|
Bloomquist repeats as Knoxville Late Model Nationals Champion
By Bob Wilson
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (October 4) – Coming on hard late in the race, Scott
Bloomquist won the 6th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals
Sunday night at Knoxville Raceway. It marked Bloomquist’s second Nationals
win as he took this event in 2005. The victory paid the Mooresburg,
Tennessee driver $40,000.
For the longest time in this 100-lap championship, it appeared that Shannon
Babb would take his first Nationals win after starting on the pole of this
race. For nearly ten laps he was paced by fellow front row starter Rick
Eckert. Then it was Bloomquist who chased the leader for a couple of laps.
Brady Smith came into play as he followed Babb until the 31st go around.
Throughout this portion of the race, Babb had control and at his best held a
25 car-length lead on Knoxville’s big half-mile oval.
It was lap 31 in which Bloomquist took over the second spot when he got by
Brady Smith in heavy traffic, but he could not stay with Babb. As the race
neared the half-way mark, Bloomquist slowly began reeling in the Babb
machine. He stayed close but was unable to get around Babb.
On lap 55 Bloomquist made his move as he ran with Babb in a nose to tail
fashion. For the next ten laps Babb had his hands full with Bloomquist’s
various attempts to pass. Bloomquist had found a new line which took him
into and out of all turns at mid-track. Babb, in the meantime ran the top
with the cushion devilishly near the track’s tall fences.
Lap 65 prove to be Babb’s demise when Bloomquist took the race lead for good
as he roared out of turn four. Lap traffic played a part in this race as all
race leaders, when faced with the backmarkers, seemed to falter and allow
the contenders a chance to make a race of it.
Behind leader Bloomquist, several skirmishes broke out especially between
Billy Moyer and Jimmy Mars. On lap 79 Brady Smith made it a three-car battle
and that is when Mars sailed into the marbles in turn three and lost his
contention for the runner-up spot. After that he no longer was a factor and
soon pulled into the pits.
In the waning laps, there were several changes in the top five positions as
Bloomquist pulled away. The track, which had been bladed prior to the C
Main, held several grooves to the finish, but only Bloomquist utilized the
mid-track goove.
When Bloomquist took the checkered flags, he held an entire “chute”
advantage over second place finisher Moyer. Defending Nationals champion Tim
McCreadie took third. Completing the top five were Brady Smith and Josh
Richards. Tony Stewart, who started 27th, progressively worked his way
forward to finish seventh in the field of twenty-eight.
The 6th annual event had been scheduled for Thursday through Saturday,
October 1-3. However, the first two nights were called due to rains during
the day. Saturday night’s finale was postponed to Sunday evening when rain
again descended upon the fairgrounds just prior to the qualifying time
trials.
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
October 4, 2009
Late Models RESULTS
Time Trial, 1 laps, 1. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua IL, 19.757; 2. Rick Eckert,
York PA, 20.019; 3. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg TN, 20.04; 4. Jimmy Mars,
Menomonie WI, 20.325; 5. Jimmy Owens, Newport IN, 20.461; 6. Matt Miller,
Whitehouse OH, 20.516; 7. Brady Smith, Solon Springs WI, 20.559; 8. Brian
Shirley, Chatham IL, 20.599; 9. Billy Moyer, Batesville AR, 20.619; 10. Josh
Richards, Shinnston WV, 20.62; 11. Will Voight, Crane MO, 20.644; 12.
Darrell Lanigan, Union KY, 20.65; 13. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine IA, 20.687;
14. Steve Francis, Ashland KY, 20.693; 15. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville
FL, 20.775; 16. Dan Schlieper, Sullivan WI, 20.793; 17. Jeep Van Wormer,
Pinconning MI, 20.797; 18. Chad Simpson, Mount Vernon IA, 20.804; 19. Darren
Miller, Milledgeville IL, 20.856; 20. Rickey Frankel, Quincy IL, 20.88; 21.
Vic Coffey, Caledonia NY, 20.897; 22. Eddie Kirchoff, Gillette WY, 20.963;
23. Tommy Elston, Mt. Pleasant IA, 20.982; 24. Tim McCreadie, Watertown NY,
21.017; 25. Brad Neat, Dunnville KY, 21.018; 26. Rob Moss, Iowa City IA,
21.059; 27. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque IA, 21.077; 28. Jason Rauen, Farley IA,
21.135; 29. Terry Casey, New London WI, 21.149; 30. Denny Eckrich, Oxford
IA, 21.171; 31. Scott James, Lawrenceburg IN, 21.251; 32. John Duty,
Portland OR, 21.395; 33. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City IA, 21.408; 34. John
Blankenship, Williamson WV, 21.441; 35. Ken Schrader, Concord NC, 21.464;
36. Curt Martin, Independence IA, 21.488; 37. Justin Fegers, Mound MN,
21.57; 38. Jason Utter, Columbus Junction IA, 21.585; 39. Dave Eckrich,
Oxford IA, 21.63; 40. Chris Simpson, Marion IA, 21.82; 41. Nick Marolf,
Moscow IA, 21.839; 42. Chris Spieker, Massena IA, 21.884; 43. Matt Furman,
Iowa City IA, 21.891; 44. Jill George, Cedar Falls IA, 21.938; 45. Boone
McLaughlin, Mediapolis IA, 22.021; 46. Paul Glendenning, Mount Ayr IA,
22.073; 47. Chris Schroeder, Ankeny IA, 22.187; 48. Dan Shelliam, Hazel
Green WI, 22.241; 49. Mike Fryer, Freeport IL, 22.542; 50. Curt Schroeder,
Des Moines IA, 22.674; 51. Rich Bell, Sheffield IL, 22.746; 52. Junior
Coover, Norfolk NE, 23.388; 53. Ed Sanger, Postville IA, 23.446; 54. Kerry
Hansen, Spencer WI, No Time; 55. Chris Smyser, Lancaster MO, No Time; 56.
Tim Isenberg, Marshfield WI, No Time; 57. Ryan Newman, South Bend IN, No
Time; 58. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown IA, No Time; 59. Tony Stewart,
Columbus IN, No Time;
Heat 1, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Brady Smith, Solon Springs WI; 2. Jeep Van
Wormer, Pinconning MI; 3. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua IL; 4. Jeremiah Hurst,
Dubuque IA; 5. Justin Fegers, Mound MN; 6. Eddie Kirchoff, Gillette WY; 7.
Chris Spieker, Massena IA; 8. Ken Schrader, Concord NC; 9. Chris Schroeder,
Ankeny IA; 10. Junior Coover, Norfolk NE; 11. Darrell Lanigan, Union KY;
Heat 2, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine IA; 2. Chad Simpson,
Mount Vernon IA; 3. Brian Shirley, Chatham IL; 4. Rick Eckert, York PA; 5.
Jason Utter, Columbus Junction IA; 6. Jason Rauen, Farley IA; 7. John Duty,
Portland OR; 8. Dan Shelliam, Hazel Green WI; 9. Matt Furman, Iowa City IA;
10. Tommy Elston, Mt. Pleasant IA; 11. Ed Sanger, Postville IA;
Heat 3, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Tim McCreadie, Watertown NY; 2. Steve Francis,
Ashland KY; 3. Billy Moyer, Batesville AR; 4. Darren Miller, Milledgeville
IL; 5. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie WI; 6. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City IA; 7. Scott
Bloomquist, Mooresburg TN; 8. Dave Eckrich, Oxford IA; 9. Mike Fryer,
Freeport IL; 10. Jill George, Cedar Falls IA; 11. Terry Casey, New London
WI;
Heat 4, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Scott James, Lawrenceburg IN; 2. Brad Neat,
Dunnville KY; 3. Rickey Frankel, Quincy IL; 4. Earl Pearson Jr.,
Jacksonville FL; 5. Josh Richards, Shinnston WV; 6. Chris Simpson, Marion
IA; 7. Jimmy Owens, Newport IN; 8. John Blankenship, Williamson WV; 9. Boone
McLaughlin, Mediapolis IA; 10. Curt Schroeder, Des Moines IA;
Heat 5, 12 laps, 4:00.1: 1. Denny Eckrich, Oxford IA; 2. Dan Schlieper,
Sullivan WI; 3. Rob Moss, Iowa City IA; 4. Vic Coffey, Caledonia NY; 5. Matt
Miller, Whitehouse OH; 6. Nick Marolf, Moscow IA; 7. Curt Martin,
Independence IA; 8. Rich Bell, Sheffield IL; 9. Will Voight, Crane MO; 10.
Paul Glendenning, Mount Ayr IA;
C Feature , 20 laps, No Time: 1. Dave Eckrich, Oxford IA; 2. Matt Furman,
Iowa City IA; 3. Chris Spieker, Massena IA; 4. Jill George, Cedar Falls IA;
5. Dan Shelliam, Hazel Green WI; 6. Mike Fryer, Freeport IL; 7. Paul
Glendenning, Mount Ayr IA; 8. Curt Schroeder, Des Moines IA; 9. Ed Sanger,
Postville IA; 10. Chris Schroeder, Ankeny IA; 11. Junior Coover, Norfolk NE;
12. Rich Bell, Sheffield IL; 13. Boone McLaughlin, Mediapolis IA;
B Feature , 25 laps, No Time: 1. Darrell Lanigan, Union KY; 2. Brad Neat,
Dunnville KY; 3. Scott James, Lawrenceburg IN; 4. Denny Eckrich, Oxford IA;
5. Vic Coffey, Caledonia NY; 6. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque IA; 7. Justin Fegers,
Mound MN; 8. Jason Rauen, Farley IA; 9. Eddie Kirchoff, Gillette WY; 10.
John Blankenship, Williamson WV; 11. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City IA; 12. John
Duty, Portland OR; 13. Dave Eckrich, Oxford IA; 14. Tommy Elston, Mt.
Pleasant IA; 15. Jill George, Cedar Falls IA; 16. Ken Schrader, Concord NC;
17. Jason Utter, Columbus Junction IA; 18. Nick Marolf, Moscow IA; 19. Curt
Martin, Independence IA; 20. Rob Moss, Iowa City IA; 21. Matt Furman, Iowa
City IA; 22. Chris Simpson, Marion IA; 23. Terry Casey, New London WI;
A Feature , 100 laps, No Time: 1. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg TN; 2. Billy
Moyer, Batesville AR; 3. Tim McCreadie, Watertown NY; 4. Brady Smith, Solon
Springs WI; 5. Josh Richards, Shinnston WV; 6. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine
IA; 7. Tony Stewart, Columbus IN; 8. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua IL; 9. Chad
Simpson, Mount Vernon IA; 10. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville FL; 11. Rick
Eckert, York PA; 12. Scott James, Lawrenceburg IN; 13. Darrell Lanigan,
Union KY; 14. Darren Miller, Milledgeville IL; 15. Vic Coffey, Caledonia NY;
16. Jeep Van Wormer, Pinconning MI; 17. Rickey Frankel, Quincy IL; 18. Jimmy
Owens, Newport IN; 19. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie WI; 20. Matt Miller, Whitehouse
OH; 21. Will Voight, Crane MO; 22. Ryan Newman, South Bend IN; 23. Steve
Francis, Ashland KY; 24. Dan Schlieper, Sullivan WI; 25. Jeremiah Hurst,
Dubuque IA; 26. Denny Eckrich, Oxford IA; 27. Brad Neat, Dunnville KY; 28.
Brian Shirley, Chatham IL. Lap Leaders: Eckert 1; Babb 2-65; Bloomquist
66-100
 |
