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Kevin Kovac
MAGNOLIA, Miss. (March 28) - Former World of Outlaws Late Model Series champions Scott Bloomquist and Billy Moyer, tour regular Shannon Babb and local standout James Ward scored heat-race victories during Friday night's qualifying action for the inaugural 'March Through Dixie 100' at Pike County Speedway.
Thirty-six cars were signed in for competition as the WoO LMS resumed after a six-week break following last month's Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Florida's Volusia Speedway Park.
Mooresburg, Tenn.'s Bloomquist, who captured the WoO LMS title in 2004, registered a flag-to-flag win in the evening's first 10-lap heat. He outgunned the night's fastest qualifier, Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., for the lead at the drop of the green flag and never looked back.
Fuller, whose qualifying lap of 16.196 seconds gave him his first WoO LMS fast-time honor since Aug. 16, 2005, at Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, N.Y., pressured Bloomquist late in the opening prelim but settled for second place in his Gypsum Express Rocket mount.
Batesville, Ark.'s Moyer, meanwhile, was triumphant in the fourth heat race. The three-time WoO LMS champ, who enters the weekend tied for the tour points lead, surged forward from the fourth starting spot to grab the lead in his red-hot Victory Circle chassis.
Babb, 34, of Moweaqua, Ill., drove his Clint Bowyer-owned Rayburn car to victory in the third heat race, outdistancing Rick Eckert of York, Pa., by more than a second at the checkered flag.
The Cinderella story of the night was authored by Ward, a 37-year-old from Lettsworth, La., who is in just his second season running open-motor dirt Late Model events. A second-place finisher in last year's 'Jambalaya 100' event at Pike County, Ward cruised to a convincing win over fellow Gulf Coast standout Ray Moore of Shreveport, La.
The top-two finishers in each heat race will participate in a redraw for the top-eight starting spots in the $20,000-to-win 'March Through Dixie 100' on Saturday night.
Perhaps the best move of the qualifying heats was made by 2006 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., who slipped by Rick 'Boom' Briggs of Bear Lake, Pa., on the final lap of the fourth prelim to snare a second-place finish. Carrier went to the outside of turns three and four to pull off the dramatic pass.
WoO LMS co-points leader Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., was involved in the wildest incident of the evening. He spun in turn one on the seventh lap of Heat 3 after coming together with Kenny Merchant of Ruston, La., as they battled for fourth place.
The twirl forced Richards to a Saturday-night B-Main, where he'll be joined by, among other Friday non-qualifiers, defending WoO LMS champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., and Clint Smith of Senoia, Ga.
Francis was set back during time trials, when his Dale Beitler-owned No. 19 suddenly shut off on his second lap due to a burnt ignition wire.
The 'March Through Dixie 100' weekend continues on Saturday night (March 29) with a show that features WoO LMS B-Mains and big-money 100-lap headliner. Also on the card is action for the UMP DIRTcar Modifieds, NeSmith Crate Late Models and Street Stocks.
Pit gates will open at 2 p.m. and spectator gates at 4 p.m. A driver autograph session will run from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the grandstand area, and then cars will begin hitting the track.
A raindate of Sun., March 30, has been reserved for the 'March Through Dixie 100.'
For more information, visit www.pikecountyspeedway.com.
Additional info about the WoO LMS is available by logging on to www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 16.196
2. 93-Ray Moore/Shreveport, LA 16.339
3. 18-Shannon Babb/Moweaqua, IL 16.343
4. 28M-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 16.361
5. 0-Scott Bloomquist/Mooresburg, TN 16.378
6. w3-James Ward/Lettsworth, LA 16.403
7. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 16.464
8. 99B-Rick Briggs/Bear Lake, PA 16.469
9. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 16.477
10. 71-Chris Wall/Holden, LA 16.486
11. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 16.488
12. 28-Eddie Carrier Jr./Salt Rock, WV 16.508
13. 25-Shane Clanton/Locust Grove, GA 16.633
14. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 16.642
15. 8-Jason Cliburn/Star, MS 16.694
16. 21-Billy Moyer/Batesville, AR 16.739
17. 6R-Robbie Stuart/DeRidder, LA 16.789
18. 23-John Blankenship/Williamson, WV 16.879
19. C28-Kenny Merchant/Ruston, LA 16.880
20. 54-David Breazeale/Four Corners, MS 16.904
21. 3s-Brian Shirley/Chatham, IL 16.940
22. 6x-Rob Litton/Alexandria, LA 16.972
23. F4-Dwight Falcon/Walker, LA 17.031
24. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 17.068
25. 19-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 17.098
26. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 17.104
27. 222-Mike Boland/Cuba, AL 17.163
28. 27J-Danny Johnson/Rochester, NY 17.194
29. 23W-Howard Willis/Dayton, TX 17.274
30. 11c-Jeff Chandler/Menden, LA 17.300
31. 25M-Justin McRee/Woodstock, AL 17.301
32. 14-David Ashley/Zachary, LA 17.496
33. 7J-Joe Isabell/Pennellville, NY 17.713
34. 27-Billy McDonald/Tickfaw, LA 17.737
35. R5-Kyle Cummings/Sibley, LA N/T
36. 77-Kenneth Crowe/Port Allen, LA N/T
Heat No. 1 (10 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Bloomquist, Fuller, Frank, Clanton, Francis, Shirley, Isabell, Willis, Stuart
Heat No. 2 (10 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Ward, Moore, Lanigan, Wall, Blankenship, C. Smith, Litton, Chandler, McDonald
Heat No. 3 (10 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Babb, Eckert, Merchant, Boland, Cliburn, Richards, Falcon (DNS) Cummings, McRee
Heat No. 4 (10 laps - Top 4 Transfer): Moyer, Carrier, Briggs, Mars, Breazeale, Ashley, McCool, D. Johnson (DNS) Crowe
LISTEN ONLINE: If fans can't get to a track to see the series, they can experience the excitement of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series live on DIRTvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network.
To listen to the free audio broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio Network logo.
Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions, e-mail customerservice@dirtvision.com.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by several sponsors and partners, including Advance Auto Parts - the official auto parts store of the WoO LMS - and contingency sponsors Wrisco Industries, Chicken Hawk Racing, Crane Cams, Ohlins Shocks, Quarter-Master, Eibach Springs, Integra Shocks, Jake's Custom Golf Carts and Qwikliner.
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