Bloomquist Holds On to Win at East Bay Raceway Park

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TAMPA, FL (February 17, 2017) – Defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion Scott Bloomquist held off series newcomer Josh Richards to win the Friday night edition of the 41st Annual Wrisco Industries Winternationals – presented by E3 Spark Plugs at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL. It was Bloomquist’s eighth career win at the 3/8-mile oval and the 78th of his career in LOLMDS competition.

Bloomquist took the lead on lap 19 from Don O’Neal and then held off Richards and Jonathan Davenport, who had come from ninth to challenge Bloomquist late in the race. The previous night’s winner Tim McCreadie charged from 17th to finish fourth in the Sweeteners Plus, Longhorn Chassis – while O’Neal crossed the finish line fifth in the Peak Antifreeze and Coolant, Club 29 Race Car for Clint Bowyer Racing.

O’Neal led the first lap of the race before Doug Drown charged to the lead on lap two. O’Neal then regained the top spot and held off Bloomquist until lap 16, when Bloomquist got around him just before the caution flag waved.

Bloomquist attributed his win to a multitude of people, including Randy Sweet who helped design the Sweet-Bloomquist Chassis that he drove to the victory. “We have a bunch of help this weekend that Randy brought down for us. It takes a more people to get this done than it used to.”

“I definitely have to thank Reece Monument Company, Crop Production Services, Mark Martin Automotive, Sorbera Chiropractic, Crossfit Overton, Penske Shocks, Horton Coal, Petroff Towing, Base Racing Fuels, and Andy Durham Race Engines. The motor ran perfect,” said the three-time LOLMDS champion in Lucas Oil Victory Lane.

Richards’ Best Performance Motorsports, Dargie Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis entry came home in second as he embarks on his first full-season with the LOLMDS.

“If the cautions didn’t come out we may have gotten him [Bloomquist]. Once the cautions came out there at the end I just had to protect the bottom. I ventured up the track in three and four that one lap and I figured I had better get back down. We just wanted to salvage second for a good night. We got behind in the heat race, we had a shock issue that messed us up some and I was riding wheelies out there,” said the 28-year-old Richards.

Davenport’s new Barry Wright Icon Chassis was impressive in its second run at East Bay Raceway Park this week. “When we went to the top, the car was really good. Dor the first part of the race we were just trying to save our stuff – I should have stayed up top for another lap. I thought my right rear was getting too hot. When I dropped down low that’s when he [Richards] got by me.”

Completing the top ten were Steve Francis, Earl Pearson Jr., Jimmy Owens, Austin Hubbard, and Hudson O’Neal.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday, February 17th, 2017
Wrisco Industries Winternationals – presented by E3 Spark Plugs
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FLMiller Welders Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 14.907 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Scott Bloomquist / 14.940 secondsEibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Doug Drown, Jonathan Davenport, Gregg Satterlee, Tim McCreadie, Doug Horton, Bobby Pierce, Michael Lake, Pancho Lawler, Boom Briggs, John Gardner-DNS

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Darrell Lanigan, Hudson O’Neal, Steve Francis, Jared Miley, Kenny PettyJohn, Nick Davis, Mason Zeigler, GR Smith, Brian Ligon, Freddie Carpenter-DNS

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Tim Dohm , Kyle Bronson, Corey Conley , Austin Hubbard, Ricky Weiss, David Breazeale, Gordy Gundaker, Chad Hollenbeck, Colton Flinner, Todd Frank

QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Zack Dohm, Josh Richards, Jimmy Owens, Dennis Erb, Jr., Earl Pearson, Jr., Dustin Linville, Timothy Culp, Bob Gardner, Davey Johnson, Austin Rettig

Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Tim McCreadie, Kenny PettyJohn, Bobby Pierce, Doug Horton, Mason Zeigler, Boom Briggs, GR Smith, Pancho Lawler, Nick Davis, Brian Ligon, Michael Lake-DNS, John Gardner-DNS, Freddie Carpenter-DNS

Fast Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Austin Hubbard, Dustin Linville, Timothy Culp, Earl Pearson, Jr., Ricky Weiss, David Breazeale, Gordy Gundaker, Bob Gardner, Austin Rettig, Colton Flinner, Chad Hollenbeck, Todd Frank, Davey Johnson

Feature Finish (50 Laps):

FINISH	START	CAR #	DRIVER NAME	HOMETOWN	EARNINGS
1	2	0	Scott Bloomquist	Mooresburg, TN	$10,100
2	8	1R	Josh Richards	Shinnston, WV	$5,500
3	9	49	Jonathan Davenport	Williamson, SC	$3,600
4	17	39	Tim McCreadie	Watertown, NY	$2,750
5	1	5	Don O’Neal	Martinsville, IN	$2,250
6	11	15	Steve Francis	Bowling Green, KY	$1,800
7	23	1	Earl Pearson, Jr.	Jacksonville, FL	$1,500
8	12	20	Jimmy Owens	Newport, TN	$1,300
9	18	11	Austin Hubbard	Bridgeville, DE	$1,200
10	7	71	Hudson O’Neal	Martinsville, IN	$1,100
11	6	6T	Tim Dohm	Cross Lanes, WV	$1,075
12	13	22	Gregg Satterlee	Rochester Mills, PA	$1,050
13	16	28E	Dennis Erb, Jr.	Carpentersville, IL	$1,025
14	21	11b	Bobby Pierce	Oakwood, IL	$1,000
15	10	40B	Kyle Bronson	Brandon, FL	$950
16	5	240	Doug Drown	Wooster, OH	$925
17	15	H1	Jared Miley	South Park, PA	$900
18	14	14c	Corey Conley	Wellsburg, WV	$875
19	24	75	Colton Flinner	Allison Park, PA	$850
20	25	92	Nick Davis	Millsboro, DE	$825
21	19	38	Kenny PettyJohn	Millsboro, DE	$800
22	3	14	Darrell Lanigan	Union, KY	$800
23	4	17d	Zack Dohm	Cross Lanes, WV	$800
24	22	c81	Timothy Culp	Prattsville, AR	$800
25	26	27H	Doug Horton	Wiamauma, FL	$800
26	20	D8	Dustin Linville	Lancaster, KY	$800

Race Statistics

Entrants: 42
Lap Leaders: Don O’Neal (Lap 1); Doug Drown (Lap 2); Don O’Neal (Laps 3 – 15); Scott Bloomquist (Laps 16 – 50)
Cautions: Bobby Pierce (Lap 16); Debris (Lap 16); Debris (Lap 17); Zack Dohm (Lap 23); Gregg Satterlee (Lap 30); Kenny PettyJohn (Lap 45)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Earl Pearson Jr., Colton Flinner
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Wrisco Winternationals Provisional: Nick Davis
Strawberry Dash Provisional: Doug Horton
Wrisco Feature Winner: Scott Bloomquist
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr. (Started: 23rd; Finished: 7th; Advanced 16 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: n/a
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Bobby Pierce
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Richards
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: n/a
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Andy Durham Race Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Sweet-Bloomquist Race Cars
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Cody Mallory (Scott Bloomquist)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Don O’Neal (Lap #3 – 16.0505 seconds)
Safecraft Most Laps Led: Scott Bloomquist (35 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Don O’Neal
Time of Race: 37 minutes 14 seconds

Wrisco Industries Championship Chase Standings:

POS	CAR#	DRIVER	POINTS
1	1R	Josh Richards	1190
2	39	Tim McCreadie	1130
3	20	Jimmy Owens	1010
4	1	Earl Pearson, Jr.	870
5	15	Steve Francis	845
6	28E	Dennis Erb, Jr.	815
7	71	Hudson O’Neal	815
8	240	Doug Drown	790

Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:

POS	CAR #	DRIVER NAME	HOMETOWN	POINTS	EARNINGS
1	1R	Josh Richards	Shinnston, WV	680	$27,750
2	49	Jonathan Davenport	Williamson, SC	640	$9,900
3	39	Tim McCreadie	Watertown, NY	620	$18,100
4	0	Scott Bloomquist	Mooresburg, TN	615	$18,600
5	20	Jimmy Owens	Newport, TN	560	$9,100
6	5	Don O’Neal	Martinsville, IN	525	$8,675
7	1	Earl Pearson, Jr.	Jacksonville, FL	500	$8,600
8	116	Brandon Overton	Evans, GA	480	$13,700
9	15	Steve Francis	Bowling Green, KY	470	$4,700
9	240	Doug Drown	Wooster, OH	470	$3,525
11	14	Darrell Lanigan	Union, KY	460	$5,100
12	71	Hudson O’Neal	Martinsville, IN	455	$4,300
13	38	Kenny PettyJohn	Millsboro, DE	445	$4,425
14	28E	Dennis Erb, Jr.	Carpentersville, IL	435	$5,425
15	99B	Boom Briggs	Bear Lake, PA	410	$2,400
16	1S	Brandon Sheppard	New Berlin, IL	375	$9,975
17	22	Gregg Satterlee	Rochester Mills, PA	365	$2,450
17	75	Colton Flinner	Allison Park, PA	365	$2,150
17	22*	GR Smith	Statesville, NC	365	$2,100
20	11	Austin Hubbard	Bridgeville, DE	360	$4,950

*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*

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