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James Essex
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (September 5) - Taking the lead on lap 20 Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN pulled away from a four car battle for the lead as he went on to score his fourth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season on Saturday Night at Portsmouth Raceway Park in capturing "The Big Red Book River Days Rumble" worth $10,000. Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA finished second followed by 22nd starting Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN, Eddie Carrier Jr. of Mooresburg, TN and Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN. Event Images
Bart Hartman and Carrier made up the front row for the race which was run before a packed house at PRP. Carrier grabbed the lead on the start as sixth starting Josh McGuire quickly made his presence known as the defending race winner climbed to second followed by Owens, Scott James and Hartman.
McGuire then made a power move on the outside of Carrier grabbing the lead on the fourth lap as there were four cautions in the first six laps with the most serious being for Jackie Boggs who brought out the red flag as he barrel rolled out of turn number four. Boggs was alert and talking as he was cut from his race car and then transported to a local hospital for observation.
On the restart McGuire held the lead as he was fighting off some stiff challenges from both Carrier and Owens. Carrier re-took the lead on lap 14 and a circuit later Owens passed McGuire for second. Owens then pressured Carrier for the lead as the two racers went door-to-door on lap 19 with Owens clearing Carrier to take the lead on the 20th lap.
Owens then pulled away from Carrier as McGuire was starting to fade from the battle for the lead. At the halfway mark Owens was still in front followed closely by Carrier as the two hit lapped traffic for the first time in the race. A caution on lap 27 for Scott James, who was running inside the top ten would bunch the field up and set up a terrific race for the lead.
Owens and Carrier then had Birkhofer breathing down their necks as he move into second on lap 34 as a four-car tussle between Owens, Birkhofer, Carrier and Hartman would get tight as the caution flew on lap 39 for debris on the frontstretch.
On the restart Owens held the lead and had eleven laps to go as he was holding off both Birkhofer and Carrier in trying to take his fourth series win of the season and gain points on points leader Scott Bloomquist who had worked his way from the 22nd starting spot up to fourth on the restart.
Bloomquist made quick work of Carrier for third and with five laps to go he was trying to overhaul Birkhofer for second to salvage what appeared to be a night where Owens was going to cut significantly into his point's lead which stood at 210 points before the night started.
Owens had no problems in the final five laps as he cruised on for the win in only his second ever appearance at Portsmouth in a Late Model as he drove his Mike Reece-owned Reece Monument Company, Gantte Appraisals, PRC, Ohlins Shocks, VP Racing Fuels, Red Line Oil, Byrd's Radiator, C&C Trucking sponsored Cornett Racing Engines-powered Bloomquist Race Cars Ford Fusion.
In Lucas Oil victory lane for the 13th time in his career Owens again thanked a multitude of people. "I have to thank my crew, this car was fantastic tonight, they did a great job on the set-up, I thought I was going to gain some points on Scott tonight, but we'll take the win, I want to thank my car owner Mike Reece and Scott for a great race car, it was a re-clipped car and it was really a great race out there among about three or four of us, Eddie was strong, then McGuire and I knew Birkhofer and Scott would be there, cause I was watching the scoreboard under caution and saw their numbers pop upon there, but like I said we'll take the win and go on to the next race," said the 37-year-old racer who now trails Bloomquist by 180 points with five races remaining.
Birkhofer, who started sixth, finished second in his S&S Concrete/Pro Power Engines/MB Customs Monte Carlo SS followed by Bloomquist in his Miller Brothers Coal/Sweet Mfg/Bloomquist Race Cars Monte Carlo SS. Completing the top five were Carrier in the Carl Grover Motorsports/Engines Inc/Rocket Ford Fusion and O'Neal in the Superior Cleaning/Jay Dickens Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo SS.
Completing the top ten were Bart Hartman of Zanesville, OH, Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA, Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH, Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, WI and John Blankenship of Williamson, WV.
To find out more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log on to www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, September 5th, 2009
"The Big Red Book River Days Rumble"
Portsmouth Raceway Park - Portsmouth, OH
PRC Fast Time: Josh McGuire / 14.437 seconds *(Bonus $200 Courtesy of Fibernet)
Hawk Brake First Heat (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Bart Hartman, Tim Dohm, Terry Casey, Steve Casebolt, Dan Schlieper, John Blankenship, John Mason, Jackie Boggs, Jason Montgomery, Delmas Conley, Josh Bocook, Jerry Mustian, Rod Conley
Hawk Brake Second Heat (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Brian Birkhofer, Dale McDowell, Doug Drown, Don O'Neal, Chuck Harper, Rick Aukland, Bill Frye, Butch Dowdy, Kenny Christy, Daniel Williams, Greddy Smith, Michael Walker
AFCO Racing Products Third Heat (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Eddie Carrier Jr., Josh McGuire, Ray Cook, Ben Adkins, Earl Pearson Jr., RJ Conley, Eric Jacobsen, Nick Bocook, Marty Huntley, Billy Gullion, Brandon Queen, Matt Pistol, Audie Swartz
Tiger Rear Ends Fourth Heat (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Scott James, Wayne Chinn, Rick Combs, Donnie Moran, Ricky Arms, Brad Neat, Chris Wilson, Greggie Oliver, Dennis Little, Shaun Poling, Scott Bloomquist, Albert Butcher, Steve Shaver
Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main (12 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Don O'Neal, Dan Schlieper, Rick Aukland, John Blankenship, Bill Frye, Chuck Harper, John Mason, Jackie Boggs, Delmas Conley, Jason Montgomery, Michael Walker, Butch Dowdy, Daniel Williams, Kenny Christy, Freddy Smith, Josh Bocook, Jerry Mustain-DNS, Rod Conley-DNS
Wiles Drive Shafts Second B-Main (12 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Earl Pearson Jr., Eric Jacobsen, Scott Bloomquist, Brad Neat, Greggie Oliver, RJ Conley, Chris Wilson, Ricky Arms, Billy Gullion, Dennis Little, Shaun Poling, Nick Bocook, Matt Pistol, Brandon Queen, Audie Swartz, Marty Huntley-DNS, Albert Butcher-DNS, Steve Shaver-DNS
Feature Finish (50 Laps): Jimmy Owens, Brian Birkhofer, Scott Bloomquist, Eddie Carrier Jr., Don O'Neal, Bart Hartman, Dale McDowell, Donnie Moran, Dan Schlieper, John Blankenship, Earl Pearson Jr., Tim Dohm, Josh McGuire, Doug Drown, Brad Neat, Rick Combs, Ben Adkins, Ray Cook, Scott James, Terry Casey, Wayne Chinn, Steve Casebolt, Eric Jacobsen, Jackie Boggs, Rick Aukland
Finish (Start) Car Number Driver Name
1. (3) #20 Jimmy Owens
2. (7) #15B Brian Birkhofer
3. (22) #0 Scott Bloomquist
4. (2) #28 Eddie Carrier Jr.
5. (17) #71 Don O'Neal
6. (1) #75 Bart Hartman
7. (11) #17m Dale McDowell
8. (16) #99 Donnie Moran
9. (19) #s9 Dan Schlieper
10. (24) #23 John Blankenship
11. (18) #44 Earl Pearson Jr.
12. (5) #17t Tim Dohm
13. (6) #41 Josh McGuire
14. (15) #12D Doug Drown
15. (23) #41N Brad Neat
16. (12) #11H Rick Combs
17. (14) #41B7 Ben Adkins
18. (10) #53 Ray Cook
19. (4) #83 Scott James
20. (9) #42t Terry Casey
21. (8) #1 Wayne Chinn
22. (13) #c9 Steve Casebolt
23. (20) #5 Eric Jacobsen
24. (25) #4B Jackie Boggs
25. (21) #12A Rick Aukland
Race Statistics
Entrants: 52
Lap Leaders: Laps 1-3 (Eddie Carrier Jr.); Laps 4-13 (Josh McGuire); Laps 14-19 (Eddie Carrier Jr.); Laps 20-50 (Jimmy Owens)
Caution Flags: Lap 2 (Terry Casey); Lap 5 (Wayne Chinn); Lap 6 (Earl Pearson Jr.); Lap 7 (Tim Dohm, Jackie Boggs, Eric Jacobsen); Lap 17 (Ray Cook); Lap 29 (Scott James); Lap 39 (Debris); Lap 41 (Josh McGuire);
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Brad Neat, John Blankenship
Emergency Provisional: none
PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race: Scott Bloomquist
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Don O'Neal
K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Jimmy Owens
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: John Blankenship
Comp Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Time of the Race: minutes seconds
2009 Championship Points Standings
1. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN) 6470
2. Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) 6290
3. Dale McDowell (Chickamauga, GA) 6045
4. Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) 6025
5. Don O'Neal (Martinsville, IN) 5935
6. Ray Cook (Brasstown, NC) 5640
7. Steve Casebolt (Richmond, IN) 5285
8. Brad Neat (Dunnville, KY) 5280
9. Eric Jacobsen (Seacliffe Beach, CA) 4890
10. John Blankenship (Williamson, WV) 4840
11. Dan Schlieper (Sullivan, WI) 4580
12. David Breazeale (Four Corners, MS) 3880
13. Freddy Smith (Seymour, TN) 3705
16. Michael Walker (Franklin, TN) 2955
2009 Quarter Master Rookie of the Year Points Standings
1. John Blankenship (Williamson, WV) 4840
2. David Breazeale (Four Corners, MS) 3880
3. Michael Walker (Franklin, TN) 2955
4. Jeep VanWormer (Pinnconning, MI) 2090
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