10/7/2006
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Late Race Rally Gives Scott Bloomquist Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 17th Annual Dixie Shootout Win
WOODSTOCK, GA (October 7, 2006)- Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN took the lead with eight laps remaining as he won his fourth Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout on Saturday Night. It was Bloomquist ninth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season as the 42 year old National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer took home a total of $20,000 for his win. The event paid $15,000 to win and promoter Mike Swims offered a $5,000 bonus to any previous Shootout winner who could win the race.
Bloomquist would cross the line in first in his Miller Brothers Coal/Hawkeye Trucking/Allstar Performance/Sweet Mfg/Ohlins/K-B Carburetors/VP Racing Fuels/ Perry County Tire/Vic Hill Racing Engines/ self designed Bloomquist Race Cars Chevrolet. Clint Smith of Senoia, GA made a late race charge to finish second in the JP Drilling/RaceTek Race Engines/GRT GTO. Finishing third was 13th starting Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC in the Arvil Cook Investment Properties/Grover Engines/MasterSbilt Ford Fusion. Completing the top five were Wendell Wallace in his J&J Steel/Gaerte Engines/ GRT GTO and pole-sitter Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN in the Powell Motorsports/Jay Dickens Racing Engines/Rocket GTO. Completing the top ten were Frank Ingram, Shannon Babb, Matt Miller, Jake Knowles and Mark Douglas.
Scott James and Shannon Babb started on the front row of the 50 lapper with Babb seeking to make it three straight Dixie Shootout victories grabbing the point at the start of the race. James would fall in behind Babb and follow in his tire tracks as Jake Knowles, Bloomquist and Michael England would be the top five drivers after one lap was scored. Bloomquist, who started third on the grid made a move around the youngster Knowles to take third on the second lap.
The first three of Babb, James and Bloomquist would start to put some space between themselves and the rest of the field. Mark Douglas would join the top five on lap four getting past England for that spot. Babb was able to keep a one to two car length lead over James with Bloomquist about three lengths back of James in third. The top five would remain the same until eighth place starter Clint Smith started to make his charge to the front as he pass Douglas for fifth on lap 21.
At the halfway mark Babb was still showing the way eyeing the $5,000 bonus that was up for grabs if a previous Dixie Shootout winner could win the race. Smith would get by Knowles on lap 25 for fourth and start to reel in the top three. With 30 laps scored and no cautions Babb, James, Bloomquist and now Smith were dicing it out for the lead as the excitement level was increasing up front. Bloomquist and Smith would race five laps side-by-side with Smith barely clearing Bloomquist at the scoring line on laps 31, 32 and 33, but Bloomquist would be scored back in third on lap 34.
Bloomquist charged to the outside of James on lap 35 off turn four and made a bold bid to take over the lead from Babb when the first caution of the race came out for the stalled racer of Damon Eller. On the Delaware double file restart Babb would be the leader with James and Bloomquist lined up side-by-side. Once the action restarted Babb would be on the point but Bloomquist went to the top and made the pass on James for second on lap 37.
Bloomquist would then set his sights on race long leader Babb taking him on the outside coming off turn four on lap 42 to become the first driver to lead the field other than Babb. Smith would then jump from fourth to second on lap 43 going by both Babb and James. Smith would then began searching for the fast line to catch Bloomquist as Ray Cook began to flex his muscle getting involved in the action up-front climbing to third on lap 44.
With five laps to go Bloomquist held a five car length lead over Smith, Cook, Babb and James and looked to be on his way to yet another victory in '06. But with four laps to go Series Points leader, Earl Pearson, Jr. and Jake Knowles made contact which resulted in Pearson getting sideways in turn two and collecting several cars bringing out the second and final caution of the race. On the restart Bloomquist would have two of the fastest cars over the last half of the race behind him lined up side-by-side as Smith and Cook would try one final challenge at stealing the win from Bloomquist.
On the restart Bloomquist would accelerate away from both Smith and Cook and quickly put distance between himself and the field. Smith would pick up the momentum and cut Bloomquists lead down to two lengths at the white flag but Bloomquist would navigate his own self designed chassis to the finish line first for his ninth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of 2006. In earning $20,000 total for his win Bloomquist has now won seven of the 15 races in dirt late model racing this year that have paid $20,000 or more to win. Smith would finish second with Cook, former Shootout winner Wendell Wallace coming up from 10th to claim fourth and James would round out the top five.
