SHREVEPORT, La. (06/18/2020) – A struggling start to the season for Earl Pearson Jr. and the Black Diamond Chassis House Car team turned a corner over the weekend.
On Friday, Pearson Jr. drove the Lucas Oil No. 1 P&W Sales/ Drive4Etch.com/ Clements Racing Engine Super Late Model to a tenth-place finish at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C. At Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. on Saturday, Earl recorded his first Top-5 of the season.
“We done a lot of changes through the week there and come to Gaffney, which that ain’t my favorite place to be at, but anyway we had a good solid run there,” said Pearson after finishing fifth at Smoky Mountain. “Then we come over here (to Smoky Mountain) and got us a top-five out of that. So we’re proud to have that. It’s been a struggling year for us with Black Diamond Chassis and all that, but I think we’ve turned a corner here.”
With 37 cars on hand Friday night for the 22nd Annual Grassy Smith Memorial, Pearson Jr. secured his spot into the opening night feature with a third-place finish in his heat. Improving two positions in the 50-lap feature, Earl posted a 10th place finish.
Heading west to Smoky Mountain Speedway on Saturday evening for the Mountain Moonshine Classic, Earl laid down the fifth fastest time in his qualifying group before placing second in his heat behind Jimmy Owens.
Starting the $15,000-to-win A-Main in sixth, Pearson Jr. jumped up one spot in the 50-lapper to register a fifth-place finish behind Brandon Overton, Brandon Sheppard, Owens, and Josh Richards.
This week the team welcomed Anthony Burroughs of Athens, Ala. as Crew Chief. It’s a change that Pearson Jr. considers as a step in the right direction. “We’ve got some new crew guys and I think that’s gonna work out good,” Pearson said. “Anthony has come on board with us, working side-by-side with (Black Diamond Chassis founder and co-owner Ronnie) Stuckey at the shop.”
The upcoming weekend will see Earl Pearson Jr. compete in the annual Clash at the Mag at Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Miss.). The three-day event co-sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the COMP Cams Super Dirt Series will be a full program with a $5,000-to-win features on Thursday and Friday. The action-packed weekend culminates with a $15,000-to-win finale on Saturday.
For more information on the event, please visit www.MagnoliaDirt.com, www.LucasDirt.com, or www.COMPDirt.com.
Black Diamond Racecars and Earl Pearson Jr. would like to thank their marketing partners, which include Lucas Oil, P&W Sales, Tegeler Wrecker & Crane, DriveEtch.com, Etchberger Trucking, Midwest Sheet Metal, Performance Bodies & Parts, Papich Construction, J&C Properties, Peterson Fluid Systems, Bilstein Shocks, Moseley Transport, REMI Realty, Sierra Pacific Materials, Harmon’s, Gorsuch Performance Solutions, Allstar Performance, Hoosier Race Tires, Lone Star Super Gas Sunoco, Five Star Shop Service, Go Lithium, X-Treme Graphics by J-Rod, Moring Motorsports, FSR Racing Products, ASi Racewear, FK Rod Ends, Fast Shafts, QuickCar Racing Products, Beyea Headers, Quarter Master, Sweet Manufacturing, Stealth Industry Custom Fab, TWM Racing Products, Swift Springs, Out-Pace Racing Products, Brown Miller Racing Solutions, Accu-Force Shock Dyno, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Hooker Harness, Butlerbuilt, Weld Wheels, COMP Cams, Bert Transmission, Clements Racing Engines, and MSRMafia.com Marketing Services.
For the latest information Black Diamond Racecars and Earl Pearson Jr., please visit www.RaceBlackDiamond.com .