WINCHESTER, VA (September 16,2011) – Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN picked up his 12th Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the year on Friday Night at Winchester Speedway. He captured the $10,000 in the Verizon Wireless 50. Bloomquist took the lead on lap eight from Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA and then had to fight off several challenges from Jimmy Owens to take the win.
Bloomquist closed to within ten points of Owens, who faded to 16th at the finish with a left front flat tire. McDowell finished second followed by new track record holder; Ronnie DeHaven Jr.of Winchester, VA; 16th starting Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; and Bart Hartman of Zanesville, OH.
McDowell led the first seven circuits and was being challenged by both Bloomquist and Owens, who were dueling it out for second. Bloomquist made the move for the lead on lap eight. Owens then moved into second as the two top in series points went at it.
Owens trailed Bloomquist for several circuits until the pair came across the scoring line dead-even. Owens then tried to take the lead from Bloomquist in turn two as he slid up in front of Bloomquist. Bloomquist then came back hard in turn four sliding in front of Owens to re-take the lead.
Owens nearly lost control of his car as he faded to third behind Bloomquist and McDowell, who picked up the second spot. Owens then developed a left front flat tire as he started to fade from contention.
Bloomquist went on to take his 12th series win of the season in his Miller Brothers Construction, Hawkeye Trucking, Base Racing Fuels, Ohlins, Lane Automotive, Roush-Yates, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford.
McDowell finished second in the Clint Bowyer Racing, Crawford Supply, Rocket Chevrolet. DeHaven was third in the DeHaven’s Trailer Sales, MasterSbilt with Pearson in the Bobby Labonte, Lucas Oil Products, Longhorn Dodge coming home fourth, followed by Hartman in the Ernie Davis, Ernie D’s Rocket Chassis.
In Lucas Oil Victory Lane, Bloomquist commented on the race with Owens for the lead. “I was going to race him like he raced me, when you do a slide job you need to make sure you have someone cleared, not just run them up the track, he nearly put me in the wall, and I went hard into turn four and slid front of him, I didn’t touch him, he came back and hit me in the rear and I guess that’s when he got the flat.”
Completing the top ten were Steve Francis of Ashland, KY; Jason Covert of York Haven, PA; Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY; Eric Wells of Hazard, KY; and Jared Landers of Batesville, AR.
In preliminary action Ronnie DeHaven Jr. broke his year old track record with a lap of 14.201 seconds. Heat races went to Dale McDowell, Jimmy Owens, Eric Wells, and Scott Bloomquist. The B-Mains went to Nick Dickson and Tyler Reddick.
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, September 16th, 2011 Verizon Wireless 50 Winchester Speedway – Winchester, VA
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time: Ronnie DeHaven Jr. / 14.201 seconds (Group A and Overall) Eric Wells / 14.465 seconds (Group B)
Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Dale McDowell, Ronnie DeHaven, Bart Hartman, DJ Myers, Duane Harbaugh, Kenny PettyJohn, Mike Marlar, Gerald Davis, JT Spence, Roy Deese Jr., Brian Tavenner
Wiles Driveshafts Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Brad Neat, Steve Francis, Don O’Neal, Nick Dickson, John Blankenship, Gary Stuhler, Brad Omps, Deane Guy, Jonathan DeHaven, Bubby Dillman-DNS
Sweet Manufacturing Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Eric Wells, Jamie Lathroum, Daniel Stone, Jason Covert, Tyler Reddick, Ray Cook, CS Fitzgerald, Ron Delano, Tommy Armel, Tony Crim, Kyle Lear HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Kenny Moreland, Jared Landers, Earl Pearson Jr., Steve Casebolt, Rusty Sites, Scott LeBarron, Keith Jackson, Alan Sagi, Chad Hollenbeck
JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Nick Dickson, John Blankenship, Mike Marlar, JT Spence, Gerald Davis, Kenny PettyJohn, Gay Stuhler, Deane Guy, Brian Tavenner, Brad Omps, Duane Harbaugh, Roy Deese Jr.-DNS, Jonathan DeHaven-DNS, Bubby Dillman-DNS