In his fourth Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout Victory Lane, Bloomquist again laid claim yet another big money payoff. "The track was real racy tonight and I just thought if we could a little closer to the front there we would have a good shot at winning." "I was little worried there for a little because Babb and James were running real good, but our car really came into it there around the midway point of the race and I went to the top around those guys." Standing in victory circle Bloomquist would have oil on his racing shoes as oil was starting to leak from the car during the race. "Yes the brake pedal got a little slick there, I think we had a leak develop and I don't know how much oil we had left, but apparently it was just enough to get us the win."
In preliminary action for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Jonathan Davenport was the Comp Cams Fast Qualifier at 14.725 seconds. The PBM Performance Products Heat Race winners were Scott James, Michael England, Mark Douglas, Shannon Babb, Jake Knowles and Scott Bloomquist. The Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main went to Donnie Moran and the Penske Shocks Second B-Main was won by Don O'Neal. The K&N Engineering "Clean Pass of the Race" was awarded to Scott Bloomquist. 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 Qualifying Heat Race, B-Main or A-Main event. A total of 55 cars were on hand for the 17th Annual Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout Presented by Coca-Cola at the Swims Family promoted facility with a large crowd on hand.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will take to the track for the third time in six days this Wednesday Night, October 11th at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, NC for a sanctioned event. The Jani-King Southern Showdown Presented by Ferris Commercial Mowers will pay $10,000 to the winner, but a unique bonus format could result in the winner taking home $28,000. For more information you can visit on line at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com and www.lucasdirt.com.
Event Summary Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Saturday Night, October 7, 2006 Dixie Speedway-Woodstock, GA
Comp Cams Fast Time: Jonathan Davenport 14.725 seconds
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Scott James, Earl Pearson, Jr., Ray Cook, Jonathan Davenport, Gary McPherson, Freddy Smith, Phil Coltrane, Lee Sutton, Doug Sanders
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Michael England, Clint Smith, Shane Clanton, Donnie Moran, Lamar Haygood, Wayne Echols, Jay Smith, Terrence Nowell, Tracy Pearson
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Mark Douglas, Frank Ingram, Marshall Green, Randy Weaver, Ricky Williams, Shawn Beasley, Brian Shirley, Brett Wyatt
PBM Performance Products Fourth Heat: (1 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Shannon Babb, Wendell Wallace, Skip Arp, Tony Morris, Damon Eller, Shane Tankersley, Rodney Martin, Shane Fulcher
PBM Performance Products Fifth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Jake Knowles, Mat Miller, Tony Knowles, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Todd Morrow, Johnny Chastain, Curtis Cline, Tim Day
PBM Performance Products Sixth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Steve Casebolt, Johnny Cloer, Jr. Don ONeal, Justin Rattliff, Chris Combs, Zach Nichols, Joel Rice
Mason Racin Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Donnie Moran, Randy Weaver, Jonathan Davenport, Freddy Smith, Gary McPherson, Brian Shirley, Ricky Williams, Lamar Haygood, Phil Coltrane, Terrence Nowell, Wayne Echols, Shawn Beasley, Lee Sutton, Brett Wyatt, Tracy Pearson, Doug Sanders, Jay Smith
Penske Shocks Second B Main: (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Don ONeal, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Johnny Chastain, Rodney Martin, Todd Morrow, Chris Combs, Damon Eller, Shane Tankersley, Zach Nichols, Shane Fulcher, Tim Day, Joel Rice, David Killian, Curtis Cline, Tony Morris, Justin Rattliff
17th Annual Dixie Shootout Feature Finish: (50 Laps): Scott Bloomquist, Clint Smith, Ray Cook, Wendell Wallace, Scott James, Frank Ingram, Shannon Babb, Matt Miller, Jake Knowles, Mark Douglas, Shane Clanton, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Marshall Green, Randy Weaver, Earl Pearson, Jr., Don ONeal, Johnny Cloer, Jr., Tony Knowles, Michael England, Damon Eller, Skip Arp, Freddy Smith, Steve Casebolt
Event Statistics
Entries: 55
Caution Flags: 2
Red Flags: 0
Lap Leaders: Shannon Babb 1-41, Scott Bloomquist 42-50
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Ray Cook (Started 13th and finished 3rd-advanced 10 positions)
K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Scott Bloomquist
Hawk Brake Tough Brake: Earl Pearson, Jr.
Quarter Master Move of the Race: Clint Smith
On the Edge Graphics Fastest Non Qualifier: Jonathan Davenport
Weld Wheels Award: Ronny Lee Hollingsworth
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Michael England
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Freddy Smith and Damon Eller
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields
