9/20/2008
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Tim McCreadie Masters Jackson 100 in First Ever Appearance at Brownstown
BROWNSTOWN, IN (September 20, 2008) – Making his first ever appearance at Brownstown Speedway, Watertown, NY’s, Tim McCreadie emerged victorious in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned 29th Annual Jackson 100 on Saturday Night. McCreadie’s third LOLMDS win of 2008 earned him $20,000 as he withstood a tremendous battle for the lead all 100 laps of the race. Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN finished second; followed by Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; Darrell Lanigan of Union, KY; and Steve Francis of Ashland, KY. McCreadie, Owens, Pearson and Francis all led at one stage during the race.
Pearson, the three-time LOLMDS National Champion, and Francis started on the front row for the event held before a capacity crowd at the Jackson County Fairgrounds facility. Pearson and Francis crossed the start-finish line the first three circuit’s dead even for the lead with Francis clearing Pearson to take over the top spot on lap four.
While Francis was pulling away from the rest of the field, Pearson and Owens would then go door-to-door for several laps with Owens gaining the second spot on lap ten. McCreadie, who started sixth, then caught Pearson for third on lap 11 going past the former World 100 winner.
With 15 laps in the books, Francis continued to hold the lead followed by Owens, McCreadie, Pearson and Darren Miller. The top five remained the same until lap 21 when Owens made the move for the lead on Francis taking over the top spot after working the top groove of the race track.
With the frontrunners in heavy traffic by lap 24, Owens would see the cars of Francis, Pearson, and McCreadie close up on him in a hurry. At one point they were three-wide for the lead with Pearson and McCreadie passing Francis on lap 27 to drop him to fourth.
With 30 laps complete, Owens was still showing the way, but Pearson was running the low line of the track, allowing him to gain on Owens. McCreadie maintained his top of the track run as he went by Pearson for second on lap 35. Owens, McCreadie, and Pearson then went toe-to-toe for several laps around the quarter-mile track as the first caution would slow the field on lap 40 when Scott Bloomquist slowed with a right rear flat tire. Bloomquist pitted and then returned to the race.
On the restart, Owens was out in front by himself with McCreadie and Pearson lined up behind him side-by-side. When chief starter Rusty Nunn’s green flag came back out Owens sprinted off to a two-car length lead over McCreadie and Pearson as the cars took the cross-flags indicating the half-way mark of the race.
The yellow would once again fly, this time on lap 53 when Steve Casebolt slowed on the track. This would be the last caution of the race as Owens would lead them to the line on the restart. A great battle ensued for second with Pearson and McCreadie hooked up in a tight tussle. Pearson and McCreadie would go back-and-forth in the race for second with Pearson hugging the bottom and McCreadie staying up top side.
By the 63rd lap Owens’ lead had all but evaporated as McCreadie was finally able to clear Pearson and make a run on Owens. McCreadie then made a run on Owens overhauling him for the lead on lap 68. Owens and Pearson would then race side-by-side for two laps as Pearson took second from Owens with 30 laps remaining in the race.
The top in the running order were McCreadie, Pearson, Owens, Lanigan and Francis and with 25 laps to go it was any of those of five who could win the event. Pearson would make the first move as he attempted for two laps to take the lead from McCreadie as he successfully did the job on lap 77.
Pearson would lead for five laps until McCreadie charged back by him on lap 82. This would set up the last 18 laps of the race as the three-car duel between McCreadie, Pearson and Owens would race every inch of the track and with ten laps to go Owens would take the highside around Pearson to retake second.
McCreadie was starting to get away from Owens and Pearson in the closing laps as McCreadie was able to put a lapped car between himself and the two main contenders behind as Lanigan was making a late-race charge.
McCreadie had plenty of real estate in front as he would go on to lead the rest of the event unchallenged. Owens crossed the line in second followed by Pearson, Lanigan and Francis in that order.
McCreadie pounded the roof his Sweetener’s Plus Rocket Impala SS with a Pro Power Engine and he emerged to the cheers of the adoring crowd. After doing quick interview for the SPEED Channel who was on hand to tape the race McCreadie commented on his first ever win at track he had never seen before arriving on Friday.
“That was some race there, I thought man Pearson was going to get us there for a while and Owens was strong the whole race, but we eventually made the top work like we wanted to, they were both on softer tires and I thought we were in trouble, but the car took off and the track crew did a great job with this track and thanks to all the fans for coming out.”
McCreadie and his crew chief Al Stevens had the setup that led him to victory circle as McCreadie commented on joining another Big-Block Modified driver in winning the Jackson 100. “Kenny Brightbill was and is one of the best ever, but my dad (Barefoot Bob McCreadie) is still my hero and it’s nice to join the list of winners here at Brownstown.” said McCreadie who etched his name alongside Brightbill, who won the race in 1985.
Second place finisher Jimmy Owens in the Reece Monuments/Cornett Race Engines/Bloomquist Race Cars Ford said that once McCreadie got the lead it was going to be tough to re-pass him. “I knew once he (McCreadie) got by me and got there in the rubber up top that he was going to be hard to get back around, the track was real racy tonight and we’ll get ‘em next time.”
Pearson was third in the Bobby Labonte/LifeLong Locks/MasterSbilt Dodger with Lanigan in the Fusion Energy/Cornett Engines/Rocket Ford Fusion as Francis completed the top five in the Dale Beitler/Reliable Painting/Rocket GTO.
Completing the rest of the top were Jeep VanWormer, Don O’Neal, Rick Eckert, Scott Bloomquist and Darren Miller.
The next Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events will wind up the 2008 racing season on Friday Night, October 3rd at Rome Speedway in Rome, GA and Saturday, October 4th at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA. Both events will pay $10,000 to win.
To find out more about 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
Saturday Night, September 20, 2008
Brownstown Speedway – Brownstown, IN
PRC Fast Time: Josh McGuire/15.221 seconds
Hawk Brake First Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Josh McGuire, Darren Miller, Don O’Neal, Scott Bloomquist, Scott James, Kevin Claycomb, Kerry Hansen, John Gill, Bart Hartman, Scott Jones
Hawk Brake Second Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Steve Francis, Brian Birkhofer, Donnie Moran, Greg Johnson, Steve Casebolt, Terry Casey, Shannon Reed, Brian Wilhite, Chad Stapleton, Tory Routier
AFCO Racing Products Third Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Rick Eckert, Darrell Lanigan, Dennis Erb, Steve Barnett, Freddy Smith, Rohn Moon, Patrick Sheltra, Justin Rattliff, Tim Prince, Jason Smith
Tiger Rear Ends Fourth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Tim McCreadie, Jeep VanWormer, Shannon Babb, Randy Korte, Mike Jewell, John Mason, Dan Sturgeon, Mark Bechelli, Steve Godsey, George Scheffler
Hawk Brake Fifth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Matt Miller, Dan Schlieper, Joe Janowski, Wayne Chinn, Jason Jameson, Justin Shaw, Mike Bechelli, Wesley Morrison
Hawk Brake Sixth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Earl Pearson Jr., Michael England, Cody Mahoney, Billy Drake, Brian Shirley, Steve Smith, CJ Rayburn, Derek Ramp, Charles Ross
Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Greg Johnson, Steve Casebolt, Steve Barnett, Freddy Smith, John Gill, Kerry Hansen, Shannon Reed, Bart Hartman, Justin Rattliff, Brian Wilhite, Scott Jones, Jason Smith, Tim Prince, Patrick Sheltra, Chad Stapleton, Kevin Claycomb, Terry Casey, Scott James, Rohn Moon, Tory Routier
Quarter Master Second B-Main (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Randy Korte, John Mason, Wayne Chinn, Brian Shirley, Joe Janowski, Billy Drake, Mike Jewell, Justin Shaw, Jason Jameson, Dan Sturgeon, CJ Rayburn, Mike Bechelli, Steve Godsey, George Scheffler, Wesley Morrison, Derek Ramp, Charles Ross, Steve Smith, Mark Bechelli – DNS
29th Annual “Jackson 100” Feature Finish (100 Laps): Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson Jr., Darrell Lanigan, Steve Francis, Jeep VanWormer, Don O’Neal, Rick Eckert, Scott Bloomquist, Darren Miller, Dennis Erb, Matt Miller, Michael England, Steve Casebolt, Josh McGuire, John Mason, Cody Mahoney, Greg Johnson, Bart Hartman, Dan Schlieper, Brian Birkhofer, Donnie Moran, Steve Barnett, Randy Korte, Shannon Babb
Race Statistics
Entries: 58
Caution Flags: 2
Lap Leaders: Earl Pearson Jr. 1-3, Steve Francis 4-20, Jimmy Owens 21, Francis 22, Owens 23-68, Tim McCreadie 69-78, Pearson 79-82, McCreadie 83-100
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Bart Hartman, Steve Casebolt
PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race: Scott Bloomquist (Started 19th and finished 9th – advanced 10 positions)
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Jimmy Owens
K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Tim McCreadie
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: none
ASI Racewear Lucky 7 Award: Don O’Neal
Integra Shocks Crew Chief of the Race: Al Stevens (Tim McCreadie)
Comp Cams Engine Builder of the Race: ProPower Racing Engines
Time of the Race: 36 minutes
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields
