PORTSMOUTH, OH (October 16, 2015) – A total of 81 cars entered the 35th Annual OPTIMA Batteries Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by NAPA Auto Parts on Friday night at Portsmouth Raceway Park. The event, sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series saw 16 heat races contested with the Top-16 in passing points transferring to Saturday night’s $100,000-to-win crown jewel main event.
In round one of heat races, three drivers came from the seventh starting spot in their respective heats to claim wins. Eddie Carrier Jr., Scott Bloomquist, and Greg Johnson all were victorious. Other heat race winners in round one were Josh Richards, Alex Ferree, Chris Brown, R.J. Conley, and Billy Gullion.
In round two, Jimmy Owens and Darrel Lanigan captured the first two heat races. Jared Landers came from eighth to win heat three. Dustin Linville came home the winner in heat four. Rick Eckert came from his seventh starting spot and was victorious in heat five of round two. Greg Johnson became the first driver to win two heat races as he came from fourth to win the sixth heat in round two. Don O’Neal came from the seventh starting spot to win heat seven in round two. The eighth and final heat of the night saw Bloomquist join Johnson as the only two drivers to win heat races in both rounds as Bloomquist ran off for the win. Steve Francis and Alex Ferree came from ninth and tenth to finish second and third at the checkers.
In preliminary action, Eddie Carrier Jr., Josh Richards, Alex Ferree, Chris Brown, Scott Bloomquist, RJ Conley, Greg Johnson, and Billy Gullion won their respective first round heat races. Jimmy Owens, Darrel Lanigan, Jared Landers, Dustin Linville, Rick Eckert, Greg Johnson, Don O’Neal, and Scott Bloomquist won their respective second round heat races.
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Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday, October 16th, 2015
35th Annual OPTIMA Batteries Dirt Track World Championship – Presented by NAPA Auto Parts
Portsmouth Raceway Park – Portsmouth, OH
Eibach Springs FIRST ROUND Heat Race #1 Finish: Eddie Carrier, Jr., Don O’Neal, Tim Dohm , Dennis Erb, Jr., Jimmy Owens, Darrell Lanigan, Colton Burdette, Michael Lake, Mick Sansom, Delbert Crum, III, Billy Staker
FK Rod Ends FIRST ROUND Heat Race #2 Finish: Josh Richards, Brandon Sheppard, Steve Francis, Jackie Boggs, Jason Jameson, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jared Miley, Colton Flinner, Evyian Terry, Russ Frohnapfel
Simpson Performance Products FIRST ROUND Heat Race #3 Finish: Alex Ferree, Jason Montgomery, Rod Conley, Bobby Pierce, Craig Wolford, Jeep VanWormer, Stephen Breeding, Shannon Thornsberry, Boom Briggs, Jon Hodgkiss
QA1 FIRST ROUND Heat Race #4 Finish: Chris Brown, Doug Drown, Mike Marlar, Jason Feger, Chris Hackett, Rich Bond, Charlie Jude, Austin Mills, Delbert Crum, Jr., Charles Floyd
OPTIMA Batteries FIRST ROUND Heat Race #5 Finish: Scott Bloomquist, Jonathan Davenport, Devin Moran, Chris Ferguson, Audie Swartz, Jake Keaton, Tim McCreadie, Tyler Carpenter, Delmas Conley, Kyle Hardy
NAPA Auto Parts FIRST ROUND Heat Race #6 Finish: RJ Conley, Jared Landers, Mason Zeigler, Zack Dohm, Chad Hollenbeck, Kayne Hickman, Daniel Williams, Derek Fisher, John Melvin, Michael Wright
ASi Racewear FIRST ROUND Heat Race #7 Finish: Greg Johnson, Dustin Linville, Justin Rattliff, Paul Wilmoth, Jr., Tommy Bailey, Duane Pick, Avery Taylor, Ronnie Whitt, D.J. Wells, Jason Papich
DirtOnDirt.com FIRST ROUND Heat Race #8 Finish: Billy Gullion, Rick Eckert, Matt Westfall, Nick Bocook, Anthony Kinkade, Gregg Satterlee, Kirk Phillips, Randy Armes, Matt Melvin, Steve Casebolt
Eibach Springs SECOND ROUND Heat Race #1 Finish: Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson, Jr., Rod Conley, Mike Marlar, Mason Zeigler, Brandon Sheppard, Matt Westfall, Tommy Bailey, Tyler Carpenter, Billy Staker-DNS
FK Rod Ends SECOND ROUND Heat Race #2 Finish: Darrell Lanigan, Jason Jameson, Bobby Pierce, Devin Moran, Nick Bocook, Daniel Williams, Austin Mills, Delbert Crum, III, Duane Pick, Steve Casebolt-DNS
Simpson Performance Products SECOND ROUND Heat Race #3 Finish: Jared Landers, Jason Montgomery, Jared Miley, Paul Wilmoth, Jr., Chris Ferguson, Tim Dohm, Billy Gullion, Avery Taylor, Dennis Erb, Jr., Matt Melvin, Charles Floyd
QA1 SECOND ROUND Heat Race #4 Finish: Dustin Linville, RJ Conley, Jackie Boggs, Jonathan Davenport, Jeep VanWormer, Justin Rattliff, John Melvin, Michael Lake, Kirk Phillips, Delbert Crum, Jr.
OPTIMA Batteries SECOND ROUND Heat Race #5 Finish: Rick Eckert, Jason Papich, Boom Briggs, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Audie Swartz, Evyian Terry, Derek Fisher, Michael Wright, Rich Bond, Kyle Hardy
NAPA Auto Parts SECOND ROUND Heat Race #6 Finish: Greg Johnson, Jason Feger, Colton Burdette, Zack Dohm, Doug Drown, Russ Frohnapfel, Craig Wolford, Randy Armes, Tim McCreadie-DNS, Delmas Conley-DNS
ASi Racewear SECOND ROUND Heat Race #7 Finish: Don O’Neal, Josh Richards, Chris Brown, Jake Keaton, Chris Hackett, Kayne Hickman, D.J. Wells, Shannon Thornsberry, Anthony Kinkade, Jon Hodgkiss-DNS
DirtOnDirt.com SECOND ROUND Heat Race #8 Finish: Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Alex Ferree, Stephen Breeding, Colton Flinner, Chad Hollenbeck, Ronnie Whitt, Gregg Satterlee, Charlie Jude, Mick Sansom
Fast Shafts B-Main #1 Line Up (Top 2 Transfer):
| Rod Conley | 71R | 157 | Mike Marlar |
| Doug Drown | 79 | 17D | Zack Dohm |
| Earl Pearson Jr. | 1 | 16 | Justin Rattliff |
| Nick Bocook | 1B | 44 | Colton Burdette |
| Stephen Breeding | 5B | 55 | Jeep VanWormer |
| Kayne Hickman | H3 | 12D | Daniel Williams |
| Derek Fisher | 38 | 007 | Rick Bond |
| Duane Pick | 37 | CJ1 | Charlie Jude |
| Michael Lake | 27 | 11W | DJ Wells |
| Delbert Crum III | 34C | B52 | Delbert Crum Jr. |
| Kyle Hardy | 99V | C2 | Charles Floyd |
Keyser MFG B-Main #2Line Up (Top 2 Transfer):
| Darrel Lanigan | 29 | 99M | Devin Moran |
| Jason Jameson | 12J | B5 | Brandon Sheppard |
| Billy Gullion | 11G | 10 | Audie Swartz |
| Chris Hackett | 33 | H1 | Jared Miley |
| Chad Hollenbeck | 4D-s | 28E | Dennis Erb Jr. |
| Craig Wolford | 36 | 11B | Tommy Bailey |
| Anthony Kinkade | 53C | 58 | Evyian Terry |
| Ronnie Whitt | 11 | 21K | Kirk Phillips |
| John Melvin | 81 | 8R | Randy Armes |
| Michael Wright | 18 | 81M | Matt Melvin |
| Steve Casebolt | C9 | 7 | Billy Staker |
Lucas Oil Products Fuels B-Main #3 Line Up (Top 2 Transfer):
| Jackie Boggs | 4B | 32 | Bobby Pierce |
| Paul Wilmoth Jr. | B1 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler |
| Tim Dohm | 6T | 22F | Chris Ferguson |
| Jake Keaton | 10K | 54W | Matt Westfall |
| Boom Briggs | 99B | 91P | Jason Papich |
| Colton Flinner | 75 | 159 | Avery Taylor |
| Gregg Satterlee | 22 | 1AM | Austin Mills |
| Tim McCreadie | 1* | 45 | Russ Frohnapfel |
| Shannon Thornsberry | 17T | 28T | Tyler Carpenter |
| Mick Sansom | 20M | 71D | Delmas Conley |
| Jon Hodgkiss | 69 |
Feature Line Up (100 Laps):
| Scott Bloomquist | 88 | Greg Johnson | |
| Don O’Neal | 5 | 1R | Josh Richards |
| RJ Conley | 71C | 777 | Jared Landers |
| Rick Eckert | 7v | D8 | Dustin Linville |
| Alex Ferree | 47 | 21b | Chris Brown |
| Jason Montgomery | 21m | 28 | Eddie Carrier Jr. |
| Steve Francis | 15 | 20 | Jimmy Owens |
| Jason Feger | 25F | 6 | Jonathan Davenport |
| B-Main #1 – 1st | 17 | 18 | B-Main #2 – 1st |
| B-Main #3 – 1st | 19 | 20 | B-Main #1 – 2nd |
| B-Main #2 – 2nd | 21 | 22 | B-Main #3 – 2nd |
| Series Provisional #1 | 23 | 24 | Series Provisional #2 |
| Track Provisional #1 | 25 | 26 | Track Provisional #2 |