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Shannon Babb Best in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Action
at Tri-City
by: James Essex-Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series PR
PONTOON BEACH, IL (July 30, 2006) - The "Moweaqua Missile" Shannon Babb from
Moweaqua, IL proved once again why he is one of the best dirt late model drivers
in the nation as he captured the "Miller-Lite 50" Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series event on Sunday Night at the Gundaker family promoted Tri-City Speedway.
The 32 year old racer dominated from lap six until a pair of late cautions
allowed Chub Frank to pass him with two laps to go. Babb valiantly fought back
and grabbed the lead down the backstretch and brought home the $10,000 victory
in front of a jubilant crowd.
Babb piloting the Arkansas Motors/Car City/Petroff Towing/J&J Steel/Waters Auto
Land/Performance Rod and Custom/Wicks Racing Products/Hoosier Tires by
Smash/Platinum Enterprises/G&C Enterprises/Allstar Performance/Karl
Chevrolet/Outlaw Factory Pilot/Jay Dickens Racing Engines/C.J. Rayburn Monte
Carlo earned his second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of 2006 beating
Frank to the line. Frank of Bear Lake, PA was second in his Lester
Buildings/Custom Race Engines/Rocket Monte Carlo with Earl Pearson, Jr. of
Jacksonville, FL in the Lucas Oil Products/Dunn-Benson Ford/MasterSbilt Ford
Taurus just nipping out Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN at the wire to grab
third. O'Neal in the Randall Eller Motorsports/Independence Lumber/MasterSbilt
Monte Carlo was fourth and Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN was fifth in the
Miller Brothers Coal/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Bloomquist Race Cars Chevrolet.
Chub Frank and Earl Pearson, Jr. would make up the front row for the 50 lap
feature with Pearson who won the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event at
Tri-City Speedway in 2005 taking the point at the drop of the green flag with
Frank and fifth place starting Shannon Babb in hot pursuit. Babb would pass
Frank for second on the third circuit with Randy Korte the winningest dirt late
model driver in the nation so far in '06 with 23 feature wins taking the third
spot from Frank a lap later.
The first caution of the race came out for 2005 Tri-City Speedway track champion
Steve Sheppard in turn number three. On the restart Babb would get the advantage
on Pearson and take the lead with six laps scored. Pearson was second with a
high flying Darren Miller now up to third. Babb would immediately start to pull
away from the field opening up a six car length advantage within a few laps.
With ten laps in the books Babb was still performing a commanding performance
with Miller running second after he had passed Pearson three circuits earlier.
Pearson was third with Scott James up from his eighth starting slot to run
fourth just ahead of Frank. Babb then would see his lead up to eight seconds
ahead of Miller as trafic would be just in front of him as the cars completed 15
laps.
The top five remained the same until the 21st lap when 11th starting Don O'Neal
cracked the top five passing both Frank and James. O'Neal then was in a bigger
hurry as he raced past the series points leader Pearson on lap 23 for third. At
the halfway mark it was all Babb with Miller in second followed by O'Neal,
Pearson and Frank. Babb would be in top form around the half mile oval putting
almost a half a track on Miller as they would fight through traffic.
On lap 35 the third caution of the race came out for debris on the racing
surface. With Babb's huge lead wiped out it looked like an opportunity for
Miller, O'Neal, Pearson and Frank to see what they had for the former NARA
DirtCar Series Champion. But on the restart after the debris caution Babb again
would put the hammer down and build a six car length lead up. Caution number
four of the race for Freddy Smith on lap 40 would set up a potential ten lap
dash to the finish.
With ten laps remaining Babb would still be in total control of the race with
Miller in second. On the restart Frank would get back in the thick of the battle
coming up to third after O'Neal brushed the guardrail in turn two. With the five
to go signal given Babb would see Miller and Frank stay with him this time
around and both drivers were taking their best shot. The fifth and sixth
cautions would come out back to back with 47 laps in the books. Right before the
caution Miller's nice run would end as he pulled his car into the pit area
ending his charge.
Coming to complete lap 48 Babb slipped up high in turn four and Frank would come
to the line as the new leader of the race. As the cars exited off of turn number
two Babb would take the high side and rocket back around Frank to regain the
lead. Babb would then see the white flag first and he would lead the final
circuit bringing home the win. Frank would take a close second followed by
Pearson, who got by O'Neal at the flag stand for third, with Bloomquist who had
to take a series provisional and starting 23rd, finishing in fifth.
On the victory podium a relieved Babb was glad the race was over. "The car
started to push and I had all kinds of trouble there in turn four a couple of
times," said the winner. "I want to say thanks to Chub (Frank) for racing me
clean coming off of turn two, he gave me plenty of room and I appreciate that."
"During the middle part of the race the car was flawless, I mean I could drive
it anywhere and it would work great, but there after those last two restarts we
were fighting it a little bit and that kept those other guys on me."
Completing the top ten were Matt Miller, Randy Korte, Ken Schrader, Chris Smyser
and Billy Laycock.
In preliminary action Donnie Moran was the Comp Cams Fast Qualifier with a lap
of 20.523 seconds. The PBM Performance Products Heat Races went to Earl Pearson,
Jr., Michael England and Chub Frank. The Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno B-Main
was taken by Mark Voigt. The K&N Engineering "Clean Pass of the Race" went to
none other than Shannon Babb for his move to retake the lead with two laps to go
from Chub Frank. The K&N Engineering "Clean Pass of the Race" is awarded at each
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event and can take place during a heat, consy
or feature event.
The next Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event will take place on Thursday
Night, August 3 at the Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, WI. The event will
be the completion of the 8th Annual "Masters" race that was postponed from June
16. There are two B-mains to be run yet and the feature event will then commence
with a $10,000 winners purse on the line. The series will then race on Tuesday
Night, August 8 at the Dubuque Speedway in Dubuque, IA for a $10,000 to win
payoff. For more information you can log onto to the series website at
www.lucasdirt.com.
Race Summary
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Sunday Night, July 30
Tri-City Speedway-Pontoon Beach, IL
Comp Cams Fast Time: Donnie Moran 20.523 seconds
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 5 Advance): Earl Pearson, Jr.,
Randy Korte, Donnie Moran, Steve Casebolt, Steve Sheppard, Jayme Zidar, Billy
Laycock, Kyle Steffens, Reid Millard, Brian Shirley
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 5 Advance): Michael England,
Shannon Babb, Scott James, Don O'Neal, Matt Miller, Craig Smith, Bryan Collins,
Butch Kruckeberg
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 5 Advance): Chub Frank, Darren
Miller, Michael Kloos, John Mason, Freddy Smith, Chris Smyser, Mark Voigt, Mike
Hammerle, Ken Schrader
Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno B-Main: Mark Voigt, Jayme Zidar, Chris Smyser,
Billy Laycock, Ken Schrader, Bryan Collins, Brian Shirley, Kyle Steffens, Reid
Millard, Butch Kruckeberg, Mike Hammerle, Craig Smith, Scott Bloomquist
"Miller-Lite 50" A-Main: Shannon Babb, Chub Frank, Earl Pearson, Jr., Don
O'Neal, Scott Bloomquist, Matt Miller, Randy Korte, Ken Schrader, Chris Smyser,
Billy Laycock, Freddy Smith, Bryan Collins, John Mason, Mark Voigt, Reid
Millard, Donnie Moran, Darren Miller, Scott James, Michael Kloos, Jayme Zidar,
Michael England, Steve Casebolt, Brian Shirley, Steve Sheppard, Craig Smith
Race Statistics
Entries: 28
Yellow Flags: 6
Red Flags: 0
Lap Leaders: Earl Pearson, Jr. 1-5, Shannon Babb 6-47, Chub Frank 48, Babb 49-50
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Scott Bloomquist (Started 23rd and
finished 5th, advanced 18 positions)
K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Shannon Babb
Hawk Brake Tough Break Award: Darren Miller
Quarter Master Move of the Race: Chub Frank
On the Edge Graphics Fastest Non-Qualifier: Kyle Steffens
Weld Wheels Award: Matt Miller
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Michael England
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Scott Bloomquist and Reid Millard
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings (After July 30)
1. Earl Pearson, Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) 3985
2. Don O'Neal (Martinsville, IN)-3820
3. Donnie Moran (Dresden, OH)-3550
4. Matt Miller (Waterville, OH)-3405
5. Scott James (Lawrenceburg, IN)-3120
6. Steve Casebolt (Richmond, IN)-3045
7. Freddy Smith (Seymour, TN)-2600
8. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN)-2375
9. Michael England (Glasgow, KY)-2350
10. Darren Miller (Chadwick, IL)-1980
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year Points Standings (After July
30)
1. Steve Casebolt (Richmond, IN)-3045
2. Michael England (Glasgow, KY)-2350
3. Brady Smith (Solon Springs, WI)-1910
4. Corey Conley (Wellsburg, WV)-1640
5. Damon Eller (Crumpler, NC)-1125
Upcoming Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Events
August 3--Cedar Lake Speedway-New Richmond, WI "8th Annual Masters" $10,000 to
win
August 8--Dubuque Speedway-Dubuque, IA $10,000 to win
August 19-Brownstown Speedway-Brownstown, IN "27th Annual Jackson 100" $10,000
to win
August 26-Bluegrass Speedway-Bardstown, KY "6th Annual Bluegrass Classic"
$10,000 to win
2006 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors
Lucas Oil- Title Sponsor and “Official Oil Products of the Lucas Oil Late Model
Dirt Series”
K & N Filters - “Official Filters” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
Sunoco Race Fuels- “Official Race Fuel of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series”
Hoosier Race Tires – “Official Race Tire of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series”
Arizona Sport Shirts – “Official Souvenir Manufacturer & Vendor of the Lucas Oil
Late Model Dirt Series”
2006 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include: Lucas Oil Products, K
& N Filters, Sunoco Race Fuels, Arizona Sports Shirts, DART Machinery, COMP
Cams, PBM Performance Products, Hawk Performance Brakes, Edelbrock, PPM, AFCO,
Quarter Master, Design 500, Penske Racing Shocks, Weld Racing Wheels, Banshee
Graphics, Jesel, C J Rayburn Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, Real Wheels, MasterSbilt
Race Cars, Lazer Race Cars, Mason Racin, Cruise With The Champions, Petroff
Towing and All-Star Performance