5/28/2010
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Jimmy Owens Tops Preliminary Night of 18th Annual DART Show Me 100
WHEATLAND, MO (May 28, 2010) – The opening night of the 18th Annual DART Show Me 100 was held on Friday night as seventy-three Super Late Models converged on Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri for the event, which was co-sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (LOLMDS) and the Lucas Oil Midwest Late Model Racing Association (MLRA).
Jimmy Owens opened the evening by setting fast time in Red Buck Cigars Qualifications with a 16.037 second lap around the clay oval. Owens would go on to win the Wiles Drive Shaft First Heat race from the pole position to earn the pole for Saturday night’s 18th Annual DART Show Me 100 finale. He picked up the win in heat race one over Jesse Stovall, and Jared Landers, who both transferred to the main event.
Afco Heat Race #2 saw 1999 DART Show Me 100 Champion, Terry Phillips, take off from the pole position and build a straight away lead early in the race before Jimmy Mars caught him late in the race to battle for the lead. Phillips held Mars off for the win as the pair raced away from the field, but behind them, a physical battle was held between Will Vaught and Steve Casebolt. Vaught, who was running second early in the race, when he briefly lost control in turn four, allowing several cars to race past, made a daring move to the inside of Steve Casebolt entering turn one on the white flag lap. The duo would make contact with Vaught clearing Casebolt down the backstretch as he went on to claim the third and final transfer spot.
All Star Performance Heat Race #3 once again saw the pole sitter run away and hide from the field as Martinsville, Indiana’s Don O’Neal put on a driving clinic to take the win by a full straightaway. However, the story of the event would be Ray Cook, who started in the 6th position. While most of the competitors were committed to the low line, Cook opted for the middle of the track and spent the first half of the event in a battle with Brad Neat for the final transfer spot. By lap 12, Cook cleared Neat and two laps later would race past Jeremy Payne to take the second spot. Cook would go on to finish second with Brad Neat slipping past Payne in the closing laps for the final transfer spot.
Super Flow Heat Race #4 saw Brandon Kinzer and Chris Hall bring the field to the green. Kinzer would jump to the early lead with Hall quickly falling backward as Earl Pearson Jr. and Scott Bloomquist moved up to the second and third positions respectively early in the event. By lap five, Kinzer’s handling was beginning to fade as Pearson Jr. took over control of the lead. Over the next few laps Kinzer would endure a freefall through the field with Bloomquist moving up to the second spot as fifth starting Dan Schlieper advanced to the third spot. Pearson Jr. cruised to the win with Bloomquist in second as Schlieper withstood a late race challenge from Eric Wells for the final transfer position.
Dale McDowell and Eric Jacobsen battled side by side early in Wiles Drive Shaft Heat Race #5 before McDowell set sail from the field as Jacobsen settled into a comfortable second position. Wendell Wallace, Dennis Erb Jr., and Chris Wall hosted a spirited battle for the final transfer spot with three-time DART Show Me 100 Champion, Wendell Wallace, claiming the spot.
AFCO Heat Race #6 saw an entertaining front row as Billy Moyer started on the pole with his son, Billy Moyer Jr. starting outside front row. The duo would peak the interest of the crowd as they battled side by side for the top spot for the lead during the first two laps before the elder Moyer finally began to inch away. By the race’s midway point Moyer Jr. began to fight a slightly tight racecar as Shannon Babb and Brian Birkhofer reeled in the second place runner. However, over the last few laps Moyer Jr. would recover to claim the second spot behind Billy Moyer, who took the comfortable win. Shannon Babb took the final transfer spot over Birkhofer.
The COMP Cams Race of Champions Presented By Quarter Master saw six of the event’s previous eight winners in action. Via pill draw, Scott Bloomquist and Wendell Wallace started on the front row for the $1,000 to win affair with Bloomquist taking the early lead. By lap three Wallace pulled even with Bloomquist for the lead and two laps later would take over the top spot as Ray Cook and Brian Birkhofer battled side by side for the third spot. On lap the ASI Racewear mandatory caution flew. The field was lined up for a double file restart on the four lap shootout. Wallace would quickly dispose of Bloomquist as he once raced to the lead and went on to lead the last four laps to claim the win and bragging rights. Scott Bloomquist, Brian Birkhofer, Ray Cook, Terry Phillips, and Billy Moyer rounded out the field.
Action will resume on Saturday night with a driver autograph session in the spectator midway from 5:00pm to 5:45pm. Opening ceremonies are slated for 6:30pm with racing action to follow. B-Mains, the Manufacturers Dash For Cash, and the 100 lap, 18th Annual DART Show Me 100 Presented by Lucas Oil will all be held. A complete program for the Open Wheel Modified division will also be held and is sponsored by Pitt’s Homes and New Vision Graphics.
For more information on Lucas Oil Speedway, visit www.lucasoilspeedway.com.
To find out more about the Lucas Oil MLRA, check out www.mlraracing.com
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com or call the series’ office at (951)532-2503.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, May 28th, 2010
18th Annual DART Show-Me 100 Presented by Lucas Oil
Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, MO
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time: Jimmy Owens / 16.037 seconds
Wiles Driveshaft’s First Heat (20 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Jesse Stovall, Jared Landers, Mike Marlar, Tim Isenberg, Brad Looney, Chris Smyser, Al Purkey, Stacy Taylor, Ed Mueller, Dave Eckrich, Joe Kosiski, Michael Walker
AFCO Racing Products Second Heat (20 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Terry Phillips, Jimmy Mars, Will Vaught, Keith Foss, Steve Casebolt, Ray Moore, Jay Johnson, Evan Hubert, Austin Dillon, Justin Asplin, Rylan Long, Bill Koons
Allstar Performance Third Heat (20 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Don O’Neal, Ray Cook, Brad Neat, Jeremy Payne, Jack Sullivan, John Blankenship, Jason Hughes, Chris Brown, Mike Collins, Dewaine Hottinger, Zac Simmons, Chris Spieker
SuperFlow Fourth Heat (20 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Earl Pearson Jr., Scott Bloomquist, Dan Schlieper, Eric Wells, Josh McGuire, Brandon Kinzer, Chris Simpson, Kyle Beard, Gary Christian, Shane Harris, Andrew Kosiski, Chris Hall
Wiles Driveshaft’s Fifth Heat (20 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Dale McDowell, Eric Jacobsen, Wendell Wallace, Dennis Erb Jr., Chris Wall, Jason Feger, John Anderson, Bub McCool, JD Hubert, Jon Kirby, John Mason, Larry Jones
AFCO Racing Products Sixth Heat (20 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Billy Moyer, Billy Moyer Jr., Shannon Babb, Brian Birkhofer, Eric Turner, Chad Simpson, David Turner, Raymond Merrill, Tyler Reddick, Alan Vaughn, Austin Rettig, PJ Haskins
Comp Cams Race of Champions Presented by Quarter Master (12 Laps): Wendell Wallace, Scott Bloomquist, Brian Birkhofer, Ray Cook, Terry Phillips, Billy Moyer
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields