9/16/2006
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Add $20,000 to the Scott Bloomquist Bank Account in Winning at West Virginia Motor Speedway
MINERAL WELLS, WV (September 16, 2006)- Continuing a season that most race car drivers can only dream about Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN rolled to his eighth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event win of 2006 in leading the last 12 laps of the RaceFest World Championship Saturday Night at the West Virginia Motor Speedway as he pocketed $20,000 for his series leading 10th career win.
There have been 12 dirt late model events this season that have paid $20,000 or more to win and Bloomquist has won exactly half of those to push his first place winnings to nearly $400,000.
Bloomquist behind the wheel of his Bloomquist Race Cars Chevrolet powered by a Vic Hill Racing Engine and sponsored by Miller Brothers Coal, Hawkeye Trucking, Allstar Performance, Sweet Mfg, Ohlins, KB Carburetors, VP Racing Fuels, Hoosier Tires and Perry County Tire withstood a four lap shootout after a caution flag late in the race and took the win over last week's World 100 winner, Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL in the Lucas Oil Products/Dunn Benson Ford/MasterSbilt Ford Taurus and Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH who came from the tail to finish third in the Donnie Moran Racing/Custom Cutters/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo. Completing the top five were Rick Eckert of York, PA in the Raye Vest Excavating/Cornett Engines/Rocket Ford Fusion and Jeep VanWormer of Pinconning, MI in the Bayline Fire Protection/Cornett Engines/MasterSbilt Ford Taurus. VanWormer like Moran came from the tail after making an early pit stop in the race. A total of 45 cars were on hand before a huge hillside crowd at the BDS Racing Promotions promoted facility.
The 75 lap main event saw Bloomquist and Bart Hartman make up the front row with Hartman outdragging Bloomquist into turn number one at the drop of the green flag to take the lead. Hartman would quickly open up a lead over Bloomquist with Mike Balzano, Earl Pearson, Jr. and Don O'Neal the top five runners. The first caution came out on lap six for a slowing Jeep VanWormer, who went pit-side for some quick work on his race car. On the restart Steve Shaver would slow bringing out the second consecutive caution flag before another lap was scored. With the field set to fire again Hartman would be on the point with Bloomquist and Balzano side by side behind him on the Delaware double file restart.
Hartman again would quickly stretch his lead to three car lengths over Bloomquist with a side by side battle ensuing between Balzano and Pearson for third place. Pearson would get by Balzano on lap 10 to take third as Hartman and Bloomquist were starting to pull away from the field. Balzano's night would end on lap 12 when he brought out the caution with front end damage to his racer with Donnie Moran stopping on the track and having to go to the tail before the restart. The lap 13 restart would see Hartman holding his lead followed still by Bloomquist and Pearson. O'Neal then was starting to pick up some pressure from Steve Francis for the fourth spot.
The fourth caution would fly on lap 18 for a slowing Davey Johnson and under that caution O'Neal would leave the race parking his car for the night. On the restart Hartman would again show his strength in front powering away from Bloomquist and opening up an eight car length advantage. Scott James would roll to a stop on lap 26 bringing out caution number five slowing Hartman momentarily. As the race hit the lap 30 mark Hartman was still looking like the man to beat holding his command over Bloomquist and Pearson.
Moran would make a great charge from the tail first passing Rick Eckert who was running fifth and then Francis who was holding down the fourth spot. Moran was using the upper groove around the 5/8ths mile oval to come to the front. Hartman again would be up to a six car length lead over Bloomquist with 35 laps in the books. The top five would remain Hartman, Bloomquist, Pearson, Moran and Francis as the frontrunners started to hit lapped traffic at the 42 lap mark. Francis would slow coming off of turn number two on lap 50 as his night would end as he went pit-side.
After the sixth caution of the event for Francis that moved Eckert back into the fifth slot. Hartman was still comfortably out in front, but Bloomquist was starting to find a line on the race track and was starting to measure up Hartman. The seventh caution for a slowing Steve Casebolt came out with 57 laps in the books. On the restart Bloomquist was able to keep Hartman in close range as Hartman was unable to pull away from Bloomquist. Bloomquist was all over Hartman and coming off of turn four on lap 63 he made his move for the lead passing Hartman on the outside against the retaining wall.
Hartman would then slide to three car lengths behind Bloomquist with Pearson and Moran closing on him. Bloomquist would sprint out to a 12 car length lead over everyone with nine laps remaining. But with just four laps to go Hartman would slow and stop bringing out the eighth and final caution of the race and thus set up a four lap showdown between Bloomquist, Pearson and Moran. With the green flag waving again to restart the final four laps Bloomquist would get away from Pearson and Moran as Moran briefly held the second spot over Pearson, but Pearson would fight back and retake second near the end of the race, but neither driver had anything for Bloomquist who went on to win his series leading eighth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event of the season.
Pearson would finish second with Moran charging from the rear getting him a third place payday. Eckert came home in fourth with a high flying VanWormer coming all the way from the back to earn a top five finish.
In victory lane amongst the fog, Bloomquist was quick to thank everyone for their help in getting him to the winner's circle once again in '06. "The track was real good tonight, it got really foggy there at the end and was getting kind of hard to see, but the car performed well after that next to last restart and we were able to pass Bart and go on for the win." "Bart was real good and we decided to try a line on the track that I thought was going to work and it did and we caught up to him and was able to make the pass coming off of four."
Bloomquist thanked his long time sponsor Bob Miller, who was present along with his wife, Barb. "Bob and Barb Miller are here along with Randy Sweet, I can't thank them enough it's been a truly exceptional season so far and we hope to finish even stronger in the coming weeks."
Completing the top five finishers were Eddie Carrier, Jr., Josh Richards, Robbie Blair, Michael England and Jared Hawkins. In Friday Night's Comp Cams Time Trials, Don O'Neal topped the 45 entrants on hand with a 19.66 second clocking. The four PBM Performance Products Heat Races on Saturday Night went to Bart Hartman, Mike Balzano, Scott Bloomquist and Earl Pearson, Jr. The Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main was won by Chuck Harper and Davey Johnson took top honors in the Penske Shocks Second B-Main. The K&N Engineering "Clean Pass of the Race" once again this season went to Scott Bloomquist for his pass of Bart Hartman coming off of turn number four on lap 63 to take the lead for good. The K&N Engineering "Clean Pass of the Race' is awarded at each Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event and can take place in a heat, consy or feature event.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be off for a few weekends and pick back up with a huge October race schedule. On Friday Night, October 6 the series will visit for the very first time Rome International Speedway in Rome, GA for a $10,000 to win event and on Saturday Night, October 7 its the annual "Lucas Oil Dixie Shootout" at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA. That event will pay $15,000 to win and also include a $5,000 bonus to any previous Shootout winner who came take home the win. On Wednesday, October 11 the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visits the Dirt Track@Lowe's in Concord, NC for a special event and the 2006 season comes to a close with a visit to Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway in Calvert City, KY on October 27 and 28 for a pair for $10,000 to win races. For more information on all of these events and the latest happenings with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series you can visit the series website at www.lucasdirt.com.
Event Summary Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Saturday Night, September 16, 2006 West Virginia Motor Speedway-Mineral Wells, WV
Comp Cams Fast Qualifier: Don O'Neal 19.66 seconds
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Bart Hartman, Don O'Neal, Steve Francis, Jeep VanWormer, Corey Conley, Steve Casebolt, Jared Hawkins, Brian Eaton, Freddie Carpenter, Richard Jarvis, Jeff Wood, Sonny Conley
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Mike Balzano, Petey Ivey, Mark Banal, Josh Richards, Chuck Harper, Dave Hess, Brent Rhebergen, Cody Parker, Curtis Cline, Chad Hina, Freddy Smith
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Steve Shaver, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Donnie Moran, Rick Aukland, Rod Conley, Kenny Johnson, Jason Flory, Rick Lucas, Buck Rine, Doug Eaton
PBM Performance Products Fourth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Earl Pearson, Jr., Rick Eckert, Robbie Blair, Michael England, Davey Johnson, Scott James, Chris Garnes, Tracy Fritter, Eric Myers, Rod Evans, Glynn Booth
Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Chuck Harper, Steve Casebolt, Brent Rhebergen, Dave Hess, Jr., Jared Hawkins, Freddie Carpenter, Sonny Conley, Chad Hina, Cody Parker, Freddy Smith, Brian Eaton, Jeff Wood, Richard Jarvis, Corey Conley
Penske Shocks Second B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Davey Johnson, Scott James, Rick Aukland, Rod Conley, Chris Garnes, Kenny Johnson, Jason Flory, Tracy Fritter, Doug Eaton, Buck Rine, Glynn Booth, Rick Lucas
RaceFest World Championship Feature Event: (75 Laps): Scott Bloomquist, Earl Pearson, Jr., Donnie Moran, Rick Eckert, Jeep VanWormer, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Josh Richards, Robbie Blair, Michael England, Jared Hawkins, Freddy Smith, Brent Rhebergen, Bart Hartman, Chuck Harper, Steve Casebolt, Steve Francis, Corey Conley, Scott James, Don O'Neal, Mark Banal, Davey Johnson, Mike Balzano, Petey Ivey, Steve Shaver, Rick Aukland
Event Statistics: Entries: 45 Yellow Flags: 8 Red Flags: 0 Lap Leaders: Bart Hartman 1-62, Scott Bloomquist 63-75 Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Donnie Moran (started 15th and finished 3rd, advanced 12 positions) K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Scott Bloomquist Hawk Brake Tough Break Award: Bart Hartman Quarter Master Move of the Race: Donnie Moran On the Edge Graphics Fastest Non Qualifier Award: Rod Evans Weld Wheels Award: Eddie Carrier, Jr. Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Michael England Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Freddy Smith and Corey Conley West Virginia State Championship Provisional: Jared Hawkins
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields