Dunn, NC (September 11, 2006)- Earl Pearson Jr. and the Dunn-Benson Ford Motorsports team won the most coveted dirt late model race of the year, winning the 2006 World 100 at the famous Eldora Speedway in New Weston, Ohio Saturday night. Driving the Dunn-Benson Ford, Lucas Oil, Sunoco Race Fuels, Larry Wallace Engines, Mastersbilt Chassis, Earl would pace the field from the pole position. At the start Earl would fall back to third place behind Chris Madden and Shannon Babb. For the first 50 laps Earl would maintain in the top five falling as far back as fourth. Just after the halfway mark Earl began searching different lines on the track. Around lap 70 Earl began running the very bottom line around the track and was noticeably gaining on the top three cars.
By lap 80 Earl was now on the bumper of the leaders and would be in the mix of what race fans are calling one of the most exciting World 100 final twenty laps finishes ever. From lap 81 till lap 94 the lead would change numerous times between Earl, Shannon Babb, Jeep VanWormer and Josh Richards with each driver using the Eldora slide job on each other in the turns to gain the lead. At one point all four drivers were side by side four wide as they crossed the start finish line for the lead with 10 laps to go. But on Lap 93 Earl would make the final pass for the lead over Babb and was able to stretch out to a 10 car length lead over the final five laps and crossed the finish line first in one of the most exciting battles for the win ever in the World 100.
“What a race!! Man those final twenty laps were exciting and nerve racking at the same time”, stated Earl. “With Jeep banging the wall every lap causing sparks to fly, Babb and Josh doing the slide job pass on me, I didn’t know who would win. I just kept working the bottom groove and my car really took off there at the end. Once I cleared Babb for the lead with 6 laps to go, I just tried to be smooth and hit my marks every lap just hoping it would be enough to win. I can’t believe I just won the World 100. This is just incredible”, Earl went on to say. “I have to commend Babb, VanWormer and Josh for giving each other the room to race and putting on a great finish. They all deserved to win, but it’s a great feeling to know I beat the best field of drivers in the World 100. I’m just speechless really, to know that I won the World 100” stated Earl.
Earl and the Dunn-Benson Ford Motorsports team would set the 12th fastest lap out of 195 drivers in qualifying on Friday night. Earl would start 5th in the sixth heat race and immediately took control by lap 3. Earl would take the lead on lap 4 and dominated the 6th race to earn the pole position for the 100-lap feature event. Just making the 28 car starting field is considered a major accomplishment for any driver that comes to the World 100. In 1996 Earl won his first national touring event for dirt late models winning the Hav-A-Tampa sanctioned event in Waycross, GA in a family owned late model. And now ten years later in 2006 Earl driving for Carlton and Kemp Lamm has won the most prestigious dirt late model event the World 100 and the $39,000 first place prize money. Earl has forever etched his name in history as one of the premier dirt late model drivers in the sport. “When I hired Earl in 1999 I knew we had someone special that just needed some experience. Seven years later we have won two national championships, numerous feature wins and now the World 100. Earl is truly special and one of the most talented drivers to ever come into this sport. But it also takes a great team to accomplish what we have over the last several years. From my son Kemp, Frankie, Jason and Matt we have great people behind this team that makes it all come together. This is truly a team effort and never would have been accomplished without a great team”, stated Carlton Lamm team owner.
“I have to thank Carlton and Kemp for giving me an opportunity to drive for the best team in dirt late model racing in my opinion. My crew and all the guys at Dunn-Benson Racing Supply have really given me just great equipment to drive every week. I have to thank all my sponsors also for such great products and support that they give our team. I want to say thanks to Lucas Oil, Dunn-Benson Ford, Dunn-Benson Racing Supply, Larry Wallace Engines, Sunoco Race Fuels, MasterSbilt Chassis, Tiger Rear Ends, Hoosier Tire, ALLSTAR Performance, K&N Filters, Bert, Afco, Butlerbuilt, Trick Race Parts, Cizmar, COMP Cams, CP Pistons, Jones Cam Designs, Dyer’s Top Rods, TWM, Afco, PRC, CV Products, Xceldyne, Moroso, SHY Suspensions, Simpson, Stealth Carburetors, Jones Racing Products, T&D Rockers, Weld Wheels, Wilwood, Woodward, Hyperco, Hoosier Tire, ATL Fuel Cells, Oval Craft, Cizmar, Robert Yates Racing, Unifirst, Stuckey Enterprises, Rick Schwallie Photography, Xtreme Graphics, WRT Web Designs, ASI Racewear and WD Enterprises for their continued support and help in winning the World 100. This is a dream come true for me and what every late model driver strives for to be called the World 100 Champion”, stated Earl.
Earl and the team will travel to Mineral Wells West Virginia this weekend for a two day Lucas Oil Late Model Sanctioned event paying $20,000 to win. Earl has three wins in the 2006 season on the series and leads the point’s standings by 240 points over Don O’Neal with 6 races to go in the 2006 season.
To learn more about the Lucas Oil Dunn-Benson Ford Motorsports Team visit their website at www.dunnbensonfordmotorsports.com. The newest Earl Pearson Jr. merchandise is NOW AVAILABLE to purchase online at his official merchandise website at www.earlpearsonjr.net.
###
Wayne Castleberry
By lap 80 Earl was now on the bumper of the leaders and would be in the mix of what race fans are calling one of the most exciting World 100 final twenty laps finishes ever. From lap 81 till lap 94 the lead would change numerous times between Earl, Shannon Babb, Jeep VanWormer and Josh Richards with each driver using the Eldora slide job on each other in the turns to gain the lead. At one point all four drivers were side by side four wide as they crossed the start finish line for the lead with 10 laps to go. But on Lap 93 Earl would make the final pass for the lead over Babb and was able to stretch out to a 10 car length lead over the final five laps and crossed the finish line first in one of the most exciting battles for the win ever in the World 100.
“What a race!! Man those final twenty laps were exciting and nerve racking at the same time”, stated Earl. “With Jeep banging the wall every lap causing sparks to fly, Babb and Josh doing the slide job pass on me, I didn’t know who would win. I just kept working the bottom groove and my car really took off there at the end. Once I cleared Babb for the lead with 6 laps to go, I just tried to be smooth and hit my marks every lap just hoping it would be enough to win. I can’t believe I just won the World 100. This is just incredible”, Earl went on to say. “I have to commend Babb, VanWormer and Josh for giving each other the room to race and putting on a great finish. They all deserved to win, but it’s a great feeling to know I beat the best field of drivers in the World 100. I’m just speechless really, to know that I won the World 100” stated Earl.
Earl and the Dunn-Benson Ford Motorsports team would set the 12th fastest lap out of 195 drivers in qualifying on Friday night. Earl would start 5th in the sixth heat race and immediately took control by lap 3. Earl would take the lead on lap 4 and dominated the 6th race to earn the pole position for the 100-lap feature event. Just making the 28 car starting field is considered a major accomplishment for any driver that comes to the World 100. In 1996 Earl won his first national touring event for dirt late models winning the Hav-A-Tampa sanctioned event in Waycross, GA in a family owned late model. And now ten years later in 2006 Earl driving for Carlton and Kemp Lamm has won the most prestigious dirt late model event the World 100 and the $39,000 first place prize money. Earl has forever etched his name in history as one of the premier dirt late model drivers in the sport. “When I hired Earl in 1999 I knew we had someone special that just needed some experience. Seven years later we have won two national championships, numerous feature wins and now the World 100. Earl is truly special and one of the most talented drivers to ever come into this sport. But it also takes a great team to accomplish what we have over the last several years. From my son Kemp, Frankie, Jason and Matt we have great people behind this team that makes it all come together. This is truly a team effort and never would have been accomplished without a great team”, stated Carlton Lamm team owner.
“I have to thank Carlton and Kemp for giving me an opportunity to drive for the best team in dirt late model racing in my opinion. My crew and all the guys at Dunn-Benson Racing Supply have really given me just great equipment to drive every week. I have to thank all my sponsors also for such great products and support that they give our team. I want to say thanks to Lucas Oil, Dunn-Benson Ford, Dunn-Benson Racing Supply, Larry Wallace Engines, Sunoco Race Fuels, MasterSbilt Chassis, Tiger Rear Ends, Hoosier Tire, ALLSTAR Performance, K&N Filters, Bert, Afco, Butlerbuilt, Trick Race Parts, Cizmar, COMP Cams, CP Pistons, Jones Cam Designs, Dyer’s Top Rods, TWM, Afco, PRC, CV Products, Xceldyne, Moroso, SHY Suspensions, Simpson, Stealth Carburetors, Jones Racing Products, T&D Rockers, Weld Wheels, Wilwood, Woodward, Hyperco, Hoosier Tire, ATL Fuel Cells, Oval Craft, Cizmar, Robert Yates Racing, Unifirst, Stuckey Enterprises, Rick Schwallie Photography, Xtreme Graphics, WRT Web Designs, ASI Racewear and WD Enterprises for their continued support and help in winning the World 100. This is a dream come true for me and what every late model driver strives for to be called the World 100 Champion”, stated Earl.
Earl and the team will travel to Mineral Wells West Virginia this weekend for a two day Lucas Oil Late Model Sanctioned event paying $20,000 to win. Earl has three wins in the 2006 season on the series and leads the point’s standings by 240 points over Don O’Neal with 6 races to go in the 2006 season.
To learn more about the Lucas Oil Dunn-Benson Ford Motorsports Team visit their website at www.dunnbensonfordmotorsports.com. The newest Earl Pearson Jr. merchandise is NOW AVAILABLE to purchase online at his official merchandise website at www.earlpearsonjr.net.
###
Wayne Castleberry
