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Birkhofer Completes Weekend Sweep of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series With Win at Lucas Oil Speedway
WHEATLAND, MO (July 22, 2006) - Coming off of an impressive win on Friday Night
at Knoxville (IA) Raceway Brian Birkhofer picked up his second $10,000 victory
of the weekend on Saturday Night as he won the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
event at the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" Lucas Oil Speedway. Birkhofer survived a
three wide race for the lead with one lap to go and came home the winner barely
edging out Don O'Neal and Scott Bloomquist for the victory before a jam-packed
audience. The 34-year-old Muscatine, IA native piloted his J&J Steel/Simon
Trucking Driver Recruitment/Daufeldt Transport/TB and Company/Bryant
Roofing/Pratt Motorsports/ASI Racewear/Community Bank of Muscatine/JC Dubil Race
Parts/McDonald's of the Quad Cities/Pro Power Engines/Rocket Chevrolet to the
winner’s circle for his fourth career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win.
O'Neal of Martinsville, IN was second in the Randall Eller/Independence Lumber/MasterSbilt
Monte Carlo with Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN finishing third in his Miller
Brothers Coal/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Bloomquist Race Cars Chevrolet. Completing
the top five were 16th starting Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, WI in the Deppe
Enterprises/Heeg Well Drilling/MasterSbilt from Mars Monte Carlo and Terry
Phillips of Springfield, MO in the Presley's Country Jubilee/Hatfield Racing
Engines/GRT. A total of 42 cars were on hand at the Forrest Lucas owned
facility, which hosted the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for the very first
time. The event was also a points race for the O'Reilly Auto Parts MLRA Series.
The 50 lapper, which was taped before the cameras of SPEED Channel, would see
Birkhofer start from the pole alongside Don O'Neal. O'Neal would be credited
with leading the opening lap with Birkhofer, Terry Phillips, Matt Miller and
Ronny Lee Hollingsworth the top five. However by the second go round Birkhofer
would be the new man in the lead with O'Neal in second. The top five drivers
would remain in the same running order up until the ninth circuit. At this point
in the race Birkhofer was steadily holding a two to three car length advantage
over O'Neal. Positions changed in the top five on the ninth lap with Phillips
getting by O'Neal for second and 10th place starting Scott Bloomquist passing
Hollingsworth for fifth.
By lap 17 Birkhofer was starting to pick up the tail end of the field with
Phillips and O'Neal slicing into his lead. But Birkhofer would manage to slip
away from Phillips and O'Neal in traffic as he was up to a half a straightaway
lead by the 23rd lap. On that same lap O'Neal was able to get back around
Phillips in the race for second. At the halfway mark it was still Birkhofer
showing the way followed by O'Neal, Phillips, Miller and Bloomquist. While the
battle for second was good Miller and Bloomquist were putting on their own show
for fourth running side-by-side lap after lap until Bloomquist would take the
fourth spot on lap 30.
With 20 circuits to go and with Birkhofer seemingly comfortable in front, O'Neal
and Phillips would again start to track down the leader in traffic. With no
cautions to clear the track in front of him, Birkhofer was encountering a little
more difficult task this time around with traffic as O'Neal and Phillips would
close right behind him with ten laps remaining in the race. Just when O'Neal was
making a bid to take over the top spot the first and only caution of the race
would come out with 46 laps complete.
On the restart it would be Birkhofer, O'Neal, Phillips, Miller, Bloomquist and
16th starting Jimmy Mars in a four-lap shootout to see who would take the win.
When the green flag flew to restart the race it would signal the beginning of a
tremendous last four laps for the capacity crowd on hand. O'Neal would go to the
very bottom of the race track just as he had done for most of the race with
Bloomquist going to the middle and top groove in their attempts to overhaul
Birkhofer for the lead. Mars went to fourth with three laps to go as he was now
in the battle for the win.
With the cars coming off of turn four for the white flag, they were three wide
for the lead with O'Neal on the bottom, Bloomquist in the middle and Birkhofer
up top. Coming off of turn number two on the final lap Birkhofer would get the
run on O'Neal and Bloomquist and head out of turn four to the checkers to take a
very close win over O'Neal and Bloomquist. Mars would finish fourth followed by
Phillips.
"Man what a race," proclaimed Birkhofer afterwards. "I just want to thank Johnny
Johnson of J&J Steel and Jeff Daufeldt of Daufeldt Transport for all of their
help." "The year didn't start like we wanted to, we've really struggled at
times, but lately this Rocket Chassis has been running really well." "I mean to
beat guys like O'Neal and Bloomquist here tonight says alot about our team that
we can get the job done." "Don raced me hard and clean and I know Scott was
there as well, man what a weekend!"
Completing the top ten were Matt Miller, Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Steve Casebolt,
Donnie Moran and Earl Pearson, Jr.
The preliminary action would see Kerry Hansen take the Comp Cams Fast Time at
16.351 seconds. The PBM Performance Product Heats Races went to Matt Miller, C.J.
Lyle, Brian Birkhofer and Don O'Neal. The Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First
B-Main winner was Scott Drake and the Penske Shocks Second B-Main was taken by
Al Purkey. The K&N Engineering "Clean Pass of the Race" went to Birkhofer whose
last lap pass of Steve Casebolt in heat race number three put him in a scenario
where he would be in the heat race winner draw in which he drew the pole
position for the feature. 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 race, b-main or the feature event.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will next be in action in the Illini State
of Illinois with back-to-back races this upcoming weekend. On Saturday Night,
July 29 the series will be at the Izzo Family promoted La Salle Speedway in La
Salle, IL for the $10,000 to win "Illinois Valley Challenge" and on Sunday
Night, July 30 a visit to Kevin and Tammy Gundaker's Tri City Speedway in
Pontoon Beach, IL awaits the fans and drivers for the "Miller Lite 50" paying
$10,000 to win. Both events will be taped by the cameras of SPEED Channel and
shown on a date and time to be announced in the future.
Race Summary
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series/O'Reilly Auto Parts MLRA Series
Saturday Night, July 22, 2006
Lucas Oil Speedway-Wheatland, MO
Comp Cams Fast Time: Kerry Hansen 16.351 seconds
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Matt Miller, Ronny
Lee Hollingsworth, Kerry Hansen, Chris Wall, Michael England, David Turner,
Richard Foster, Shad Badder, Justin Wells, Steve Rushin, Gary Stolba
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Terry Phillips,
C.J. Lyle, Scott Bloomquist, Dewaine Hottinger, Scott Drake, Shane Essary, Scott
James, Brandon McCormick, Brady Smith, Reid Millard, Bryon Allison
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Brian Birkhofer,
Steve Casebolt, Shannon Anastosopolos, Stacy Taylor, Larry Jones, Chris Smyser,
Jeff Floyd, Freddy Smith, Johnny Bone, Jr., Earl Pearson, Jr.
PBM Performance Products Fourth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Don O'Neal,
Donnie Moran, Alan Vaughn, Jimmy Mars, Al Purkey, Larry Clawson, David Barker,
Jason Bodenhamer, Eric Anderson, P.J. Haskins
Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Scott
Drake, Shane Essary, Michael England, David Turner, Richard Foster, Steve Rushin,
Justin Wells, Brandon McCormick, Shad Badder, Reid Millard, Brady Smith, Gary
Stolba, Scott James
Penske Shocks Second B-Main (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Al Purkey, Jeff Floyd,
Freddy Smith, Larry Jones, Johnny Bone, Jr., Jason Bodenhamer, Eric Anderson,
David Barker, P. J. Haskins, Earl Pearson, Jr., Larry Clawson, Chris Smyser
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series/MLRA Main Event: (50 Laps): Brian Birkhofer,
Don O'Neal, Scott Bloomquist, Jimmy Mars, Terry Phillips, Matt Miller, Ronny Lee
Hollingsworth, Steve Casebolt, Donnie Moran, Earl Pearson, Jr., Alan Vaughn, Al
Purkey, Scott Drake, David Turner, Shane Essary, Stacy Taylor, Freddy Smith,
Scott James, Dewaine Hottinger, Michael England, Kerry Hansen, Shannon
Anastosopolos, Chris Wall, Jeff Floyd, David Barker, C.J. Lyle
Race Statistics
Entries: 42
Yellow Flags: 1
Red Flags: 0
Lap Leaders: Don O'Neal 1, Brian Birkhofer 2-50
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Jimmy Mars (started 16th and finished
fourth, advanced 12 positions)
K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Brian Birkhofer
Hawk Brake Tough Break Award: Chris Wall
Quarter Master Move of the Race: Scott Bloomquist
On the Edge Graphics Fastest Non Qualifier: Brandon McCormick
Weld Wheels Award: Ronny Lee Hollingsworth
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Earl Pearson, Jr. and Scott James
O'Reilly Auto Parts MLRA Series Provisionals: David Turner and David Barker
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Race: Steve Casebolt
Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings (After
July 22)
1. Earl Pearson, Jr. (Jacksonville, FL)-3555
2. Don O'Neal (Martinsville, IN)-3435
3. Donnie Moran (Dresden, OH)-3200
4. Matt Miller (Waterville, OH)-3005
5. Scott James (Lawrenceburg, IN)-2775
6. Steve Casebolt (Richmond, IN)-2750
7. Freddy Smith (Seymour,TN)-2280
8. Michael England (Glasgow, KY)-2075
9. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN)-1920
10. Brady Smith (Solon Springs, WI)-1910
11. Tim Dohm (Cross Lanes, WV)-1810
12. Brian Birkhofer (Muscatine, IA)-1685
13. Corey Conley (Wellsburg, WV)-1640
14. Darren Miller (Chadwick, IL)-1615
15. Jimmy Mars (Menomonie, WI)-1530
Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year Standings (after
July 22)
1. Steve Casebolt (Richmond, IN)-2750
2. Michael England (Glasgow, KY)-2075
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 Race Schedule
July 29--La Salle Speedway-La Salle, IL $10,000 to win SPEED Channel Taping
July 30--Tri City Speedway-Pontoon Beach, IL $10,000 to win SPEED Channel Taping
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 Champione="hetroff
Towing and All-Star Performance