10/6/2006
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Shane Clanton Charges from 12th to Take Rome Renegades Cash in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Action
ROME, GA (October 6, 2006)- Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, GA claimed the biggest win of his racing career on Friday night in the Rome Renegades Rumble at Rome Speedway.
Clanton earned $15,001 for his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win becoming the 16th different driver to win a Series event in 2006. Clanton methodically worked his way from his 12th starting spot taking the lead on lap 31 and then held off a furious last lap charge from Scott Bloomquist to take the victory. Clanton driving the Ronnie Dobbins owned/Stevens Plumbing and Mechanical/SAE Parts, Inc./RSD Enterprises/M&S Concrete/Speedy Graphics/PPM Racing Products/VP Racing Fuels/Weld Racing/Skillsaw Designs/Simpson/Custom Race Engines/Rocket GTO won by one car length over Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN who was driving the Miller Brothers Coal/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Bloomquist Chevrolet. Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL in the Lucas Oil Products/Dunn Benson Ford/Larry Wallace Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Ford Fusion finished third to maintain the Series points lead. Clint Smith of Senoia, GA came from the tail to finish fourth in the JP Drilling/Racetek Race Engines/GRT GTO and Brian Shirley of Chatham, IL was fifth in the Petroff Towing/Pro Power Engines/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo. A total of 55 cars were on hand for the Series first visit to the Swims Family promoted historic facility. The race was sponsored by the Rome Renegades, a World Indoor Football League franchise whose owner Harry Pierce added $5,001 to the winners share of the purse just before the 50 Lap A-Main making the event $15,001 to win, rather than the $10,000 advertised for the winner.
Justin Rattliff and Earl Pearson, Jr. lead the field to green in front of a standing room only crowd as Pearson, who entered the night with a 325 point lead over Don ONeal, grabbed the lead at the start. Wendell Wallace would quickly go to second followed by Rattliff, Scott Bloomquist and Ray Cook. Bloomquist made a pass on Rattliff for third on lap two as Cook following to fourth a lap later. Pearson, Wallace and Bloomquist would put distance between themselves and the rest of the field over the first eight circuits. But heavy traffic would allow Cook and Brian Shirley, who was fifth to close back to the top three. Pearson was still holding the point with Bloomquist all over Wallace for second on lap 10, but Bloomquist would bypass Wallace for second on lap 12 to set up a battle at the point with Pearson.
The first caution of the race took place on lap 18 when Wallace slowed with a flat tire, forcing him to relinquish his third place spot in the running order. On the restart Pearson would again show the way with Bloomquist in second followed by Cook, Shirley and 12th place starting Shane Clanton now up to fifth. Clint Smith would bring out caution number two with a spin in turn 4 on lap 21 forcing him to restart on the tail.
The third caution on the event came out after two green flag laps for a slowing Ricky Arms on the backstretch. With 25 laps scored Pearson and Bloomquist was battling for all the cash as the two drivers would cross the start finish side-by-side for four consecutive laps. The fourth caution would come out on lap 27 for debris and on the restart Skip Arp brought out caution number five when he stopped on the race track with a flat tire. With 30 laps scored Pearson was still in front with Bloomquist there looking to snare the lead. Clanton would make a huge move on the outside taking second from Bloomquist with 20 to go.
A lap later the high flying Clanton stormed to the lead passing Pearson taking to the rim of the super fast speedway. Bloomquist would pass Pearson for second on lap 33 as Clanton had started to stretch his lead over the field, but a lap 36 caution for a slowing Freddy Smith would bunch the field. On the restart, Bloomquist would make a run on Clanton closing on the second generation Georgia driver. The two would race side-by-side lap after lap with Clanton still holding the advantage at the scoring line. With 46 laps scored the eighth and final caution would come out for a stalled Arp ending his night. Clanton would keep his lead over Bloomquist on the restart, with Bloomquist setting the stage for one final last lap charge.
Heading for the checkered flag Bloomquist would dive to the inside of Clanton in turn three and coming off turn four make contact as Clanton would get the run to the line to take his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series triumph. In victory lane a jubilant Clanton and crew celebrated a well deserved victory. Starting 12th we just had to take some time to get up there, a couple of guys sort of cleared the top for me and I took advantage of that, said Clanton afterwards. Its a career win for us and Id like to thank Harry Pierce with the Rome Renegades for the extra money, it sure will come in handy.
Bloomquist would finish a car length back in second followed by Pearson, Smith, after going to the tail earlier in the race and Shirley would complete the top five. The rest of the top ten were Don ONeal, Ray Cook, Chris Madden, Scott James and Wendell Wallace.
In preliminary action Shannon Babb was the Comp Cams fast timer with a lap of 13.675 seconds in qualifications. The PBM Performance Products Heat Races went to Wendell Wallace, Earl Pearson, Jr., Ray Cook, Brian Shirley, Justin Rattliff and Scott Bloomquist. The Mason Racin Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main went to Chris Madden and the Penske Shocks Second B-Main was won by Clint Smith. The K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race went to Matt Miller for his turn two pass of Shannon Babb to take over second in his Heat Race. The K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race is awarded at each Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event in 2006 and can take place during a Heat Race, B-main or the A-Main event.
The next Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event will be on Saturday Night, October 7th at the Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA for the 17th Annual Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout paying $15,000 to win. Shannon Babb is the two-time defending race winner.
Event Summary Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Friday Night, October 6, 2006 Rome Speedway-Rome, GA
Comp Cams Fast Time: Shannon Babb 13.675 seconds
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Wendell Wallace, Matt Miller, Shannon Babb, Gary McPherson, Jake Knowles, Rick Rogers, Joel Rice, Johnny Cloer, Jr., Doug Sanders
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Earl Pearson, Jr., Randy Weaver, Damon Eller, Chris Madden, Derek Ellis, Tracy Pearson, Vernon Smith
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Ray Cook, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Shane Tankersley, Steve Casebolt, Rodney Martin, Jonathan Davenport, Curtis Cline, Tim Day, Lee Sutton
PBM Performance Products Fourth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Brian Shirley, Don ONeal, Ricky Arms, Wayne Echols, Rile Hickman, Dwayne Aldridge, Ricky Williams, Mike Head, Derrick Rainey
PBM Performance Products Fifth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Justin Rattliff, Michael England, Skip Arp, Clint Smith, Tony Knowles, G.R. Smith, Don Jenkins, Danny Ferguson, Freddy Smith
PBM Performance Products Sixth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Shane Clanton, Donnie Moran, Aaron Ridley, Ronnie Johnson, Scott James, Todd Morrow, Chris Combs, Zach Nichols
Mason Racin Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Chris Madden, Steve Casebolt, Gary McPherson, Jonathan Davenport, Rodney Martin, Johnny Cloer, Jr., Derek Ellis, Rick Rogers, Joel Rice, Tim Day, Curtis Cline, Doug Sanders, Tracy Pearson
Penske Shocks Second B-Main (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Clint Smith, Wayne Echols, Ronnie Johnson, Aaron Ridley, Scott James, Riley Hickman, Tony Knowles, Todd Morrow, Dwayne Aldridge, Derrick Rainey, Chris Combs, Freddy Smith, G.R. Smith, Don Jenkins, Zach Nichols, Ricky Williams
Rome Renegades Rumble A-Main: (50 Laps): Shane Clanton, Scot Bloomquist, Earl Pearson, Jr., Clint Smith, Brian Shirley, Don ONeal, Ray Cook, Chris Madden, Scott James, Wendell Wallace, Donnie Moran, Steve Casebolt, Justin Rattliff, Michael England, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Shane Tankersley, Damon Eller, Skip Arp, Freddy Smith, Shannon Babb, Randy Weaver, Matt Miller, Ricky Arms, Wayne Echols
Event Statistics:
Entries: 55
Caution Flags: 8
Red Flags: 0
Lap Leaders: Earl Pearson, Jr. 1-30, Shane Clanton 31-50
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Clint Smith (Started 20th and finished fourth, advanced 16 positions)
K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Matt Miller
Hawk Brake Tough Break Award: Skip Arp
Quarter Master Move of the Race: Scott Bloomquist
On the Edge Graphics Fastest Non Qualifier: Anthony White
Weld Wheels Award: Justin Rattliff
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Steve Casebolt
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Scott James and Freddy Smith
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields
