KILGORE, TX (March 31, 2012)- Jared Landers of Batesville, AR regained the lead on the final lap and held off Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN for the win on Saturday Night at LoneStar Speedway. Landers earned $10,000 for the victory in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series High Banks Havoc for his first series win of the season.

For the third consecutive race Owens finished second. Steve Francis of Ashland, KY made a tremendous charge through the field to finish a close third after he started 14th on the grid. He was followed by Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA and Duke Whiseant of Texarkana, AR.

Landers held off Owens for the lead nearly the entire 50-lap race, but with two laps to go a two-lap shootout took place. The only caution of the race came out for seventh-place running Don O’Neal, who stopped in turn four with a flat tire. When the race went green again Owens dove in front of Landers in turn three to take over the lead, the pair came across the start-finish line nearly dead even with Owens holding a slight advantage. As the two raced the final lap, Landers was able to maneuver his car by Owens to beat him to the checkered flag.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the third time in his career, the 2011 series rookie of the year was just glad the race was over. “I didn’t know there were two laps to go when the caution came out, then I went too slowly in the turn and I knew Jimmy was going to be right there. Because we battled the whole race, I never got any distance over him at all. He’s a heck of a racer and to beat him says a lot about this team,” said Landers.

“He (Owens) passed me there in three and I dove down low and got under him on the last lap, I wanted the win, I was either going to win or wreck is how I looked at it. Jimmy races clean and I raced him clean, I think we may have finally got a handle on this Barry Wright Race Car,” said Landers, whose Clint Bowyer Motorsports Toyota Camry is powered by a Roush-Yates Engines and sponsored by Crawford Supply, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Cometic Gasket, Georgia Boot and Mark Martin Automotive.

Completing the top ten were John Blankenship of Williamson, WV; Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN; B.J. Robinson of Shreveport, LA; and Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC.

In preliminary action Jared Landers was the Red Buck Cigar Fast Qualifier among the 28 entrants with a lap of 14.540 seconds. Heat race winners were Jimmy Owens, John Blankenship, Landers, and Jonathan Davenport. Jeff Chanler and Jon Mitchell won B-Mains.

The next Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event will take place on Friday and Saturday, April 13th and 14th at Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway in Jamaica, VA. The Commonwealth 100 will pay $25,000 to win. For more information, go to www.vamotorspeedway.com.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, March 31, 2012
High Banks Havoc
Lonestar Speedway – Kilgore, TX

Red Buck Cigars Fast Time:
Tyler Reddick / 14.585 seconds (Group A and Overall)
Jared Landers / 14.540 seconds (Group B)

Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Tyler Reddick, Earl Pearson, Jr., Ray Cook, Jeff Chanler, Timothy Culp, Morgan Bagley-DNS

U. S. Steel Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): John Blankenship, Duke Whiseant, Scott Bloomquist, Eric Wells, Klint Byars, Jason Ingalls, Austin Hubbard-DNS

Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jared Landers, Don O’Neal, Chris Wall, Steve Francis, Jon Mitchell, Rickey Ingalls, Jim Bryant

HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jonathan Davenport, BJ Robinson, Dennis Erb, Jr., Wendell Wallace, Rob Litton, Jay Brunson, Jason Cliburn

JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Jeff Chanler, Timothy Culp, Morgan Bagley, Jason Ingalls, Klint Byars, Austin Hubbard-DNS

PAC Racing Springs Second B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Jon Mitchell, Rob Litton, Rickey Ingalls, Jim Bryant, Jay Brunson-DNS, Jason Cliburn-DNS

Feature Finish – 50 Laps:

Race Statistics
Entrants: 28
Lap Leaders: Jared Landers (Laps 1 – 48); Jimmy Owens (Lap 49); Jared Landers (Lap 50)
Caution Flags: Don O’Neal (Lap 48)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisional: Austin Hubbard
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: none
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Provisional: Klint Byars
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Steve Francis (Started 14th; Finished 3rd; Advanced 11 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: Steve Francis
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
ASi Racewear Challenge Finisher: Jared Landers
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: Jonathan Davenport
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Roush-Yates Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Barry Wright Race Cars
Sweet Mfg Crew Chief of the Race: Brian Leonburg (Jared Landers)
Time of Race: 15 minutes 25 seconds

Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:

*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*

2012 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Schedule 

2012 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors

ASI Racewear – “The Official Merchandise Vendor” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Canidae Pet Foods – “The Official Pet Foods” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

DART Machinery – “The Official Engine Components” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

E3 Spark Plugs – “The Official Spark Plug” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Geico – “The Official Insurance” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

General Tire – “The Official Tire” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Hoosier Tire – “The Official Race Tire” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Lucas Oil Products – “The Official Oil” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
MavTV – “The Official Men’s Network” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Optima Batteries – “The Official Battery” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Speedco – “The Official Truck Lube and Tire Center” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Sunoco Race Fuels – “The Official Fuel” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

U. S. Steel – “The Official Steel Manufacturer” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

2012 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include:

Allstar Performance, American Racer, Banshee Graphics, Barry Wright Race Cars, Bloomquist Race Cars, COMP Cams, Chizmark Larson Insurance, Cornett Racing Engines, Cruise with the Champions, CV Products, DirtonDirt.com, Dyers Top Rods, Edlebrock, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Gaerte Engines, Hawk Performance, Jay Dickens Racing Engines, JE Pistons, JRi Shocks, Keyser MFG, Longhorn Chassis, MasterSbilt Chassis, Öhlins, Outerwears, PBM/Erson Cams, PAC Racing Springs, Performance Bodies, Pierce Racecars, PRC, Pro Power Racing, Quarter Master, Race Engine Design, Red Buck Cigars, Rhyne Race Engines, Rick Schwallie Photography, Ringers Gloves, Rocket Chassis, Roush Yates Engines, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Mfg, Vic Hill Race Engines, Weld Racing Wheels, Wiles Drive Shafts, Wrisco, 5150 Race Trailers.