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Don O’Neal Wins Series Championship, Jason Hughes Wins Rookie of the Year

WAYCROSS, GA (October 24, 2014) - Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN, driver of the Clint Bowyer Racing car #5, clinched his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Championship title Sunday by virtue of his 4th place finish in the series finale. O'Neal, who finished second in the series points title chase three times (2012, 2006, 2005), finished 65 points ahead of Jimmy Owens to win the 2014 series championship. O'Neal won seven (7) events on the tour and finished in the top five (5) in twenty-six (26) series point events in 2014. O'Neal becomes the oldest driver in the history of dirt late model racing to win a national touring series championship at age fifty (50).

In 2014, Don O'Neal teamed up with Clint Bowyer Racing to compete on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. His sponsors include: Peak Motor Oil and Antifreeze, Crawford Supply/Traeger Grills, Georgia Boot, Cometic Gasket, Toyota, Ohlins Shocks while piloting a Barry Wright Chassis powered by a Clements Racing Engine. This is also the first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship for Clint Bowyer as a team owner.

"What an awesome season and great race team to drive for. Winning the series championship is a great accomplishment for me, personally, but also for all our sponsors and this entire team Clint has put together. To beat the best of the best over the whole season is very gratifying! All the drivers on this tour are great competitors and you have to race against the toughest drivers in the country every week on this deal. Congrats to Jimmy and Scott for a great year as well". O'Neal went on to say, "I have to thank Clint Bowyer, Casey Bowyer and Chip Williams for giving me the opportunity to drive for them. I also want to thank all my crew, Barry and Lance Wright, Jeremy Justice and Tony Trent for all their hard work and dedication to giving me the best cars to drive every week. It's just an incredible accomplishment to win this championship over all the years I've been racing".

Don O'Neal will collect $75,000 at the series awards banquet on December 11th for winning the 2014 LOLMDS championship. In the final series championship point standings, Jimmy Owens (IN) finished second, followed by Scott Bloomquist (TN), Steve Francis (KY) and Eddie Carrier Jr (WV), to round out the top five. Sixth through tenth in the series championship point standings include: Earl Pearson Jr. (FL), John Blankenship (WV), Jared landers (AR), Dennis Erb Jr (IL) and Jason Hughes (OK).

Jason Hughes of Westville, OK clinched the Dunn-Benson Ford Rookie of the Year title at this past weekend's Optima Batteries Dirt Track World Championship - Presented by NAPA Auto Parts. Hughes beat out fellow Rookie of the Year contender, Jason Papich from Arroyo Grande, CA by 45 points. Both drivers have battled against some amazing drivers all season long on the tour, while competing at new venues for both drivers for most of the season. Jason Hughes, the 2014 Dunn-Benson Ford Rookie of the Year will receive $10,000 at the series awards banquet. Jason Papich will receive a $2,500 cash award.

"It was an honor to get to race with all the great drivers on the Lucas Oil Series this year. They are a great bunch of guys and the toughest competitors in the sport. We're thrilled to win the Rookie of the Year title and I want to thank Lucas Oil, Dunn-Benson Ford, Midwest Sheet Metal and all the product sponsors for sponsoring the Rookie of the Year program this year. It was a long season but we learned a lot and look forward to the awards banquet to celebrate", stated Jason Hughes.

For the latest breaking news about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, including the 2014 tour schedule, TV schedule, drivers, sponsors and all the information about the series visit the official website at: www.lucasdirt.com.

Follow the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on the social media outlets at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and https://twitter.com/lucasdirt

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