PORTSMOUTH, OH (July 2, 2011) – Scott Bloomquist returned to Lucas Oil Victory lane tonight, at the Independence 50. Shaking off a month of frustrating finishes on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series tour, 2-time series champion, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN dominated all 50-laps at Portsmouth Raceway Park in front of the largest crowd of spectators recorded at the famed speed plant. Bloomquist sped away from series points’ leader, Jimmy Owens in a four-lap dash to the finish after a late race caution. Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL finished third followed by Tim Dohm of Cross Lanes, WV and John Blankenship of Williamson, WV. “It sure feels good to get back to victory lane! W have torn up more stuff in the last month than I think I have in the last five years,” said the 47-year-old Hall of Famer, whose victory was his sixth of the season on the series tour, but his first since late April. “I saw Jimmy’s number on the scoreboard running in second before that last restart, I knew I had a better car than him tonight, he’s been pretty strong here lately, but our car was solid here tonight. We’ve always liked coming here to Portsmouth to race, and to win in front of this giant crowd is very satisfying.” Said Bloomquist who still trails Owens in the championship point’s standings. Bloomquist grabbed the lead from the drop of the green and built a sizable lead up until the first caution of the race on lap ten. On the restart Bloomquist led Pearson and Owens as Pearson stayed close to Bloomquist for a couple of circuits until Bloomquist pulled away. Bloomquist was in control of the race until a caution with four laps to go allowed Owens and Pearson to take a shot at beating Bloomquist. Owens had regained the second spot from Pearson a lap before the caution flag. In the end, Bloomquist bolted away from Owens to pick up the $10,000 victory. Bloomqsuit was behind the wheel of his Base Racing Fuels, Ohlins Shocks, Miller Brothers Construction, Roush-Yates, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford. It was his 32nd Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win, which is first all-time. Owens took second in the Mike Reece,Reece Monument Company, Bloomquist Ford, followed by Pearson in the Bobby Labonte, Lucas Oil, Longhorn Dodge. A great battle for fourth had Tim Dohm taking the spot in his Dohm Cycle Sales, Rocket Chevrolet, who just edged out John Blankenship in the Coal: Amerca’s Energy, Rocket Chevrolet. Completing the top ten were Bub McCool of Vicksburg, MS; Steve Shaver of Vienna, WV; Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN; Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA; and PBM Erson Cams Hard Charger, Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY. In preliminary action Scott Bloomquist was the Red Buck Cigars Fast Qualifier among the 49 entrants. Heat race winners were Bloomquist, Jason Montgomery, Steve Shaver, and Jimmy Owens. The B-mains went to Mike Marlar and Doug Drown. Coming up on Sunday Night, July 3rd the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be in action at Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, OH for a $10,000 to win event. For more information log onto www.themuskingcumcountyspeedway.com.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com or call the series’ office at (951) 532-2503.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary Friday Night, July 2nd, 2011 Independence 50Portsmouth Raceway Park – Portsmouth, OH
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time: Scott Bloomquist / 15.454 seconds (Group A and Overall) Dale McDowell / 15.553 seconds (Group B) Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Tim Dohm, Don O’Neal, Jared Landers, Mike Marlar, Rod Conley, Ray Cook, Greg Johnson, Delmas Conley, Brad Neat, Ross Nicastri, Ben Adkins Wiles Driveshafts Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jason Montgomery, Josh McGuire, Bub McCool, Chris Wall, Donnie Moran, Tyler Reddick, RJ Conley, Mark Frazier, Harold Redman Jr., Kenneth Howell, Paul Harris, Kevin Wagner Sweet Manufacturing Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Steve Shaver, Dale McDowell, John Blankenship, Eddie Carrier Jr., Doug Drown, Frank Heckenast Jr., Josh Bocook, Eric Wells, Clint Keenan, Brett Kennard, Paul Davis, Devin Moran HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson Jr., Steve Casebolt, Chris Wilson, Nick Bocook, Chad Smith, John Mason, Michael Howard, Matt Jobe, Craig Vosbergen, Jamie Ferguson, Josh Bivens JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Mike Marlar, Donnie Moran, Ray Cook, Rod Conley, Steve Francis, Tyler Reddick, Kenneth Howell, RJ Conley, Mark Frazier, Greg Johnson, Paul Harris, Ross Nicastri, Kevin Wagner, Delmas Conley, Brad Neat, Harold Redman Jr.-DNS, Ben Adkins-DNS Wrisco Aluminum Second B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Doug Drown, Chad Smith, Frank Heckenast Jr., Nick Bocook, Eric Wells, Paul Davis, Devin Moran, Matt Jobe, Josh Bivens, Brett Kennard, Clint Keenan, Craig Vosbergen-DNS, Jamie Ferguson-DNS “Independence 50” Feature Finish – 50 Laps: Scott Bloomquist, Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson, Jr., Tim Dohm, John Blankenship, Bub McCool, Steve Shaver, Don O’Neal, Dale McDowell, Brad Neat, Jaret Landerds, Mike Marlar, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Steve Francis, Tyler Reddick, Jason Montgomery, Ray Cook, Chris Wilson, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Donnie Moran, Chris Wall, RJ Conley, Chad Smith, Eric Wells, Steve Casebolt, Josh McGuire, Doug Drown “Independence 50” Feature Finish – 50 Laps
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN |
| 2 | 4 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN |
| 3 | 8 | 44 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL |
| 4 | 5 | 6T | Tim Dohm | Cross Lanes, WV |
| 5 | 10 | 23 | John Blankenship | Williamson, WV |
| 6 | 11 | 57J | Bub McCool | Vicksburg, MS |
| 7 | 2 | 6 | Steve Shaver | Vienna, WV |
| 8 | 9 | 71 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN |
| 9 | 6 | 17m | Dale McDowell | Chickamauga, GA |
| 10 | 24 | 41n | Brad Neat | Dunnville, KY |
| 11 | 13 | 777 | Jared Landers | Batesville, AR |
| 12 | 17 | 1G | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN |
| 13 | 14 | 28 | Eddie Carrier, Jr. | Salt Rock, WV |
| 14 | 23 | 15 | Steve Francis | Ashland, KY |
| 15 | 27 | 11t | Tyler Reddick | Corning, CA |
| 16 | 3 | 21 | Jason Montgomery | Jackson, OH |
| 17 | 21 | 53 | Ray Cook | Brasstown, NC |
| 18 | 16 | 17c | Chris Wilson | Louisa, KY |
| 19 | 22 | 99jr | Frank Heckenast, Jr. | Frankfort, IL |
| 20 | 19 | 99 | Donnie Moran | Dresden, OH |
| 21 | 15 | 71w | Chris Wall | Springfield, LA |
| 22 | 25 | 71c | RJ Conley | Wheelersburg, OH |
| 23 | 20 | 19c | Chad Smith | Centerville, OH |
| 24 | 26 | 18e | Eric Wells | Hazard, KY |
| 25 | 12 | c9 | Steve Casebolt | Richmond, IN |
| 26 | 7 | 41 | Josh McGuire | Grayson, KY |
| 27 | 18 | 12 | Doug Drown | Wooster, OH |
Race Statistics Entrants: 48
Lap Leaders: Scott Bloomquist (Laps 1 – 50)
Caution Flags: Tyler Reddick (Lap 10); Debris (Lap 16); Josh McGuire (Lap 17); Eric Wells (Lap 46)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Steve Francis, Brad Neat
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: Eric Wells, Tyler Reddick Portsmouth Raceway Park Track Provisional: RJ Conley PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race: Brad Neat (Started 24th; Finished 10th; Advanced 10 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: John Blankenship
K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Jimmy Owens
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: Bub McCool
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Roush-Yates Race Engines
Janowski Insurance Feature Winner: Scott Bloomquist
Outerwears Challenger of the Race: Mike Marlar
Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award: Steve Casebolt
DirtonDirt.com Crew Chief of the Race: Jason Fitzgerald (Earl Pearson Jr.)
Time of Race: 28 minutes 19 seconds
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS |
| 1 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 2760 |
| 2 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | 2670 |
| 3 | 71 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 2550 |
| 4 | 15 | Steve Francis | Ashland, KY | 2280 |
| 5 | 777 | Jared Landers | Batesville, AR | 2205 |
| 6 | 44 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | 2160 |
| 7 | 41n | Brad Neat | Dunnville, KY | 2145 |
| 8 | 53 | Ray Cook | Brasstown, NC | 2085 |
| 9 | 17m | Dale McDowell | Chickamauga, GA | 2065 |
| 10 | 1G | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN | 2055 |
| 11 | 57J | Bub McCool | Vicksburg, MS | 2040 |
| 12 | 23 | John Blankenship | Williamson, WV | 1995 |
| 13 | 11t | Tyler Reddick | Corning, CA | 1965 |
| 14 | 71w | Chris Wall | Springfield, LA | 1850 |
| 15 | 18e | Eric Wells | Hazard, KY | 1835 |
| 16 | c9 | Steve Casebolt | Richmond, IN | 1790 |
| 17 | 99jr | Frank Heckenast, Jr. | Frankfort, IL | 1715 |