Post by LMR on 07/16/11 at 9:11pm
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Lucas Oil Speedway
July 16, 2011
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Bloomquist Wins CMH Diamond Nationals after Francis Breaks at Lucas Oil Speedway
WHEATLAND, Mo. (July 16) - Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN inherited the top spot when race leader, Steve Francis had driveline failure with six laps to go. He went on to lead the rest of the way in the 5th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals on Saturday Night at Lucas Oil Speedway. John Blankenship of Williamson, WV finished second, followed by Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN. Polesitter, Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA and Bub McCool of Vicksburg, MS rounded out the top-five. The event was sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the Lucas Oil MLRA Late Model Series.
Reddick led the first 15 laps of the race until Bloomquist took over the top spot with 18 laps scored. Bloomquist's lead was short-lived as Francis took his car to the high-side of the track and swept by Bloomquist for the lead on lap 21.
Francis pulled away from Bloomquist as he continued to power around the top side of the track. Bloomquist ran a solid second during this stretch as a terrific battle for third was going between Reddick, Blankenship, Owens, and McCool went back-and-forth for the rest of the race.
With Francis in command, he held an eight-to-ten car length lead over Bloomquist and appeared to be on his way to his first win of the year. Francis had two lapped cars between himself and Bloomquist as the sizable lead looked strong enough at the time.
With six laps to go Francis slowed suddenly on the backstretch as his driveline failed ending his night. Bloomquist then inherited the lead, but a caution with five laps to go for Jared Landers set up a five-lap dash to the finish. Reddick held second briefly but a three-wide race between Reddick, Blankenship, and Owens resulted in Reddick getting shuffled back.
Blankenship and Owens tried their best to stay with Bloomquist, who went on to win for the ninth time in LOLMDS competition this season. He extended his points lead to 60 over Owens. "Sometimes you have to be lucky and we were tonight, Francis went to the top before I could get there and he was strong tonight no doubt about it. It looked like we were going to finish second again here, but to come home with the win, it feels good. The car is running exceptionally well with Lucas Oil in the Roush-Yates Ford."
Blankenship matched his career best in the Coal America's Energy, Rocket. Owens followed suit in his Mike Reece-owned, Reece Monument Company, Bloomquist Ford. Reddick came home fourth in his Broken Bow Records, Bloomquist Chevrolet and McCool's Southern Belle, Moyer Victory Circle capped off the night with the fifth spot.
Completing the top ten were Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR; Chris Simpson of Oxford, IA; Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN; Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY and Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC.
In preliminary action Tyler Reddick captured his first career Red Buck Cigars Fast Time among the 36 entrants. Heat race winners were Reddick, Francis, Bloomquist and Bloomquist. The B-Mains went to Terry Phillips and Earl Pearson Jr.
The event was taped by Lucas Oil Production Studios to air on SPEED at a later date.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
July 16, 2011
A-Main
1 2 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN $10,000
2 4 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
3 6 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
4 1 11t Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
5 5 57J Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS
6 7 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
7 10 32 Chris Simpson Farley, IA
8 23 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
9 13 41n Brad Neat Dunnville, KY
10 9 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
11 19 c9 Steve Casebolt Richmond, IN
12 11 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
13 8 18e Eric Wells Hazard, KY
14 18 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL
15 21 99JR Frank Heckenast Jr Orland Park, IL
16 3 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
17 12 17m Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA
18 22 9t Tim Isenberg Marshfield, WI
19 16 33 Al Purkey Coffeyville, KS
20 20 14 Kyle Berck Marquete, NE
21 24 2 John Anderson Omaha, NE
22 14 74 Jeremy Payne Springfield, MO
23 15 15T David Turner Adrian, MO
24 17 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
25 25 33x Eric Turner Hermitage, MO
26 26 24G Bryant Goldsmith Corning, IA
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B-Main #1
1 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
2 c9 Steve Casebolt Richmond, IN
3 99JR Frank Heckenast Jr Orland Park, IL
B-Main #2
1 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL
2 14 Kyle Berck Marquete, NE
3 9t Tim Isenberg Marshfield, WI
4 72 John Mason Millersburg, IA
5 24G Bryant Goldsmith Corning, IA
6 99J Larry Jones El Dorado Spgs, MO
7 15J Patrick Johnson Jetmore, KS
8 21b Chris Brown Longview, TX
9 101 Joe Walkenhorst Lees Summit, MO
10 1A Bryon Allison Marshall, MO
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Heat #1
1 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
2 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
3 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
4 15T David Turner Adrian, MO
5 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
6 99JR Frank Heckenast Jr Orland Park, IL
7 14W Dustin Walker Belton, MO
8 c9 Steve Casebolt Richmond, IN
9 0x Jason Sivils Bolivar, MO
Heat #2
1 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
2 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
3 32 Chris Simpson Farley, IA
4 74 Jeremy Payne Springfield, MO
5 72 John Mason Millersburg, IA
6 9t Tim Isenberg Marshfield, WI
7 1A Bryon Allison Marshall, MO
8 99J Larry Jones El Dorado Spgs, MO
9 15J Patrick Johnson Jetmore, KS
Heat #3
1 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
2 18e Eric Wells Hazard, KY
3 17m Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA
4 33 Al Purkey Coffeyville, KS
5 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL
6 14 Kyle Berck Marquete, NE
7 24G Bryant Goldsmith Corning, IA
8 21b Chris Brown Longview, TX
9 101 Joe Walkenhorst Lees Summit, MO
Heat #4
1 11t Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
2 57J Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS
3 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
4 41n Brad Neat Dunnville, KY
5 2 John Anderson Omaha, NE
6 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
7 33x Eric Turner Hermitage, MO
8 29 Bill Koons Omaha, NE
9 14M Reid Millard Jefferson City, MO
The series will round out the month of July with an East Coast tripleheader. On Wednesday, July 27th the series will make its second appearance at the historic Fonda Speedway in Fonda, NY . On Thursday, July 28th the series heads back to Utica-Rome Speedway in Vernon, NY and rounds out the month on Saturday, July 30th at "The Capitol of Dirt Track Racing" Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD. All three shows will pay $10,000 to win.
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.
