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James Essex
BEDFORD, Penn. (April 24) - Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, WI led all 50 laps of the "Bedford Valley Petroleum 50." In doing so, he won his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event since 2005 on Friday Night at Bedford Speedway. Mars earned $10,000 in taking the "Bedford Valley Petroleum 50" holding off Brian Birkhofer in the late stages to record his second career LOLMDS win. He managed this while making his first ever visit to Bedford. Trailing Mars and Birkhofer were Billy Moyer, Rick Eckert and Josh Richards.
Scott Bloomquist and Mars started on the front row of the main event. Mars was neck and neck with Bloomquist at the start-finish line, but broke out in front to lead the first lap. A yellow then came out for a four-car accident coming off of turn four. With Mars in front on the restart, Bloomquist and Steve Francis lined up by side-by-side behind him on the Delaware double-file restart.
On the restart, Mars continued to hold the lead with pressure from Bloomquist. Francis, Ray Cook and Moyer were rounding out the top five. The top five stayed the same until eighth-place starter Brian Birkhofer started to move through the field advancing to the fifth spot around Moyer.
Mars set a steady pace out front as Bloomquist and Francis then fought it out for second. Birkhofer continued his impressive jaunt through the field passing Cook for fourth on lap eight. The top four cars of Mars, Bloomquist, Francis and Birkhofer started to distance themselves from the rest of the pack with 15 laps complete.
At this point of the race, Mars was starting to close quickly on the tail-end of the field, with Moyer going by Cook for fifth on lap 16. In traffic, Mars would lose the margin he had over the rest of the top five as they were able to slice into the comfortable lead that Mars once enjoyed.
Francis then moved into the second position on lap 21, going by Bloomquist, who was starting to fade slightly. At the halfway mark, Mars was still holding the lead as he put two lapped cars between himself and Francis. Birkhofer began to join the hunt for the lead also as he climbed to third, putting the heat on Francis for second.
Birkhofer then grabbed the runner-up spot on lap 26 as he set his sights on Mars. Mars held a four-car length lead when the second caution flew for debris on the track with 30 laps scored. This would set up a restart with Mars on the point and Birkhofer and Francis lined up directly behind him.
On the restart, the top five were Mars, Birkhofer, Moyer, Francis and Bloomquist. Those drivers would continue in the same running order until a caution came out for sixth-place running Jamie Lathroum, who broke a driveshaft on the main straightaway. On the restart, Mars had a clear track in front of him and with 12 laps to go the race came down to him and Birkhofer.
Mars held a three-car length lead, but Birkhofer, on the final lap cut it down to one length as the two drivers went sailing into turn three on the final circuit. It was Mars that got the run off of four as he went on to score his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win since May 21, 2005 at La Salle Speedway in La Salle, IL. He became the seventh different winner in nine races this season.
In the Lucas Oil "Sunoco Race Fuels Road to Wheatland Victory Lane, Mars said his night got off to a rough start as his water pump broke off and got into the radiator. "The car was real good tonight, we set the car up and it was a little tight, it almost cost us there at the end, the MB Custom Chassis was awesome, the Pro Power Engine was awesome and I wasn't going to let Birkhofer pass me that's for sure," smiled Mars.
"The track was real good I thought, this is the first time we've been here and it was real racy that's for sure, we're glad to pick up this Lucas Oil win and thanks to all the great fans for coming out tonight, they saw a good show."
The 37-year-old driver has additional sponsorship on his number 28 car from Deppe Enterprises, Baileigh Industrial, BSB Manufacturing, ChevytownUSA.com, T.L. Sinz Plumbing and VP Racing Fuels.
Finishing second was Birkhofer in his J&J Steel/Pro Power Engines/MB Custom Monte Carlo followed by Moyer in the Banner Valley Hauling/Clements Racing Engines/Moyer Victory Circle M1 Chassis as Eckert made a late-race charge from tenth to finish fourth in the Raye Vest Excavating/Jay Dickens Racing Engines/Bloomquist Race Cars Cadillac and Richards came home fifth in the Ernie D's Enterprises LLC/Cornett Racing Engines/Rocket Monet Carlo SS.
Completing the top ten were Jason Covert, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, J.T. Spence and Don O'Neal.
In preliminary action Scott Bloomquist set a new all-time Bedford Speedway Late Model Track record with a time of 19.346 seconds, clocking around the 5/8th mile oval breaking Rick Eckert's former record of 19.632 seconds set last year. Heat race winners were Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Billy Moyer, Jimmy Mars, Ray Cook and J.T. Spence. The B-main winners were by Earl Pearson Jr. and Dan Schlieper.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will return to the race track on Saturday Night, April 25th at the Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD for the "Stanley Schetrompf Classic" paying $10,000 to win. For more information on the race you can go to www.hagerstownspeedway.com.
For the latest 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
Saturday Night, April 24, 2009
Bedford Speedway; Bedford, PA
PRC Fast Time: Scott Bloomquist 19.346 seconds
Hawk Brake First Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, David Breazeale, Jim Yoder, Earl Pearson Jr., John Mason, Donnie Moran, Steve Casebolt, Jeep VanWormer, Tommy Weder, Waylon Wagner
Hawk Brake Second Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Steve Francis, Dan Stone, Josh Richards, Scott Haus, Eric Jacobsen, Chris harr, Shane Clanton, Mike Altobelli, Davey Johnson, Devin Friese, Ricky Elliot
AFCO Racing Products Third Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Billy Moyer, Jamie Lathroum, Jason Covert, Jimmy Owens, Josh McGuire, Nick Dickson, Freddy Smith, Randy Burkholder, Chuck Clese, John Blankenship, Jeff Rine
Tiger Rear Ends Fourth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Jimmy Mars, Brian Birkhofer, Tim Fuller, Dan Schlieper, Jeremy Miller, DJ Troutman, Greg Fetters, Mike Lupfer, Scott Rhodes, Shawn Clarr
Hawk Brake Fifth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Ray Cook, Rick Eckert, Jack Pencil, DJ Myers, Bart Hartman, Doug Horton, Matt Lux, Alan Sagi, Brad Neat, Michael Walker
Hawk Brake Sixth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): J.T. Spence, Don O'Neal, Scott James, Gary Stuhler, Dale McDowell, Steve Everhart, Scott LeBarron, Chub Frank, Tyler Hershey, Tom Decker Jr.
Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main (12 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Earl Pearson Jr., Jimmy Owens, Scott Haus, Donnie Moran, Eric Jacobsen, Josh McGuire, Nick Dickson, Steve Casebolt, John Blankenship, John Mason, Jeff Rine, Freddy Smith, Tommy Weder, Chuck Clise, Ricky Elliot, Chris Harr, DNS- Shane Clanton, Mike Altobelli, Randy Burkholder, Davey Johnson, Devin Friese, Waylon Wagner
Wiles Drive Shafts Second B-Main (12 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Dan Schlieper, Jeremy Miller, Gary Stuhler, Dale McDowell, DJ Myers, Bart Hartman, Steve Everhart, Doug Horton, Greg Fetters, Scott LeBarron, Scott Rhodes, Brad Neat, Shawn Claar, Mike Lupfer, Tyler Hershey, Michael Walker, Tom Decker Jr., Chub Frank, Alan Sagi, DJ Troutman, Matt Lux.
Finish (Start) Car Number Driver Name Laps
(2) #28m Jimmy Mars
(8) #15B Brian Birkhofer
(5) #21 Billy Moyer
(10) #24 Rick Eckert
(15) #25 Josh Richards
(17) #43A Jason Covert
(1) #0 Scott Bloomquist
(3) #19 Steve Francis
(6) #91 J.T. Spence
(12) #71 Don O'Neal
(9) #21D Dan Stone
(16) #14 Jack Pencil
(4) #53 Ray Cook
(20) #s9 Dan Schlieper
(7) #54 David Breazeale
(24) #17M Dale McDowell -1
(23) #41 Josh McGuire -1
(18) #83 Scott James -1
(26) #55 Jeep VanWormer -1
(14) #19t Tim Fuller -4
(21) #20 Jimmy Owens -6
(11) 6L Jamie Lathroum -12
(19) #44 Earl Pearson Jr. -20
(25) #15E Steve Everhart -21
(22) #24m Jeremy Miller -28
(13) #27 Jim Yoder -49
Race Statistics
Entries: 62
Caution Flags: Lap 1 (Everhart, Owens, McGuire); Lap 30 (Pearson Jr.); Lap 38 (Lathroum)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Josh McGuire, Dale McDowell
Emergency Provisional: Jeep VanWormer
PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race: Jason Covert (started: 17th, finished 6th, advanced 11 positions)
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Josh Richards
K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Billy Moyer
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: David Breazeale
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Pro Power Racing Engines
Time of the Race: 33 Minutes
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