In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the seventh time this season, the 46-year-old Hall of Famer celebrated with his crew as he graciously accepted the winner’s check from promoter Carl Short. “A hundred laps here are kind of tough on equipment, I can’t say enough about the Hoosier Tires, they held up real well tonight. We were a little cautious through traffic, and O’Neal was running hard on the cushion and I saw that and backed off a little bit and then his tires went away and we were able to get by him for the win,” said Bloomquist, who maintained his series points lead with his victory.
“I have to thank Bob and Barb Miller of Miller Brothers Construction and Hawkeye Trucking, Roush-Yates Racing Engine and VP Fuels. I am proud to win this race for myself and my crew and I especially want to thank the fans for coming out here tonight, its fun to race in front of so many people and we look forward to coming back here.”
Bloomquist started on the outside of the front row and jumped to the lead at the start of the race. Dale McDowell, who had won two of the previous three LOLMDS events ran a solid second to Bloomquist for the first 14 laps, until O’Neal was able to get around him for second.
Bloomquist held his lead through heavy traffic as O’Neal pressured him for the top spot. O’Neal was finally able to make the pass for the lead on lap 29. O’Neal held the lead through several caution flag periods as Bloomquist maintained the second spot. At the halfway mark it was O’Neal, Bloomquist, Shaver, Bart Hartman, and Davenport running in the top five.
O’Neal continued to stay out front until Bloomquist raced past him after a restart on lap 82. O’Neal’s tires went away as he slowed in turn four to bring out the final caution of the race. On the restart it was all Bloomquist until the checkered flag fell as no one was able to muster a late-race challenge.
Completing the top ten were Zack Dohm of Cross Lanes, WV; Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN; John Blankenship of Williamson, WV; Kennie Compton of Bland, VA; and Tim Isenberg of Marshfield, WI.
In preliminary action Steve Shaver topped the 49 entrants in Red Buck Cigar Time Trials. Heat race winners were Dale McDowell, Bart Hartman, Scott Bloomquist and Don O’Neal. The B-Mains went to Freddy Smith and Brad Neat.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Late Model Dirt Series will take next weekend off and resume its’ 2010 racing schedule on Friday Night, September 17th at Greg Gunter’s Winchester Speedway in Winchester, VA for a $10,000 to win event. On Saturday Night, September 18th the series will visit Bill Sawyer’s Virginia Motor Speedway in Saluda, VA for the $15,000 to win “USA 100″.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log on to www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Sunday Night, September 5th, 2010
“42nd Annual Hillbilly Hundred”
West Virginia Motor Speedway - Mineral Wells, WV
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time: Earl Pearson Jr. / seconds (Overall and Group B)
Jonathan Davenport / seconds (Group A)
Wiles Driveshaft’s First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Dale McDowell, Jonathan Davenport, Zack Dohm, Chris Madden, Freddy Smith, Anthony Huber, Gary Stuhler, Lewis Hudson, Ty Myers, Jimmy Owens, Dan Schlieper, Freddie Carpenter, Bryan Lillibridge
AFCO Racing Products Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Bart Hartman, Tim Isenberg, Vic Coffey, Kennie Compton, Bub McCool, Stephen Evans, Mark Banal, Mick Sansom, Marshall Wiblin, Jimmy Mars, Chris Parsons, Darryl Hills
Allstar Performance Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Davey Johnson, Donnie Moran, Steve Shaver, John Blankenship, Donald Bradsher, Bopper Bare, Tyler Reddick, Chris Wilson, Jacob Hawkings, Steve Casebolt
Superflow Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Don O’Neal, Chris Wall, Earl Pearson Jr., Eddie Carrier Jr., Brad Neat, Ray Cook, Chuck Harper, Jamie Lathroum, Devin Friese, Tim Dohm, Keith Tish, Brian Birkhofer
Hawk Brake First B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Freddy Smith, Stephen Evans, Mark Banal, Lewis Hudson, Dan Schlieper, Ty Myers, Bryan Lillibridge, Mick Sansom, Chris Parsons, Anthony Huber, Gary Stuhler, Bub McCool-DNS, Marshall Wiblin-DNS, Jimmy Owens-DNS, Jimmy Mars-DNS, Freddie Carpenter-DNS, Darryl Hills-DNS
Performance Rod and Custom (PRC) Second B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Brad Neat, John Blankenship, Ray Cook, Chuck Harper, Donald Bradsher, Tyler Reddick, Devin Friese, Jacob Hawkins, Tim Dohm, Chris Wilson, Keith Tish, Jamie Lathroum, Steve Casebolt, Booper Bare, Eric Wells-DNS, Brian Birkhofer-DNS
