By Bob Wilson

KNOXVILLE, Ia (September 27) – Billy Moyer of Batesville, Arkansas still claimed his Iowa heritage Thursday night at Knoxville Raceway.  He also claimed the opening night feature as well in the 9th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals.  Moyer led a good portion of the 25-lap feature event to garner $7,000 in this first of two nights of qualifications leading up to the championship finale on Saturday night.  Moyer and his father (Bill Moyer Sr.) have both run on and won feature events at this historical half-mile oval.)

At the start of the feature event, sixteen-year-old Tyler Reddick took the point to pace the 24-car field.  He quickly found Shannon Babb on his tail in his fight to maintain the top spot.  Reddick held that position until Babb slid him going through turns three and four on lap six to grab the lead.

Moyer, who started third in the eight-car invert, was quickly on Babb’s rear bumper and was able to pass the Illini driver with a superb slide in turn four.  With that move Moyer took the lead and was never again challenged on the big half-mile dirt oval.

Behind Moyer, second through sixth was hotly contested for the remainder of the race.  He entered lap traffic with ten to go but he had a healthy lead and forged ahead masterfully.  Babb trailed and seemed to have the runner-up spot in hand.  Behind those two were Steve Francis and Brian Birkhofer who ran nose to tail for most of the event.  Reddick continued to drift backward and was eventually passed by five other cars.

In the end, Moyer took the checkered flag as Babb roared into turn four.  Francis and Birkhofer came across the line in third and fourth with ninth starting Jimmy Mars taking fifth.  Chasing that duo was Scott Bloomquist, Brady Smith and Brian Shirley.

Five qualifying heats saw Birkhofer, Jesse Stovell, Mars, Moyer and Reddick in the winners’ circle.  Earl Pearson Jr. won the D Main after changing an engine and then parking his car for Friday’s qualifying.   Frank Heckenast was the class of the field in the C Main and Smith led Jason Fegers, Chris Simpson and Terry Phillips through the B Main to qualify for the A Main transfer.

Eighty cars took qualifying time trials in this 9th annual event.

KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
September 27, 2012

Late Models RESULTS

Time Trial , 1 laps,  1. 0, Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, TN (5), 17.277;  2. 21B, Rich Bell, Sheffield, IL (6), 17.477;  3. 28, Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, IL (21), 17.563;  4. 7R, Kent Robinson, Bloomington, IN (17), 17.612;  5. 5B, Mike Marlar, Winfield, TN (3), 17.634;  6. 20J, Jimmy Owens, Newport, IN (33), 17.655;  7. 2s, Brady Smith, Solon Springs, WI (22), 17.661;  8. 15, Steve Francis, Ashland, KY (16), 17.695;  9. 25s, Chad Simpson, Mount Vernon, IA (49), 17.731;  10. 75, Terry Phillips, Springfield, MO (26), 17.75;  11. 15B, Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, IA (61), 17.817;  12. 18, Shannon Babb, Moweaqua, IL (48), 17.834;  13. 2, John Anderson, Omaha, NE (1), 17.845;  14. 1V, Will Vaught, Crane, MO (4), 17.866;  15. 99JR, Frank Heckenast Jr., Frankfurt, IL (35), 17.875;  16. 5L, Jared Landers, Welcome, NC (9), 17.893;  17. 90, Lance Matthees, Winona, MN (12), 17.893;  18. 89, Mike Spatola III, Manhattan, IL (18), 17.902;  19. 21, Billy Moyer, Batesville, AR (73), 17.93;  20. 11T, Tyler Reddick, Corning, CA (59), 17.946;  21. 44, Earl Pearson Jr., Trinity, NC (28), 17.961;  22. 56E, Andy Eckrich, Iowa City, IA (29), 17.966;  23. 93M, Ray Moore, Houghton, LA (8), 18.007;  24. 31, Jason Utter, Columbus Junction, IA (44), 18.019;  25. 55, Duane Treadwell, La Grange, GA (2), 18.042;  26. 32, Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, IL (58), 18.053;  27. 21JR, Billy Moyer Jr., Batesville, AR (14), 18.061;  28. 18E, Eric Wells, Hazard, KY (52), 18.07;  29. 39, Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY (25), 18.08;  30. 50, Denny Eckrich, Oxford, IA (56), 18.12;  31. 25, Jason Feger, Bloomington, IL (51), 18.137;  32. 48, Tim Lance, Brimfield, IL (10), 18.171;  33. 28M, Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, WI (27), 18.171;  34. 3s, Brian Shirley, Chatham, IL (62), 18.173;  35. 13, JR Hotovy, Hartford, MI (37), 18.22;  36. 42, Terry Casey, New London, WI (30), 18.239;  37. 6, Jesse Stovall, Republic, MO (23), 18.275;  38. 57J, Bub McCool, Vicksburg, MS (38), 18.282;  39. 1m, Rob Moss, Iowa City, IA (13), 18.29;  40. 5m, Mike Fryer, Freeport, IL (43), 18.321;  41. 99, Donnie Moran, Dresden, OH (7), 18.322;  42. 11, Austin Hubbard, Laurel, DE (31), 18.322;  43. 93, Jay Johnson, West Burlington, IA (19), 18.338;  44. 3, Kevin Sather, Ankeny, IA (15), 18.339;  45. 58E, Dave Eckrich, Oxford, IA (32), 18.348;  46. 51, Matt Furman, Columbus, OH (80), 18.369;  47. 58, Ray Guss Jr., East Moline, IL (53), 18.435;  48. 14m, Morgan Bagley, Kilgore, TX (60), 18.435;  49. 9T, Tim Isenberg, Marshfield, WI (36), 18.468;  50. 71, Don ONeal, Martinsville, IN (75), 18.487;  51. 23, John Blankenship, Morristown, TN (69), 18.504;  52. 33M, Nick Marolf, Moscow, IA (64), 18.53;  53. 32s, Chris Simpson, Marion, IA (20), 18.547;  54. 18J, Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS (42), 18.631;  55. 15R, Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, IL (40), 18.645;  56. 99D, Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown, IA (24), 18.646;  57. 15D, Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, GA (71), 18.671;  58. 56, Chris Spieker, Massena, IA (65), 18.69;  59. 24, Ryan Unzicker, El Paso, IL (45), 18.772;  60. 33, Paul Glendenning, Mt. Ayr, IA (11), 18.794;  61. 78, Rick Wendling, Hazelton, IA (41), 18.806;  62. 72, John Mason, Millersburg, OH (76), 18.818;  63. 36, Jeff Larson, Freeport, IL (70), 18.903;  64. 20, Jake Meier, Tipton, IA (67), 19.038;  65. 7, Chad Chenoweth, Huron, SD (74), 19.094;  66. 22G, Jill George, Cedar Falls, IA (57), 19.227;  67. 22M, Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake, IA (68), 19.279;  68. 87, Walker Arthur, Forest, VA (78), 19.374;  69. 25L, Steve Lance Jr., Cuba, IL (72), 19.411;  70. 5D, John Duty, Happy Valley, OR (54), 19.442;  71. 56w, Mike Wallace, Carter Lake, IA (47), 19.485;  72. 44zo, Alonzo Grosse, Council Bluffs, IA (34), 19.491;  73. 14w, Dustin Walker, Peculiar, MO (50), 19.865;  74. 10, Junior Coover, Norfolk, NE (55), 19.878;  75. 1QT, Brian Diede, Huron, SD (77), 19.94;  76. 19L, Scott Lewis, Brighton, CO (39), 20.08;  77. 15c, Curt Schroeder, Ames, IA (66), 20.137;  78. 16, Tyler Bruening, Decorah, IA (79), 30.342;  79. 98, Jason Rauen, Farley, IA (46), No Time;  80. 3x, Skip Frey, Ely, IA (63), No Time;

Heat 1, 12 laps, No Time:  1. Brian Birkhofer (8);  2. Matt Furman (1);  3. Scott Bloomquist (10);  6. Donnie Moran (2);  7. Jake Meier (9);  8. Don ONeal (11);  9. Klint Byars (7);  10. Bobby Pierce (5);  11. Rick Wendling (13);  13. Darrel DeFrance (12);  14. Earl Pearson Jr. (6);  16. Scott Lewis (16);

