Lone Star Speedway
Owens tops Bloomquist for $10,000 at Lone Star
By James Essex
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Jimmy Owens takes the checkers at Lone Star Speedway. (thesportswire.net)
KILGORE, Texas (April 6) — Two-time and reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., survived a rough racing surface during Saturday’s High Banks Havoc main event at Lone Star Speedway and outdueled Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., for a $10,000 victory in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event.
The fourth-starting Owens took the lead from Bloomquist on lap 33 and later held off Bloomquist’s bids to reclaim the lead. Owens scored his second series victory of the season ahead of Bloomquist and fifth-starting Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., Polesitter Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., recovered from an early flat tire to finish fourth while Jared Landers of Batesville, Ark., moved up one position from his sixth starting spot to round out the race’s top five finishers. | Slideshow | Video
Owens’ 38th series victory of his career held ease the disappointment of his slow start to the season, which aside from his Lucas Oil Series win during the tour’s season-opening Dart Winternationals miniseries at East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla., included just one other top-five finish in 12 races.
"It is really a weight off of our shoulders to win this race after we had a rough time in Florida,” said Owens, who earned his first-ever victory at Lone Star’s 3/8-mile oval in the tour’s third visit to the Texas track. “It really was a pretty good race having several different leaders, I saw Scott running a line to avoid the holes and I followed him for a longtime, and finally we were able to pass him.
"You had to have a super good car tonight to withstand the tough track conditions. My crew worked really hard to prepare the car for these conditions tonight and it paid off. We've been needing a good points night and we got it tonight. I have to thank my car owner Mike Reece, Reece Monument Company, Gantte Appraisals, Sunoco Race Fuels and everybody else with this race team.”
O'Neal took lead at the start of the race and hold the point until his lap-19 flat tire handed the lead to Bloomquist, who maintained the top spot until the slowing car of Jason McBride on lap 33 forced him to check as Owens raced by on the low side.
Bloomquist, a two-time series champion, also needed a solid points night after a relatively slow start to the season.
"It was treacherous tonight, but we have a well-built car and it held up in these rough conditions,” said Bloomquist, who as a chassis builder swept the top two spots with himself and Owens driving Team Zero by Bloomquist Race Cars. “We were airborne several times out there and then we found a line that was somewhat smoother to run but I couldn't hold Jimmy off. Congratulations to Jimmy on his win in one of our cars and Dennis (Erb) had a good finish as well."
Francis, who drives the Barry Wright Race Cars house car for Clint Bowyer Racing, also entered the night looking for a boots in the series standings and found it with his third-place finish.
"The crew worked hard on the car and we were fast all night,” said Francis, who’s still looking for his first victory of the season. “I was able to keep it up front most of the race and thought we might get past Scott, but just couldn't get by him. It was just a night of survival but we will take a third place finish and go from there.”
Notes: Owens drives a Mike Reece-owned Bloomquist Race Car with a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsorship from Reece Monument, Gantte Appraisals, Red Line Oil, FK Rod Ends and Sunoco Race Fuels. ... The race was slowed by eight caution flags after the first 10 laps ran caution free. ... The race took just under 45 minutes to complete. ... Former series champion Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla. ran second for the first 12 laps before falling out of the race. ... Robbie Stuart made one lap in Jeff Chanler's No. 11c before pulling in. ... Owens became the third winner in three series visits to Lone Star Speedway. Bloomquist won in 2011 and Landers won in 2012. ... The Lucas Oil Series returns to action April 19-21 with a trek through the Appalachian Mountains for three events. The series visits Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex in Markleysburg, Pa., April 19, Hagerstown (Md.) Speedway April 20 and West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells, W.Va. April 21.
Lucas Oil @ Lone Star: (1) Jimmy Owens, (2) Scott Bloomquist, (3) Steve Francis, (4) Don O’Neal, (5) Jared Landers, (6) Dennis Erb Jr., (7) Chris Wall, (8) John Blankenship, (9) B.J. Robinson, (10) Bobby Pierce, (11) Jerry Lierly, (12) Billy Moyer Jr., (13) Tyler Erb, (14) Eddie Carrier Jr., (15) Timothy Culp, (16) Jason McBride, (17) Eric Turner, (18) Michael Asberry, (19) Earl Pearson Jr., (20) Austin Hubbard, (21) Shane Hebert, (22) Jack Sullivan, (23) Rob Litton, (24) Robbie Stuart. Fast qualifier (among 38 cars): Pierce, 14.199 seconds. Heat winners: O’Neal, Bloomquist, Pearson, Owens. Consolation winners: T. Erb, Wall. Provisional starters: Litton, Stuart.