Wrisco Aluminum Second B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Tyler Reddick, Steve Casebolt, Ray Cook, CS Fitzgerald, Rusty Sites, Keith Jackson, Tommy Armel, Ron Delano, Chad Hollenbeck, Tony Crim, Scott LeBarron, Alan Sagi, Kyle Lear-DNS“Verizon Wireless 50” Feature Finish – 50 Laps: Scott Bloomquist, Dale McDowell, Ronnie DeHaven, Jr., Earl Pearson, Jr., Bart Hartman, Steve Francis, Jason Covert, Brad Neat, Eric Wells, Jared Landers, John Blankenship, Tyler Reddick, Don O’Neal, Ray Cook, Nick Dickson, Jimmy Owens, Kenny Pettyjohn, Mike Marlar, Kenny Moreland, Chad Hollenbeck, Jamie Lathroum, DJ Myers, Steve Casebolt, Dan Stone
“Verizon Wireless 50” Feature Finish – 50 Laps
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN |
| 1 | 4 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN |
| 2 | 1 | 17m | Dale McDowell | Chickamauga, GA |
| 3 | 5 | 1d | Ronnie DeHaven, Jr. | Winchester, VA |
| 4 | 16 | 44 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL |
| 5 | 9 | 25 | Bart Hartman | Zanesville, OH |
| 6 | 11 | 15 | Steve Francis | Ashland, KY |
| 7 | 14 | 43a | Jason Covert | York Haven, PA |
| 8 | 7 | 41n | Brad Neat | Dunnville, KY |
| 9 | 2 | 18e | Eric Wells | Hazard, KY |
| 10 | 12 | 777 | Jared Landers | Batesville, AR |
| 11 | 19 | 23 | John Blankenship | Williamson, WV |
| 12 | 18 | 11t | Tyler Reddick | Corning, CA |
| 13 | 15 | 71 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN |
| 14 | 22 | 53 | Ray Cook | Brasstown, NC |
| 15 | 17 | 17d | Nick Dickson | Lewistown, PA |
| 16 | 3 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN |
| 17 | 23 | 100p | Kenny PettyJohn | Millsboro, DE |
| 18 | 21 | 5b | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN |
| 19 | 8 | 24 | Kenny Moreland | Waldorf, MD |
| 20 | 24 | 4Ds | Chad Hollenbeck | Kingsley, PA |
| 21 | 6 | 6L | Jamie Lathroum | Mechanicsville, MD |
| 22 | 13 | 70J | DJ Myers | Greencastle, PA |
| 23 | 20 | c9 | Steve Casebolt | Richmond, IN |
| 24 | 10 | 21d | Daniel Stone | Thompson, PA |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 43
Lap Leaders: Dale McDowell (Laps 1 – 7); Scott Bloomquist (Laps 8 – 50)
Caution Flags: Daniel Stone (Lap 3); Steve Casebolt (Lap 6); Jamie Lathroum (Lap 21)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: none
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: none
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Provisionals: Kenny PettyJohn, Chad Hollenbeck
PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr. (Started 16th; Finished 4th; Advanced 12 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: Dale McDowell
K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Steve Francis
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: Jared Landers
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Roush Yates Race Engines
Janowski Insurance Feature Winner: Scott Bloomquist
Outerwears Challenger of the Race: John Blankenship
Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award: Jamie Lathroum
DirtonDirt.com Crew Chief of the Race: Jason Durham (Dale McDowell)
Time of Race: 25 minutes 05 seconds
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS |
| 1 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 5860 |
| 2 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | 5850 |
| 3 | 71 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 5285 |
| 4 | 15 | Steve Francis | Ashland, KY | 4980 |
| 5 | 777 | Jared Landers | Batesville, AR | 4690 |
| 6 | 44 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | 4675 |
| 7 | 41n | Brad Neat | Dunnville, KY | 4595 |
| 8 | 23 | John Blankenship | Williamson, WV | 4525 |
| 9 | 53 | Ray Cook | Brasstown, NC | 4440 |
| 10 | 11t | Tyler Reddick | Corning, CA | 4360 |
| 11 | 17m | Dale McDowell | Chickamauga, GA | 4255 |
| 12 | 57J | Bub McCool | Vicksburg, MS | 3990 |
| 13 | 18e | Eric Wells | Hazard, KY | 3970 |
| 14 | 99jr | Frank Heckenast, Jr. | Frankfort, IL | 3625 |
| 15 | c9 | Steve Casebolt | Richmond, IN | 3260 |