Owens Overtakes O’Neal, Wins Day Race at East Bay
Photo by Mike Ruefer
TAMPA, FL (February 16, 2013) – Jimmy Owens passed race leader, Don O’Neal on lap 16 and went on the take the $7,000 main event at East Bay Raceway Park Saturday afternoon. The race was originally scheduled for Thursday Night, but was rained out. The win marks the second victory at EBRP for the 2-time and reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion.
O’Neal and Dennis Erb Jr. battled it out for the first 15 laps, with Erb officially leading lap 9. Erb had a flat on lap 15, bringing out the first caution of the race. Owens, who started fifth passed O’Neal on the outside after the restart. Owens then led the rest of the race and picked up his second career win at East Bay and the 37th series win of his career. O’Neal came home in second, followed by Eric Jacobsen, John Blankenship, and Vic Coffey.
“For a day race, the track was really great! The crew went out and worked it after the rain delay and there were enough crumbs out there to give everybody traction for the first part of the race,” said the driver of the Mike Reece-owned, Reece Monument Company, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford. “From where we started, I figured that I needed to get to the front before the track took rubber. I saw Erb running up top and I don’t know what happened to him. John (Blankenship) and I had a really good race for second. I was finally able to clear him and was able to catch O’Neal and pass him for the lead.”
O’Neal was looking for his second straight win week, but came up just a car-length short. He commented: “I left the door open in turn one and I knew I was in trouble. Our car has really been great this week, I knew once Owens was in front it was going to be hard to pass him back. We will take second and work towards tonight’s race!”
Jacobsen recorded his second podium finish of the week with a solid third place. “We have got this place figured out, but we just can’t seem to close the deal and get a win here. I haven’t run as much over the few years as these [Lucas Oil] guys. They race so much more than me, but the car feels good and maybe tonight we can end the week on a good note.”
In preliminary action, Jimmy Owens set the overall RedBuck Fast Time (Group A) amongst the 34 entrants, with a lap of 15.346 seconds. Dennis Erb Jr. set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 15.672 seconds. Don O’Neal, John Blankenship, Dennis Erb Jr., and Eric Jacobsen won their respective Heat Races. Jared Landers and Tyler Reddick won their respective B-Mains. Leon Henderson was the PRC Strawberry Dash-Draw Winner, Henderson was drawn at random from a pool of eligible drivers due to rain delay and condensed format.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt series will be back later this evening, Saturday, February 16th with the second program of today’s double-header at the 37th Annual DART Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL. Hot Laps for the event will begin at 6:00PM and will also feature RedBuck Time Trials, Heats, B-Mains, PRC Strawberry Dash. The evening will be capped off with the $10,000-to-win, 60-Lap main event and the $1,000-to-win Non-Qualifiers’ Race. For more information on the event or EBRP, log onto www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and follow the series on www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Day (Thursday’s Make-Up Event), February 16th, 2013
37th Annual DART Winternationals
East bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
Red Buck Fast Time Group A: Jimmy Owens / 15.346 seconds
Red Buck Fast Time Group B: Dennis Erb Jr. / 15.672 seconds
Wiles Drive Shafts Heat Race #1 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran, David Breazeale, Jared Landers, Devin Moran, Nick Davis
Eibach Springs Heat Race #2 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): John Blankenship, Austin Hubbard, Braden Mitchell, Jason Riggs, Jason McBride, Scott Bloomquist, Chad Hollenbeck, Brad Malcuit, James O’Hara
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Dennis Erb Jr., Vic Coffey, Bobby Pierce, Chad Stapleton, Billy Moyer Jr., Doug Blashe, Doug Drown, Scott Phillips, Bob Geiger
HAWK Performance Heat Race #4 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Eric Jacobsen, Jerry Lierly, Justin Rattliff, Eddie Carrier Jr., Tyler Reddick, Ricky Weiss, Stormy Scott, Leon Henderson
CV Products B-Main #1 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Jared Landers, Scott Bloomquist, David Breazeale, Jason McBride, Devin Moran, Nick Davis, Chad Hollenbeck, James O’Hara, Brad Malcuit-DNS
