Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Dixie Speedway
October 5, 2013
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Chris Madden Takes First Career Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout Victory

by James Essex
WOODSTOCK, GA (October 5) - After coming close a year ago to winning his first Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout, Chris Madden sealed the deal tonight to take home the $10,000 pay day in the Southeast's most prestigious event. Madden led all 50 laps for his second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series triumph of 2013.
 
Billy Ogle, Jr. charged from the 11th starting position to take second. RED BUCK Fast Qualifier and pole sitter Randy Weaver came home in third. Six-time Shootout winner, Scott Bloomquist was fourth. Defending race winner, Jimmy Owens finished fifth.
 
"After what happened to us last year, leading until the last lap and not winning, this feels great," said the 38-year-old veteran driver. "The car was so good all night. I told Scott (Bloomquist) I didn't know what to do to the car for the feature. It was very easy to drive, and that's a scary feeling going into the feature, because you want to change something. But you don't want to mess up anything."
 
Madden's Bloomquist Race Cars, Clements-powered entry was solid from start to finish. Ogle made a late-race charge and closed to within a car-length with five laps to go. Madden pulled away in the final two circuits as he headed to Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the fifth time in his career.
 
"I tried to be smooth and not wear out the tires. Lap-traffic wasn't too bad tonight, and everybody gave each other plenty of room. I have to thank Century Plastics, Henderson Amusement, KC Transport, Cushman Paint and Body, Hamrick's of Gaffney, East Coast Entertainment, and everyone else; we couldn't do it without them. To win this race in front of this crowd is just tremendous. It's the biggest crowd I have seen here since I have been coming to race at Dixie."
 
Ogle's charge to the front began when he broke into the top five by lap eight. Ogle moved up to fourth, passing Bloomquist on lap 18. Two laps later Ogle made a great move, passing both Dale McDowell and Weaver to advance to second. Ogle's car was working so well on the bottom that it looked like he might catch Madden at the end.
 
"This track and Rome are probably my two favorite tracks to run on. We really were hooked up on the bottom, and we got a great run into the corners and out of them. With about five to go I thought maybe I had a chance to catch him (Madden), but I had some difficulty with lapped traffic, and it sort of hurt my momentum. We got real close there one lap, and I was hoping he might slip up, but he didn't. We will take this finish and head to Rome tomorrow night," said the race runner-up. "I have to thank Massey Electric, Cherokee Millwrights, Blount Excavating, David Bryant, and Rocket Chassis for giving me such a good car to drive."
 
Weaver, who was looking for a clean sweep of the racing activities, ran in second for several laps, until finally yielding that position to Ogle on lap 20. "He (Ogle) was really fast on the bottom; I couldn't hold him off, with only one caution. I really didn't have time to get settled down. We are thrilled to get a podium finish here, and we will keep coming back until we can win the Shootout," said Weaver.
 
"The track crew did a great job tonight; it was fast all night long. Madden was just in another zone, this was great experience for us running against the Lucas Oil drivers. We plan on starting out next year running with them," said the driver of the Outlaw Racing Southeast. Cornett-powered, GRT Ford.
 
Completing the top ten were Ray Cook, Casey Roberts, Steve Casebolt, John Blankenship and Dale McDowell.

In preliminary action, Randy Weaver set the overall RED BUCK fast time (Group A) amongst the 47 entrants, with a lap of 14.464 seconds. Chris Madden set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 14.747 seconds. Randy Weaver, Ray Cook, Chris Madden, and Dale McDowell won their respective heat races. Steve Francis and Eric Wells won their respective B-Mains.

A-Main    
1 2 44 Chris Madden Gaffney, GA $10,000
2 11 201 Billy Ogle Jr Knoxville, TN
3 1 116 Randy Weaver Crossville, TN
4 5 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
5 9 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
6 3 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
7 6 101 Casey Roberts Toccoa, GA
8 8 c9 Steve Casebolt Richmond, IN
9 10 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
10 4 17m Dale McDowell Chickmauga, GA
11 7 25 Shane Clanton Zebulon, GA
12 14 66 Jake Knowles Tyrone, GA
13 16 44 Clint Smith Senoia, GA
14 12 18X Michael Page Douglasville, GA
15 17 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
16 19 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
17 23 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
18 13 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
19 15 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
20 24 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV
21 20 5b Mike Marlar Winfield, TN
22 18 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY
23 21 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
24 22 F9 Frank Ingram Woodstock, GA

B-Main #1  
1 15 Steve Francis
2 44 Earl Pearson Jr
3 5 Jared Landers
4 33b Eric Cooley
5 360 Michael Asberry
6 26 Tony Knowles
7 9 Jason Croft
8 28 Dennis Erb Jr
9 1 Kenny Collins
10 618 Kevin Wilson
11 77 Doug Stevens

B-Main #2  
1 18 Eric Wells
2 5b Mike Marlar
3 F9 Frank Ingram
4 7 Donald McIntosh
5 X Tyler Millwood
6 28 Eddie Carrier Jr
7 x15 Shawn Chastain
8 8 David Payne
9 29 Gary McPherson
10 1N Jordy Nipper
11 07 Scott Hall
12 119 Mike McDonnell
13 9T Travis Pennington
14 16 Justin Rattliff

Heat #1  
1 116 Randy Weaver
2 0 Scott Bloomquist
3 20 Jimmy Owens
4 21jr Billy Moyer Jr
5 15 Steve Francis
6 77 Doug Stevens
7 44 Earl Pearson Jr
8 360 Michael Asberry
9 28 Dennis Erb Jr
10 1 Kenny Collins

Heat #2  
1 53 Ray Cook
2 25 Shane Clanton
3 201 Billy Ogle Jr
4 71 Don O'Neal
5 5 Jared Landers
6 33b Eric Cooley
7 26 Tony Knowles
8 9 Jason Croft
9 23 Scotty Pritchett
10 618 Kevin Wilson

Heat #3  
1 44 Chris Madden
2 101 Casey Roberts
3 23 John Blankenship
4 66 Jake Knowles
5 18 Eric Wells
6 5b Mike Marlar
7 28 Eddie Carrier Jr
8 16 Justin Rattliff
9 29 Gary McPherson
10 1N Jordy Nipper
11 07 Scott Hall
12 9T Travis Pennington

Heat #4  
1 17m Dale McDowell
2 c9 Steve Casebolt
3 18X Michael Page
4 44 Clint Smith
5 X Tyler Millwood
6 F9 Frank Ingram
7 7 Donald McIntosh
8 119 Mike McDonnell
9 x15 Shawn Chastain
10 8 David Payne