TAMPA, FL (February 11, 2016) – Scott Bloomquist held off a late charge from Jonathan Davenport to win the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned event on Thursday Night at East Bay Raceway Park. Bloomquist took the lead on lap two from Tim Dohm and then he held off Davenport and Gregg Satterlee for his seventh career win at the East Bay Winternationals. Darrell Lanigan and Devin Moran rounded out the top five.

“There was plenty of room out there to race. A guy could move around on the track a lot tonight. If we needed to go to the top to get around a lapped car, it was still fast. We didn’t want to overdrive. I didn’t know how much damage I could do to the tires. After that last restart, it didn’t take off like I wanted it too. They move the show along so quickly here, that it makes it’s tough to make any major adjustments on the car. There were two or three more things to change but we didn’t get the chance. Overall I am very happy with the car after tonight’s race,” said Bloomquist.

“He [Davenport] didn’t give me a whole lot of room on the start in our heat, but we were able to get by him. He [Davenport] is still running well. I can’t take anything away from him for the way he is running. We are still working hard. We are up for the challenge and excited for tonight, and ready for the rest of the week,” said the 52-year-old Hall-of-Famer driver who recorded his 557th career win.

“I don’t compliment people much, but I take my hat off to him [Davenport], he has definitely improved a lot. He has a good racecar underneath him and he is driving it for all its worth. He makes an old man step his game, no doubt! The track was excellent tonight. I can’t believe how smooth it has been.”

Bloomquist’s Sweet-Bloomquist car is powered by Andy Durham Racing Engines and sponsored by Crop Production Services, Reece Monument Company, Mark Martin Automotive, Dyna-Gro Seed Base Fuels, Penske Shocks, Lucas Oil Products, Petroff Towing, and Sorbrera Chiropractic.

Davenport won his first career super late model feature at East Bay yesterday, and came up just short of making it back-to-back wins.

“It was a good race. It would have been more exciting for me if I would have won, but I gave it all I had in the last few laps. We tried to go the outside to make it work. We came home in second so that’s not too bad. “

“It got so slick in turn one that I couldn’t enter the corner like I wanted to. In turn two, I thought I was going to hit the fence. I didn’t want to do that again like I did during the race heat race. I was trying to pace myself early and hopefully have enough at the end. Thanks to my crew for working so hard. We got it back together after the heat. Hope the fans enjoyed that race.”

Satterlee had his best finish of the Georgia-Florida Speed weeks, coming home in third place. The Pennsylvania driver ran as high as second.

“It’s been tough. Our heads have been hanging in the pit area for the last couple of days. We are trying to stay positive with this new Rocket. We think we found how to balance the car out properly. It feels good to get a third place finish. We fell off there at the end. It was probably me trying to protect the bottom. I guess I just need to worry about going fast,” said the driver of the Satterlee Petroleum, Andy Durham Racing Engines, Rocket.

Completing the top ten were Jared Landers, Earl Pearson Jr., Tim Dohm, Eddie Carrier Jr. and Ricky Weiss.

In preliminary action, Jonathan Davenport set the overall Miller Welders Fast Time (Group A) amongst the 38 entrants, with a lap of 14.706 seconds. Tim Dohm set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 15.005 seconds. Scott Bloomquist, Gregg Satterlee, Tim Dohm, and Darrell Lanigan won their respective heat races. Steve Francis and Ricky Weiss won their respective B-Mains. Bobby Pierce earned the Miller Welders Fast Time Provisional and Nick Davis won the DirtOnDirt.com Strawberry Dash.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, including the latest series standings, 2016 tour schedule, driver information, and more visit the official website at: www.lucasdirt.com.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Race Summary
Thursday, February 11th, 2016

40th Annual East Bay Winternationals
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL

Miller Welders Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 14.706 seconds

Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Tim Dohm / 15.005 seconds

Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Jonathan Davenport, Eddie Carrier Jr., Tim McCreadie, Steve Francis, Bob Gardner, Josh Rice, Greg Oakes, Chuck Julien, James Rice-DNS

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Gregg Satterlee, Jared Landers, Mark Whitener, Dennis Erb, Jr., Freddie Carpenter, Kyle Bronson, Colton Flinner, Chad Hollenbeck, Brandon Sheppard-DNS

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tim Dohm, Earl Pearson Jr., David Breazeale, Mason Zeigler, Ricky Weiss, Don O’Neal, Jimmy Owens, Allen Murray, Nick Davis, Alex Ferree

QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Darrell Lanigan, Devin Moran, Randy Weaver, John Gardner, Justin Rattliff, Jake Davis, Sonny Conley, Bobby Pierce, James McKeown

Fast Shafts B-Main #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Steve Francis, Kyle Bronson, Bob Gardner, Freddie Carpenter, Chad Hollenbeck, Colton Flinner, Josh Rice, Greg Oakes, Chuck Julien-DNS, James Rice-DNS, Brandon Sheppard-DNS

Keyser MFG B-Main #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Ricky Weiss, Don O’Neal, Justin Rattliff, Sonny Conley, Nick Davis, Jake Davis, Allen Murray, James McKeown, Bobby Pierce-DNS, Jimmy Owens-DNS, Alex Ferree-DNS

DirtOnDirt.com Strawberry Dash Finish (Winner Transfers): Nick Davis, Allen Murray, Colton Flinner, Josh Rice, Greg Oakes, Chad Hollenbeck

Feature Finish (45 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 38

Lap Leaders: Tim Dohm (Lap 1); Scott Bloomquist (Laps 2 – 45)
Cautions: Dennis Erb Jr. (Start); Don O’Neal, Nick Davis, Sonny Conley (Restart); Sonny Conley (Lap 9); Don O’Neal (Lap 9, restart); Bobby Pierce (Lap 28)

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: n/a
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Miller Welders Fast Time Provisionals: Bobby Pierce
East Bay Raceway Park Track Provisional: n/a
Wrisco Feature Winner: Scott Bloomquist
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Don O’Neal (Started: 20th; Finished: 11th; Advanced 9 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Steve Francis

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jonathan Davenport

Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: n/a
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Andy Durham Racing Engines

Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Sweet-Bloomquist Race Cars

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs (Darrell Lanigan)

Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap #5 – 14.5991 seconds)
Most Laps Led: Scott Bloomquist (44 Laps)
PFC Brakes Tough Break Award: Bobby Pierce

Time of Race: 24 minutes 34 seconds

Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings: