Volunteer Speedway
Casebolt grabs the pole for Volunteer's Scorcher
By James Essex
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Billy Ogle Jr. sets fast time. (thesportswire.net)
BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Aug. 19) — Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., and Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., secured front-row starting spots for Thursday's Scorcher 100 at Volunteer Speedway with heat race victories Wednesday at the 4/10-mile oval.
Casebolt will start on the pole of the $20,000-to-win Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event with McCreadie alongside in the midweek special that leads up to NASCAR's big weekend at nearby Bristol Motor Speedway. | Slideshow
The other two heat race winners, Joe Armes of Petros, Tenn., and Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., will start in the second row for the 100-lap feature. Other notable drivers among those in the 16 feature spots decided Wednesday are third-row starters Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., and Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, Tenn. Bloomquist leads the Lucas Oil Series points and Ogle, going for his third straight victory in seven days, was fastest among 45 qualifiers at Volunteer.
Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., a veteran at Volunteer and winner of Saturday's $40,000 Lucas Oil event in Batesville, Ark., starts outside the fourth row.
Thursday's action includes a pair of 12-lap consolation races, a $2,000-to-win dash among heat winners and the 100-lap main event.
Notes: The sixth annual event is being run as a salute to America's Coal Miners. ... Billy Ogle Jr.'s fast time earned him $500 from ATC Roofing. ... Activities will get under way Thursday with a driver's autograph session from 6:15-7 p.m. ... After Thursday's Volunteer feature, series competitors move to Tazewell (Tenn.) Speedway for a $10,000-to-win event. ... Starting on the pole positions in Thursday's consolation races are Shon Flanary of Mount Carmel, Tenn., and Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn.
