7/14/2012
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Owens Outduels Blankenship in CMH Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway
WHEATLAND, MO (July 14, 2012) – In a battle similar to the DART Show-Me 100 on Memorial Day Weekend at Lucas Oil Speedway, Jimmy Owen s of Newport, TN and John Blankenship of Williamson, WV thrilled the large crowd on hand Saturday Night at Lucas Oil Speedway. Owens held off Blankenship on the final circuit to gain the win in the 6th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals earning $10,000 for his win in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned event.
Owens and Blankenship ran one-two from the 12th lap. Blankenship led briefly on laps 20 and 21, but Owens rebounded to retake the point on lap 22. The race was slowed by only one caution flag. The two drivers put on quite a show constantly running side-by-side around the 3/8ths mile track.
With lapped traffic playing a factor over the last half of the race, Blankenship chose the low line coming off of turn two on the final lap as Owens was up against the outside wall, but Owens changed lanes and went to the bottom heading into turn three. That move shut the door on Blankenship’s attempt for the win. Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN made a late-race charge and was almost within striking distance of both leaders as they headed to the checkered flag.
Owens has won back-to-back DART Show-Me 100’s at the track and was nearly breathless in victory after a hard-fought 50 laps of racing. “The last two or three times we have been here, it has been a heck of a race! It’s great for the fans, it keeps them coming back, I want to dedicate this win to Chad Bryant one of our crew guys, whose father just passed away, he is in our thoughts and prayers,” said Owens, who also accepted a diamond ring for his win.
“I am going to have to get on John (Blankenship), he is not supposed to be passing me,” said Owens, who sheepishly grinned toward Blankenship’s direction in victory lane. “Our car was real good tonight, we started off the race really well, every once in a while you will get a track you like. Tonight they worked on it, my hats off to them, they went out and smoothed it out a little bit,” said Owens, who maintains the top spot in the championship points standings
“I have to thank my car owner, Mike Reece, Reece Monument, Gantte Appraisals, Sunoco Race Fuels, Chris Davis from Midwest Sheet Metal, Ohlins Shocks and everybody else who makes this possible, my whole crew did a great job all weekend long, we had a second last night (at Tri-City) and to win tonight before this big crowd is something special.”
Blankenship, who finished second to Owens in the DART Show-Me 100 again, was the bridesmaid again tonight in the Coal America’s Energy, Rocket Chevrolet as he held off O’Neal in the Optima Batteries Chevrolet . Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN finished fourth ahead of Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY in the Valvoline, Barry Wright Race Cars, Chevrolet.
Completing the top ten were: Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR; Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY; Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA; and Chris Simpson of Oxford, IA.
In preliminary action, Jimmy Owens set the Red Buck Cigars Fast Time amongst the 34 entrants with a lap of 15.768 seconds. Heat races were taken by: Jimmy Owens, Brian Birkhofer, Billy Moyer, and Jared Landers. Eric Turner and Terry Phillips won their respective B-Mains.
Next weekend, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series makes its way to Greenwood, Nebraska for the “Silver Dollar Nationals” at I-80 Speedway on Friday and Saturday, July 20th and 21st. This will be the first trip to the Joe Kosiski-promoted facility for the LOLMDS. The two-day event will have a unique format and includes two sets of heat races on Friday night. B-Mains and the $25,000 to win, 80-lap feature will cap off the weekend on Saturday night.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and be sure to follow the series at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, July 14th, 2012
“6th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals”
Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, MO
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time: Jimmy Owens / 15.768 seconds (Group A) Billy Moyer / 16.052 seconds (Group B)
Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Don O'Neal, Scott Bloomquist, Eric Wells, Eric Turner, Jonathan Davenport, Billy Moyer, Jr., Ron Johnson, Mark Dotson
U. S. Steel Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Brian Birkhofer, Tyler Reddick, Brad Neat, Steve Francis, Chris Simpson, John Anderson, Brandon McCormick, David Turner
Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Billy Moyer, John Blankenship, Stacy Taylor, Kevin Sather, Tim Rivers, John Mason, Shawn Knuckles, Reid Millard, Patrick Johnson
HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jared Landers, Will Vaught, Dennis Erb, Jr., Earl Pearson, Jr., Terry Phillips, Matt Brookshire, Larry Jones, Jesse Stovall
JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Advance): Eric Turner, Chris Simpson, Jonathan Davenport, John Anderson, Billy Moyer, Jr., Mark Dotson, Brandon McCormick, Ron Johnson, David Turner
PAC Racing Springs Second B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Advance): Terry Phillips, Tim Rivers, John Mason, Shawn Knuckles, Jesse Stovall, Patrick Johnson, Reid Millard, Larry Jones, Matt Brookshire
Feature Finish – 50 Laps: 1. 20-Jimmy Owens; 2. 23-John Blankenship; 3. 71-Don O'Neal; 4. 0-Scott Bloomquist; 5. 15-Steve Francis; 6. 21-Billy Moyer Sr; 7. 41N-Brad Neat; 8. 44-Earl Pearson Jr; 9. 11T-Tyler Reddick; 10. 32X-Chris Simpson; 11. 75-Terry Phillips; 12. 5-Jared Landers; 13. 18E-Eric Wells; 14. 28E-Dennis Erb Jr; 15. 15D-Jonathan Davenport; 16. 27T-Stacy Taylor; 17. 46-Tim Rivers; 18. 72-John Mason; 19. 2A-John Anderson; 20. 1V-Will Vaught; 21. 21JR-Billy Moyer Jr; 22. 3E-Kevin Sather; 23. 33X-Eric Turner; 24. 6S-Jesse Stovall; 25. 15T-David Turner; 26. 15B-Brian Birkhofer
Race Statistics
Entrants: 34
Lap Leaders: Jimmy Owens (Laps 1 – 19); John Blankenship (Laps 20 – 21); Jimmy Owens (Laps 22 – 50)
Caution Flags: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 11)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: none
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: none
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Provisionals: David Turner, Billy Moyer Jr.
Lucas Oil MLRA Series Provisionals: John Anderson, Jesse Stovall
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Steve Francis (Started 15th; Finished 5th; Advanced 10 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: John Blankenship
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
ASi Racewear Challenge Finisher: Jimmy Owens
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: Jonathan Davenport
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Bloomquist Race Cars
Sweet Mfg Crew Chief of the Race: Tom Buckingham (John Blankenship)
Time of Race: 16 minutes 49 seconds
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields
