LOCUST GROVE, AR (August 17, 2012) – Steve Francis of Ashland, KY and Chris Madden of Gaffney, SC will make up the front row for Saturday Night’s 20th Annual COMP Cams Topless at Batesville Motor Speedway. Both drivers won their respective heat races in Friday Night’s preliminary action for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

Francis captured Wiles Driveshafts heat race number one as he got by race leader, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN with two laps to go. Bloomquist got boxed in behind a lapped car heading into turn number three and Francis took full advantage by zipping past the Red Buck Cigars Fast Qualifier. Bloomquist finished second followed by 4-time Topless 100 winner, Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR and first-time Topless 100 starter Todd Hall of Charleston, MO.

In the U. S. Steel heat number two, Jared Landers of Batesville, AR inherited the lead when racer leader, Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA broke an axle tube and flipped in turn number four. Reddick, who was dominating the heat race escaped uninjured in the incident. Landers, the 2010 Topless 100 winner then ran off to capture the win. He will start third in tomorrow night’s main event. Former Topless 100 champ, Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA finished second to Landers, followed by John Blankenship of Williamson, WV and Morgan Bagley of Longview, TX.

In the Simpson Performance Products heat number three, Chris Madden stormed to the top spot and led all the way. Madden had to hold his breath on the final lap of the 12-lap event when traffic nearly allowed second-place running Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, IL to get by him. Babb finished second to Madden, with Will Vaught of Crane, MO and Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR taking third and fourth to advance to the main event.

The fourth and final Hawk Performance heat race saw the top two in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings go head-to-head, with Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN and Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN starting on the front row. O’Neal got the jump at the start and led all 12 laps to secure the fourth starting spot on Saturday Night. Owens, the current series points leader finished second followed by Jesse Stovall of Galena, MO and Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier, AR.

In preliminary action, Scott Bloomquist set the Red Buck Cigars Fast Time amongst the 44 entrants, with a lap of 12.798 seconds. Chris Madden set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 12.841 seconds. Steve Francis, Jared Landers, Chris Madden, and Don O’Neal won their respective Heat Races.

Tomorrow night at the COMP Cams Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway in Batesville, AR, there will be B-Mains, and the 100-lap, $40,000 to win, COMP Cams Topless 100 to cap off an exciting weekend of premier dirt late model racing. For more information, check out www.batesvillemotorspeedway.net.

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, August 17th, 2012
20th Annual COMP Cams “Topless 100”
Batesville Motor Speedway – Batesville, AR

Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Group A: Scott Bloomquist / 12.798 seconds
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Group B: Chris Madden / 12.841 seconds

Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Steve Francis, Scott Bloomquist, Billy Moyer, Todd Hall, Klint Byars, Robbie Stuart, Terry Phillips, Chris Wall, Shane Harris, Chris Huckabay, Billy Moyer, Jr.

U. S. Steel Second Heat (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Jared Landers, Dale McDowell, John Blankenship, Morgan Bagley, Eric Wells, Shawn Knuckles, Curtiss Cook, Kyle Beard, Tyler Reddick, Odie Green, Travis Mosley

Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Chris Madden, Shannon Babb, Will Vaught, Wendell Wallace, Brandon Smith, Robert Baker, Neil Baggett, Jason McBride, Tommy Surrett, Keith Lawson, Braden Mitchell

HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (12 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Jimmy Owens, Jesse Stovall, Jack Sullivan, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Jon Mitchell, Jeff Chanler, Timothy Culp, Jon Kirby, BJ Robinson

JRI Shocks – “B” MAIN #1 LINE UP (15 Laps – Top 3 Transfer)
DRIVER INSIDEOUTSIDE DRIVER
Klint Byars 5bx 18e Eric Wells
Robbie Stuart 6r 14JR Shawn Knuckles
Terry Phillips 75 601 Curtiss Cook
Chris Wall 71w 86 Kyle Beard
Shane Harris 0H 11T Tyler Reddick
Chris Huckabay 88 15x Odie Green
Billy Moyer, Jr.21JR 31m Travis Mosley

PAC Racing Springs – “B” MAIN #2 LINE UP (15 Laps – Top 3 Transfer)
DRIVER INSIDEOUTSIDE DRIVER
Brandon Smith 115 44 Earl Pearson, Jr.
Robert Baker 17mx 15d Jonathan Davenport
Neil Baggett 21x 5m Jon Mitchell
Jason McBride77m 11c Jeff Chanler
Tommy Surrett27s C8 Timothy Culp
Keith Lawson 60 11k Jon Kirby
Braden Mitchell 64 F5 BJ Robinson