O’Neal scores Lucas Oil Model top prize at Tri-City Speedway

PONTOON BEACH, IL (May 4, 2012) – It took Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN just four laps to gain the lead as he went on to take the $10,000 to win Spring Classic 50.O’Neal knew he had a good race car when he won the first heat race to earn the pole for Friday Night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event at Tri-City Speedway.

Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA tried to chase down O’Neal in the closing laps as he settled for his best LOLMDS finish of the year to place second. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN held off point’s leader, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN for third. Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR came home in fifth.

O’Neal came into the race tied for second in Lucas Oil Championship Points and made it to Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the fifth time behind the wheel of the Tader and Keith MasterSbilt house car. “The car was awesome, we didn’t qualify like we wanted to, but winning that first heat sure made us feel like we had a great shot at winning here tonight. (Brian) Shirley fired off real good, but our car was so good on the bottom,” said O’Neal, who trailed Shirley for the first three laps of the race.

“Our last race in Pennsylvania was not good at all, I think we finished 18th. If we are going to win the championship this year, we can’t have finishes like that! This is definitely a step in the right direction. I have to thank Keith, Tader, and the crew. The car was just on a rail tonight,” said the 47-year-old. The victory marks the 24th series win of O’Neal’s career.

O’Neal’s Jay Dickens Racing Engines powered car is sponsored by Optima Batteries, Independence Lumber, Tarpy Trucking, O’Neal Mulch, Seubert Calf Ranches, Superior Cleaning Services, Jones Core, and Budda Bert Transmission.

O’Neal had very little difficulty maintaining his lead, only once in traffic was Bloomquist able to close ground on him, but after several cautions O’Neal had the dominant car for the rest of the race. Reddick was able to wrestle second away from Bloomquist with 15 laps to go.

“We had a really good car, I think if we could have won that first heat we might have been the car to beat tonight. I didn’t have anything for Don, but Scott and I had a really good race. We will take this finish, it was our best of the year and head to Paducah,” said the driver of the Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records, Bloomquist Race Cars Chevrolet.

Completing the top ten were Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY; Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, WI; Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; John Blankenship of Williamson, WV; and Austin Hubbard of Seaford, DE.

In preliminary action Tyler Reddick was the Red Buck Cigar Fastest Qualifier among the 48 entrants. Heat races were won by Don O’Neal, Brad Neat, Brian Shirley, and Scott Bloomquist. Jimmy Owens and Jared Landers won the B-Mains.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be at Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, KY on Saturday Night, May 5th for a $10,000 to win event. For more information log on to www.paducahracing.com.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and make sure to follow us at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.

 

Lucas Oil Series Late Models – A-Main — 48 Cars
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 71 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN
2 11 Tyler Reddick Corning, CA, IL – Fast Time: 14.468
3 0B Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
4 20J Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
5 6M Wendall Wallace Grayson, KY, AR
6 41N Brad Neat Dunnville, KY
7 28M Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
8 44 Earl Pearson Jr. Jacksonville, FL
9 23X John Blankenship Williamson, WV, TN
10 11H Austin Hubbard ,
11 B5 Brandon Sheppard Berlin, IL
12 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
13 28E Dennis Erb, Jr. Carpentersville, IL
14 5L Jared Landers Batesville, NC
15 15D Jonathan Davenport ,
16 18W Eric Wells Hazard, KY
17 3S Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
18 18H Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth ,
19 2 Brady Smith Solon Springs, WI
20 A1 Duke Whiseant ,
21 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
22 28C Eddie Carrier, Jr Salt Rock, WV
23 78 Chad Zobrist (L) Highland, IL
24 81C Kevin Cole Benton, IL
25 15B Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, IA
26 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR

Lucas Oil Series Late Models – B-Main 1
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 20J Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
2 2 Brady Smith Solon Springs, WI
3 15B Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, IA
4 15D Jonathan Davenport ,
5 99JR Frank Heckenast, Jr. Frankfort, IL
6 77 Jason McBride Carbondale, IL
7 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
8 5B Klint Byars ,
9 25C Chad Simpson mt vernon,
10 46 Tim Rivers ,
11 33 Tim Manville Troy, IL
12 5 Eric Jacobsen Watsonville, CA
13 7L Jerry Lierly Camp Point, IL
14 00 Randy Korte Highland, IL
15 33F Rickey Frankel Quincy, IL
16 8 Craig Smith Godfrey, IL

Lucas Oil Series Late Models – B-Main 2
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 5L Jared Landers Batesville, NC
2 44 Earl Pearson Jr. Jacksonville, FL
3 81C Kevin Cole Benton, IL
4 25 Jason Feger Bloomington, IL
5 78 Chad Zobrist (L) Highland, IL
6 32X Chris Simpson Oxford, IA
7 23X John Blankenship Williamson, WV, TN
8 15R Mark Burgtorf Quincy, IL
9 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
10 20 Dustin Griffin (LR) Camp Point, IL
11 54 Dillan White Crofton, KY
12 82 Billy Laycock Marine, IL
13 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL
14 1ST Justin Reed Collinsville, IL
15 93J Jay Johnson ,
16 92K Billy Faust Highland, IL

Lucas Oil Series  Late Models – Heat 1
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 71 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN
2 11 Tyler Reddick Corning, CA, IL
3 18 Shannon Babb Moweaqua, IL
4 28M Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
5 15D Jonathan Davenport ,
6 99JR Frank Heckenast, Jr. Frankfort, IL
7 77 Jason McBride Carbondale, IL
8 33 Tim Manville Troy, IL
9 5 Eric Jacobsen Watsonville, CA
10 7L Jerry Lierly Camp Point, IL
11 00 Randy Korte Highland, IL
12 33F Rickey Frankel Quincy, IL

Lucas Oil Series  Late Models – Heat 2
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 41N Brad Neat Dunnville, KY
2 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
3 B5 Brandon Sheppard Berlin, IL
4 11H Austin Hubbard ,
5 20J Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
6 2 Brady Smith Solon Springs, WI
7 15B Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, IA
8 5B Klint Byars ,
9 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
10 25C Chad Simpson mt vernon,
11 46 Tim Rivers ,
12 8 Craig Smith Godfrey, IL

Lucas Oil Series  Late Models – Heat 3
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 3S Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
2 28E Dennis Erb, Jr. Carpentersville, IL
3 18H Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth ,
4 A1 Duke Whiseant ,
5 5L Jared Landers Batesville, NC
6 24 Ryan Unzicker El Paso, IL
7 15R Mark Burgtorf Quincy, IL
8 32X Chris Simpson Oxford, IA
9 1ST Justin Reed Collinsville, IL
10 20 Dustin Griffin (LR) Camp Point, IL
11 82 Billy Laycock Marine, IL
12 92K Billy Faust Highland, IL

Lucas Oil Series  Late Models – Heat 4
Finish Car No Driver Hometown
1 0B Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
2 18W Eric Wells Hazard, KY
3 6M Wendall Wallace Grayson, KY, AR
4 28C Eddie Carrier, Jr Salt Rock, WV
5 81C Kevin Cole Benton, IL
6 78 Chad Zobrist (L) Highland, IL
7 44 Earl Pearson Jr. Jacksonville, FL
8 23X John Blankenship Williamson, WV, TN
9 25 Jason Feger Bloomington, IL
10 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
11 93J Jay Johnson ,
12 54 Dillan White Crofton, KY

 

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