Wrisco Aluminum B-Main #2 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tyler Reddick, Billy Moyer Jr., Doug Blashe, Ricky Weiss, Doug Drown, Stormy Scott, Leon Henderson, Scott Phillips, Bob Geiger
PRC Strawberry Draw Winner: Leon Henderson
Feature Finish (35 Laps):
FINISH START CAR # DRIVER NAME HOMETOWN
1 5 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
2 1 71 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN
3 4 5J Eric Jacobsen Watsonville, CA
4 3 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
5 6 32c Vic Coffey Caledonia, NY
6 9 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
7 20 21JR Billy Moyer Jr. Batesville, AR
8 10 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
9 16 28 Eddie Carrier Jr. Salt Rock, WV
10 8 7L Jerry Lierly Camp Point, IL
11 18 11T Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
12 21 54 David Breazeale Philadelphia, MS
13 7 11h Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
14 25 4-Ds Chad Hollenbeck Montrose, PA
15 14 32s Chad Stapleton Edinburgh, IN
15 22 1B Doug Blashe Marion, WI
17 13 99 Donnie Moran Dresden, OH
18 11 64 Braden Mitchell Russellville, AL
19 2 28e Dennis Erb Jr. Carpentersville, IL
20 15 81JR Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
21 24 7w Ricky Weiss Headingley, MB
22 23 77 Jason McBride Carbondale, IL
23 26 10 Leon Henderson Laurel, MS
24 12 16 Justin Rattliff Campbellsville, KY
25 19 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
26 17 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
Race Statistics
Entrants: 36
Lap Leaders: Don O’Neal (Laps 1 – 8); Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 9); Don O’Neal (Laps 10 – 15); Jimmy Owens (Laps 16 – 35)
Caution Flags: Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 15); Donnie Moran, Tyler Reddick, Jason Riggs, Justin Rattliff, Scott Bloomquist, Ricky Weiss (Lap 16); Jared Landers (Lap 5)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: n/a
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: n/a
DirtonDirt.com Fast Time Provisional: Chad Hollenbeck
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Billy Moyer Jr. (started: 20th, finished: 7th, advanced: 13 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: John Blankenship
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
JRi Shocks/Dunn Benson Ford Rookie of the Race: n/a
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Race Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Bloomquist Race Cars
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chris Fox (Jimmy Owens)
HAWK Performance Fastest Lap of the Race: Don O’Neal (Lap# 29; 15.668 seconds)
Time of Race: 25 minutes 11 seconds
DART Winternationals Point Standings:
POS CAR# DRIVER HOMETOWN POINTS
1 71 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN 1130
2 28e Dennis Erb Jr. Carpentersville, IL 1080
3 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY 955
3 11T Tyler Reddick Corning, CA 955
5 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN 935
5 5J Eric Jacobsen Watsonville, CA 935
5 32c Vic Coffey Caledonia, NY 935
8 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL 920
9 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV 895
10 99 Donnie Moran Dresden, OH 835
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
POS CAR # DRIVER NAME HOMETOWN POINTS
1 71 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN 250
2 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL 230
2 63 Doug Drown Wooster, OH 230
4 44 Earl Pearson Jr. Jacksonville, FL 210
5 28e Dennis Erb Jr. Carpentersville, IL 205
6 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV 200
7 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN 195
7 32c Vic Coffey Caledonia, NY 195
9 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY 190
10 4-Ds Chad Hollenbeck Montrose, PA 180
11 81JR Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL 175
12 11T Tyler Reddick Corning, CA 170
13 11h Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE 165
14 7L Jerry Lierly Camp Point, IL 160
15 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR 155
16 28 Eddie Carrier Jr. Salt Rock, WV 145
17 99m Devin Moran Dresden, OH 140
18 54 David Breazeale Philadelphia, MS 135
19 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN 130
20 5J Eric Jacobsen Watsonville, CA 125
20 99 Donnie Moran Dresden, OH 125
20 16 Justin Rattliff Campbellsville, KY 125
20 7w Ricky Weiss Headingley, MB 125
20 32s Chad Stapleton Edinburgh, IN 125
*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*
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