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James Essex
KILGORE, Tex. (April 2) - Two-time and defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN took the lead with nine laps to go and went to win the first ever LOLMDS ever held in the state of Texas on Saturday Night at Lonestar Speedway. Bloomquist, who started tenth, earned $20,000 for his second series win of the year. Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, IL, who started 17th, finished second; followed by pole-sitter Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN; Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; and Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN.
Shannon Babb took the lead on the eighth lap and appeared to be on his way to a convincing win until a caution flag with 18 laps to go allowed the field to close up behind him. The caution allowed both O'Neal and Bloomquist to tighten the battle for the lead in a race that saw several cautions for flat tires.
Bloomquist passed O'Neal for second on lap 87 and then four circuits later he was all over Babb in the race for the lead and finally went by him heading into turn three with nine laps remaining. Babb then slowed with a flat tire with four laps to go, ending his bid to overtake Bloomquist. Bloomquist then went on to take the victory; his first in the Lonestar State.
"We just bided our time there for a while; we fired real well on the restarts. We got some breaks with the cautions and we new eventually it would be a tire game," said the Hall-of-Famer, who's right rear tire was bald as he stood in victory lane. "We had a good race there with O'Neal for a while, and once I got passed him, I knew there was enough time left to catch Shannon. We were fortunate enough to close quickly on him and he left the door open there just enough for us to get by," said the driver of the Base Racing Fuels, Hawkeye Trucking, Roush-Yates Racing Engines sponsored Ford powered Bloomquist Race Cars entry.
Erb, who started on the inside of the ninth row charged through the field passing many cars and through some attrition wound up in the runner-up spot behind the driver that built his race car. O'Neal, who had a spirited battle with Bloomquist for several laps finished third at the finish to climb to within five points of series point's leader. Jimmy Owens, gave up fourth on the final lap to Pearson.
Completing the top ten were Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN; Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR; Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA; Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA; and Frank Heckenast Jr. of Frankfort, IL.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be in action next Saturday Night, April 9th at Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, Indiana for the $10,000 to win "Indiana Icebreaker."
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.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, April 2nd, 2011
Lonestar Speedway - Kilgore, TX
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time: Don O'Neal / 15.711 seconds (Group A)
David Breazeale / 15.358 seconds (Group B and Overall)
Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Don O'Neal, Jared Landers, Billy Moyer, Billy Moyer Jr., Dan Schlieper, Steve Casebolt, Rob Litton, Robbie Stuart, Gary Christian, Jody Mayne, Timothy Culp, Wendell Wallace
Wiles Driveshafts Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Chris Wall, Bub McCool, Frank Heckenast Jr., Tim Isenberg, Dennis Erb Jr., John Lobb, BJ Robinson, Jack Sullivan, Josh Danzy, Jay Brunson, Kenneth Crowe, Leon Henderson
Sweet Manufacturing Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): David Breazeale, Dale McDowell, Scott Bloomquist, Jimmy Owens, Eric Wells, Earl Pearson Jr., John Blankenship, Kenny Merchant, Ray Moore, Douglas Begnaud, Jeff Chanler, Kyle Beard
HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Shannon Babb, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Mike Marlar, Ray Cook, Tyler Reddick, Kelly Boen, Brad neat, Steve Francis, Morgan Bagler, Jon Mitchell, Ronny Adams, Dwight Falcon
JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Dennis Erb Jr., Steve Casebolt, Dan Schlieper, Gary Christian, Rob Litton, John Lobb, John Danzy, Jay Brunson, Robbie Stuart-DNS, Jack Sullivan-DNS, Jody Mayne-DNS, Timothy Culp-DNS, Kenneth Crowe-DNS, Wendell Wallace-DNS, Leon Henderson-DNS
Wrisco Aluminum Second B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Eric Wells, Tyler Reddick, Earl Pearson Jr., Kelly Boen, John Blankenship, Brad neat, Steve Francis, Morgan Bagler, Douglas Begnaud, Jon Mitchell, Ronny Adams, Kenny Merchant-DNS, Ray Moore-DNS, Jeff Chanler-DNS, Kyle Beard-DNS, Dwight Falcon-DNS
A-Main
1 10 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresville, TN $20,000
2 17 28e Dennis Erb, Jr. Carpentersville, IL
3 1 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
4 22 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL
5 14 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
6 12 36 Mike Marlar Winfield, TN
7 9 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
8 6 17M Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA
9 20 11 Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
10 11 99JR Frank Heckenast Jr Orland Park, IL
11 25 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
12 5 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
13 21 s9 Dan Schlieper Sullivan, WI
14 18 18e Eric Wells Hazard, KY
15 15 9T Tim Isenberg Marshfield, WI
16 7 57J Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS
17 3 71W Chris Wall Holden, LA
18 4 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
19 19 c9 Steve Casebolt Richmond, IN
20 24 41N Brad Neat Dunnville, KY
21 2 54 David Breazeale Four Corners, MS
22 8 18 Ronny Lee Hollingsworth Northport, AL
23 16 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
24 23 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
25 13 21JR Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
Entrants: 48
Lap Leaders: David Brezeale (Laps 1-6); Shannon Babb (Laps 7-90); Scott Bloomquist (Laps 91-100)
Caution Flags: Lap 6 (Billy Moyer Jr., John Blankenship); Lap 21 (Brad Neat); Lap 31 (Ray Cook); Lap 49 (Ronny Lee Hollingsworth); Lap 50 (Debris); Lap 75 (Steve Casebolt); Lap 82 (Eric Wells); Lap 83 (Jared Landers); Lap 84 (Tim Isenberg); Lap 93 (Chris Wall); Lap 96 (Shannon Babb)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: John Blankenship, Brad Neat
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: Steve Francis
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