By James Essex
La Salle, IL—On a hot and humid Saturday Night at La Salle Speedway no one was hotter than Mooresburg, TN driver Scott Bloomquist who picked up his sixth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of 2006 as he captured the annual “Illinois Valley Challenge” worth $10,000 at the Izzo Family promoted facility. Bloomquist took the lead on the seventh lap and never looked back in taking the win in his Miller Brothers/Hawkeye Trucking/Allstar Performance/Sweet Mfg/Ohlins/K-B Carburetors/VP Racing Fuels/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Bloomquist Race Cars Chevrolet #0. Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, MI who started 17th on the grid finished second in his Bayline Fire Protection/Cornett Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Ford Taurus and 14th starting Darren Miller of Chadwick, IL took third in his Ernie Bates Country Companies/Ideal Ready Mix/Rocket Ford Taurus. Completing the top five were Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL in the Lucas Oil Products/Larry Wallace Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Ford Taurus and Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN in the Powell Motorsports/Jay Dickens Racing Engines/Rocket GTO.
Shannon Babb and Earl Pearson, Jr. would make up the front row starting grid in front of the cameras of SPEED on hand with Babb firing the first shot grabbing the lead at the start of the 50 lap race. Pearson jumped to second until Bloomquist, who started fourth would pass him. Bloomquist then would take up the challenge of pressuring Babb for the lead. Pearson, Donnie Moran and Steve Casebolt were the rest of the top five with five circuits complete.
Babb and Bloomquist would duel for the lead with Babb hanging on as Bloomquist was trying every groove to get by the May Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series winner at La Salle. Finally on the seventh lap Bloomquist was able to clear Babb in the race for the lead with Casebolt passing Moran for fourth on the same lap. A caution on lap eight for the 10th place running Jeep VanWormer would slow the action.
On the restart Bloomquist would sprint ahead of Babb and Pearson with Moran going back by Casebolt in a battle for fourth. Pearson would pull up alongside Babb as the two would race side by side for second for three laps. Bloomquist was now up to a six car length advantage with 15 laps scored he would continue to build on that lead. Babb would regain the second slot with Pearson, Matt Miller and Donnie Moran racing side by side for fourth place.
By the 16th lap Bloomquist was starting to enter some heavy traffic and that would allow Babb and Pearson to close the margin. Bloomquist was fighting through traffic Babb really started to close coming to within two car lengths of Bloomquist. With the crossed flags signaling the half way mark of the race Bloomquist was able to put at least three cars between himself and Babb as he was starting to develop some breathing room. The yellow flew after lap 25 was scored when Billy Drake made contact with Don O’Neal forcing a caution flag.
On the restart Bloomquist would have Babb and Pearson lined up behind him side by side on the restart with Miller and new top fiver, Scott James who started 10th now up to fifth place. The top five would remain in the same running order until Darren Miller would charge from his 14th starting slot to go to fifth. Matt Miller would get back in the chase passing Darren Miller for fifth on lap 31. There were two cautions within three laps of each for debris on lap 33 and 35 which would bunch up the field for a restart.
On the restart to lap 36 Pearson would speed by Babb to take over second as Bloomquist was again pulling away. Babb would spin into the infield on lap 37 ending his night while running third. Bloomquist stretched his lead to a full straightaway over Pearson with VanWormer making a tremendous recovery now in third, from his lap eight caution flag in which he had to restart on the tail of the field.
With ten to go Bloomquist was cruising along with VanWormer and Darren Miller all over Pearson for second. VanWormer would make the top line of the racing surface work as he went by Pearson in a flash for second on the 42nd lap. Darren Miller would then follow suit racing by Pearson on the top groove a lap later. With five to go Bloomquist was not threatened for the lead as VanWormer and Darren Miller were hoping for a caution flag to have a shot at stealing the win from Bloomquist who had been dominant the event up front to this point.
Bloomquist would go on to easily cross the finish line in first to take his sixth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season and his 12th overall of ’06. VanWormer’s performance in coming from the back earned him a runnerup check with Darren Miller a close third. Pearson and Scott James would complete the top five.
