July 20, 2016
Last Weekend it was a Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model series double header for me as I was able to attend both Tri-City Speedway and Lucas Oil Speedway.
32 Super Late Models were on hand for the event in front of the second largest crowd in the history of Tri-City Speedway. Earlier in the month Billy Moyer took home the cabbage winning the Summer National race and looked to be the early favorite setting quick time on the 3/8 mile oval. Mr. Smooth turned in a 14.557 lap time. The track was very heavy due amount of rain the area had received in the last 48 hours leading up to the race. Jared Landers was a casualty during qualifications. He hooked a large rut in turns three and four and launched his brand new Sweet Bloomquist race car into a series of violent flips. He was not injured and unloaded the back-up car and took a provisional and started at the tail of the field.
The feature kicked off with Earl Pearson Jr. taking the lead. Earl looked very strong and definitely looked like the car to beat early on. The best battle on the track in the first half the race was between Billy Moyer and Scott Bloomquist. Both were running the bottom and middle of the race track changing lines yet giving each other plenty of room. It is always fun to watch the two best late model drivers of all time go toe to toe. Bloomquist would eventually move away from Moyer and track down Pearson in lapped traffic. It would be the lapped car of Dewayne Kiefer that Pearson would have a tough time getting around and relinquish his lead with just three to go to the dark one Bloomquist. Scott would head for the checkers once in the lead and build his point lead close to 300 points over Jonathan Davenport. Pearson who has struggled most of the season looked very strong in his Dunn-Benson Longhorn Motorsports entry. Don O’Neal came home third in a brand new Club 29 car. Don told me after the races they just finished getting the car built not even 24 hours before it got on the race track. Brandon Sheppard came home fourth and was definitely the fastest car running at the checkers. Dennis Erb Jr. rounded out the top five. Jonathan Davenport, Tim McCreadie, Jared Landers, Billy Moyer, and Billy Drake rounded out the top ten. Nice job by TMAC, Landers, and Drake. McCreadie had a motor in the car that was just tired and had a ton of laps on it, and to hold off this group in heavy conditions in just a testament to his skills. Landers battled back from a flip and was the hard charger of the night, told me afterwards his shoulders were sore. Finally Drake getting a top ten with the Lucas Series well done.
I was talking with Bloomer after the races and he told me he is not a big fan of any orange on the race car but he is getting used to this orange spoiler. It should be noted the point leader carries the orange spoiler something we have seen on Davenport’s , Don O’Neal, and Jimmy Owens machines the last couple of years. Bloomer loves Tri-City Speedway located in Pontoon Beach. The event every July is titled Battle at the Beach. Scott now has won 5 in a row at Tri-City, the event paid $10,000 to win.
On to Wheatland Saturday night to one of the nicest facilities in the country Lucas Oil Speedway. Dan Robinson and his staff always put on a spectacular show. Nothing was different this past Saturday night. 41 Super Late Models were on hand for the Lucas Oil /MLRA sanctioned event. Robert Baker of Arkansas surprised us setting fast time on the 3/8 mile oval with a 15.300 lap time. The feature kicked off with Tim McCreadie taking the lead. Early on it looked like the New Yorker was going to win his first race of the year. Jared Landers had other ideas he hunted TMAC down and passed him on lap 13. Jared had a really good race car, his car just handled better than anyone on the race track. He definitely looked like the car to beat and no one really had anything for him unless we had a restart. Once in the lead Landers never looked back and took home $12,000 at the checkers. The feature was 60 laps and had a fantastic firework show before the feature started in front of the capacity crowd on hand. Jimmy Owens coming off his Show-Me 100 victory finished second in his Barry Wright machine. Owens is always strong at Wheatland. Jonathan Davenport took home the final podium spot with Tim McCreadie and Scott Bloomquist rounding out the top five. Bloomquist rallied from a bad qualifying time where he qualified 12 out of 13 in his group. Scott picked apart his competition where he finished second in his heat and was in contention most of the race at Wheatland. Brandon Sheppard, World of Outlaw rookie Tyler Erb, Earl Pearson Jr., Arizona Jake O’Neil, and local hot dog Jesse Stovall rounded out the top ten.
One special note Clay Daly of Salinas, California was on hand Saturday night, he made the feature event but that is not the story. Clay has an amber light on the roof of his car, the reason for the light is that his car owner is partially blind, and the light helps his car owner find the car on the track, how cool is that!
In closing two great race tracks and if you have never been to Wheatland you need to go words just can’t explain what a top notch facility it is and how great the people are!!
One other note Thoughts and Prayers go out to Steve Francis who was injured Friday night at Tri-City. It appears he might have been hit by a piece of lead and sustained some facial injuries. The Lucas Oil series announced immediately no more lead will be mounted on the rear axle tube. Get well Steve and we hope to see you at the track soon buddy !!
My next event will be at Mighty Macon July 26th for the Lucas Oil Event followed by the Prairie Dirt Classic at Fairbury sanctioned by the World of Outlaws. I can’t wait to get McCreadie on the golf course Thursday before the PDC and mix it up with Promoter Matt Curl and all of the FALS boys.
Take care and see you at the races !!