4/1/2006
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Earl Pearson Jr. Prevails in "Indiana Icebreaker" at Brownstown Speedway for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
BROWNSTOWN, IN (April 1, 2006)- Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL passed race leader Darrell Lanigan on lap 61 of the 75 lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series main event on Saturday Night at the Brownstown Speedway and then went on to score his first series win of 2006 as the defending series champion captured the Ninth Annual "Indiana Icebreaker" sponsored by Jones Core.
The win was Pearson's third career on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and earned the 34 year old driver $10,000 as he came from the 10th starting spot to take the win aboard the Carlton and Kemp Lamm owned, Lucas Oil Products, Dunn-Benson Ford, K&N Engineering, Inc., Sunoco Race Fuels, All-Star Performance, Larry Wallace Racing Engines, MasterSbilt Ford Taurus. Lanigan of Union, KY would finish second after starting 14th in the Lanigan Autosports/GottaRace.com/Rocket Ford Taurus with Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN placing third in the Randall Eller/Independence Lumber/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo. Completing the top five were Greg Johnson of Bedford, IN in the John Hall/J&H Construction/Intimidator Grand Prix and Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA in the J&J Steel/Pro Power Engines/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo.
A standing room only crowd was on hand as 68 cars were entered in the night's events. Front row starters Greg Johnson and Rick Eckert would lead the field to the green flag with Eckert taking the lead heading into turn number one with Johnson right on his heels. Tim Dohm was third with Don O'Neal and Darren Miller running in the top five after one completed lap. Dohm would make a charge from third to second around Johnson by the fourth circuit, but a lap later Johnson made his back by Dohm to regain the spot.
Eckert was building up to a five car length lead over the field when the first caution came out on lap six for Matt Miller and Shannon Reed. The restart was costly for Eckert as going into turn two he would slip up the track allowing several cars to get by falling all the way back to tenth place. Johnson would pick up the lead and the race would go green for a complete lap until Scott James brought out the second caution on lap seven. On the restart Johnson would show the way with O'Neal now running in second followed by Dohm, Jimmy Mars and Darren Miller.
Mars would then be the man on the move climbing to third in the race to challenge O'Neal for second. On lap 14 Mars' race would suddenly end as something happened to his race car heading into number one as he ended up over embankment and came to a halt. Mars' nice run was done as he was towed back to the pit area after coming from the 12th starting spot to third. Johnson again would be on the point for the restart with O'Neal still in second with Pearson now in the hunt from tenth to run third at this point in the race. O'Neal and Pearson would then run side by side for at least three laps with O'Neal hanging on for second place.
Birkhofer was now showing some strength using the top groove of the track as he was fourth in the race with pressure from Lanigan. The race would stay green until lap 22 when Brad Neat stopped on the front stretch and an ensuing restart would see Steve Barnett, Eckert and Brad Barrow involved in a caution in turn number two. Those would be the last cautions of the race and that would set up a showdown in the 53 laps of racing between four drivers. Johnson would lead lap 23 on the restart, but on lap 24 O'Neal would take his turn leading the race grabbing the point with Lanigan following him to second.
O'Neal and Lanigan would then dice it out for the lead until Lanigan would finally clear O'Neal taking his first lead of the race on lap 27. Pearson then got in the act going side by side with O'Neal for a few laps in the race for second. While O'Neal and Pearson were slugging it out Lanigan had pulled out to a six car length lead over the pair.
With 30 laps scored by was Lanigan showing the way followed by O'Neal, Pearson, Johnson and Doug Horton. Heavy traffic started to play a role in the race for the first time as Lanigan would catch up to the tail of the pack by lap 33. At this time Pearson was finally able to wrestle second from O'Neal and set his sights on Lanigan. Pearson would eventually catch up to Lanigan by lap 38 with O'Neal still running in third with Horton now fourth as he had gotten by Johnson. With 30 laps to go it was still Lanigan and Pearson showing the way.
Lanigan was about two to three car lengths ahead of Pearson as the two were still battling through some heavy traffic in front of them. Johnson then went by Horton to regain the fourth spot and he was catching up to O'Neal trying to make a race of it for the third position. Now with 20 laps remaining the crowd was on their feet as Pearson saw an opening on the inside of Lanigan and he made the pass on the 61st lap to take over the lead. Pearson was the fifth different driver to lead this race, but Lanigan was not through yet as he was not about to settle for second place.
With ten laps to go Lanigan was all over Pearson for the lead as Pearson was encountering some traffic in front of him. With the roles reversed Pearson now had to fight to maintain the lead knowing one mistake and Lanigan would be by him. With five laps to go Lanigan was on the rear of Pearson's racer, but Pearson was able to withstand Lanigan's challenges and cross the finish in first to claim his first ever win at Brownstown Speedway. Lanigan came home a close second followed by O'Neal, Johnson and Birkhofer.
In victory lane Pearson thanked a multitude of people who have helped him get off to an excellent start in 2006. "My new crew chief Jason Fitzgerald, my car owners Carlton and Kemp Lamm and all the crew they've done a great job this year, we are really running well and it feels good to win here at Brownstown, probably one of the toughest tracks to ever win a race at." "I caught Lanigan there in traffic and I knew if I could get a run on him and get to the inside I might have a shot at passing him and it worked out real well and we were able to get by him, I don't know if I could have beat him without the lapped traffic, he had a real good car tonight."
Completing the top ten were Doug Horton, Rick Eckert, 24th starting Scott James, Donnie Moran and Shannon Babb. In preliminary action Steve Francis set a new Brownstown Speedway track record with a fast lap of 13.546 seconds to earn the Comp Cams fast time award among the 68 cars on hand. The PBM Performance Products heat races were won by Brian Birkhofer, Tim Dohm, Greg Johnson, Darren Miller, Rick Eckert and Don O'Neal. The Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno first B-Main went to Shannon Babb with the Penske Shocks second B-Main belonging to Corey Conley.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series returns to action this Saturday and Sunday, April 8 and 9 with a visit to the Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA on Saturday Night for the "Jimmy Mosteller Classic" and a first ever trip to the Cherokee Super Speedway in Gaffney, SC on Sunday Night awaits the series participants. Both events will pay $10,000 to win.
Race Summary Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Brownstown Speedway-Brownstown, Indiana Saturday Night, April 1, 2006
Comp Cams Fast Time: Steve Francis 13.546 seconds (New Track Record)
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (Top 3 advance): Brian Birkhofer, Steve Francis, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Mike Watson, Brady Smith, Brad Barrow, Bret Sievert, Damon Eller, C.J. Rayburn, Ryan Eads, Bryan Barber, Doug Ault
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (Top 3 advance): Tim Dohm, Michael England, Darrell Lanigan, Shannon Babb, Dan Schlieper, Kevin Weaver, Billy Drake, Matt Miller, Tim Prince, Brian Wilhite, Justin Rattliff, Mike Marlar
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (Top 3 advance): Greg Johnson, Doug Horton, Dennis Erb, Jr., Steve Casebolt, Rick Aukland, Jeep VanWormer, Scotty Earl, Steve Hillard, Jayme Zidar, Justin Robinson, Scott Wenell
PBM Performance Products Fourth Heat: (Top 3 advance): Darren Miller, Earl Pearson, Jr., Patrick Sheltra, Chad Kinder, Marty O'Neal, Brent Londeree, Rickey Riggle, Jeremy Masters, Shannon Reed, Scott James, John Mason
PBM Performance Products Fifth Heat: (Top 3 advance): Rick Eckert, Steve Barnett, Donnie Moran, Corey Conley, Johnny Wheeler, Mike Jewell, Duane Chamberlain, Frank Heckenast Jr., Jordan Bland, Gary Harden, Brad Erwin
PBM Performance Products Sixth Heat: (Top 3 advance): Don O'Neal, Jimmy Mars, Brad Neat, Freddy Smith, Tim Tungate, Justin Blackwell, Steve Godsey, Randy Riggle, Aaron Hatton, Kerry Hansen, Daniel Bohall
Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main: (Top 2 advance): Shannon Babb, Dan Schlieper, Rick Aukland, Billy Drake, Steve Casebolt, Steve Hillard, Bret Sievert, Jayme Zidar, C.J. Rayburn, Justin Robinson, Tim Prince, Damon Eller, Brian Wilhite, Scott Wenell, Jeep VanWormer, Mike Watson, Brady Smith, Roy Mitchell, Justin Rattliff, Scotty Earl, Ryan Eads, Kevin Weaver, Brad Barrow, Bryan Barber, Matt Miller
Penske Shocks Second B-Main: (Top 2 advance): Corey Conley, Tim Tungate, Freddy Smith, Johnny Wheeler, Justin Blackwell, John Mason, Marty O'Neal, Duane Chamberlain, Kerry Hansen, Frank Heckenast Jr., Steve Godsey, Gary Harden, Rickey Riggle, Jeremy Masters, Jordan Bland, Randy Riggle, Chad Kinder, Brent Londeree, Mike Jewell, Scott James, Shannon Reed, Daniel Bohall, Brad Erwin
Ninth Annual "Indiana Icebreaker" Feature: (75 Laps): Earl Pearson Jr., Darrell Lanigan, Don O'Neal, Greg Johnson, Brian Birkhofer, Doug Horton, Rick Eckert, Scott James, Donnie Moran, Shannon Babb, Corey Conley, Tim Dohm, Steve Francis, Darren Miller, Patrick Sheltra, Michael England, Eddie Carrier Jr, Tim Tungate, Steve Barnett, Dan Schlieper, Dennis Erb Jr., Shannon Reed, Brad Barrow, Brad Neat, Jimmy Mars, Matt Miller
Race Statistics Entries: 68 Yellow Flags: 5 Red Flags: 0 Lap Leaders: Rick Eckert 1-6 Greg Johnson 7-23 Don O'Neal 24-26 Darrell Lanigan 27-60 Earl Pearson Jr. 61-75 All-Star Performance Performer of the Race: Scott James (Started 24th and finished 8th) advanced 16 positions K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr. for taking the lead from Darrell Lanigan Hawk Brake Tough Break Award: Brady Smith Quarter Master Move of the Race: Don O'Neal Weld Racing Wheels Award: Tim Tungate Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Doug Horton Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Matt Miller and Scott James
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields