Post by LMR on 06/20/14 at 6:52pm
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Cherokee Speedway
June 20, 2014
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Don O'Neal Victorious in Grassy Smith Memorial at Cherokee Speedway
LOLMDS PR
GAFFNEY, SC (June 20) - Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Point Leader, Don O'Neal wrestled the lead away from Brandon Overton with 14 laps to go to win the 16th Annual Grassy Smith Memorial on Friday Night at Cherokee Speedway.
O'Neal led the first two laps until Overton powered by him to take the point. Overton then led until lap 36 when O'Neal maneuvered around the leader for good and went on to win his fourth LOLMDS event of 2014. Overton recorded his best career LOLMDS finish with his second place run. Jonathan Davenport finished third, followed by Casey Roberts, and Jimmy Owens.
"What a night! To win for Barry and Lance Wright is great! The race shop is just down the road, so I know its special for them to be in victory lane tonight. We had a terrific night," said O'Neal, who swept the evenings events
"I kind of stumbled there in turn two on about the third lap and let those guys [Overton and Davenport] by me. But we fought back. I went by Davenport and then followed him [Overton] for what seemed like forever. Traffic kind of held him up a little. I knew I had a car capable of getting back around him. I was patient with him. He drove a very good race. Once we caught up to him we were able to work the car better off of turn four and that's when we retook the lead."
"I have to thank Clint Bowyer for giving me this opportunity. Thanks to all of my sponsors, Peak, Crawford Supply, Traeger Grills, Ohlins, Toyota, Georgia Boot, Clements Race Engines, and of course Barry Wright Race Cars. Good to have Casey Bowyer [Clint's brother] here tonight to see us win. My crew chief Jeremy Justice was giving me hand signals, and telling me where to run, I just can't thank him enough. He may be young, but he knows what he is doing. It takes a total team effort to win this championship, and we have all the pieces in place."
Overton; piloting the Troy Baird owned, Baird Transport, Club 29 Race Cars entry; was pleased with his runner-up finish. "To run second with these guys, wow, I don't know what to say. I thought for a moment, hey I am leading this race, I might just win it. When he [O'Neal] got back around me, I knew I was in trouble. That caution with eight laps to go gave us some hope, but once we went green he [O'Neal] was gone. I have to thank Ronnie Stuckey and Darrell Lanigan for their help on the car. We are very pleased with it. We look forward to running several more Lucas Oil races the rest of the season."
Davenport came into the race as one of the local pre-race favorites and held steadily in third place at the finish. "We had a really good car tonight, those top two were just a little better than us. We will take it and head to Smoky Mountain tomorrow night, said the driver of the K&L Rumley, Longhorn Chassis #6.
Completing the top ten were Steve Francis, Chris Ferguson, Chris Madden, Dennis Franklin, and Eddie Carrier Jr.
In preliminary action, Don O'Neal set the overall Miller Welders Fast Time amongst the 28 entrants, with a lap of 15.410 seconds. Don O'Neal, Scott Bloomquist, and Brandon Overton won their respective heat races. John Blankenship won the B-Main.
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Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, June 20th, 2014
16th Annual Grassy Smith Memorial
Cherokee Speedway - Gaffney, SC
Unofficial Race Results
A-Main
1 1 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
2 3 76 Brandon Overton Appleton, GA
3 5 6 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
4 7 101 Casey Roberts Toccoa, GA
5 9 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
6 8 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
7 11 22 Chris Ferguson Mt. Holly, NC
8 10 44m Chris Madden Gray Court, SC
9 6 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC
10 4 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV
11 14 1d Brent Dixon Elberton, GA
12 13 28e Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
13 23 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
14 19 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
15 18 17m Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA
16 21 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
17 15 87 Ross Bailes Clover, SC
18 17 12 Jason Hughes Westville, OK
19 22 5j Eric Jacobsen Seacliff Beach, CA
20 24 91p Jason Papich Arroyo Grande, CA
21 16 09 Johnny Pursley Clover, SC
22 12 57 Zack Mitchell Enoree, SC
23 2 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
24 20 1w Ricky Weeks Rutherfordton, NC
B-Main
1 1 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
2 4 1w Ricky Weeks Rutherfordton, NC
3 3 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
4 6 5j Eric Jacobsen Seacliff Beach, CA
5 5 42 Doug Sanders Springwood, NC
6 8 1h Jason Hiett Oxford, AL
7 9 618 Kevin Wilson Stoneboro, NC
8 7 421 Anthony Sanders Spartanburg, SC
9 2 91p Jason Papich Arroyo Grande, CA
Heat #1
1 1 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
2 2 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV
3 3 101 Casey Roberts Toccoa, GA
4 6 44m Chris Madden Gray Court, SC
5 4 28e Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
6 7 09 Johnny Pursley Clover, SC
7 5 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
8 8 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
9 9 5j Eric Jacobsen Seacliff Beach, CA
10 10 618 Kevin Wilson Stoneboro, NC
Heat #2
1 1 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
2 2 6 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
3 4 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
4 3 22 Chris Ferguson Mt. Holly, NC
5 6 1d Brent Dixon Elberton, GA
6 7 12 Jason Hughes Westville, OK
7 5 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
8 8 1w Ricky Weeks Rutherfordton, NC
9 9 421 Anthony Sanders Spartanburg, SC
Heat #3
1 1 76 Brandon Overton Appleton, GA
2 3 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC
3 5 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
4 7 57 Zack Mitchell Enoree, SC
5 4 87 Ross Bailes Clover, SC
6 6 17m Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA
7 2 91p Jason Papich Arroyo Grande, CA
8 8 42 Doug Sanders Springwood, NC
9 9 1h Jason Hiett Oxford, AL
Unofficial Qualifying Results
1 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN 15.410
2 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN 15.482
3 76 Brandon Overton Appleton, GA 15.511
4 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV 15.571
5 6 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA 15.605
6 91p Jason Papich Arroyo Grande, CA 15.617
7 101 Casey Roberts Toccoa, GA 15.681
8 22 Chris Ferguson Mt. Holly, NC 15.703
9 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC 15.736
10 28e Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL 15.796
11 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY 15.829
12 87 Ross Bailes Clover, SC 15.836
13 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL 15.864
14 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV 15.873
15 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN 15.881
16 44 Chris Madden Gray Court, SC 15.916
17 1d Brent Dixon Elberton, GA 15.939
18 17m Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA 15.981
19 09 Johnny Pursley Clover, SC 15.992
20 12 Jason Hughes Westville, OK 16.101
21 57 Zack Mitchell Enoree, SC 16.113
22 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR 16.133
23 1w Ricky Weeks Rutherfordton, NC 16.171
24 42 Doug Sanders Springwood, NC 16.252
25 5j Eric Jacobsen Seacliff Beach, CA 16.340
26 421 Anthony Sanders Spartanburg, SC 16.377
27 1h Jason Hiett Oxford, AL 17.002
28 618 Kevin Wilson Stoneboro, NC 17.569