Batesville Motor Speedway
Pearson sits on pole for Batesville's Bad Boy 98
Earl Pearson Jr. sets fast time at Batesville. (thesportswire.net)
LOCUST GROVE, Ark. (May 17) — Four-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Earl Pearson Jr. and Dennis Erb Jr. will make up the front row for Saturday’s Bad Boy 98 at Batesville Motor Speedway.
Pearson, of Jacksonville, Fla., and Erb, of Carpentersville, Ill., were two of four heat race winners during Friday’s preliminary action of the $20,000-to-win event that will also send a lucky fan home in a 2013 Kia Soul. | Video | Slideshow
Pearson topped 40 qualifiers and led flag-to-flag in the first heat in Bobby Labonte’s Longhorn Chassis. Current series points leader Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., slipped back to third at the start of the 12-lap race, but recovered to finish second to transfer along with first-time Batesville visitor Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va., and Chris Simpson of Oxford, Iowa.
In the second heat race, last year’s Comp Cams Topless 100 winner Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., soared to a victory to earn the third starting spot in Saturday’s main event. Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., last week's Lucas Oil Series winner at LaSalle, Ill., finished second to transfer along with hometown driver Jared Landers and Jesse Stovall of Galena, MO.
Erb races to the victory in the third heat with John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va., rallying late to finish second. Also transferring were Timothy Culp of West Monroe, La., and Tyler Reddick of Corning, Calif. Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., making his Batesville debut, held the second spot until slowing and going pitside.
Hometown driver Wendell Wallace dominated the fourth heat to earn the fourth starting spot in the 98-lap feature. Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., and Eric Jacobsen of Santa Cruz, Calif., had a fierce battle for second the entire distance with Mars edging Jacobsen at the stripe. Hall of Famer Billy Moyer of Batesville grabbed the fourth and final transfer spot from his son late in the race. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., was running second in the heat race before retiring.
In time trials, Pearson posted a lap of 13.679 seconds as the overall fast qualifier. Pierce was quickest in the second group with a 13.738-second lap.
Saturday’s action continues with consolation races and the main event highlighting the card at the 3/8-mile oval.
Friday's heat race results
(12 laps; top four transfer)
First heat: Earl Pearson Jr., Don O'Neal, Eddie Carrier Jr., Chris Simpson, Jimmy Owens, Brandon Smith, Jack Sullivan, Jay Brunson, Shawn Knuckles, Robert Baker.
Second heat: Steve Francis, Brady Smith, Jared Landers, Jesse Stovall, Chris Wall, David Breazeale, Stacy Taylor, Jerry Lierly, Braden Mitchell, Brian Ritchie.
Third heat: Dennis Erb Jr., John Blankenship, Timothy Culp, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Beard, Keith Craft, Terry Phillips, Jeff Floyd, B.J. Robinson, Bobby Pierce.
Fourth heat: Wendell Wallace, Jimmy Mars, Eric Jacobsen, Billy Moyer, Billy Moyer Jr., A.J. Diemel, Mark Whitener, Brian Birkhofer, Austin Rettig, Scott Bloomquist.
