailed defending series champion Scott Bloomquist by 90 points heading into the event, earned the maximum points for the night to close within five of Bloomquist, who was fortunate to finish eleventh after blowing a tire at the finish line.
Birkhofer in his J&J Steel/Pro Power Racing Engines/MB Customs Monte Carlo SS finished second in his first Lucas Oil Series start of 2010. Vaught in the Paul McKenna owned/Mark Martin Chevrolet/Warrior Corvette finished third, marking his best ever finish with the series. Completing the top five were Pearson in the Bobby Labonte Racing/Lucas Oil Products/MasterSbilt Dodge Charger and Davenport in the Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas/Clements Racing Engines/Barry Wright Race Cars entry.
The remainder of the top ten were Steve Shaver of Vienna, WV; Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, WI; Jeremy Miller of Gettysburg, PA; Jason Feger of Bloomington, IL; and Chris Wall of Holden, LA. The 66 cars entered were the most ever in Bedford Speedway racing history.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log on to www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, April 23rd, 2010
“Bedford Valley Petroleum 50”
Bedford Speedway – Bedford, PA
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time: Jimmy Owens / 19.614 seconds
Wiles Driveshaft’s First Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Jimmy Mars, Tim McCreadie, Bub McCool, Mike Marlar, Vic Coffey, DJ Myers, Don O’Neal, Scott Lebarron, Nick Dickson, Wayne Johnson
AFCO Racing Products Second Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advances): Brian Birkhofer, Jeremy Miller, Austin Hubbard, Brady Smith, Jeff Rine, Daniel Stone, Brad Neat, Richard Jarvis, Michael Walker, Matthew Sala
Allstar Performance Third Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Earl Pearson Jr., Josh Richards, Shane Clanton, Jack Pencil, Tim Fuller, Ricky Elliot, Mike Collins, John Blankenship, Derek Byler, Kenny Pettyjohn, Mason Zeigler, Tyler Hershey-DNS
Superflow Fourth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Will Vaught, Jason Feger, Chris Wall, matt Lux, Gregg Satterlee, J.T. Spence, Gary Stuhler, Devin Friese, Tim Isenberg, Chuck Clise, Tom Decker Jr.
Wiles Driveshaft’s Fifth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Transfer): Jonathan Davenport, Scott Bloomquist, Rick Eckert, Davey Johnson, Jason Covert, Bo Feathers, Darryl Hills, Donnie Moran, Steve Everhart, Randy Burkholder, Scott Rhodes
AFCO Racing Products Sixth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Transfer): Steve Shaver, Steve Casebolt, Jamie Lathroum, Eric Wells, Dale McDowell, DJ Troutman, Ray Cook, Dan Schlieper, dennis Erb Jr., Tyler Reddick, Allen Lemin-DNS
Hawk Brake First B-Main (12 Laps- Top 2 Transfers): Bub McCool, Tim Fuller, Mike Marlar, Jeff Rine, DJ Myers, Vic Coffey, Rick Elliot, Dan Stone, John Blankenship, Brad Neat, Mike Collins, Derek Byler, Scott Lebarron, Don O’Neal, Richard Jarvis, Matthew Sala, Wayne Johnson, Nich Dickson, Michael Walker, Jack Pencil, Brady Smith, Kenny PettyJohn-DNS, Mason Zeigler-DNS, Tyler Hershey-DNS
Performance Rod and Custom (PRC) Second B-Main (12 Laps- Top 2 Transfers): Davey Johnson, Matt Lux, Eric Wells, Jason Covert, Gregg Satterlee, J.T. Spence, Gary Stuhler, Darryl Hills, Dan Schlieper, Devin Friese, Ray Cook, Bo Feathers, Tim Isenberg, Steve Everhart, Scott Rhodes, Tyler Reddick, Chuck Clise, Donnie Moran, Randy Burkholder, Dennis Erb Kr., Dale McDowell, DJ Troutman, Tom Decker Jr., Allen Lemin-DNS
"Bedford Valley Petroleum 50” Feature Finish - 50 Laps:
Race Statistics
Entrants: 66
Lap Leaders: Will Vaught (Laps 1-12); Jimmy Owens (Laps13-50)
Caution Flags: none
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Don O’Neal; Dale McDowell
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: Dan Schlieper
Bedford Speedway Track Provisional: Jack Pencil
PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race: Dan Schlieper (Started 26th; Finished 20th; Advanced 6 positions)
Ohlin’s Shocks Performer of the Race: Will Vaught
K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Jimmy Owens
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: Will Vaught
Comp Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award: Dale McDowell
DirtonDirt.com Crew Chief of the Race: Andy Eutsler (Will Vaught)
E3 Spark Plugs TV Challenge All stars: n/a
Time of Race: 17 minutes, 21 seconds
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields