6/18/2005
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Donnie Moran Takes First Career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Win at Cedar Lake
NEW RICHMOND, WI (June 18, 2005)- Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH withstood a slide job extravaganza in the closing laps as he came out on top winning the second night of the 7th Annual "Masters" at the Cedar Lake Speedway on Saturday Night, June 18 as the 42 year old veteran driver earned $10,000 for his 50 lap win. The thrilling affair would see Moran, Matt Miller and Jimmy Mars put on a wild and fierce race to the finish. Moran a four time World 100 champion and the Eldora Million winner drove his PBM Performance Products/Eddie's Sunoco/SMS Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo to his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win becoming the ninth different winner in 13 races and keeping a streak alive where no winner has come from the front row in now nine consecutive Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series races, Moran started third. 2005 Dream Winner, Matt Miller of Waterville, OH finished second in the Dirt Shop Inc./McCullough Industries/Russell Baker Racing Engines/Rocket Grand Prix with Mars of Menomonie, WI grabbing third in the Deppe Enterprises/Pro Power/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo. Rounding out the top five was Kyle Berck of Marquette, NE in the Dorothy Lynch Home Style Dressing/Swartz Chassis #14 and Keith Foss of Winona, MN in the Equality Die Cast/Rocket Grand Prix. A total of 46 cars were on hand for the second night of the 7th Annual "Masters" race at Cedar Lake as points were awarded to the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the World Dirt Racing League.
Don O'Neal and 2004 Cedar Lake Speedway Track Champion, Justin Fegers would lead the stout field to green but disaster on the first lap as the cars were coming to complete the first lap Fegers lost control of his racer sending him into a spin which saw a massive pileup result in turn four. Several racers would see body damage with Brady Smith going to the pits with suspension woes that knocked him out the race without a lap being scored. When the accident was cleaned up the race would fire up again with O'Neal and Scott James on the front row as the two Hoosier State hotshoes would lead the field to start the race again. O'Neal would quickly bolt into the lead with Matt Miller going to second followed by James. A caution for James would come out on lap three as he would suffered a right rear flat forcing him pitside. He did not return to the race. After a rocky start in the first three circuits the race would settle downa bit with O'Neal holding the point followed by Miller, Donnie Moran, Trent Follmer and Jimmy Mars. Moran would go from third place to second around Miller on lap seven. O'Neal then would see the back of the field on his radar as he would pick them up by the 11th lap. A lapped car would come down on O'Neal on lap 12 forcing him into a near spin as Miller had to take evasive action as he was right on O'Neal when it happened. Moran would squeeze by O'Neal after the lapped car incident to take over the lead of the race. O'Neal and Miller then had to regroup with Follmer on the move the young Minnesota racer would also get past O'Neal and Miller. As the 17th lap was scored with Moran in front followed by Follmer, O'Neal, Miller and Mars the top five drivers.
O'Neal would jump back into second on lap 18 with Miller following him by Follmer. Meanwhile up front it was all Moran as he would stretch his lead to 10 car lengths over the field. With Moran now running away with the race he would start to approach the back of the field by the 28th lap. At this point his lead had grown to 12 lengths over O’Neal and Miller. Follmer would take to the top side of the race track going by Miller on lap 32 and started to close up to O'Neal. O'Neal and Follmer would go nose to tail for several laps with Follmer taking a peek on O'Neal to try and find a way around him. A final caution on lap 39 for a slowing Tim Dohm would bunch the field up for a thrilling finish that was about to take place.. Under the caution O'Neal's car was leaking fluids on the and he went to the pit area giving up his second place position. That would move Follmer and Miller to second and third on the restart. Miller would pounce on the opportunity after the race would restart and with 10 laps to go it was on. Moran and Miller would be joined by Mars who quietly raced around the bottom of the race track making it a three way tussle for the lead in the waning laps.
The last five laps of the race would see incredible racing action with slidejob after slidejob taking place between the frontrunners. Miller would lead for two laps then Moran would shoot in front of him to regain the lead with four to go. Mars would pull even with Moran for the lead with three to go as the crowd rose to its feet witnessing a great finish as Miller would fire back with two to go briefly taking the lead back from Moran, but Moran would drive it in hard into turns one and two taking the lead back as the cars headed to the white flag. Miller would try one last valiant effort to pass Moran but he could not get it done as Moran held on for the win. Miller finished second followed by Mars, Kyle Berck, who started 12th and Keith Foss, who started 17th.
"Man I'll tell you that was some kind of racing," said the jubilant Moran afterwards." I believe that was three Dream winners going at it and it was really fun." "I want to thank my crew and my sponsors after leading last night and having to drop out they worked their tails off getting this car ready for tonight and it paid off, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is the best thing going right now and they have some outstanding drivers running it and I especially want to thank the fans for coming out here at Cedar Lake, this is truly a racey track and nice facility."
Completing the top ten were Trent Follmer, Shannon Babb, Darren Miller, Earl Pearson, Jr. and Jerry Redetzke.
In preliminary events Terry English was the Fastest Qualifier of the 46 entrants with lap of 13.474 seconds. The Heat Race winners were Don O'Neal, Justin Fegers, Scott James and Matt Miller. The First B-Main went to Keith Foss and the Second B-Main was won by Kerry Hansen.
The next events for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be on Tuesday Night, June 21 at the Davenport Speedway in Davenport, IA, Friday Night, June 24 at the Belleville High Banks in Belleville, KS and Saturday Night, June 25 at McCool Junction, NE.
Race Summary Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Saturday Night, June 18, 2005 Cedar Lake Speedway-New Richmond WI
Fast Qualifier: Terry English 13.474
Heat #1: Don O'Neal, Donnie Moran, Terry English, Brian Birkhofer, Keith Foss, Freddy Smith, Dave Eckrich, Toby Patchen, Duane Mahder, Larry Stockwell, Joel Cryderman
Heat #2: Justin Fegers, Trent Follmer, Denny Eckrich, Jerry Redetzke, Andrew McKay, Tim Isenberg, Scott CRamer, Matt Furman, Jon Chrest, Bill Koons, Shannon Babb
Heat #3: Scott James, Darren Miller, Earl Pearson, Jr., Eric Pember, Pat Doar, Eric Breeschoten, Steve Isenberg, Andy Simoson, Mike Nutzmann, Bill Stettner
Heat #4: Matt Miller, Brady Smith, Kyle Berck, Tim Dohm, Kerry Hansen, John VanDenBerg, John Hampel, Pete Parker, George Scheffler, Steve Hucovski, Bryan Wennen
First B-Main: Keith Foss, Dave Eckrich, Duane Mahder, Matt Furman, Toby Patchen, Larry Stockwell, Bill Koons, Freddy Smith, Andrew McKay, Tim Isenberg, Joel Cryderman, Shannon Babb
Second B-Main: Kerry Hansen, John VanDenBerg, Pat Doar, Eric Pember, Eric Breeschoten, John Hampel, Mike Nutzmann, Steve Isenberg, Pete Parker, George Scheffler, Steve Hucovski, Bill Stettner, Andy Simonson, Bryan Wennen
7th Annual "Masters" Feature: (50 Laps): Donnie Moran, Matt Miller, Jimmy Mars, Kyle Berck, Keith Foss, Trent Follmer, Shannon Babb, Darren Miller, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jerry Redetzke, Denny Eckrich, Dave Eckrich, John VanDenBerg, Eric Pember, Don O'Neal, Tim Dohm, Terry English, Freddy Smith, Matt Furman, Kerry Hansen, Scott James, Justin Fegers, Brady Smith, Brian Birkhofer
Race Statistics: Entries: 46 Caution Flags: 5 Red Flags: 0 Lap Leaders: Don O'Neal 1-11. Donnie Moran 12-42, Matt Miller 43-44, Moran 46-50 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Tim DohmWeld Wheels Hard Charger of the Race: Shannon Babb (started 21 and finished in 7th) Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Shannon Babb and Freddy Smith WDRL Provisionals: Eric Pember and Matt Furman
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields