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Don O'Neal Takes Back to Back Wins Tuesday
Night at East Bay Raceway Park
TAMPA, FL (February 14, 2012) -
Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN captured $5,000 tonight with his second win
at the DART Winternationals East Bay Raceway Park on Tuesday Night. O'Neal
took command of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series sanctioned event and
stormed on for his 14th career win at the 1/3 mile oval. John Blankenship of
Williamson, WV passed Austin Hubbard of Seaford, DE on the final lap to
place second. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN and Steve Francis of
Ashland, KY rounded out the top five.
The race got off to rough start
with a false start. Then O'Neal and Shannon Babb, who started on the front
row alongside each other, got together heading into turn number one on the
second attempt to start the race. Babb suffered substantial damage, ending
his night. In Victory Lane, O'Neal was subdued after the contact with Babb.
"Man I hated that, Shannon and I are friends. I got in there and we got
together, I drove it in wide-open. I think I blistered my tires again
tonight as well. My hat's off again to this MasterSbilt crew, they've built
a great race car, and thanks to Jay Dickens for building us such a stout
engine. We are off to a great start this season," said the 47-year-old, who
captured his 21st win in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competition.
O'Neal led all 25 laps, but a heated battle lasted the entire distance
for second. All eyes were on Blankenship and Hubbard. Those two swapped the
second spot four times during the race with Blankenship in the Coal
America's Energy, Cornett Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis going to the
high-side, passing Hubbard coming off of turn number two on the final lap to
capture the runner-up spot. Hubbard wound up third in the Tim Logan Racing,
Trinity Logistics, Rocket Chassis Chevrolet.
O'Neal, who is fourth
all-time in LOLMDS series wins, rode the cushion for most of the race and at
times it appeared that both Blankenship and Hubbard were gaining ground on
him. Once O'Neal reached traffic he was able to take command of the race.
"Our goal is to win the Lucas Oil Series title this year and even though
this doesn't count toward the season-long points we are going to be ready
for Friday and Saturday for sure."
Bloomquist took fourth in his
Hawkeye Trucking, Roush-Yates Racing Engines, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford.
Francis grabbed fifth in the Valvoline, Clements Racing Engines, Barry
Wright Race Cars Chevrolet.
Completing the top ten were Dennis Erb
Jr. of Carpentersville, IL; Randy Korte of Highland, IL; Duke Whiseant of
Texarkana, AR; Dillan White of Crofton, KY; and Jonathan Davenport of
Blairsville, GA.
In preliminary action, O'Neal was the Red Buck
Cigars Fast Qualifier among the 43 entrants with a lap of 14.402 seconds.
Heat races were won by O'Neal, Terry Casey, Shannon Babb, and John
Blankenship. The B-main winners were Eric Jacobsen and Dillan White. The PRC
Strawberry Dash was taken by Brandon Sheppard.
Coming up on Wednesday
Night, February 15th will be night number three of the 36th Annual DART
Winternationals for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series with a complete
show featuring a $7,000 to win main event. For more information log on to
www.eastbayracewaypark.com.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas
Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com or call the series'
office at (951) 532-2503.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race
Summary
Tuesday Night, February 14, 2012
36th Annual DART
Winternationals
East Bay Raceway Park - Tampa, FL
Red Buck Cigars
Fast Time:
Don O'Neal / 14.402 seconds (Group A)
Shannon Babb /
14.654 seconds (Group B and Overall)
Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (8
Laps- Top 4 Advance): Don O'Neal, Scott Bloomquist, Jared Landers, Jonathan
Davenport, Eric Jacobsen, Scott James, Ray Cook, Morgan Bagley, Chris Brown,
Terry Naugle, Robert Geiger-DNS
U. S. Steel Second Heat (8 Laps- Top
4 Advance): Terry Casey, Steve Francis, Randy Korte, Eric Wells, Scott
Creel, Jason Riggs, Jackie Nosbisch, Danny Mitchell, Leon Henderson, Mark
Andersen
Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (8 Laps- Top 4
Advance): Shannon Babb, Duke Whiseant, Dennis Erb, Jr., Daniel Stone, Justin
Rattliff, Chad Stapleton, Chad Hollenbeck, James O'Hara, Todd Frank, Shane
Cottle
HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (8 Laps- Top 4 Advance): John
Blankenship, Austin Hubbard, Josh McGuire, Bobby Pierce, Dillan White,
Brandon Sheppard, Tyler Reddick, Travis Varnadore, Victor Lee, Doug Blashe
JRi Shocks First B-Main (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Eric Jacobsen, Scott
Creel, Scott James, Jason Riggs, Ray Cook, Danny Mitchell, Morgan Bagley,
Jackie Nosbisch, Leon Henderson, Chris Brown, Mark Andersen
PAC
Racing Springs Second B-Main (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Dillan White, Justin
Rattliff, Chad Hollenbeck, Tyler Reddick, Brandon Sheppard, Victor Lee,
Shelby Miles, James O'Hara, Doug Blashe, Chad Stapleton, Todd Frank, Travis
Varnadore
PRC Strawberry Dash Presented by DirtonDirt.com (Laps-
Winner Advances): Brandon Sheppard, Victor Lee, Shelby Miles, Doug Blashe,
James O'Hara
Feature Finish - 25 Laps:
FINISH START CAR #
DRIVER NAME HOMETOWN
1 1 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
2 4 23 John
Blankenship Williamson, WV
3 8 11h Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
4 5 0
Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
5 7 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
6 10
28e Dennis Erb, Jr. Carpentersville, IL
7 11 81x Randy Korte Highland, IL
8 6 A1 Duke Whiseant Texarkana, AR
9 18 54W Dillan White Crofton, KY
10 13 15d Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
11 14 21d Daniel Stone
Thompson, PA
12 25 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
13 12 41 Josh McGuire
Grayson, KY
14 17 5J Eric Jacobsen Watsonville, CA
15 20 16 Justin
Rattliff Campbellsville, KY
16 22 4-Ds Chad Hollenbeck Montrose, PA
17
15 18e Eric Wells Hazard, KY
18 16 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
19 19
31 Scott Creel Franklinton, LA
20 3 42c Terry Casey New London, WI
21
21 81 Scott James Lawrenceburg, IN
22 24 11T Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
23 26 b5 Brandon Sheppard Berlin, IL
24 23 81JR Jason Riggs Harrisburg,
IL
25 9 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
26 2 18 Shannon Babb Mowequa,
IL
Race Statistics
Entrants: 43
Lap Leaders: Don O'Neal
(Laps 1 - 25)
Caution Flags: Shannon Babb (Lap 1); Jared Landers (Lap 1);
Eric Wells (Lap 7)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: n/a
DirtonDirt.com Fast Time Provisional: Ray Cook
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series Emergency Provisional: n/a
Performance Bodies First Non-Qualifier:
Victor Lee
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Ray Cook (Started
25th; Finished 12th; Advanced 13 positions)
Allstar Performer of the
Race: Austin Hubbard
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Austin Hubbard
ASi Racewear Challenge Finisher: Don O'Neal
Quarter Master Rookie of the
Race: n/a
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Jay Dickens Racing
Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: MasterSbilt Race Cars
Sweet Mfg Crew Chief of the Race: Tom Buckingham
Time of Race: 18 minutes
16 seconds
DART Winternationals Point Standings:
1 71 Don O'Neal
510
2 0 Scott Bloomquist 415
3 81x Randy Korte 390
4 23 John
Blankenship 385
4 28e Dennis Erb, Jr. 385
6 18 Shannon Babb 375
7
15 Steve Francis 370
7 5J Eric Jacobsen 370
9 21d Daniel Stone 365
10 53 Ray Cook 340
2012 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series Schedule
Venue Track City, State To Win
13-Feb East Bay
Raceway Park Tampa, FL $5,000
14-Feb East Bay Raceway Park Tampa, FL
$5,000
15-Feb East Bay Raceway Park Tampa, FL $7,000
16-Feb East Bay
Raceway Park Tampa, FL $7,000
17-Feb East Bay Raceway Park Tampa, FL
$10,000
18-Feb East Bay Raceway Park Tampa, FL $10,000
24-Mar
Brownstown Speedway Brownstown, IN $10,000
30-Mar Jackson Motor Speedway
Jackson, MS $10,000
31-Mar Lonestar Speedway Kilgore, TX $10,000
13,14-Apr Virginia Motor Speedway Saluda, VA $25,000
20-Apr Roaring Knob
Motorsports Complex Markleysburg, PA $10,000
21-Apr Hagerstown Speedway
Hagerstown, MD $10,000
4-May Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach, IL $10,000
5-May Paducah International Raceway Paducah, KY $10,000
11-May Hartford
Motor Speedway Hartford, MI $10,000
12-May La Salle Speedway La Salle, IL
$10,000
18,19-May Batesville Motor Speedway Batesville, AR $20,000
25,26-May Lucas Oil Speedway Wheatland, MO $30,000
1-Jun Tazewell
Speedway Tazewell, TN $10,000
2-Jun Florence Speedway Florence, KY
$10,000
22-Jun Cherokee Speedway Gaffney, SC $10,000
23-Jun Wythe
Raceway Rural Retreat, VA $10,000
1-Jul Portsmouth Raceway Park
Portsmouth, OH $10,000
3-Jul Muskingum County Speedway Zanesville, OH
$10,000
6,7-Jul Magnolia Motor Speedway Columbus, MS $20,000
13-Jul
Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach, IL $10,000
14-Jul Lucas Oil Speedway
Wheatland, MO $10,000
20,21-Jul I-80 Speedway Greenwood, NE $25,000
24-Jul Stateline Speedway Busti, NY $10,000
25-Jul Utica Rome Speedway
Vernon, NY $10,000
26-Jul Fonda Speedway Fonda, NY $10,000
28-Jul
Hagerstown Speedway Hagerstown, MD $10,000
10,11-Aug Florence Speedway
Florence, KY $50,000
17,18-Aug Batesville Motor Speedway Batesville, AR
$40,000
23-Aug Volunteer Speedway Bulls Gap, TN $10,000
25-Aug
Lawrenceburg Speedway Lawrenceburg, IN $10,000
31-Aug, 1-Sep Portsmouth
Raceway Park Portsmouth, OH $20,000
2-Sep I-77 Raceway Park Ripley, WV
$25,000
14,15-Sep Virginia Motor Speedway Saluda, VA $20,000
21,22-Sep
Brownstown Speedway Brownstown, IN $20,000
27-Sep Knoxville Raceway
Knoxville, IA $7,000
28-Sep Knoxville Raceway Knoxville, IA $7,000
29-Sep Knoxville Raceway Knoxville, IA $40,000
6-Oct Dixie Speedway
Woodstock, GA $10,000
7-Oct Rome International Speedway Rome, GA $10,000
19,20-Oct Portsmouth Raceway Park Portsmouth, OH $50,000
2012
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors
ASI Racewear - "The
Official Merchandise Vendor" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Canidae Pet Foods - "The Official Pet Foods" of the Lucas Oil Late Model
Dirt Series
DART Machinery - "The Official Engine Components" of the
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
E3 Spark Plugs - "The Official
Spark Plug" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Geico - "The
Official Insurance" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
General
Tire - "The Official Tire" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Hoosier Tire - "The Official Race Tire" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series
Lucas Oil Products - "The Official Oil" of the Lucas Oil Late
Model Dirt Series
MavTV - "The Official Men's Network" of the Lucas Oil
Late Model Dirt Series
Optima Batteries - "The Official Battery" of the
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Speedco - "The Official Truck Lube
and Tire Center" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Sunoco Race
Fuels - "The Official Fuel" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
U. S. Steel - "The Official Steel Manufacturer" of the Lucas Oil Late Model
Dirt Series
2012 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include:
Allstar Performance, American Racer, Banshee Graphics, Barry Wright
Race Cars, Bloomquist Race Cars, COMP Cams, Chizmark Larson Insurance,
Cornett Racing Engines, Cruise with the Champions, CV Products,
DirtonDirt.com, Dyers Top Rods, ECR Race Engines, Eibach Springs, Fast
Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Gaerte Engines, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Jay
Dickens Racing Engines, JE Pistons, JRi Shocks, Keyser MFG, Longhorn
Chassis, MasterSbilt Chassis, Öhlins, Outerwears, PBM/Erson Cams,
PAC
Racing Springs, Performance Bodies, Pierce Racecars, PRC, Pro Power Racing,
Quarter Master, Race Engine Design, Red Buck Cigars, Rhyne Race Engines,
Rick Schwallie Photography, Ringers Gloves, Rocket Chassis, Roush Yates
Engines, Roush Yates Performance Parts, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet
Mfg, Vic Hill Race Engines, Weld Racing Wheels, Wiles Drive Shafts, Wrisco,
5150 Race Trailers.
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