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TAMPA, FL (February 16, 2013) – Jimmy Owens passed race leader, Don O’Neal on lap 16 and went on the take the $7,000 main event at East Bay Raceway Park Saturday afternoon. The race was originally scheduled for Thursday Night, but was rained out. The win marks the second victory at EBRP for the 2-time and reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion.
O’Neal and Dennis Erb Jr. battled it out for the first 15 laps, with Erb officially leading lap 9. Erb had a flat on lap 15, bringing out the first caution of the race. Owens, who started fifth passed O’Neal on the outside after the restart. Owens then led the rest of the race and picked up his second career win at East Bay and the 37th series win of his career. O’Neal came home in second, followed by Eric Jacobsen, John Blankenship, and Vic Coffey.
“For a day race, the track was really great! The crew went out and worked it after the rain delay and there were enough crumbs out there to give everybody traction for the first part of the race,” said the driver of the Mike Reece-owned, Reece Monument Company, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford. “From where we started, I figured that I needed to get to the front before the track took rubber. I saw Erb running up top and I don’t know what happened to him. John (Blankenship) and I had a really good race for second. I was finally able to clear him and was able to catch O’Neal and pass him for the lead.”
O’Neal was looking for his second straight win week, but came up just a car-length short. He commented: “I left the door open in turn one and I knew I was in trouble. Our car has really been great this week, I knew once Owens was in front it was going to be hard to pass him back. We will take second and work towards tonight’s race!”
Jacobsen recorded his second podium finish of the week with a solid third place. “We have got this place figured out, but we just can’t seem to close the deal and get a win here. I haven’t run as much over the few years as these [Lucas Oil] guys. They race so much more than me, but the car feels good and maybe tonight we can end the week on a good note.”
In preliminary action, Jimmy Owens set the overall RedBuck Fast Time (Group A) amongst the 34 entrants, with a lap of 15.346 seconds. Dennis Erb Jr. set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 15.672 seconds. Don O’Neal, John Blankenship, Dennis Erb Jr., and Eric Jacobsen won their respective Heat Races. Jared Landers and Tyler Reddick won their respective B-Mains. Leon Henderson was the PRC Strawberry Dash-Draw Winner, Henderson was drawn at random from a pool of eligible drivers due to rain delay and condensed format.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt series will be back later this evening, Saturday, February 16th with the second program of today’s double-header at the 37th Annual DART Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL. Hot Laps for the event will begin at 6:00PM and will also feature RedBuck Time Trials, Heats, B-Mains, PRC Strawberry Dash. The evening will be capped off with the $10,000-to-win, 60-Lap main event and the $1,000-to-win Non-Qualifiers’ Race. For more information on the event or EBRP, log onto www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and follow the series on www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Day (Thursday’s Make-Up Event), February 16th, 2013
37th Annual DART Winternationals
East bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
Red Buck Fast Time Group A: Jimmy Owens / 15.346 seconds
Red Buck Fast Time Group B: Dennis Erb Jr. / 15.672 seconds
Wiles Drive Shafts Heat Race #1 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran, David Breazeale, Jared Landers, Devin Moran, Nick Davis
Eibach Springs Heat Race #2 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): John Blankenship, Austin Hubbard, Braden Mitchell, Jason Riggs, Jason McBride, Scott Bloomquist, Chad Hollenbeck, Brad Malcuit, James O’Hara
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Dennis Erb Jr., Vic Coffey, Bobby Pierce, Chad Stapleton, Billy Moyer Jr., Doug Blashe, Doug Drown, Scott Phillips, Bob Geiger
HAWK Performance Heat Race #4 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Eric Jacobsen, Jerry Lierly, Justin Rattliff, Eddie Carrier Jr., Tyler Reddick, Ricky Weiss, Stormy Scott, Leon Henderson
CV Products B-Main #1 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Jared Landers, Scott Bloomquist, David Breazeale, Jason McBride, Devin Moran, Nick Davis, Chad Hollenbeck, James O’Hara, Brad Malcuit-DNS
Wrisco Aluminum B-Main #2 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tyler Reddick, Billy Moyer Jr., Doug Blashe, Ricky Weiss, Doug Drown, Stormy Scott, Leon Henderson, Scott Phillips, Bob Geiger
PRC Strawberry Draw Winner: Leon Henderson
Feature Finish (35 Laps):
FINISH
START
CAR #
DRIVER NAME
HOMETOWN
1
5
20
Jimmy Owens
Newport, TN
2
1
71
Don O’Neal
Martinsville, IN
3
4
5J
Eric Jacobsen
Watsonville, CA
4
3
23
John Blankenship
Williamson, WV
5
6
32c
Vic Coffey
Caledonia, NY
6
9
15
Steve Francis
Ashland, KY
7
20
21JR
Billy Moyer Jr.
Batesville, AR
8
10
32
Bobby Pierce
Oakwood, IL
9
16
28
Eddie Carrier Jr.
Salt Rock, WV
10
8
7L
Jerry Lierly
Camp Point, IL
11
18
11T
Tyler Reddick
Corning, CA
12
21
54
David Breazeale
Philadelphia, MS
13
7
11h
Austin Hubbard
Seaford, DE
14
25
4-Ds
Chad Hollenbeck
Montrose, PA
15
14
32s
Chad Stapleton
Edinburgh, IN
15
22
1B
Doug Blashe
Marion, WI
17
13
99
Donnie Moran
Dresden, OH
18
11
64
Braden Mitchell
Russellville, AL
19
2
28e
Dennis Erb Jr.
Carpentersville, IL
20
15
81JR
Jason Riggs
Harrisburg, IL
21
24
7w
Ricky Weiss
Headingley, MB
22
23
77
Jason McBride
Carbondale, IL
23
26
10
Leon Henderson
Laurel, MS
24
12
16
Justin Rattliff
Campbellsville, KY
25
19
0
Scott Bloomquist
Mooresburg, TN
26
17
5
Jared Landers
Batesville, AR
Race Statistics
Entrants: 36
Lap Leaders: Don O’Neal (Laps 1 – 8); Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 9); Don O’Neal (Laps 10 – 15); Jimmy Owens (Laps 16 – 35)
Caution Flags: Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 15); Donnie Moran, Tyler Reddick, Jason Riggs, Justin Rattliff, Scott Bloomquist, Ricky Weiss (Lap 16); Jared Landers (Lap 5)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: n/a
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: n/a
DirtonDirt.com Fast Time Provisional: Chad Hollenbeck
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Billy Moyer Jr. (started: 20th, finished: 7th, advanced: 13 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: John Blankenship
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
JRi Shocks/Dunn Benson Ford Rookie of the Race: n/a
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Race Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Bloomquist Race Cars
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chris Fox (Jimmy Owens)
HAWK Performance Fastest Lap of the Race: Don O’Neal (Lap# 29; 15.668 seconds)
Time of Race: 25 minutes 11 seconds
DART Winternationals Point Standings:
POS
CAR#
DRIVER
HOMETOWN
POINTS
1
71
Don O’Neal
Martinsville, IN
1130
2
28e
Dennis Erb Jr.
Carpentersville, IL
1080
3
15
Steve Francis
Ashland, KY
955
3
11T
Tyler Reddick
Corning, CA
955
5
20
Jimmy Owens
Newport, TN
935
5
5J
Eric Jacobsen
Watsonville, CA
935
5
32c
Vic Coffey
Caledonia, NY
935
8
32
Bobby Pierce
Oakwood, IL
920
9
23
John Blankenship
Williamson, WV
895
10
99
Donnie Moran
Dresden, OH
835
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
POS
CAR #
DRIVER NAME
HOMETOWN
POINTS
1
71
Don O’Neal
Martinsville, IN
250
2
32
Bobby Pierce
Oakwood, IL
230
2
63
Doug Drown
Wooster, OH
230
4
44
Earl Pearson Jr.
Jacksonville, FL
210
5
28e
Dennis Erb Jr.
Carpentersville, IL
205
6
23
John Blankenship
Williamson, WV
200
7
20
Jimmy Owens
Newport, TN
195
7
32c
Vic Coffey
Caledonia, NY
195
9
15
Steve Francis
Ashland, KY
190
10
4-Ds
Chad Hollenbeck
Montrose, PA
180
11
81JR
Jason Riggs
Harrisburg, IL
175
12
11T
Tyler Reddick
Corning, CA
170
13
11h
Austin Hubbard
Seaford, DE
165
14
7L
Jerry Lierly
Camp Point, IL
160
15
5
Jared Landers
Batesville, AR
155
16
28
Eddie Carrier Jr.
Salt Rock, WV
145
17
99m
Devin Moran
Dresden, OH
140
18
54
David Breazeale
Philadelphia, MS
135
19
0
Scott Bloomquist
Mooresburg, TN
130
20
5J
Eric Jacobsen
Watsonville, CA
125
20
99
Donnie Moran
Dresden, OH
125
20
16
Justin Rattliff
Campbellsville, KY
125
20
7w
Ricky Weiss
Headingley, MB
125
20
32s
Chad Stapleton
Edinburgh, IN
125
*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*
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Related Links
2013 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Tour Schedule
2012 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series TV Schedule
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
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2013 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors
ASI Racewear – “The Official Merchandise Vendor” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Canidae Pet Foods – “The Official Pet Foods” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
E3 Spark Plugs – “The Official Spark Plug” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
GEICO – “The Official Insurance” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
General Tire – “The Official Tire” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Hoosier Tire – “The Official Race Tire” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Lucas Oil Products – “The Official Oil” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
MAVTV – “The Official TV Network” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Optima Batteries – “The Official Battery” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
ProtectTheHarvest.com- “The Official Protect the Harvest Campaign of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Serie
RED BUCK- “The Official Fast Time Sponor” of the Lucas Oil late Model Dirt Series
Sunoco Race Fuels – “The Official Fuel” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
2013 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include:
Allstar Performance, AR Bodies, Banshee Graphics, Barry Wright Race Cars, Bloomquist Race Cars, COMP Cams, Cornett Racing Engines, C&R Racing, Crawford Supply, CV Products, DirtonDirt.com, Dunn-Benson Ford, Dyers Top Rods, Edlebrock, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Fuel Safe Fuel Cells, FK Rod Ends, Gaerte Engines, Georgia Boot, Hawk Performance, Jay Dickens Racing Engines, JE Pistons, JRi Shocks, Keyser MFG, Longhorn Chassis, Mallory Ignition, Mann Merchant Processing, MasterSbilt Chassis, Öhlins, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, Pierce Racecars, Performance Rod and Custom, Pro Power Racing, Race Engine Design, Red Buck, Rick Schwallie Photography, Roush Yates Engines, Roush Yates Parts, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Mfg, Traeger Grills, Vic Hill Race Engines, Weld Racing Wheels, Wiles Drive Shafts, Wrisco, 5150 Race Trailers.