“The car was real tight when we qualified,” said the 42 year old Bloomquist in victory lane. “We went to work real hard after the heat race and the car really took a liking to the race track in the feature,” stated the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer. “We hadn’t run here in a while, but we’ve always liked coming up here to race cause it’s a track you can really race on and we like those kinds of tracks.”
Rounding out the top ten were Matt Miller, Dennis Erb, Jr., Donnie Moran, Ryan Dauber and Jason Feger.
In preliminary action for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Shannon Babb captured the Comp Cams Fast Time with a 12.377 second qualifying lap for the 30 entries on hand. The PBM Performance Products Heat Races were won by Shannon Babb, Earl Pearson, Jr. and Steve Casebolt. The Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno B-Main went to Mike Mataragas. The K&N Engineering “Clean Pass of the Race” went to Steve Casebolt for his third heat race winning pass of Donnie Moran. The K&N Engineering “Clean Pass of the Race” is awarded at each Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event and can happen during a heat race, consy or feature event.
Race Summary
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Saturday Night, July 29, 2006
La Salle Speedway-La Salle, Illinois
Comp Cams Fast Time: Shannon Babb 12.377 seconds
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 5 Advance): Shannon Babb, Scott Bloomquist, Matt Miller, Scott James, Jim Partipilo, Mike Mataragas, Jeep VanWormer, Michael England, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Brian Claudnic
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 5 Advance): Earl Pearson Jr., John Mason, Jason Feger, Ryan Dauber, Darren Miller, Skip Martin, Tim Hamburg, Kevin Weaver, Jay Fiene, Tony Izzo, Jr.
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 5 Advance): Steve Casebolt, Donnie Moran, Bret Sievert, Freddy Smith, Jason Jaggers, Travis Rokey, Billy Drake, Don O’Neal, Dennis Erb, Jr., Dan Schlieper
Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 7 Advance): Mike Mataragas, Jeep VanWormer, Billy Drake, Skip Martin, Kevin Weaver, Dan Schlieper, Dennis Erb, Jr., Jay Fiene, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Michael England, Travis Rokey, Tim Hamburg, Don O’Neal
“Illinois Valley Challenge” A-Main: (50 Laps): Scott Bloomquist, Jeep VanWormer, Darren Miller, Earl Pearson, Jr., Scott James, Matt Miller, Dennis Erb, Jr., Donnie Moran, Ryan Dauber, Jason Feger, Don O’Neal, Steve Casebolt, John Mason, Skip Martin, Mike Mataragas, Michael England, Freddy Smith, Shannon Babb, Bret Sievert, Billy Drake, Kevin Weaver, Jason Jaggers, Dan Schlieper, Jim Partipilo
Race Statistics:
Entries: 30
Yellow Flags: 6
Red Flags: 0
Lap Leaders: Shannon Babb 1-6 Scott Bloomquist 7-50
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Jeep VanWormer (Started 17th and finished second, advanced 15 positions)
K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Steve Casebolt
Hawk Brake Tough Brake Award: Shannon Babb
Quarter Master Move of the Race: Darren Miller
On the Edge Graphics Fastest Non Qualifier: Tony Izzo, Jr.
Weld Wheels Award: John Mason
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Steve Casebolt
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Don O’Neal and Michael England
2006 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors
Lucas Oil- Title Sponsor and “Official Oil Products of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
K & N Filters - “Official Filters” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
Sunoco Race Fuels- “Official Race Fuel of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
Hoosier Race Tires – “Official Race Tire of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
Arizona Sport Shirts – “Official Souvenir Manufacturer & Vendor of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
2006 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include: Lucas Oil Products, K & N Filters, Sunoco Race Fuels, Arizona Sports Shirts, DART Machinery, COMP Cams, PBM Performance Products, Hawk Performance Brakes, Edelbrock, PPM, AFCO, Quarter Master, Design 500, Penske Racing Shocks, Weld Racing Wheels, Banshee Graphics, Jesel, C J Rayburn Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, Real Wheels, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Lazer Race Cars, Mason Racin, Cruise With The Champions, Petroff Towing and All-Star Performance
La Salle, IL—On a hot and humid Saturday Night at La Salle Speedway no one was hotter than Mooresburg, TN driver Scott Bloomquist who picked up his sixth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of 2006 as he captured the annual “Illinois Valley Challenge” worth $10,000 at the Izzo Family promoted facility. Bloomquist took the lead on the seventh lap and never looked back in taking the win in his Miller Brothers/Hawkeye Trucking/Allstar Performance/Sweet Mfg/Ohlins/K-B Carburetors/VP Racing Fuels/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Bloomquist Race Cars Chevrolet #0. Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, MI who started 17th on the grid finished second in his Bayline Fire Protection/Cornett Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Ford Taurus and 14th starting Darren Miller of Chadwick, IL took third in his Ernie Bates Country Companies/Ideal Ready Mix/Rocket Ford Taurus. Completing the top five were Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL in the Lucas Oil Products/Larry Wallace Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Ford Taurus and Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN in the Powell Motorsports/Jay Dickens Racing Engines/Rocket GTO.
Shannon Babb and Earl Pearson, Jr. would make up the front row starting grid in front of the cameras of SPEED on hand with Babb firing the first shot grabbing the lead at the start of the 50 lap race. Pearson jumped to second until Bloomquist, who started fourth would pass him. Bloomquist then would take up the challenge of pressuring Babb for the lead. Pearson, Donnie Moran and Steve Casebolt were the rest of the top five with five circuits complete.
Babb and Bloomquist would duel for the lead with Babb hanging on as Bloomquist was trying every groove to get by the May Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series winner at La Salle. Finally on the seventh lap Bloomquist was able to clear Babb in the race for the lead with Casebolt passing Moran for fourth on the same lap. A caution on lap eight for the 10th place running Jeep VanWormer would slow the action.
On the restart Bloomquist would sprint ahead of Babb and Pearson with Moran going back by Casebolt in a battle for fourth. Pearson would pull up alongside Babb as the two would race side by side for second for three laps. Bloomquist was now up to a six car length advantage with 15 laps scored he would continue to build on that lead. Babb would regain the second slot with Pearson, Matt Miller and Donnie Moran racing side by side for fourth place.
By the 16th lap Bloomquist was starting to enter some heavy traffic and that would allow Babb and Pearson to close the margin. Bloomquist was fighting through traffic Babb really started to close coming to within two car lengths of Bloomquist. With the crossed flags signaling the half way mark of the race Bloomquist was able to put at least three cars between himself and Babb as he was starting to develop some breathing room. The yellow flew after lap 25 was scored when Billy Drake made contact with Don O’Neal forcing a caution flag.
On the restart Bloomquist would have Babb and Pearson lined up behind him side by side on the restart with Miller and new top fiver, Scott James who started 10th now up to fifth place. The top five would remain in the same running order until Darren Miller would charge from his 14th starting slot to go to fifth. Matt Miller would get back in the chase passing Darren Miller for fifth on lap 31. There were two cautions within three laps of each for debris on lap 33 and 35 which would bunch up the field for a restart.
On the restart to lap 36 Pearson would speed by Babb to take over second as Bloomquist was again pulling away. Babb would spin into the infield on lap 37 ending his night while running third. Bloomquist stretched his lead to a full straightaway over Pearson with VanWormer making a tremendous recovery now in third, from his lap eight caution flag in which he had to restart on the tail of the field.
With ten to go Bloomquist was cruising along with VanWormer and Darren Miller all over Pearson for second. VanWormer would make the top line of the racing surface work as he went by Pearson in a flash for second on the 42nd lap. Darren Miller would then follow suit racing by Pearson on the top groove a lap later. With five to go Bloomquist was not threatened for the lead as VanWormer and Darren Miller were hoping for a caution flag to have a shot at stealing the win from Bloomquist who had been dominant the event up front to this point.
Bloomquist would go on to easily cross the finish line in first to take his sixth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season and his 12th overall of ’06. VanWormer’s performance in coming from the back earned him a runnerup check with Darren Miller a close third. Pearson and Scott James would complete the top five.
“The car was real tight when we qualified,” said the 42 year old Bloomquist in victory lane. “We went to work real hard after the heat race and the car really took a liking to the race track in the feature,” stated the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer. “We hadn’t run here in a while, but we’ve always liked coming up here to race cause it’s a track you can really race on and we like those kinds of tracks.”
Rounding out the top ten were Matt Miller, Dennis Erb, Jr., Donnie Moran, Ryan Dauber and Jason Feger.
In preliminary action for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Shannon Babb captured the Comp Cams Fast Time with a 12.377 second qualifying lap for the 30 entries on hand. The PBM Performance Products Heat Races were won by Shannon Babb, Earl Pearson, Jr. and Steve Casebolt. The Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno B-Main went to Mike Mataragas. The K&N Engineering “Clean Pass of the Race” went to Steve Casebolt for his third heat race winning pass of Donnie Moran. The K&N Engineering “Clean Pass of the Race” is awarded at each Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event and can happen during a heat race, consy or feature event.
Race Summary
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Saturday Night, July 29, 2006
La Salle Speedway-La Salle, Illinois
Comp Cams Fast Time: Shannon Babb 12.377 seconds
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 5 Advance): Shannon Babb, Scott Bloomquist, Matt Miller, Scott James, Jim Partipilo, Mike Mataragas, Jeep VanWormer, Michael England, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Brian Claudnic
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 5 Advance): Earl Pearson Jr., John Mason, Jason Feger, Ryan Dauber, Darren Miller, Skip Martin, Tim Hamburg, Kevin Weaver, Jay Fiene, Tony Izzo, Jr.
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 5 Advance): Steve Casebolt, Donnie Moran, Bret Sievert, Freddy Smith, Jason Jaggers, Travis Rokey, Billy Drake, Don O’Neal, Dennis Erb, Jr., Dan Schlieper
Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 7 Advance): Mike Mataragas, Jeep VanWormer, Billy Drake, Skip Martin, Kevin Weaver, Dan Schlieper, Dennis Erb, Jr., Jay Fiene, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Michael England, Travis Rokey, Tim Hamburg, Don O’Neal
“Illinois Valley Challenge” A-Main: (50 Laps): Scott Bloomquist, Jeep VanWormer, Darren Miller, Earl Pearson, Jr., Scott James, Matt Miller, Dennis Erb, Jr., Donnie Moran, Ryan Dauber, Jason Feger, Don O’Neal, Steve Casebolt, John Mason, Skip Martin, Mike Mataragas, Michael England, Freddy Smith, Shannon Babb, Bret Sievert, Billy Drake, Kevin Weaver, Jason Jaggers, Dan Schlieper, Jim Partipilo
Race Statistics:
Entries: 30
Yellow Flags: 6
Red Flags: 0
Lap Leaders: Shannon Babb 1-6 Scott Bloomquist 7-50
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Jeep VanWormer (Started 17th and finished second, advanced 15 positions)
K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Steve Casebolt
Hawk Brake Tough Brake Award: Shannon Babb
Quarter Master Move of the Race: Darren Miller
On the Edge Graphics Fastest Non Qualifier: Tony Izzo, Jr.
Weld Wheels Award: John Mason
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Steve Casebolt
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Don O’Neal and Michael England
2006 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors
Lucas Oil- Title Sponsor and “Official Oil Products of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
K & N Filters - “Official Filters” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
Sunoco Race Fuels- “Official Race Fuel of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
Hoosier Race Tires – “Official Race Tire of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
Arizona Sport Shirts – “Official Souvenir Manufacturer & Vendor of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
2006 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include: Lucas Oil Products, K & N Filters, Sunoco Race Fuels, Arizona Sports Shirts, DART Machinery, COMP Cams, PBM Performance Products, Hawk Performance Brakes, Edelbrock, PPM, AFCO, Quarter Master, Design 500, Penske Racing Shocks, Weld Racing Wheels, Banshee Graphics, Jesel, C J Rayburn Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, Real Wheels, MasterSbilt Race Cars, Lazer Race Cars, Mason Racin, Cruise With The Champions, Petroff Towing and All-Star Performance
