5/13/2006
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Scott Bloomquist Sails to Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Win at Tazewell
TAZEWELL, TN (May 13, 2006)- Making his first appearance at Tazewell Speedway in two years, Scott Bloomquist took the lead on lap 12 from Steve Casebolt and went on to lead the rest of the way in capturing his fifth career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win Saturday night pocketing the $10,000 to win Lincoln Mercury of Knoxville 75 before a standing room only crowd.
The 42 year old National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer whose race shop in less than an hour away in Mooresburg, TN drove his Miller Brothers Coal/Hawkeye Trucking/Sweet's Mfg/Ohlins/Hoosier Racing Tires/Allstar Performance/Vic Hill Racing Engines powered Bloomquist Race Cars #0 to the winners circle ahead of runner-up Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN in the Randall Eller/Independence Lumber/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo and Steve Smith of Powell, TN piloting the Mathis Farms/Bonanza Produce/C.J. Rayburn Grand Prix. Completing the top five were Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN driving the Casebolt Racing/Dargie Race Engines/Rocket Ford Taurus and Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN in the Harrod Racing/Red Line Oil/C.J. Rayburn Grand Prix.
The four heat race winners redrew for the first two rows of the 75 lap main event and Casebolt and Bloomquist would be the front row starters. With the race starting under a few light rain drops the excitement level was the usual Tazewell Speedway experience as the race started with Casebolt beating Bloomquist into turn one and grabbing the lead. The furious first two laps would be slowed however for a caution for debris on the race track. With two laps in the books Casebolt was showing the way followed by Bloomquist, Don O'Neal, John Gill and Earl Pearson, Jr.
On the restart Casebolt again would keep his lead over Bloomquist as Bloomquist was all over him in the race for the lead. The top five running order would remain the same for 11 circuits until Bloomquist would make the move to get past Casebolt coming off of turn four at the flag stand on lap 12 to take the lead. Bloomquist then would start to distance himself from Casebolt and third place running, O'Neal.
By lap 15, traffic started to enter the picture as both Casebolt and O'Neal would cut down Bloomquist's five car length advantage. The second caution for a slowing Brett Miller of lap 18 would bunch the field up leaving Bloomquist now with a clear race track in front of him on the restart. On the restart Bloomquist would continue to flex his muscles pulling away from a hotly contested race for second between Casebolt and O'Neal.
On lap 19 O'Neal would take second from Casebolt with fellow Hoosier State driver John Gill hot on their heels. Bloomquist's lead would again go to five car lengths of the field and by lap 26 he again would catch up to the back of the field and start to encounter lapped traffic.
With 30 laps complete Bloomquist was leading with O'Neal, Casebolt, Gill and Billy Ogle, Jr. in the top five trying to chase him down. By lap 31 Bloomquist's lead was cut to two lengths as O'Neal had tracked him down in traffic and was making a run at him for the top spot. The third caution of the race came out on lap 32 when the fifth and sixth place cars of Ogle and Ricky Arms got together on the front stretch causing damage to both race cars. Both drivers were okay, but after both had made strong runs their nights would end prematurely as they would be out of the race.
On the restart Bloomquist would have O'Neal and Casebolt side by side behind him as he again sprinted out to a lead that would go to eight car lengths by lap 38. The Indiana trio of O'Neal, Casebolt and Gill would now be joined by Tennessee veteran, Steve Smith would had moved into the top five after Ogle and Arms left the race.
Again traffic would start to play role in the race for the lead as by lap 42 Bloomquist had caught up to the rear of the field. O'Neal would close to within one car length of Bloomquist in heavy traffic by lap 54 as the race was in the midst of what would be a long stretch of 40 consecutive green flag laps of racing. A car on the move was Donnie Moran. Moran, who started 22nd reached the top five by lap 55 after Gill had slipped back a couple of spots allowing Smith and Moran to move up a spot in the running order.
With O'Neal now all over Bloomquist for the lead Bloomquist was careful in navigating traffic as the he would put two lapped cars between himself and O'Neal with some nifty moves. O'Neal would get bogged down in traffic and that allowed Bloomquist to further extend his lead. Smith on lap 65 would pass Casebolt for fourth as Pearson was back in the top five getting back around Moran two laps prior.
With five laps to go Bloomquist was continuing to get closer to the checkered flag with ONeal second followed by Smith, Casebolt and Pearson. Just as 72 laps were completed a wreck in turn one involving Tim Dohm, Pearson, Gill and Bryan Hendrix would set up a three lap dash to the finish line. As the cars were taking the green flag for the restart Moran pulled to the top of the race track with a bent spindle putting him out of the race after charging up 17 positions.
The rain started to pick up more as the green would come back out and with the cars turning 12 seconds laps it did not take long to bring this race to a conclusion as Bloomquist would drive away from O'Neal to pick up the victory. Smith would cross the line in third followed by Casebolt and 10th place starter, Jimmy Owens. Completing the top ten were Matt Miller, Ray Cook, David Payne, Scott James and Pearson.
"It feels good to get back here to Tazewell and pick up the win" said Bloomquist afterwards. "We hadn't run here in a while and the car was really superb tonight from the moment we unloaded it. I want to thank Bob and Barb Miller, Randy Sweet and all the crew on the race team, it's good to come here so close to home and run so good. I want to thank the fans for coming out tonight, it looked like a huge crowd up there and I'm glad they were all here tonight."
In preliminary action Don O'Neal was the Comp Cams fast timer with a lap of 12.059 seconds. The PBM Performance Products Heat Race Winners were Steve Casebolt, Scott Bloomquist, John Gill and Earl Pearson, Jr. The Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main went to Mike Marlar and the Penske Shocks Second B-Main was won by Brian Smith. The K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race which is awarded to a driver who makes the pass of the night went to Jimmy Owens who passed two cars on the final lap of his heat race to earn a transfer spot into the A-Main.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series gets right back to business this coming Friday Night, May 19 with a visit to the Farley Speedway in Farley, IA and a Saturday Night, May 20 event at La Salle Speedway in La Salle, IL. Both events will pay $10,000 to win and $700 to start. For more information you can visit www.lucasdirt.com.
Race Summary Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Saturday Night, May 13, 2006 Tazewell Speedway - Tazewell, TN
Comp Cams Fast Time: Don O'Neal 12.059 seconds
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Transfer): Steve Casebolt, Don O'Neal, Vic Hill, Ray Cook, Mike Marlar, Anthony White, Freddy Smith, Bryan Hendrix
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Ricky Arms, Jimmy Owens, Brett Miller, Randy Weaver, Tim Dohm, Michael England, Scott Gardner, Troy Eads
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Transfer): John Gill, Steve Smith, Matt Miller, David Payne, Brady Smith, Donnie Moran, Corey Conley, Jeff Wolfenbarger
PBM Performance Products Fourth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Transfer): Earl Pearson, Jr., Billy Ogle, Jr., Scott James, Rick Rogers, Brian Smith, Stephen Rogers, Eric Wells, Jason Trammell
Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First Main: (12 Laps-Top 3 Transfer): Mike Marlar, Anthony White, Freddy Smith, Randy Weaver, Tim Dohm, Bryan Hendrix, Scott Gardner, Troy Eads, Michael England
Penske Shocks Second B-Main: (12 Laps-Top3 Transfer): Brian Smith, Brady Smith, Donnie Moran, Corey Conley, Stephen Rogers, Eric Wells, Jeff Wolfenbarger, Jason Trammell
Lincoln Mercury of Knoxville 75 Lap A-Main: Scott Bloomquist, Don O'Neal, Steve Smith, Steve Casebolt, Jimmy Owens, Matt Miller, Ray Cook, David Payne, Scott James, Earl Pearson, Jr., Anthony White, Brady Smith, Vic Hill, Freddy Smith, Donnie Moran, John Gill, Tim Dohm, Bryan Hendrix, Brian Smith, Billy Ogle, Jr., Ricky Arms, Rick Rogers, Brett Miller, Mike Marlar, Michael England
Race Statistics Entries: 34 Yellow Flags: 4 Lap Leaders: Steve Casebolt 1-11, Scott Bloomquist 12-75 Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: David Payne (started 15th and finished 8th) advanced 7 positions K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Jimmy Owens Hawk Brake Tough Brake Award: Earl Pearson, Jr. Quarter Master Move of the Race: Steve Smith Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Steve Casebolt Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Tim Dohm and Michael England Track Provisional: Bryan Hendrix
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields