WOODSTOCK, GA (October 9,2010) – Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN clinched his second consecutive Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Title by winning his fifth Lucas Oil “Dixie Shootout” on Saturday Night at Dixie Speedway. The 46-year-old Hall of Famer also collected the 501st win of his career and his eighth national driving championship. Bloomquist led the final 41 laps to take the $10,000 first place prize ahead of a late-race charge from Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, GA; Chris Madden of Gaffney, SC; 16th starting Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, IL; and Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN, who finished fifth, after John Blankenship weighed-in light at the scales.
“This is what we worked for all year long, to win this Lucas Oil Championship again,” said Bloomquist, who recorded his season-leading ninth win. “I have to thank my crew and my sponsors for their help all year. My family has been great through all of this, and the championships and such are something to look back on someday when you’re retired. I have to thank Miller Brothers Construction, Hawkeye Trucking, VP Fuels, Hoosier Tires, and Allstar Performance and of course. I’d also like to thank Roush-Yates Engines, the motor was super once again,” said the winner who pilots his own Bloomquist Race Cars Chevrolet.
“Earl fired off real good at the start, I am not sure what tires he had on, but he was running up in the rough and I knew if he kept doing that the tires couldn’t take the punishment and he eventually had the flat. We tried to be smooth from then on after what happened to Pearson, I tried to stay lower than the cushion and it worked out good, I didn’t know how much of a lead I had, but we’re glad to wrap up the title with this win. Now we can relax heading to Rome, knowing it’s sewed up,” said Bloomquist who captured his all-time series leading 26th win.
Bloomquist and 4-time series champion, Earl Pearson Jr. started on the front row of the event held before one of the largest crowds since the 1990’s for the Shootout. Pearson bolted to the lead and led the first eight circuits until he developed a right rear flat tire under caution. Pearson pitted for a new tire, but he was relegated to the rear of the field for the restart.
Bloomquist inherited the lead after Pearson’s misfortune as he led Clanton, Madden, Don O’Neal and Randy Weaver to the green flag. O’Neal, who was solid early on in the race, started to fade with right front suspension problems on his car as he yielded to Weaver and Steve Francis in the running order.
Bloomquist had a six-car length lead over Clanton as the final caution flew on lap 36 when Steve Casebolt contacted the front stretch wall. On the restart Clanton was not about to give up the chase for his first career Shootout victory. Clanton made one-last lap ditch effort as he closed to a car length and a half on Bloomquist, but Bloomquist held him off.
Clanton, in the Ronnie Dobbins, RSD Enterprises Rocket Chassis was second; followed by Madden in the Xtreme Custom and Cycles, Cornett Racing Engines, Bloomquist Race Cars entry. Babb, a three-time Shootout winner, finished fourth in his Petroff Towing, Pro Power Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis; with Owens coming from 23rd to finish fifth in the Reece Monument Company, Cornett Racing Engines, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford.
Completing the top ten were Steve Francis of Ashland, KY; Brady Smith of Solon Springs, WI; Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA; Chris Wall of Holden, LA; and David Payne of Murphy, NC.
In preliminary action, Scott Bloomquist was the overall Red Buck Cigar Fast Time Award winner with a lap of 14.136 seconds among the 57 cars entered. Heat race winners were Bloomquist, Clanton, O’Neal, Pearson, Dale McDowell, and Chris Madden. The B-Mains were won by Brady Smith and Brad Neat.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will conclude its’ 2010 racing season on Sunday Night, October 10th at Rome Speedway in Rome, GA for the “Rome Showdown.” The event will pay $10,000 to win. Tune in at 7pm for the live audio broadcast of the “Rome Showdown” with host Matt Noonan, on www.lucasdirt.com. Just Click the Internet Broadcast Button Located at the top left of the Home Page.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log on to www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Saturday Night, October 9th, 2010 21st Annual Lucas Oil “Dixie Shootout” Dixie Speedway – Woodstock, GA
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time: Scott Bloomquist / 14.136 seconds (Overall and Group A)
Earl Pearson Jr. / 14.304 seconds (Group B)
Wiles Driveshaft’s First Heat (10 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Ray Cook, Tony Knowles, Josh Richards, William Thomas, Mark Douglas, Dan Schlieper, Jeremy Ledford, Tim Day, Luther Jenkins AFCO Racing Products Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Shane Clanton, Steve Francis, David Payne, Jimmy Owens, Skip Arp, Aaron Ridley, Ricky Williams, Brian Reese, Eric Wells
Allstar Performance Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Don O’Neal, Randy Weaver, Chris Wall, Brady Smith, Jake Knowles, Wayne Echols, Jay Smith, Derek Ellis, Daniel Baggerly
Superflow Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Earl Pearson Jr., Mike Marlar, Casey Roberts, Brad neat, Lamar haygood, Mike Collins, Michael Page, Jamie Oliver, Jill George, Tyler Reddick
Wiles Driveshaft’s Fifth Heat (10 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Dale McDowell, Clint Smith, Shannon Babb, Bub McCool, Chris Brown, Chad Ogle, Tim Isenberg, Jody Knowles, Scott Hall AFCO Racing Products Sixth Heat (10 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Chris Madden, Frank Ingram, Steve Casebolt, Tommy Kerr, John Blankenship, Derrick Rainey, Tyler Millwood, Gary McPherson, Scott Creel
Hawk Brake First B-Main (12 Laps- Top 2 Advance): Brady smith, Josh Richards, William Thomas, Mark Douglas, Jay Smith, Aaron Ridley, Dan Schlieper, Ricky Williams, eric Wells, Brian Reese, Daniel Baggerly, Wayne Echols, Tim Day, Jake Knowles, Jimmy Owens-DNS, Skip Arp-DNS, Jeremy Ledford-DNS, Derek Ellis-DNS, Luther Jenkins-DNS, Ethan Hunter-DNS
Performance Rod and Custom (PRC) Second B-Main (12 Laps- Top 2 Advance): Brad Neat, Bub McCool, Tommy Kerr, John Blankenship, Chris Brown, Tyler Reddick, Lamar Haygood, Derrick Rainey, Gary McPherson, Chad Ogle, Tim Isenberg, Scott Creel, Tyler Millwood, Jill George, Scott Hall, Mike Collins, Jamie Oliver, Michael Page-DNS, Jamie Oliver-DNS, Jody Knowles-DNS
Feature Finish – 50 Laps
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN |
| 2 | 3 | 25c | Shane Clanton | Fayetteville, GA |
| 3 | 6 | 44m | Chris Madden | Gaffney, SC |
| 4 | 16 | 18 | Shannon Babb | Mowequa, IL |
| 5 | 23 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN |
| 6 | 9 | 15 | Steve Francis | Ashland, KY |
| 7 | 19 | 2 | Brady Smith | Solon Springs, WI |
| 8 | 4 | 17m | Dale McDowell | Chickamauga, GA |
| 9 | 17 | 71w | Chris Wall | Springfield, LA |
| 10 | 15 | 8 | David Payne | Murphy, NC |
| 11 | 21 | 25 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV |
| 12 | 5 | 71 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN |
| 13 | 20 | 41n | Brad Neat | Dunnville, KY |
| 14 | 14 | 101 | Casey Roberts | Toccoa, GA |
| 15 | 11 | 116 | Randy Weaver | Crossville, TN |
| 16 | 18 | c9 | Steve Casebolt | Richmond, IN |
| 17 | 2 | 44 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL |
| 18 | 7 | 53 | Ray Cook | Brasstown, NC |
| 19 | 13 | 26 | Tony Knowles | Tyrone, GA |
| 20 | 22 | 57J | Bub McCool | Vicksburg, MS |
| 21 | 8 | 36 | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN |
| 22 | 10 | 44c | Clint Smith | Senoia, GA |
| 23 | 12 | 24 | Frank Ingram | Acworth, GA |
| 24 | 24 | 23 | John Blankenship | Williamson, WV |
Race Statistics Entrants: 57 Lap Leaders: Earl Pearson Jr. (Laps 1–8); Scott Bloomquist (Laps 9-50) Caution Flags: Frank Ingram (Lap 8); Mike Marlar (Lap 9); Ray Cook (Lap 32); Earl Pearson Jr. (Lap 33); Steve Casebolt (Lap 36) Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Jimmy Owens; John Blankenship Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: none PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race: Jimmy Owens (Started 23rd; Finished 5th; Advanced 18 positions) Ohlin’s Shocks Performer of the Race: Scott Bloomquist K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Shannon Babb Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: Chris Wall Comp Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Roush-Yates Racing Engines Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award: Ray Cook DirtonDirt.com Crew Chief of the Race: Chris Fox (Jimmy Owens) Time of Race: 39 minutes 28 seconds
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS |
| 1 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | 7420 |
| 2 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 7105 |
| 3 | 44 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | 7005 |
| 4 | 71 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 6530 |
| 5 | 53 | Ray Cook | Brasstown, NC | 6490 |
| 6 | 17m | Dale McDowell | Chickamauga, GA | 6285 |
| 7 | 71w | Chris Wall | Springfield, LA | 5750 |
| 8 | c9 | Steve Casebolt | Richmond, IN | 5615 |
| 9 | 23 | John Blankenship | Williamson, WV | 5595 |
| 10 | s9 | Dan Schlieper | Sullivan, WI | 5470 |
| 11 | 18e | Eric Wells | Hazard, KY | 5435 |
| 12 | 41n | Brad Neat | Dunnville, KY | 5415 |
| 13 | 9t | Tim Isenberg | Marshfield, WI | 4755 |
| 14 | 11t | Tyler Reddick | Corning, CA | 4305 |