8/18/2007
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Matt Miller Reigns Supreme in Winning Jackson 100 at Brownstown Speedway
BROWNSTOWN, IN (August 18, 2007)-Matt Miller of Waterville, Oh ruled the 28th Annual Jackson 100 sponsored by Bob Poynter Ford on Saturday Night at Brownstown Speedway as the 36 year old led all 100 laps in scoring the $15,000 first place victory. The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned event would be Miller’s fourth career series win as he becomes the 17th different winner in 30 races so far this year. Josh McGuire had a couple of chances to get by Miller but Miller drove a near perfect race in holding off McGuire for the win. Steve Francis finished third followed by Donnie Moran and Billy Drake.
Francis and Miller would draw the number one and two starting spots out of the six heat race winners as a multi car accident in turn two would negate the first lap. On the restart Miller would pounce on the second opportunity as he would grab the lead from Francis on the opening circuit with Moran, McGuire and Drake the top five with one lap in the books.
McGuire, who started fifth, was up to third by the second go around passing Moran for third. Miller was already building a lead over Francis as the frontrunners approached traffic by lap 11 as that would allow McGuire, who was making his first appearance at Brownstown over the weekend to close on them.
McGuire did indeed close up on Miller and Francis and he was able to get by Francis on lap 16 moving into the second spot. But Miller was opening up an eight car length lead at this point with the top five remaining the same with 25 laps scored.
With McGuire facing a eight car length deficit he would start to cut Miller’s lead down lap after lap as he would follow Miller’s tire tracks around the quarter-mile oval as Miller was faced with traffic just in front of him.
Ads the drivers took the crossed flags indicating the halfway mark Miller was still sporting the lead with McGuire right on his heels. Francis, Moran and Drake continued in positions three through five in the running order.
Just past the halfway mark of the race the caution flew for debris in turn three, bunching up an already tight race for the first seven spots. On the restart McGuire hung right with Miller as he took a couple of stabs at the former Eldora “Dream” winner running right up to his left rear quarter panel coming off of turn number two for three laps in a row.
As those two continued to battle the second caution would come out for Damon Eller’s flat tire on lap 70. With a clear track in front of him Miller would try and open up some breathing room between himself and McGuire, but the youngster was not going away as he continued to hound Miller for the lead. The final caution for a slowing Rick Aukland would come out on lap 89 and that would set up an eleven lap race to the finish.
Miller would get a good restart and stretch his lead out by three car lengths over McGuire as the laps wound down. McGuire would stay two to three car lengths behind Miller as the two took the white flag, but McGuire was not close enough to Miller to try a last lap move to try and overtake Miller. Miller would negotiate the final circuit just like he had done on the previous 99 laps as he would exit turn four to score his biggest win since taking the $100,000 to win Dream in 2005.
Miller would be fortunate because after taking the checkered flag his right rear tire would go flat causing him to spin in turn number one. Miller was able to drive his familiar #7 to the scale and make weight to officially make him the champion of the biggest race at Brownstown.
In the Lucas Oil victory lane, Miller did his post race interview the with SPEED Channel who was on hand to tape the race and felt relieved the race was over because with one more lap he would not have made it. “We had a real good car tonight, we got the lead on the start and I learned a long time ago how to be smooth in the rubber and it paid off tonight,” said Miller who had not raced much in the last two months due to car owner Larry Moring’s business commitments. “I want to thank Larry Moring, Randall Walker and Ronnie Stuckey for all of their help and assistance, we haven’t run as much as would have like to, but this is a big win for the team and hopefully we can keep up the momentum here at the end of the season.”
Miller’s win in the Moring Motorsports MasterSbilt by Stuckey Enterprises is powered by a Larry Wallace Racing Engine and sponsored by MDI Environmental/Freeport Recycling Centers/Graphic Arts Design/Performance Rod and Custom/Sunoco Race Fuels/Lo-Temp Brazing and Banshee Graphics.
McGuire in his best career finish on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series was very happy with his performance at Brownstown. “I feel really good, it’s great to get to run up front in a big race like this, this is only about my third 100 lap race of my career and the experience I gained will pay off in the future.” The 26 year old Grayson, KY driver was honored to finish second to Miller a driver he has followed for several year. “He’s won the “Dream” before, I mean he’s good, I followed him for most of the race and I’m telling you he only messed up once that I can think of, but we’ll take second to him and go on down the road and maybe get one of these big paydays soon.” McGuire’s second place finish earned him $7,500 which was a career high for one night of winnings.
McGuire’s runner up performance came in the Expert Glass and Door/GCP Racing Engines/C.J. Rayburn #41. Francis took third in the Tim Logan Racing/Morehead Auto Truck Parts Sales/Rocket Monte Carlo with Moran in the Custom Cutters/Vic Hill Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Impala SS finishing fourth followed by Drake in the Steidinger Construction/Mullvain Motors/MasterSbilt GTO.
Completing the top ten were Earl Pearson, Jr., Dan Schlieper, Greg Johnson, Patrick Sheltra and John Gill.
In preliminary action Mike Marlar took the LifeLong Locks Fast Time award among the 56 entrants with a lap of 16.194 seconds around the quarter-mile oval. Billy Drake, Steve Francis, Earl Pearson, Jr., Matt Miller, Donnie Moran and Josh McGuire won the Hawk Brake and Quarter Master sponsored heat races. The Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno and Penske Shocks B-mains went to Steve Casebolt and Scott James. The Edelbrock Hard Charger of the Race was Scott James, who started 20th and finished 11th, advancing nine positions.
With seven points races remaining in the 2007 season for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, Pearson has a 155 point lead over James with Steve Casebolt, Terry English and Donnie Moran the top five in points headed to the next event which will be on Saturday Night, August 25th at the Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, KY for the Seventh Annual “Bluegrass Classic” paying $10,000 to win. The cameras of SPEED Channel will be on hand to tape the event which will be shown on a date and time to be announced in the future. For more information you can visit www.bluegrass-speedway.com and www.lucasdirt.com.
Race Summary
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Brownstown Speedway-Brownstown, Indiana
Saturday Night, August 18, 2007
LifeLong Locks Fast Qualifier: Mike Marlar 16.194 seconds
Hawk Brake First Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Billy Drake, Freddy Smith, Bart Hartman, Mike Marlar, Steve Casebolt, Terry Casey, Victor Lee, Joe Godsey, Wayne Chinn, Jason Smith
Quarter Master Second Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Steve Francis, Dennis Erb, Jr., Steve Barnett, Bryan Barber, Justin Rattliff, Joe Janowski, Jesse Lay, Scottie Jones, Dustin Neat, Frankie Coomer
Hawk Brake Third Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Earl Pearson, Jr., Greg Johnson, Rohn Moon, Brandon Kinzer, Justin Blackwell, Jason McBride, Zach Carney, Rickey Riggle, Marty O’Neal
Quarter Master Fourth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Matt Miller, Rick Aukland, John Gill, Scott James, Don O’Neal, Tim Tungate, John Mason, Derek Ramp, Tim Prince
Hawk Brake Fifth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Donnie Moran, Dan Schlieper, Mike Jewell, Damon Eller, Jim Curry, Brian Wilhite, Justin Shaw, Chad Stapleton, Jacob Webber
Quarter Master Sixth Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Josh McGuire, Patrick Sheltra, Cody Mahoney, Terry English, Rick Corbin, Greg Kendall, C.J. Rayburn, Shannon Reed
Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Steve Casebolt, Mike Marlar, Brandon Kinzer, Justin Rattliff, Terry Casey, Victor Lee, Jason McBride, Justin Blackwell, Wayne Chinn, Joe Janowski, Zach Carney, Jesse Lay, Marty O’Neal, Scottie Jones, Jason Smith, Rickey Riggle, Joe Godsey, Bryan Barber
Penske Shocks Second B-Main (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Scott James, Terry English, Don O’Neal, Tim Tungate, Damon Eller, Rick Corbin, Jim Curry, C.J. Rayburn, Shannon Reed, Brian Wilhite, John Mason, Jacob Webber, Derek Ramp, Justin Shaw, Chad Stapleton, Greg Kendall, Tim Prince
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Jackson 100 Finish (100 Laps): Matt Miller, Josh McGuire, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran, Billy Drake, Earl Pearson, Jr., Dan Schlieper, Greg Johnson, Patrick Sheltra, John Gill, Scott James, Mike Marlar, Steve Casebolt, Mike Jewell, Justin Rattliff, Rohn Moon, Damon Eller, Terry English, Steve Barnett, Freddy Smith, Rick Aukland, Dennis Erb, Jr., Cody Mahoney, Shannon Reed, Bart Hartman
Race Statistics:
Entries: 56
Yellow Flags: 3
Lap Leaders: Matt Miller 1-100
Edelbrock Hard Charger of the Race: Scott James (Started 20th and Finished 11th-Advanced 9 Positions)
K&N Clean Pass of the Race: Josh McQuire
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Matt Miller
COMP Cams Rookie of the Race: Justin Rattliff
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Justin Rattliff and Damon Eller
Track Provisional: Shannon Reed
Time of Race: 40 minutes
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields
