COLUMBUS, MS (July 6, 2012) – Hall of Famers, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN and Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR were among the four heat race winners on Friday Night in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series action at Magnolia Motor Speedway. Bloomquist and Moyer will be joined in the redraw tomorrow night by Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR, and reigning series champion and current point’s leader, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN.
A total of 50 cars were on hand for the Columbus Convention Center and Visitors Bureau Clash at the Mag which will pay $20,000 to win on Saturday Night.
Bloomquist dominated heat race number one leading all the way. Jared Landers of Batesville, AR and Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN battled for the runner-up spot for the entire race with Landers coming out ahead of O’Neal. Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA the leading Quarter Master Rookie of the Year candidate in the LOLMDS made a late race charge to nab the fourth and final transfer spot.
In heat two, Moyer was the man to beat as he took the lead at the start, holding off Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN and Steve Francis of Ashland, KY for the victory. Francis, the hottest driver in the series has won two out of the last three feature events heading into this weekend at Magnolia. A terrific race for fourth saw hometown driver Rick Rickman capture the final transfer spot coming off of turn four as he took the final transfer position.
In the third heat race, Wallace jumped to the early lead and held a steady pace the rest of the way to earn the win. A tremendous battle for second went on the entire 10-lap race with Klint Byars of Calhoun City, MS finally taking over the second spot for good, near the end of the race. Scott Dedwylder of Vossurg, MS and Rodney Wing of Meridian, MS made the home state fans proud by taking the third and fourth spots at the finish. Both earned a spot in Saturday’s main event.
In the fourth and final heat, Owens took the lead at the drop of the green as he and 16-year-old Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA ran one and two the entire 10-lap distance. The battle for third was hotly contested between Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS and Billy Moyer Jr. of Batesville, AR as those two ran side-by-side for the last half of the race with Cooley edging out Moyer Jr.
In preliminary action, Jared Landers set the Red Buck Cigars Fast Time amongst the 50 entrants with a lap of 13.852 seconds. Heat races were taken by: Bloomquist, Moyer, Wallace, and Owens.
The series will be back in action tomorrow night in the “Clash at the Mag” at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS on Saturday July 7th. Festivities will kick off at 5:30PM with the Dirt Racing Outreach Service in the Grandstands. Action on the track will begin with two B-Mains, and the 100-lap $20,000 “Clash at the Mag” main event will cap off the evening. For more information on the event, go to www.magnoliadirt.com.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and be sure to follow the series at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, July 6th, 2012
“Clash at the Mag”
Magnolia Motor Speedway – Columbus, MS
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time:
Jared Landers / 13.852 seconds (Group A)
Scott Dedwylder / 14.220 seconds (Group B)
Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Jared Landers, Don O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport, John Blankenship, Jamie Elam, Jimmy Cliburn, Scott Creel, Shane Harris, Joseph Joiner, Chris Hoomes, Bo Gordon, Chris Wall-DNS
U. S. Steel Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Billy Moyer, Mike Marlar, Steve Francis, Rick Rickman, Earl Pearson, Jr., Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Neil Baggett, Dillon Wood, Mark Green, Larry Boutwell, Ray Cook, Jered Smith-DNS
Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Wendell Wallace, Klint Byars, Scott Dedwylder, Rodney Wing, Chad Thrash, BJ Robinson, Jason Cliburn, Brian Rickman, Shep Lucas, Ross Camponovo, Mike Palasini, Jr., Cale Finley, Richard Smith
HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Tyler Reddick, Eric Cooley, Billy Moyer, Jr., Eric Wells, Brad Neat, Timothy Culp, Robbie Stuart, Justin McRee, Leon Henderson, Todd Gray, Jason Wilson
JRi Shocks First B-Main Line Up (12 Laps – Top 3 Advance):
JRI Shocks – “B” MAIN #1 LINE UP
DRIVER INSIDE OUTSIDE DRIVER
John Blankenship 23 44 Earl Pearson, Jr.
Jamie Elam 12 18H Ronny Lee Hollingsworth
Jimmy Cliburn 88c 21x Neil Baggett
Scott Creel 31 1w Dillon Wood
Shane Harris 0H g19 Mark Green
Joseph Joiner 10J 58 Larry Boutwell
Chris Hoomes 00H 53 Ray Cook
Bo Gordon 34 71w Chris Wall
Jered Smith 711
PAC Racing Springs Second B-Main Line Up (12 Laps – Top 3 Advance):
PAC Racing Springs – “B” MAIN #2 LINE UP
DRIVER INSIDE OUTSIDE DRIVER
Chad Thrash 1c 18e Eric Wells
BJ Robinson F5 41n Brad Neat
Jason Cliburn 888 C8 Timothy Culp
Brian Rickman 90 6r Robbie Stuart
Shep Lucas 57 25 Justin McRee
Ross Camponovo 18c 10 Leon Henderson
Mike Palasini, Jr. 8 7G Todd Gray
Cale Finley F36 22 Jason Wilson
Richard Smith 7