Heat 2, 12 laps, No Time:  1 Jesse Stovell (3); 2. Austin Hubbard (2); 3. John Blankenship (1);  4. Shannon Babb (8);  5. Brady Smith (9);  6. Tim Lance (4);  7. Jonathan Davenport (12);  8. Billy Moyer Jr. (5);  9. Lance Matthees (7);  10. Rich Bell (10);  11. Charlie McKenna (14);  12. John Mason (13);  13. Curt Schroeder (16);  14. Alonzo Grosse (15);  15. Nick Marolf (11);

Heat 3, 12 laps, No Time:  1. Jimmy Mars (4);  2. Bub McCool (3);  3. Morgan Bagley (1);  4. Steve Francis (9);  6. Eric Wells (5);  10. Mike Spatola III (7);  11. Walker Arthur (14);  12. Ray Moore (6);  13. Jeff Larson (13);  14. Dustin Walker (15);

Heat 4, 12 laps, No Time:  1. Billy Moyer (7);  2. Brian Shirley (4);  3. Ray Guss Jr. (1);  4. Kent Robinson (10);  5. Rob Moss (3);  7. Jason Rauen (16);  8. Chase Junghans (11);  9. Steve Lance Jr. (14);  10. Jake Meier (13);  12. Junior Coover (15);  15. Tim McCreadie (5);  16. Will Vaught (8);

Heat 5, 12 laps,3:59.24:  1. Tyler Reddick (7);  2. Denny Eckrich (5);  3. Tim Isenberg (1);  4. Mike Fryer (3);  5. Mark Burgtorf (11);  6. Terry Phillips (9);  7. Mike Marlar (10);  8. JR Hotovy (4);  9. Dave Eckrich (2);  10. Frank Heckenast Jr. (8);  11. Duane Treadwell (6);  12. Brian Diede (15);  13. Skip Frey (16);  14. John Duty (14);

D Feature, 12 laps, No Time:  1. Earl Pearson Jr. (6);  2. Will Vaught (19);  3. Tim McCreadie (14);  4. Jeff Larson (3);  5. John Duty (10);  6. Darrel DeFrance (1);  9. Curt Schroeder (2);  11. Dustin Walker (8);  12. Alonzo Grosse (7);  13. Nick Marolf (12);  14. Jill George (16);  15. Skip Frey (5);  16. Scott Lewis (11);  18. Jason Utter (9);  19. Paul Glendenning (15);  20. Andy Eckrich (17);

C Feature, 15 laps, No Time:  1. Frank Heckenast Jr. (10);  3. Bobby Pierce (6);  6. Mike Spatola III (8);  7. Charlie McKenna (12);  8. Rich Bell (7);  10. Lance Matthees (2);  11. Jake Meier (9);  12. Dave Eckrich (5);  13. Brian Diede (20);  14. Steve Lance Jr. (4);  15. John Mason (17);  18. Rick Wendling (11);  19. Mike Wallace (16);  20. Duane Treadwell (15);  22. Walker Arthur (13);  23. Ray Moore (18);

B Feature, 20 laps, No Time:  1. Brady Smith (2);  3. Bobby Pierce (3);  4. Terry Phillips (10);  5. Donnie Moran (6);  6. Eric Wells (8);  7. Jake Meier (11);  8. Mark Burgtorf (5);  11. Don ONeal (16);  12. Jason Rauen (14);  13. Bobby Pierce (3);  14. Jonathan Davenport (12);  15. John Anderson (18);  16. Billy Moyer Jr. (17);  19. JR Hotovy (20);  20. Tim Lance (7);  21. Chase Junghans (19);  22. Mike Marlar (15);  23. Ryan Unzicker (9);  24. Rob Moss (4);

A Feature, 25 laps, No Time:  1. Billy Moyer (3);  2. Shannon Babb (4);  3. Steve Francis (6);  4. Brian Birkhofer (5);  5. Jimmy Mars (9);  6. Scott Bloomquist (8);  8. Brian Shirley (10);  9. Denny Eckrich (1);  10. Austin Hubbard (15);  11. Bub McCool (13);  12. Kent Robinson (7);  15. Morgan Bagley (18);  16. John Blankenship (17);  17. Terry Phillips (24);  18. Tim Isenberg (20);  19. Ray Guss Jr. (19);  20. Austin Hubbard (15);  21. Mike Fryer (14);  23. Matt Furman (16);  24. Chris Simpson (23); Lap Leaders:  Reddick 1-5; Babb 6-7; Moyer 8-25.