Ferguson Edges Davenport in Close Diamond Nationals Finish
WHEATLAND, MO (July 19, 2020) – Chris Ferguson’s first weekend racing at Lucas Oil Speedway will be memorable as the North Carolina native captured an exciting 14th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals on Sunday Night at Lucas Oil Speedway. Ferguson edged 3-time and reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion Jonathan Davenport by just .086 seconds at the finish line to record his second career LOLMDS win. Shane Clanton finished in third followed by Rick Eckert and Shanon Buckingham.
The race which was delayed for nearly two hours because of light rain. Ferguson, who started from the pole led the first eight laps until Hall-of-Famer Billy Moyer Sr. grabbed the top spot for one lap. That would not last long as Ferguson came right back to regain the lead a lap later. Ferguson fought off some strong challenges from the field and he had to dive under Davenport to maintain the lead that he held all the way to the checkered flag to become the series’ 15th different winner this season.
Ferguson; in Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the first time outside of his home state; was elated with his win. “Man, I can’t believe it. I am telling you God is great. I have so many people to thank. You know if it wasn’t for my sponsors, I wouldn’t even be here right now. This is something I’ve dreamed of for a long time, to come out here and win at a racetrack like this and do it like this. It’s just awesome. When Jonathan got by me, he slid way up in four and I was able to turn under him and beat him into turn one. We rubbed a little going down the backstretch, but it was just good hard racing. I wasn’t going to give up and fortunately we were able to beat him to the line.”
Davenport was pleased with a podium finish for the night, “I was just biding my time early on and letting things sort themselves out. Once I got a handle on things, I found a line I liked. I slid under Ferguson in four, but I went too far up the track and got in the berm and I couldn’t get off of it fast enough to keep Chris behind me. What happened to Jimmy [Owens] was tough break for him, he had a good car. Congrats to Chris and his guys on the win.”
Clanton was in the thick of things in the race for the lead over the last 20 laps of the race as he took third in his first visit to the track as well. “I like this place; it was slick last night and hammer down tonight. We were right in there tonight for the lead. I think I showed Jonathan the way around when I got to Ferguson with about 20 laps to go. He [Davenport] got by me and used my line to catch Ferguson. It was my kind of track tonight and the track crew did a good job getting the track ready after the rain. Thanks to Forrest Lucas for giving us such a great facility to be able to race at.”
The winner’s Bryan Conard Racing/Team Zero Bloomquist Race Car is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Diff-Tran Machining Inc., Live Oak Aesthetic and Family Dentistry, K&K Trucking, The Racing Warehouse, Carver and Sons Roofing, Butlerbuilt, and Beaux Tie Limousine Service.
Completing the top ten were Kyle Bronson, Kyle Strickler, Tyler Bruening, Josh Richards, and Tim McCreadie.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
CMH Diamond Nationals – Presented by Super Clean
Sunday, July 19th, 2020
Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, MO
Lucas Oil Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Chris Ferguson / 14.838 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Shanon Buckingham / 15.095 seconds
Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 22F-Chris Ferguson[1]; 2. 20-Jimmy Owens[3]; 3. 49-Jonathan Davenport[2]; 4. 1C-Chad Simpson[5]; 5. 81E-Tanner English[8]; 6. 75-Terry Phillips[4]; 7. 12D-Doug Drown[10]; 8. 50X-Kaeden Cornell[9]; 9. 1X-Aaron Marrant[6]; 10. 91T-Tony Toste[7]; 11. 3W-Brennon Willard[11]
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 21M-Billy Moyer Sr[1]; 2. 25-Shane Clanton[2]; 3. 00-Jesse Stovall[6]; 4. 9-Devin Moran[4]; 5. 40B-Kyle Bronson[8]; 6. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[3]; 7. 16-Tyler Bruening[5]; 8. 14-Josh Richards[9]; 9. 59-Garrett Alberson[7]; 10. 6H-Al Humphrey[10]; 11. (DNS) 56-Tony Jackson Jr
Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 50-Shanon Buckingham[1]; 2. 57-Mike Marlar[4]; 3. 1ST-Johnny Scott[6]; 4. 1V-Will Vaught[5]; 5. 1T-Tyler Erb[3]; 6. 91P-Jason Papich[7]; 7. 58-Jeremiah Hurst[9]; 8. 12C-Scott Crigler[10]; 9. 15D-Justin Duty[8]; 10. 21F-Johnny Fennewald[11]; 11. 15L-Payton Looney[2]
Ohlins Shocks Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[1]; 2. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[2]; 3. 0E-Rick Eckert[4]; 4. 32B-Cody Laney[3]; 5. 39-Tim McCreadie[5]; 6. 93-Mason Oberkramer[6]; 7. 8-Kyle Strickler[9]; 8. 22H-Daniel Hilsabeck[11]; 9. 78S-Steve Stultz[10]; 10. 53-Andrew Kosiski[8]; 11. 2S-Stormy Scott[7]
Tiger Rear Ends B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 40B-Kyle Bronson[2]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 3. 16-Tyler Bruening[6]; 4. 75-Terry Phillips[3]; 5. 14-Josh Richards[8]; 6. 59-Garrett Alberson[10]; 7. 12D-Doug Drown[5]; 8. 1X-Aaron Marrant[9]; 9. 91T-Tony Toste[11]; 10. 6H-Al Humphrey[12]; 11. 3W-Brennon Willard[13]; 12. 81E-Tanner English[1]; 13. 50X-Kaeden Cornell[7]; 14. (DNS) 56-Tony Jackson Jr
FAST Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 39-Tim McCreadie[2]; 2. 93-Mason Oberkramer[4]; 3. 8-Kyle Strickler[6]; 4. 91P-Jason Papich[3]; 5. 58-Jeremiah Hurst[5]; 6. 15D-Justin Duty[9]; 7. 22H-Daniel Hilsabeck[8]; 8. 78S-Steve Stultz[10]; 9. 21F-Johnny Fennewald[11]; 10. 12C-Scott Crigler[7]; 11. 53-Andrew Kosiski[12]; 12. 1T-Tyler Erb[1]; 13. (DNS) 15L-Payton Looney; 14. (DNS) 2S-Stormy Scott
Lucas Oil Feature Finish (50 Laps):
| Pos | Start | Car # | Competitor | Hometown | Pay |
| 1 | 1 | 22F | Chris Ferguson | Mt. Holly, NC | $12,000 |
| 2 | 9 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $7,500 |
| 3 | 7 | 25 | Shane Clanton | Zebulon, GA | $4,900 |
| 4 | 12 | 0E | Rick Eckert | York, PA | $2,750 |
| 5 | 2 | 50 | Shanon Buckingham | Morristown, TN | $3,650 |
| 6 | 17 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $3,200 |
| 7 | 22 | 8 | Kyle Strickler | Mooresville, NC | $1,500 |
| 8 | 21 | 16 | Tyler Bruening | Decorah, IA | $1,300 |
| 9 | 24 | 14 | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $2,800 |
| 10 | 18 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $2,500 |
| 11 | 4 | 21 | Billy Moyer Jr | Batesville, AR | $2,475 |
| 12 | 25 | 81E | Tanner English | Benton, KY | $1,550 |
| 13 | 15 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $2,425 |
| 14 | 11 | 0 | Jesse Stovall | Billings, MO | $1,000 |
| 15 | 5 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $2,900 |
| 16 | 6 | 57 | Mike Marlar | Winfield, TN | $1,000 |
| 17 | 23 | 1T | Tyler Erb | New Waverly, TX | $2,400 |
| 18 | 14 | 1V | Will Vaught | Crane, MO | $1,000 |
| 19 | 13 | 1C | Chad Simpson | Mt. Vernon, IA | $1,000 |
| 20 | 10 | 1ST | Johnny Scott | Las Cruces, NM | $1,000 |
| 21 | 16 | 32B | Cody Laney | Torrance, CA | $1,000 |
| 22 | 19 | 20RT | Ricky Thornton Jr | Adel, IA | $1,000 |
| 23 | 3 | 21M | Billy Moyer Sr | Batesville, AR | $1,000 |
| 24 | 20 | 93 | Mason Oberkramer | Broseley, MO | $1,000 |
| 25 | 8 | 1 | Earl Pearson Jr | Jacksonville, FL | $2,600 |
| 26 | 27 | 58 | Jeremiah Hurst | Dubuque, IA | $1,000 |
| 27 | 26 | 15L | Payton Looney | Republic, MO | $1,000 |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 44
Lap Leaders: Chris Ferguson (Laps 1 – 8); Billy Moyer Sr (Lap 9); Chris Ferguson (Laps 10 – 50)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Chris Ferguson
Margin of Victory: 0.086 seconds
Cautions: Earl Pearson Jr. (Lap 12); Billy Moyer (Lap 18); Tanner English (Lap 29); Chad Simpson, Jesse Stovall (Lap 29); Tyler Erb (Lap 30); Mike Marlar (Lap 33); Jimmy Owen (Lap 39)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Tyler Erb, Josh Richards
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: Tanner English
Lucas Oil MLRA Provisionals: Payton Looney, Jeremiah Hurst
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Chris Ferguson, Jonathan Davenport, Shane Clanton
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Kyle Strickler (Advanced 15 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jimmy Owens
Allstar Performance Most Laps Led: Chris Ferguson (49 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Richards
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: Tyler Bruening
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Bloomquist Race Cars
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Jason Durham
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Billy Moyer Sr (Lap #4 – 14.214 seconds)
STEEL-IT Tough Break of the Race: Jimmy Owens
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Chris Ferguson
Time of Race: 44 minutes 10 seconds
Category: Missouri
