Post by LMR on 02/14/14 at 8:23pm
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
East Bay Raceway Park
February 14, 2014
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Billy Moyer Survives Battle with Blankenship to Win Friday Night at East Bay
LOLMDS Media
TAMPA, FL (February 14) - Billy Moyer survived a back-and-forth battle with John Blankenship to win the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event on Friday Night at East Bay Raceway Park. Moyer denied Blankenship's first ever win at East Bay by taking the lead with eight laps to go from Blankenship and went unchallenged the remaining laps. With his win Moyer scored his 778th win of his career. Blankenship finished second, followed by Scott Bloomquist, Don O'Neal, and Gregg Satterlee rounded out the top five. Mike Ruefer Photos
"The car was just phenomenal all night long. When he (Blankenship) got around me, I thought I was in trouble. There was a bunch of heavy traffic, and I lost contact with him. That caution about halfway through the race really helped me," said Moyer.
"On the restart I was able to stay with him [Blankenship]. It looked like his car was going away a little bit, then we had that last caution with nine to go, and I was thinking I had a real good shot at him. We were able to get out of the corners better than him. His [Blankenship's] car would drift up the track, and that's when we passed him," said Moyer.
The two drivers put on a spectacular feature event, running side-by-side several times until Moyer was able to finally clear Blankenship. "I can't thank the people at Longhorn Chassis enough; Bobby and Terry Labonte, Kevin Rumley, and everybody else for making this transition easy. I want to thank Clements Racing Engines, the power that I have is second-to-none."
Blankenship had everything going his way when he passed Moyer for the lead with nine laps scored. "When we got the lead early, I was thinking maybe tonight was the night when we would finally get a win here. I knew I was a sitting duck there in the last ten laps. Our car was getting looser and he (Moyer) was getting faster. Congrats to Billy on the win, they deserved it. We will come back tomorrow and shoot for the victory," said the driver of the Coal: Save the Country, Rocket Chassis.
Bloomquist was in the thick of things at the end as he fought to a third-place finish. "Our car has been pretty fast this entire week here. We keep making adjustments on it, and it has definitely helped. Those two [Moyer and Blankenship] were just a little bit better than us tonight. I have to thank a new sponsor that has come on board with us this year, Ole Smokey Moonshine."
Completing the top ten were Earl Pearson Jr., Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, Eddie Carrier, Jr., and Ray Cook.
In preliminary action, Steve Francis set the overall Miller Welders Fast Time (Group B) amongst the 45 entrants, with a lap of 14.034 seconds. Billy Moyer set the fastest time in Group A with a time of 14.144 seconds. Billy Moyer, Gregg Satterlee, John Blankenship, and Earl Pearson Jr. won their respective heat races. Billy Moyer Jr. and Brian Shirley won their respective B-Mains.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, February 14th, 2014
38th Annual East Bay Winternationals
East Bay Raceway Park - Tampa, FL
A-Main
1 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
2 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
3 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
4 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
5 22 Gregg Satterlee Rochester Mills, PA
6 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
7 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
8 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
9 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV
10 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
11 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
12 89 Booper Bare Rockbridge Baths, VA
13 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
14 7 Ricky Weiss Headingley, MB
15 116 Randy Weaver Crossville, TN
16 99m Devin Moran Dresden, OH
17 5j Eric Jacobsen Seacliff Beach, CA
18 4D Chad Hollenbeck Montrose, PA
19 21d Dan Stone Thompson, PA
20 38 Kenny Pettyjohn Millsboro, DE
21 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
22 4J John Mollick Totonto, OH
23 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
24 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
25 b12 Kevin Weaver Gibson City, IL
26 1J Davey Johnson Greensburg, PA
B-Main #1
1 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
2 1J Davey Johnson Greensburg, PA
3 b12 Kevin Weaver Gibson City, IL
4 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
5 91p Jason Papich Arroyo Grande, CA
6 16 Justin Rattliff Campbellsville, KY
7 92 Nick Davis Gumboro, DE
8 20w Chad White Benton Harbor, MI
9 23b Jay Brunson Dubberly, LA
10 8 Dustin Mitchell Pine Level, NC
11 10 Leon Henderson Laurel, MS
12 44j James O'Hara Moscow, PA
13 77 Adam Bowman Seymour, IN
14 27 Joe Denby Tullahoma, TN
15 38b Bob Geiger Laurel, MS
B-Main #2
1 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
2 116 Randy Weaver Crossville, TN
3 5j Eric Jacobsen Seacliff Beach, CA
4 99m Devin Moran Dresden, OH
5 25x Mike Benedum Salem, WV
6 4D Chad Hollenbeck Montrose, PA
7 12 Jason Hughes Westville, OK
8 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC
9 32C Vic Coffey Caledonia, NY
10 1cj Andy Bond Coolville, OH
11 77m Jay Morris Pittwood, IL
12 32s Chad Stapleton Edinburgh, IN
Heat #1
1 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
2 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
3 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV
4 89 Booper Bare Rockbridge Baths, VA
5 1J Davey Johnson Greensburg, PA
6 b12 Kevin Weaver Gibson City, IL
7 92 Nick Davis Gumboro, DE
8 91p Jason Papich Arroyo Grande, CA
9 8 Dustin Mitchell Pine Level, NC
10 10 Leon Henderson Laurel, MS
11 77 Adam Bowman Seymour, IN
12 38b Bob Geiger Laurel, MS
Heat #2
1 22 Gregg Satterlee Rochester Mills, PA
2 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
3 38 Kenny Pettyjohn Millsboro, DE
4 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
5 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
6 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL
7 27 Joe Denby Tullahoma, TN
8 23b Jay Brunson Dubberly, LA
9 20w Chad White Benton Harbor, MI
10 44j James O'Hara Moscow, PA
11 16 Justin Rattliff Campbellsville, KY
Heat #3
1 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
2 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
3 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
4 21d Dan Stone Thompson, PA
5 116 Randy Weaver Crossville, TN
6 5j Eric Jacobsen Seacliff Beach, CA
7 25x Mike Benedum Salem, WV
8 12 Jason Hughes Westville, OK
9 32s Chad Stapleton Edinburgh, IN
10 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC
11 4J John Mollick Totonto, OH
Heat #4
1 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
2 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
3 7 Ricky Weiss Headingley, MB
4 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
5 4D Chad Hollenbeck Montrose, PA
6 81 Brian Shirley Chatham, IL
7 99m Devin Moran Dresden, OH
8 32C Vic Coffey Caledonia, NY
9 77m Jay Morris Pittwood, IL
10 1cj Andy Bond Coolville, OH
dns 81jr Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL
