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Owens Survives High Banks Havoc at LoneStar Speedway

KILGORE, TX (April 6, 2013) – Two-time and reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion Jimmy Owens survived to win the 50-lap High Banks Havoc on Saturday Night at LoneStar Speedway. Owens earned $10,000 for his second LOLMDS win of the season and the 38th of his career. Owens took the lead from Scott Bloomquist on lap 33 and then held off Bloomquist for the win. Steve Francis finished third followed by Don O’Neal and Jared Landers.

“It is really a weight off of our shoulders to win this race after we had a rough time in Florida. It really was a pretty good race having several different leaders, I saw Scott running a line to avoid the holes and I followed him for a longtime, and finally we were able to pass him,” said Owens.

“You had to have a super good car tonight to withstand the tough track conditions. My crew worked really hard to prepare the car for these conditions tonight and it paid off. We’ve been needing a good points night and we got it tonight. I have to thank my car owner Mike Reece, Reece Monument Company, Gantte Appraisals, Sunoco Race Fuels and everybody else with this race team,”

O’Neal would take the lead at the start of the race and hold the point until he slowed with a flat tire on the 19th lap. After O’Neal pitted for a fresh tire, he rejoined the race on the tail. Bloomquist then inherited the lead, and led until lap 33 when Owens powered by Bloomquist for lead. Bloomquist like Owens needed a good points night as well and got what he wanted. “We started off slow last year and came back to finish third in the points. It was treacherous tonight, but we have a well-built car and it held up in these rough conditions. We were airborne several times out there and then we found a line that was somewhat smoother to run but I couldn’t hold Jimmy off. Congratulations to Jimmy on his win in one of our cars and Dennis (Erb) had a good finish as well.”

Francis, who like his counterparts came into the race looking to move up in the points, was pleased with his third place finish. “The crew worked hard on the car and we were fast all night. I was able to keep it up front most of the race and thought we might get past Scott (Bloomquist), but just couldn’t get by him. It was just a night of survival but we will take a third place finish and go from there, said Steve Francis, driver of the Clint Bowyer Racing Team entry.

Completing the top ten were Dennis Erb Jr.; Chris Wall, John Blankenship, B.J. Robinson and Bobby Pierce.

In preliminary action, Bobby Pierce set the overall Time (Group B) amongst the 39 entrants, with a lap of 14.199 seconds. Don O’Neal set the fastest time in Group A with a time of 14.257 seconds. Don O’Neal, Scott Bloomquist, Earl Pearson Jr., and Jimmy Owens won their respective Heat Races. Tyler Erb and Chris Wall won their respective B-Mains.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will return to action in two weeks with a trek through the Appalachian Mountains for three events. The series will be at Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex in Markleysburg, PA on Friday, April 19th. On Saturday, April 20th, the series will venture to Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD. Rounding out the trip in the “Mountaineer State”, the series will make its return to West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells, WV on Sunday, April 21st. All three events will pay $10,000-to-win, and will include RED BUCK Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and 50-Lap main events. For more information, log onto www.roaringknob.com, www.hagerstownspeedway.com, and www.wvspeedway.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 Night, April 6th, 2013
High Banks Havoc
Lonestar Speedway – Kilgore, TX

Red Buck Fast Time Group A: Don O’Neal / 14.257 seconds
Red Buck Fast Time Group B: Bobby Pierce / 14.199 seconds

Wiles Drive Shafts Heat Race #1 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O'Neal, Steve Francis, Dennis Erb Jr., Eric Turner, Jack Sullivan, Michael Asberry, Zachary McMillan, Mike Harris, Ray Moore-DNS, Chris Buhler-DNS

Eibach Springs Heat Race #2 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Shane Hebert, Jerry Lierly, BJ Robinson, Tyler Erb, Troy Berdan, Shane Harris, Allen Murray, Robert Baker

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Earl Pearson Jr., Jared Landers, Bobby Pierce, Timothy Culp, John Blankenship, Chris Wall, Billy Moyer Jr., Odie Green, Jay Brunson, Wendell Wallace

HAWK Performance Heat Race #4 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Jimmy Owens, Eddie Carrier Jr., Austin Hubbard, Jason McBride, Rob Litton, Robbie Stuart, Jon Mitchell, Jeff Chanler, Lee Patton, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth

CV Products B-Main #1 (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Tyler Erb, Jack Sullivan, Michael Asberry, Shane Harris, Zachary McMillan, Robert Baker, Troy Berdan, Allen Murray, Mike Harris-DNS, Ray Moore-DNS, Chris Buhler-DNS

Wrisco Aluminum B-Main #2 (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Chris Wall, John Blankenship, Billy Moyer Jr., Jeff Chanler, Jon Mitchell, Jay Brunson, Lee Patton, Odie Green, Wendell Wallace, Rob Litton, Robbie Stuart, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth-DNS

Feature Finish (50 Laps): Jimmy Owens, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Don O'Neal, Jared Landers, Dennis Erb Jr., Chris Wall, John Blankenship, BJ Robinson, Bobby Pierce, Jerry Lierly, Billy Moyer Jr., Tyler Erb, Eddie Carrier Jr., Timothy Culp, Jason McBride, Eric Turner, Michael Asberry, Earl Pearson Jr., Austin Hubbard, Shane Hebert, Jack Sullivan, Rob Litton, Robbie Stuart

Race Statistics
Entrants: 39
Lap Leaders: Don O’Neal (Laps 1 -19); Scott Bloomquist (Laps 20 – 31); Jimmy Owens (Laps 32 – 50)
Caution Flags: Shane Hebert (Lap 10); Austin Hubbard, Tyler Erb (Lap 10); Earl Pearson Jr. (Lap 11); Don O’Neal (Lap 19); Tyler Erb (Lap 20); Jason McBride (Lap 32); John Blankenship (Lap 37); Tyler Erb (Lap 37)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: N/A
Fast Time Provisionals: Rob Litton, Robbie Stuart
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: N/A
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: John Blankenship (Started: 20th, Finished: 8th, Advanced: 12 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: Scott Bloomquist
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
JRi Shocks/Dunn Benson Ford Rookie of the Race: Bobby Pierce
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# 2; 15.047 seconds)
Time of Race: 42 minutes 44 seconds

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