By James Essex
They were born just 95 miles apart in the state of Iowa. Billy Moyer was born in 1957 in Des Moines and six years later in 1963 Scott Bloomquist entered this world in Fort Dodge. Their Hall of Fame careers have crossed paths countless times in the past, but in the next few years (maybe sooner) one of them will be retiring from competition and the race fans in Iowa will not see any more head-to-head battles between the two dirt late model titans so this Friday Night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned appearance at 34 Raceway in Burlington, IA may be one of the last times the two are seen together on the race track in the state they were born in.
The state of Iowa has produced its share of National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductees, but two drivers who were born there now reside elsewhere as Moyer moved to Arkansas several years ago and Bloomquist moved first to California where he began his racing career, before locating to East Tennessee in the 1980’s. Fans from across the country have seen their talents on display and the clock is ticking towards the day where the head-to-head battles will be a part of dirt late model racing history that may go unmatched in the future as no two drivers have ever been so closely tied to each other in the sport.
No doubt they are two of the best to ever sit behind the wheel of a dirt late model, but the time is coming that only one will be racing. Moyer has hinted strongly over the last two years that he will be stepping aside as his son; Billy Jr’s career continues to evolve. Moyer said after his 20th career win at East Bay back in February that “it’s closer than you think” eluding to his retirement. Moyer has stayed closer to his home in Batesville, AR the last few years in preparation for retirement only occasionally now getting to some of the Crown Jewel and higher paying Late Model events, Bloomquist has given no indication he will be retiring as he continues to travel the country with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
So far in 2010 neither driver shows signs of slowing down as Moyer has won five times this year including the $20,000 to win “Illini 100” at Farmer City (IL) Raceway back in April. Moyer has now recoded 719 career victories heading into this weekends event at 34 Raceway a track built by one of his longtime sponsors, J&J Steel’s Johnny Johnson. Bloomquist, the reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion has also won five times this year and currently has 489 career wins. Together the two have combined for eight World 100 wins and eleven national championships.
So Friday Night’s Lucas Oil Series race at 34 Raceway will give the fans of the Hawkeye State an opportunity to see Bloomquist and Moyer go toe-to-toe for one of the final times in their careers, fans from all over the country have witnessed the history the two have combined to make, Bloomquist and Moyer have great respect for each other, but deep down beating the other in the state they were born adds just a little bit more incentive and doing it Friday Night at 34 Raceway maybe the icing on the cake, especially for Moyer.
They were born just 95 miles apart in the state of Iowa. Billy Moyer was born in 1957 in Des Moines and six years later in 1963 Scott Bloomquist entered this world in Fort Dodge. Their Hall of Fame careers have crossed paths countless times in the past, but in the next few years (maybe sooner) one of them will be retiring from competition and the race fans in Iowa will not see any more head-to-head battles between the two dirt late model titans so this Friday Night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned appearance at 34 Raceway in Burlington, IA may be one of the last times the two are seen together on the race track in the state they were born in.
The state of Iowa has produced its share of National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductees, but two drivers who were born there now reside elsewhere as Moyer moved to Arkansas several years ago and Bloomquist moved first to California where he began his racing career, before locating to East Tennessee in the 1980’s. Fans from across the country have seen their talents on display and the clock is ticking towards the day where the head-to-head battles will be a part of dirt late model racing history that may go unmatched in the future as no two drivers have ever been so closely tied to each other in the sport.
No doubt they are two of the best to ever sit behind the wheel of a dirt late model, but the time is coming that only one will be racing. Moyer has hinted strongly over the last two years that he will be stepping aside as his son; Billy Jr’s career continues to evolve. Moyer said after his 20th career win at East Bay back in February that “it’s closer than you think” eluding to his retirement. Moyer has stayed closer to his home in Batesville, AR the last few years in preparation for retirement only occasionally now getting to some of the Crown Jewel and higher paying Late Model events, Bloomquist has given no indication he will be retiring as he continues to travel the country with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
So far in 2010 neither driver shows signs of slowing down as Moyer has won five times this year including the $20,000 to win “Illini 100” at Farmer City (IL) Raceway back in April. Moyer has now recoded 719 career victories heading into this weekends event at 34 Raceway a track built by one of his longtime sponsors, J&J Steel’s Johnny Johnson. Bloomquist, the reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion has also won five times this year and currently has 489 career wins. Together the two have combined for eight World 100 wins and eleven national championships.
So Friday Night’s Lucas Oil Series race at 34 Raceway will give the fans of the Hawkeye State an opportunity to see Bloomquist and Moyer go toe-to-toe for one of the final times in their careers, fans from all over the country have witnessed the history the two have combined to make, Bloomquist and Moyer have great respect for each other, but deep down beating the other in the state they were born adds just a little bit more incentive and doing it Friday Night at 34 Raceway maybe the icing on the cake, especially for Moyer.
