VERNON, NY (July 25, 2012) – Tim McCreadie of Watertown, NY made it a repeat performance from a year ago on Wednesday Night in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event at Utica-Rome Speedway. McCreadie, who started eighth last year, started fourth this time around, and grabbed the lead on lap nine from Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL.
McCreadie then held off a furious challenge from Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN to capture the $10,000 victory. Owens charged from his ninth starting spot and pulled even with McCreadie several times in the race, but couldn’t clear him for the lead. Gregg Satterlee of Rochester Mills, PA came from the 18th starting position to finish third, for his best career LOLMDS finish. Pearson was fourth. Twenty-third starting Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN rounded out the top five.
Pearson started from the outside of the front row, and led the first eight circuits of the race. He was looking to win his first series race since July of 2010, but he couldn’t hold off McCreadie. “T-Mac” then had to withstand heavy traffic in front of him and a hard-charging Owens as the two went tooth-and-nail over the last half of the race. Owens pulled even with McCreadie in the turns, but McCreadie held the advantage at the flagstand.
“This is a great win for this team, they all work so hard. I have got some of my dad’s crew helping tonight. I want to thank Sweeteners Plus, Pro Power Racing Engines, and Warrior Race Cars for all of their help. To win again in front of these fans, it’s just awesome,” said the 38-year-old, who became the 11th different winner on the series tour in 2012.
Completing the top ten were Steve Francis of Ashland, KY; Billy Decker of Unadilla, NY; Vic Coffey of Leicester, NY; John Blankenship of Williamson, WV; and Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN.
In preliminary action, Steve Francis, John Blankenship, Earl Pearson Jr., and Tim McCreadie won their respective heat races. Tim Fuller and Gregg Satterlee won their respective B-Mains.
Tomorrow night, July 25th, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will continue its swing through the state of New York at Fonda Speedway in Fonda, NY on Thursday, July 26th. Capping off a busy month of July, the Series will make its way down to Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD on Saturday, July 28th. Both events will feature Red Buck Cigars Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and 50-lap main events. For more information, log onto www.fondaspeedway.com, and www.hagerstownspeedway.com.
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
Wednesday Night, July 25th, 2012 Utica-Rome Speedway – Vernon, NY
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Group A: Steve Francis / 18.728 seconds
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Group B: Gregg Satterlee / 18.736 seconds
Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Steve Francis, Daniel Stone, Jimmy Owens, Tyler Reddick, Dylan Yoder, Bud Phillips, Ricky Elliott, Aaron Jacobs
U. S. Steel Second Heat (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): John Blankenship, Eric Wells, Billy Decker, Vic Coffey, Austin Hubbard, Don O’Neal, Tim Fuller
Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Earl Pearson, Jr., David Zona, Jared Landers, Larry Wight, Gregg Satterlee, Jon Rohacevich, Justin Wright
HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer): Tim McCreadie, Scott Bloomquist, Jonathan Davenport, Jim Yoder, Alan Fink, John Lobb, Dale Caswell
JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Transfer): Tim Fuller, Dylan Yoder, Austin Hubbard, Don O’Neal, Ricky Elliott, Bud Phillips, Aaron Jacobs
PAC Racing Springs Second B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Transfer): Gregg Satterlee, John Lobb, Alan Fink, Justin Wright, Dale Caswell, Jon Rohacevich
Feature Finish – 50 Laps
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN |
| 1 | 4 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY |
| 2 | 9 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN |
| 3 | 18 | 22s | Gregg Satterlee | Rochester Mills, PA |
| 4 | 2 | 44 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL |
| 5 | 23 | 71 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN |
| 6 | 1 | 15 | Steve Francis | Ashland, KY |
| 7 | 11 | 91 | Billy Decker | Unidilla, NY |
| 8 | 15 | 32c | Vic Coffey | Caledonia, NY |
| 9 | 3 | 23 | John Blankenship | Williamson, WV |
| 10 | 8 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN |
| 11 | 13 | 11T | Tyler Reddick | Corning, CA |
| 12 | 14 | 99L | Larry Wight | Phoenix, NY |
| 13 | 17 | 19 | Tim Fuller | Watertown, NY |
| 14 | 21 | 11h | Austin Hubbard | Seaford, DE |
| 15 | 20 | 28 | John Lobb | Frewsburg, NY |
| 16 | 10 | 5 | Jared Landers | Batesville, AR |
| 17 | 24 | 88 | Ricky Elliott | Seaford, DE |
| 18 | 7 | 18e | Eric Wells | Hazard, KY |
| 19 | 5 | 2d | Daniel Stone | Thompson, PA |
| 20 | 19 | 24 | Dylan Yoder | Selinsgrove, PA |
| 21 | 12 | 15d | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA |
| 22 | 16 | 27 | Jim Yoder | Selinsgrove, PA |
| 23 | 6 | 99z | David Zona | Montrose, PA |
| 24 | 22 | 15a | Alan Fink | Central Square, NY |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 29
Lap Leaders: Earl Pearson Jr. (Laps 1 – 8); Tim McCreadie (Laps 9 – 50)
Caution Flags: Dan Stone (Lap 14); debris (Lap 31)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Don O’Neal
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: none Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Provisionals: Ricky Elliott
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Don O’Neal (Started 23rd; Finished 5th; Advanced 18 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: Don O’Neal
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
ASi Racewear Challenge Finisher: Jimmy Owens
Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: Austin Hubbard
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Pro Power Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Bloomquist Race Cars
Sweet Mfg Crew Chief of the Race: Cody Mahoney (Don O’Neal)
Time of Race: 24 minutes 55 seconds