Batesville Motor Speedway
Blow-by-blow action at 17th Topless 100
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writerLOCUST GROVE, Ark. (Aug. 15) — Blow-by-blow action of the 17th annual Comp Cams Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway, where Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., earned $40,000 in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event. Blog-style recaps of Saturday's action:
11:44 p.m.: Owens official winner
Jimmy Owens stretched his lead to nearly a straightaway at the finish over Scott Bloomquist. Jimmy Mars got past Dan Schlieper late for third while Don O'Neal was fifth.
11:41 p.m.: 10 to go for Owens
Jimmy Owens, just clear after several lapped cars, has a three-lapped car cushion on second-running Scott Bloomquist with 10 laps remaining.
11:38 p.m.: Wild Wisconsin battle
Wisconsin drivers Dan Schlieper and Jimmy Mars traded multiple slide jobs on laps 71-73, once makign hard contact on the frontstretch in a battle for third. Schlieper got the spot but they're falling far behind runner-up Scott Bloomquist and dominating leader Jimmy Owens, who has more than a half-straightaway lead on lap 77. Don O'Neal is up to fifth after starting 23rd.
11:32 p.m.: Last year's winner slows
Fourth-running TIm McCreadie slowed to bring out a lap-68 caution; he pulled to the infield pits. Jimmy Owens leads followed by Jimmy Mars, Scott Bloomquist, Dan Schlieper and now first-time Batesville visitor Jonathan Davenport in fifth. Owens appears tough to beat as he's smoothly pulled away on multiple restarts.
11:30 p.m.: Mars back to second
Jimmy Mars went back to the low side and slipped under Scott Bloomquist for second shortly after the lap-56 restart. But he can't keep up with Jimmy Owens, who leads by a half-straightaway now after 65 laps. The top three are on the same straightaway with fourth on back struggling to keep up.
11:27 p.m.: Flat for Wall on lap 56
Chris Wall dropped to the tail and spun in turn four with a flat right rear tire. The top five remains the same with Jimmy Owens out front.
11:23 p.m.: Jacobsen draws lap-53 yellow
Eric Jacobsen stopped on the backstretch for a lap-53 caution, erasing a half-straightaway lead for a strong Jimmy Owens. Scott Bloomquist holds second while Jimmy Mars is back in third, but not looking as strong as he did early. Tim McCreadie is fourth, trying to hold off a low-running Dan Schlieper. Behind them and rounding out the top 10 is Chris Madden, Jonathan Davenport, Don O'Neal, Chris Wall and Dale McDowell.
11:19 p.m.: Lap-46 caution for Frye
Backmarker Bill Frye skidded high in turn four to a stop to draw a lap-46 caution. Jimmy Owens is out front with Scott Bloomquist second and Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Mars and Dan Schlieper in the top five.
11:17 p.m.: Top five at lap 40
Jimmy Owens (by half-straight), Scott Bloomquist, Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Mars (switched from low to high) and Dan Schlieper.
11:14 p.m.: Lap-34 caution for Cook
Ray Cook, who started 22nd, stopped near the wall in turn two to draw a lap-34 caution, just a few laps after he broke into the top 10. Jimmy Owens still leads comfortable with Scott Bloomquist, who moved low after the last restart, in second after getting the spot back from Jimmy Mars. The top three are running ahead of the rest of the field during the longer green-flag stretches.
11:11 p.m.: Lap-30 rundown
Jimmy Owens, Scott Bloomquist, Jimmy Mars, Tim McCreadie, Dan Schlieper, Chris Madden, Dale McDowell, John Blankenship, Ray Cook and Chris Wall in 10th.
11:04 p.m.: Lap-21 caution for Wallace, Landers
Wendell Wallace slowed with a crinkled left-rear quarterpanel shortly after the lap-20 restart. He's in the infield for repairs. The top five: Fifth-starting Jimmy Owens, 12th-starting Jimmy Mars, second-starting Scott Bloomquist, 10th-starting Dan Schlieper and ninth-starting Tim McCreadie. Jared Landers was also slow on the track as the caution waved.
11 p.m.: Caution on lap 20 for Baggett
Neil Baggett slowed on the 20th lap, breaking up a tight battle for second between a low-running Jimmy Mars and higher-running Scott Bloomquist. Jimmy Owens is still in the lead as the top three were edging away from the field. Up to fourth after the lap-15 restart was Dan Schlieper, who's in a Bloomquist backup car. Tim McCreadie, last year's winner, is fifth after 20 laps. Polesitter Terry Phillips has slipped to sixth. Mars just nosed Bloomquist for second before the yellow.
10:56 p.m.: Caution at lap 15
The first yellow is out on lap 15. Fifth-starting Jimmy Owens is out front after taking the lead from Scott Bloomquist, who started outside the front row and led the first 10 laps. Jimmy Mars, who started 12th, is already up to third followed by Dale McDowell and polesitter Terry Phillips. After that it's Dan Schlieper in sixth, Tim McCreadie, Earl Pearson Jr., John Blankenship and Chris Wall. Pearson started fourth.
10:54 p.m.: Owens leads lap 12
Jimmy Owens, already lapping cars, overtook Scott Bloomquist on the 12th lap and leads with Jimmy Mars up to third (corrects lap when lead exchanged hands)
10:49 p.m.: Four-wide parade lap
Driver intros are complete and the four-wide parade lap under fireworks is on the track. Terry Phillips and Scott Bloomquist are set for the front row.
10:19 p.m.: The race according to Owens
Fifth-starting Jimmy Owens skipped the hot-lap session for the feature cars, figuring he's ready for the race. His evaluation of the track? The surface will blow off and the high side will remain good throughout the race. But if the bottom gets better during the race, Owens said, it could be trouble. "It's onen of those deals where I don't know you want to be leading," he said, adding that lapped traffic could play a key factor in the scenario he envisions. Series officials have just blown the 10-minute horn calling drivers to the track.
10:08 p.m.: Car Taylor wrecked a loss
Car owner Steve Rushin said the No. 99 that carried Peyton Taylor over the wall during the second consolation is a total loss. He was watching from the infield when something broke on the right front of the car, sending it right into the turn-one concrete. "I saw the whole thing," Rushin said. "It just turned right and went right through the wall." The loss of the car leaves Rushin's reguliar driver, Eric Turner, in a pinch. He's been struggling with a new GRT car and planned to climb back into the older car (that Taylor drove at the Topless), but now he'll be forced to do his best with the newer chassis. "My last bullet," Turner joked. The team has another car with front end damage that's being repair at GRT, but it's not ready yet.
10:02 p.m.: Hot laps for feature cars
The 18 cars locked into the Topless 100 through heat races just completed hot laps; up next is the modified feature with the Topless 100 to follow after that.
9:43 p.m.: Provisionals set
Don O'Neal and Steve Casebolt got the series provisionals while Eric Jacobsen took an emergency series provisional; there are apparently no track provisionals and 25 cars are set for the 100-lap feature (lineup at right; updates with Jacobsen).
9:41 p.m.: Official consolation finishes
First consolation: Brad Neat, Bill Frye, Eric Jacobsen, Michael Murphree, Jon Kirby, Jon Mitchell, Chris Brown, Michael Walker, David Breazeale, Stacy Taylor, Pat Doar, Eric Turner, Jeff Taylor, Bo Gordon, Brian Shirley, Gary Stolba, Steve Casebolt, Shannon Babb. Scratched: Billy Moyer, Brian Birkhofer, Rick Rickman, Bub McCool, Brian Ritchie, Will Vaught, Jack Sullivan.
Second consolation: Billy Moyer Jr., Ray Cook, Jason Cliburn, Ray Moore, Kyle Beard, Robbie Stuart, Gary Christian, Brad Looney, Jimmy Cliburn, Kyle Cummings, Wade Byars, Brandon Smith, Klint Byars, Chris Simpson, Josh Danzy, Charlie Cole, Andrew McKay, Peyton Taylor, Dewaine Hottinger, Dewayne Lott, Don O'Neal, Freddy Smith. Scratched: Brian Rickman.
9:24 p.m.: Moyer Jr. wins second consy
Billy Moyer Jr. completed his victory in the second consy with Ray Cook in second after overtaking Jason Cliburn on a lap-14 restart. The finish: Billy Moyer Jr., Ray Cook, Jason Cliburn, Ray Moore, Kyle Beard, Robbie Stuart, Gary Christian, Brad Looney, Jimmy Cliburn, Kyle Cummings and Wade Byars (those were the only cars running at the finish). Brandon Smith, who ran up front early in BIll Frye's backup car, spun for a lap-14 caution and pulled to the infield complaining of steering problems.
9:15 p.m.: Second consy resumes
Wreck cleanup is complete and the second consy is back under way with Billy Moyer Jr. and Jason Cliburn holding transfer spots. Ray Cook is a close third at the halfway mark of the 20-lapper.
9:07 p.m.: Giveaways during break
While workers continue to repair the concrete barriers knocked askew by Peyton Taylor's turn-one accident, the track announcer is doing several giveaways to keep the huge crowd entertained. The drivers in the second consy are parked along the backstretch and into turn three, all with their helmets off awaiting the call to fire engines again. Two wreckers and a tractor are tending to the wall. Two sections were knocked out of place, one at perhaps a 45-degree angle and the other less so. While Taylor struck those sections of the wall, he ended up clearing the wall about 70 feet further down toward turn two.
9:02 p.m.: Jacobsen upset over restart
After Eric Jacobsen crossed the scales as the third-place finisher in the first consolation — missing a transfer spot in his first-ever trip to Batesville — he complained to series officials about an aborted lap-13 restart. On the first restart following the wreck that knocked David Breazeale out, leader Brad Neat fired but second-running Bill Frye didn't. Jacobsen quickly picked up two positions and moved into second, but it wasn't clear if the green flag actually waved. The field was reformed for another restart and everyone fired the next time. Jacobsen protested that the first start should've counted. Jacobsen's car builder Scott Bloomquist was in the infield also appealing on Jacobsen's behalf.
8:56 p.m.: Breazeale's demise
After starting sixth in the first consolation, David Breazeale quickly raced up to second and was in position to capture the second and final transfer spot. That all went bad, though, on the 13th lap when the lapped cars of Michael Walker and Bo Gordon got together, and Gordon ended up losing control of his car off of turn four just in front of Breazeale. "When he looped it, I didn't have anywhere to go," Breazeale said, managing a smile as he climbed in his car to leave the infield. "That's part of it." Just before Breazeale's accident, Jeff Taylor gave up the third spot with a puff of smoke and rolled to the infield with a broken engine.
8:53 p.m.: Moyer Jr. leads second consy
With a red flag for the cleanup of Peyton Taylor's wreck on the third lap, Billy Moyer Jr. leads the second consolation over polesitter Jason Cliburn, Brandon Smith is in third.
8:51 p.m.: Peyton Taylor clears wall
Peyton Taylor, driving Eric Turner's Steve Rushin-owned backup car, got into the turn-one concrete barriers and launched over the concrete, landing just outside the track between turns one and two. He's not injured but it's going to take several minutes to put the walls back in place and complete the cleanup. The car was heavily damaged. "I couldn't do anything by hang on," Taylor told Speed channel announcer Randy LaJoie. "I wanted to get on TV, but not like this."
8:40 p.m.: Neat wins first consy
Brad Neat continued dominating the first consy the final seven laps. He crossed the line ahead of Bill Frye, the only other transferring driver. Eric Jacobsen wasd third followed by Michael Murphy, Jon Kirby, Jon Mitchell and Chris Brown, the only cars running at the finish.
8:33 p.m.: And Breazeale out
A lap-13 caution appeared when the lapped car of Bo Gordon spun off turn four, collecting second-running David Breazeale as he entered the fronstretch. Breazeale pulled off the track. Gordon climbed from his car and appeared briefly dazed, sitting for a moment on the track against the inside wall, but he climbed aboard for the No. 34 to be towed off. The lap-13 restart in a race where the top two advance to the main event: Brad Neat, Bill Frye, Michael Murphree, Eric Jacobsen, Jon Kirby, Jon Mitchell, Chris Brown and Michael Walker. More than 10 drivers have pulled out of the race.
8:30 p.m.: Taylor out
Polesitter Jeff Taylor pulled out of the first consy on the 12th lap after a plume of smoke from his No. 5
8:26 p.m.: Neat out to early lead
Outside front-row starter Brad Neat built more than a straightaway lead over the first half-dozen laps before a caution for Brian Shirley in the first consolation race. Sixth-starting David Breazeale was the big mover early, sweeping up to second after two laps and holding the second transfer spot over polesitter Jeff Taylor. The first lap was a little dicey on the backstretch when Breazeale went under Bill Frye, making contact that caused some shuffling and nearly got Frye sideways entering turn three. He saved it. Meanwhile, Steve Casebolt decided to hope that Ray Cook makes the show in the second consolation, which would give Casebolt a provisional. Casebolt started on the tail of the first consy and pulled out.
8:20 p.m.: Track finally ready
After about 15 minutes of semi hot-laps to get the track whipped into shape, the first consy field has formed two-by-two and the green flag should come out shortly.
8:07 p.m.: First consy on the track
The first consolation race is on the track in front of a huge crowd at Batesville. Steamy temperatures of about 90 in the mid-afternoon have dropped to a pleasant 81 at dusk. As the cars work in the greasy surface, it appears several drivers have scratched, including Brian Birkhofer, Rick Rickman, Bub McCool, Brian Ritchie, Will Vaught and Jack Sullivan.
7:54 p.m.: Casebolt's plight
Steve Casebolt came up to the Lucas Oil Series trailer moments ago, checking the lineup of his consolation race and hoping that some of the night's scratches were in front of him in the outside lane. No such luck. Starting 14th in the consolation, Casebolt knows he's got a tough row to hoe. His best bet? If third-starting Ray Cook can get into the feature through his consolation, giving Casebolt a series provisional. "He's got a better chance than I do," Casebolt said.
7:52 p.m.: Saturday schedule
8 p.m.: Lucas Oil consolation races followed by modified heat races, hot laps for Topless 100's top 18 and modified feature. An intermission is scheduled before the Topless 100 for track prep and other pre-race activities.
7:19 p.m.: Moyer scratches
Turns out four-fime race winner Billy Moyer has opted to scratch from running the first consolation race. He'll spend the night hanging out at son Billy Moyer Jr.'s hauler. The older Moyer was scheduled to start in the sixth row of a consolation race. "I don't blame him" for bowing out, his son said. "That first B is going to be wide open." But Moyer Jr., starting on the front row of he second consolation, promised to keep Dad busy. "He'll crew-chief me," he said. "Get me in the show."
Besides Moyer, a handful of other drivers have loaded up or pulled out of the pits, including Will Vaught (motor), Brian Rickman, Rick Rickman and Bub McCool. Apparently the consolation lineups won't be reset but drivers will be sorted out once they come to the starting grids.
6:18 p.m.: Consolation lineups set
Some heavy hitters are still looking for starting spots in the main event, notably former Topless 100 winners Bill Frye, Billy Moyer and Shannon Babb, all in the first consolation race. The first consy appears to be a little more stacked than the second consolation, where predicting the top two might be a little trickier.
Moyer will have to rally from his 11th starting spot. Otherwise, he'll miss the starting field for a megapurse event for the second time in three weekends (he also failed to make the USA Nationals field at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., on Aug. 1)
As for series provisionals, Don O'Neal and Ray Cook are guaranteed series provisionals, but Cook has a good chance to make the race with his third starting position in the second consolation. Steve Casebolt would be next in line.
(20 laps; top two advance)
Row 1: Jeff Taylor, Brad Neat
Row 2: Bill Frye, Eric Jacobsen
Row 3: Michael Murphree, David Breazeale
Row 4: Stacy Taylor , Shannon Babb
Row 5: Jon Kirby, Brian Shirley
Row 6: Billy Moyer, Brian Birkhofer
Row 7: Chris Brown, Steve Casebolt
Row 8: Jon Mitchell, Pat Doar
Row 9: Rick Rickman, Bub McCool
Row 10: Brian Ritchie, Eric Turner
Row 11: Gary Stolba, Michael Walker
Row 12: Will Vaught, Bo Gordon
Row 13: Jack Sullivan
Second consolation
(20 laps; top two advance)
Row 1: Jason Cliburn, Billy Moyer Jr.
Row 2: Ray Cook, Brandon Smith
Row 3: Andrew McKay, Gary Christian
Row 4: Jimmy Cliburn, Kyle Beard
Row 5: Brad Looney, Freddy Smith
Row 6: Peyton Taylor, Ray Moore
Row 7: Klint Byars, Robbie Stuart
Row 8: Brian Rickman, Chris Simpson
Row 9: Josh Danzy, Dewaine Hottinger
Row 10: Kyle Cummings, Don O'Neal
Row 11: Justin Asplin, Charlie Cole
Row 12: Jeff Chanler, Wade Byars
Row 13: Dewayne Lott
