ROSSBURG, Ohio (September 12, 2015) – Jonathan Davenport won the 45th World 100 and became just the fourth driver to sweep the major dirt late model races at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.
Davenport, who won the Dirt Late Model Dream and $100,000 in June passed Jared Landers for good on lap 66 and won the $48,000 payout for the World 100 in front of a huge and enthusiastic crowd.
Donnie Moran swept the races in 1996 and 1998, while Billy Moyer did so in 2010.
It was an incredible race for Davenport as he started 18th, but worked his way to the front to win his first World 100.
“How about coming from 18th?” Davenport said. “This thing started circling on that bottom and I knew we were going to have a race car then. I just kept circling that bottom and circling that bottom and when the track cleaned up I knew it was time for me to go to the top. I love this place and I love this car. I had great horsepower as well.”
Jared Landers started second, but took the lead over pole sitter Scott Bloomquist at the start. Landers led for the first 61 laps before Davenport, from Williamston, South Carolina, battled him for the next five laps.
They traded slide jobs throughout most of the racing surface, making contact once when Landers re-passed Davenport, before Davenport cleared him on lap 64. Landers was with him for two more laps before Davenport pulled away.
From there he led the rest of the way and beat young Bobby Pierce, who started fifth.
“I have to thank all you fans,” Davenport said. “You guys are great. This is unbelievable. We have a dream season and now we have a world season.”
Pierce was second, while four-time World 100 winner Bloomquist was third. Landers, from Batesville, Arkansas, was fourth, while Steve Francis, who started 13th, finished fifth.
The race was made possible by the hard work of the Eldora employees who worked for hours on the track after rain canceled Friday night’s racing action.
The racing started at 10:30 am (EDT) on Saturday and they ran the scheduled Friday show before completely reconditioning the track again for the Saturday night show.
The next event at Eldora is the 34th Annual Four Crown Nationals. The World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds are featured on September 25. The USAC National Midget, Sprint and Silver Crown tours are showcased on Saturday, September 26.
Eldora Speedway
September 12, 2015
45th Annual World 100
Feature
1 18 6 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA (100) $48,000
2 5 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL (100)
3 1 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN (100)
4 2 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR (100)
5 13 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY (100)
6 14 17m Dale McDowell Chickmauga, GA (100)
7 6 44 Chris Madden Gray Court, SC (100)
8 10 25 Shane Clanton Zebulon, GA (100)
9 16 28m Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI (100)
10 21 157 Mike Marlar Winfield, TN (100)
11 28 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV (99)
12 17 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL (99)
13 4 1 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL (99)
14 30 R5 Chris Simpson Oxford, IA (99)
15 11 99jr Frank Heckenast Jr Orland Park, IL (99)
16 7 71c R.J. Coney Wheelersburg, OH (99)
17 12 3s Brian Shirley Chatham, IL (98)
18 26 25 Jason Feger Bloomington, IL (98)
19 23 29 Darrell Lanigan Union, KY (98)
20 27 28e Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL (98)
21 24 55 Jeep Van Wormer Pinconning, MI (98)
22 25 21b Chris Brown Longview, TX (98)
23 20 99m Devin Moran Dresden, OH (98)
24 15 1* Chub Frank Bear Lake, PA (97)
25 29 33 Tim Manville Highland, IL (61)
26 3 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR (56)
27 8 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO (51)
28 9 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN (34)
29 19 22F Chris Ferguson Mount Holly, NC (26)
30 22 5 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN (2)
B-Main #1
1 157 Mike Marlar Winfield, TN
2 29 Darrell Lanigan Union, KY
3 21b Chris Brown Longview, TX
4 28e Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
5 33 Tim Manville Highland, IL
6 1H Vic Hill Morristown, TN
7 b5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
8 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY
9 81jr Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
10 20 Duane Chamberlain Richmond, IN
11 95j Jerry Bowersock Wapakoneta, OH
12 49 Brian Ruhlman Clark, MI
13 93 Jay Johnson West Burlington, IA
14 15c Wayne Chinn Bradford, OH
15 89 Mike Spatola Manhattan, IL
16 45h Don Hammer Clinton, IL
17 27 Lauren Longbrake Columbus, OH
18 25L Steve Lance Cuba, IL
19 11 Austin Smith Cedartown, GA
20 18k Brandon Kinzer Allen, KY
21 11 Josh Rice Verona, KY
22 9n Ted Nobbe Batesville, IN
23 86r Rick Rickman Columbus, MS
B-Main #2
1 5 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN
2 55 Jeep Van Wormer Pinconning, MI
3 25 Jason Feger Bloomington, IL
4 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV
5 R5 Chris Simpson Oxford, IA
6 54 Matt Westfall Pleasant Hill, OH
7 D8 Dustin Linville Bryantsville, KY
8 47 Alex Ferree Saxonburg, PA
9 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
10 31 Nick Latham Winchester, OH
11 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
12 F5 Garrett Alberson Las Cruces, NM
13 15H Jon Henry Ada, OH
14 22 Gregg Satterlee Rochester Mills, PA
15 49c Chad Ruhlman Clark, MI
16 11 Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
17 25z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA
18 51m Mack McCarter Gatlinburg, TN
19 1N Casey Noonan Sylvania, OH
20 11g Gordy Gundaker St. Charles, MO
21 97 Michael Chilton Salvisa, KY
22 8V Craig Vosbergen Perth, W.A.
23 88 Andrew Reaume Blenheim, ONT
24 5N Dustin Nobbe Batesville, IN
Heat #1
1 44 Chris Madden Gray Court, SC
2 71c R.J. Coney Wheelersburg, OH
3 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
4 81jr Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
5 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY
6 1H Vic Hill Morristown, TN
7 28e Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
8 b5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
9 86r Rick Rickman Columbus, MS
10 18k Brandon Kinzer Allen, KY
11 240 Doug Drown Wooster, OH
12 27 Lauren Longbrake Columbus, OH
13 42 Doug Sanders Springwood, NC
14 51g Cameron Guidi Farmington, IL
Heat #2
1 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
2 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
3 17m Dale McDowell Chickmauga, GA
4 21b Chris Brown Longview, TX
5 11 Josh Rice Verona, KY
6 157 Mike Marlar Winfield, TN
7 49 Brian Ruhlman Clark, MI
8 33 Tim Manville Highland, IL
9 R1 Riley Hickman Ooltewah, TN
10 89 Mike Spatola Manhattan, IL
11 11 Austin Smith Cedartown, GA
12 15k Kolby Vandenbergh Ashland, IL
13 4c Ernie Cordier Brodhead, KY
14 7R Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN
Heat #3
1 1 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
2 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
3 1* Chub Frank Bear Lake, PA
4 29 Darrell Lanigan Union, KY
5 99m Devin Moran Dresden, OH
6 20 Duane Chamberlain Richmond, IN
7 95j Jerry Bowersock Wapakoneta, OH
8 45h Don Hammer Clinton, IL
9 15c Wayne Chinn Bradford, OH
10 93 Jay Johnson West Burlington, IA
11 25L Steve Lance Cuba, IL
12 9n Ted Nobbe Batesville, IN
13 11r James Rice Verona, KY
14 22F Chris Ferguson Mount Holly, NC
15 7w Ricky Weiss Headingley, MB
Heat #4
1 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
2 25 Shane Clanton Zebulon, GA
3 28m Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
4 55 Jeep Van Wormer Pinconning, MI
5 R5 Chris Simpson Oxford, IA
6 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV
7 D8 Dustin Linville Bryantsville, KY
8 22 Gregg Satterlee Rochester Mills, PA
9 97 Michael Chilton Salvisa, KY
10 88 Andrew Reaume Blenheim, ONT
11 11g Gordy Gundaker St. Charles, MO
12 17 Shannon Thornsberry Martin, KY
13 76k Butch Kruckenberg Ohio
14 8A Rob Anderzack Raymond, OH
15 14h Rodney Hamblin Downs, IL
Heat #5
1 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
2 99jr Frank Heckenast Jr Orland Park, IL
3 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
4 5 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN
5 54 Matt Westfall Pleasant Hill, OH
6 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
7 F5 Garrett Alberson Las Cruces, NM
8 8V Craig Vosbergen Perth, W.A.
9 11 Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
10 51m Mack McCarter Gatlinburg, TN
11 5N Dustin Nobbe Batesville, IN
12 9 Jason Croft Woodstock, GA
13 69 Jonny Huck McKees Rocks, PA
14 3c Charlie LaPlant East Prairie, MO
15 07 Brian Ledbetter Dallas, NC
16 79 Shane Unger Rossburg, OH
Heat #6
1 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
2 3s Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
3 6 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
4 25 Jason Feger Bloomington, IL
5 31 Nick Latham Winchester, OH
6 25z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA
7 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
8 15H Jon Henry Ada, OH
9 47 Alex Ferree Saxonburg, PA
10 49c Chad Ruhlman Clark, MI
11 1N Casey Noonan Sylvania, OH
12 86b Neil Baggett Shannon, MS
13 28w Jeff Wolfenbarger Clinton, TN
14 68 Dan Shepherd Grand Junction, CO
15 11b Tommy Bailey Corbin, KY
16 96 John Mayes Clyde, OH
17 5* Bryant Dickinson Ionia, MI
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Photos by Mike Ruefer
