8/25/2012
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Jimmy Owens Takes Whiskey City 50 at Lawrenceburg
LAWRENCEBURG, IN (August 25, 2012) – Reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Champion, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN picked up his fourth series win of the season on
Saturday Night. Owens led every lap in capturing the “Whiskey City 50” presented by Sign-A-Rama before a huge crowd at Lawrenceburg Speedway. Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN finished second, followed by John Blankenship of Williamson, WV.
Owens, who entered the event as the current series points’ leader, started on the outside of the front row and took the lead at the drop of the green flag. Eric Wells of Hazard, KY grabbed second for the first six laps behind Owens before yielding to Jared Landers of Batesville, AR.
Landers appeared early on to be the only car who could hang with Owens, but Blankenship powered to second position on lap 16 around Landers. By that point of the race, Owens had already built a sizable advantage over the field. Blankenship tried to make-up ground on Owens and was closing in on the leader when a caution for debris slowed the action for the first and only time during the race.
On the restart Owens had Blankenship and O’Neal lined up behind him in the double-file restart, but Owens then pulled out to a lead that carried him all the way to the checkers for his 33rd career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory.
“The car was just fantastic all night long, I have to thank Mike Reece, my car owner, and all the crew they did a great job on the car. We were disappointed with our race on Thursday at Bulls Gap, and it seems like forever since we have won a race,” said Owens, whose last series victory was last month, in the Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil (MO) Speedway.
“We got into traffic and had to slow down a little bit there, I didn’t know who was coming up behind me. My crew was giving me signals, and then the caution came out! It’s great to win here in front of this big of a crowd, this is a very nice facility and we look forward to coming back.”
“I have to thank my sponsors Reece Monument Company, Gantte Appraisal, Red Line Oil, Midwest Sheet Metal, Sunoco Race Fuels, C&C Trucking, Hoosier Tire South, Keyser and Ohlins,” said the 40-year-old driver who stretched his points lead out over O’Neal.
“We had a third place car for most of the race,” said O’Neal, who won last year’s LOLMDS event at Lawrenceburg. “We were fortunate to get by John (Blankenship) there towards the end of the race.”
Completing the top five behind Owens, O’Neal, and Blankenship were 10th starting, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY and 16th place starter, Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA.
The remainder of the top ten at the finish were: Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, F; Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN; Jared Landers of Batesville, AR; Eric Wells of Hazard, KY; and Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, WV.
In preliminary action Scott Bloomquist set the Red Buck Cigars Fast Time amongst the 29 entrants, with a lap of 14.360 seconds. Jimmy Owens set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 14.540 seconds. Eric Wells, John Blankenship, Jimmy Owens, and Don O’Neal won their respective Heat Races. Tim Rivers and Scott James won their respective B-Mains.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will return to action on Saturday, September 1st at Portsmouth Raceway Park for the Pepsi River Days Rumble 50. The event will feature Red Buck Cigars Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and a 50-lap, $10,000-to-win main event. On Sunday Night, September 2nd, the series will make its first appearance at I-77 Raceway Park in Ripley, WV for Carl Short’s 44th Annual “Hillbilly Hundred”. The event will feature Red Buck Cigars Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and the $25,000-to-win main event. For more information on these events, log onto www.portsraceway.com and www.racei77.com.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and be sure to follow the series at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, August 25th, 2012
Lawrenceburg Speedway – Lawrenceburg, IN
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Group A: Scott Bloomquist / 14.360 seconds
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Group B: Jimmy Owens / 14.540 seconds
Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Eric Wells, D.J. Wells, Scott Bloomquist, Greg Johnson, Stephen Breeding, Tyler Allen, Eric Jacobsen
U. S. Steel Second Heat (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): John Blankenship, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jimmy Mars, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Robby Hensley, Tim Rivers, Jeff Simonton
Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Jimmy Owens, Jared Landers, Steve Francis, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Mike Marlar, Brad Neat, Joe Janowski
HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Don O'Neal, Jonathan Davenport, Dennis Erb, Jr., Brian Birkhofer, Steve Casebolt, Scott James , Tim Prince, Tyler Reddick
JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Transfer): Tim Rivers, Stephen Breeding, Tyler Allen, Jeff Simonton, Robby Hensley-DNS, Eric Jacobsen-DNS
PAC Racing Springs Second B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Transfer): Scott James, Mike Marlar, Joe Janowski, Steve Casebolt , Tyler Reddick, Brad Neat, Tim Prince
Feature Finish – 50 Laps: 1. 20-Jimmy Owens; 2. 71-Don O'Neal; 3. 23-John Blankenship; 4. 15-Steve Francis; 5. 15B-Brian Birkhofer; 6. 44-Earl Pearson Jr; 7. 0-Scott Bloomquist; 8. 5-Jared Landers; 9. 18E-Eric Wells; 10. 28-Eddie Carrier Jr; 11. 28E-Dennis Erb Jr; 12. 11T-Tyler Reddick; 13. 15D-Jonathan Davenport; 14. 6J-Joe Janowski; 15. 5BX-Stephen Breeding; 16. 18W-DJ Wells; 17. 46-Tim Rivers; 18. 99JR-Frank Heckenast Jr; 19. 28M-Jimmy Mars; 20. 81-Scott James; 21. 5B-Mike Marlar; 22. 41N-Brad Neat; 23. T1-Tyler Allen; 24. 24H-Greg Johnson
Race Statistics
Entrants: 29
Lap Leaders: Jimmy Owens (Lap 1 – 50)
Caution Flags: Debris (Lap 36)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Tyler Reddick, Brad Neat
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: none
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Provisional: none
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Brian Birkhofer (Started 16th; Finished 5th; Advanced 11 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: Brian Birkhofer
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
ASi Racewear Challenge Finisher: Jimmy Owens
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: Jonathan Davenport
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Bloomquist Race Cars
Sweet Mfg Crew Chief of the Race: Chris Fox (Jimmy Owens)
Time of Race: 19 minutes 24 seconds
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields