Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Utica-Rome Speedway
July 28, 2011
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McCreadie Thrills New York Fans with Lucas Oil Series Win at Utica-Rome

James Essex
VERNON, NY (July 28) - Tim McCreadie of Watertown, NY thrilled the crowd on hand Thursday Night at Utica-Rome Speedway by winning the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Coors Light 50. McCreadie took the lead from Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN on lap 28 and led the rest of the way to pocket the $10,000 first-place prize. Owens finished second followed by 10th place starter, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; 19th starting Billy Decker of Unadilla, NY; and Vic Coffey of Caledonia, NY.

"It always feels great to come here and win in front of these fans, they have been so supportive of me since I started racing. They cheered my dad for many years and to come from eighth place to win here tonight, is just unbelievable, we wanted to come here and run with guys like Jimmy Owens and the other drivers on the Lucas Oil Series," said the 37-year-old McCreadie who collected his second LOLMDS victory of 2011.

"The car we ran tonight, we haven't been real happy with. We had a problem with the Victory Circle and didn't get a chance to fix it after last night. Bill Schlieper of Pro Power Engines was here, he told us some things we were doing wrong and he straightened us out on the engine part of it. Man I thought Vic Coffey was going to win the race, he's been so deserving of it this year, he's been like a brother to me and to see him win tonight would have been just as exciting," said the winner afterwards during his victory lane celebration.

Owens grabbed the lead at the start of the feature and for the second night in a row it looked like he had the car to beat. Owens built a huge lead over Scott Bloomquist with ten laps complete when the second caution of the race came out for a slowing Jim Bernheisel.

On the restart Owens pulled away again opening up a significant advantage over what was a tremendous battle for second among Bloomquist, Dan Stone, and Coffey. Stone passed Bloomquist for second on lap 11 and held the spot until Coffey stormed by him on lap 15.

But on lap 27 a caution would slow the field and wipe away Owens' margin. The restart got quite exciting as McCreadie went to the outside and passed Owens on lap 28 to take over the lead as the crowd came to its feet. McCreadie and Owens then diced it out side-by-side for three laps until McCreadie pulled ahead for good.

McCreadie kept enough distance between himself and Owens the rest of the way as he went on to secure his seventh career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series triumph. Owens and Pearson battled to the finish with Owens edging out Pearson for the position.

"I have to thank everyone at Sweeteners Plus, Ann and Carl Myers for all they have done for me, my co-crew chiefs Barry Knapp and Craig McCrimmon. We have meshed well and we are looking forward to the rest of the season," said the driver who piloted a Rocket Chassis to the win with sponsorship from Bulldog Rear Ends, VP Racing Fuels, Hoosier Tires, Integra Shocks, and Coffey McCreadie Enterprises.

Owens in the Reece Monuments, Cornett Racing Engines, Bloomquist Race Cars, Ford expanded his points lead to 35-points over Bloomquist by placing second. Pearson in the Bobby Labonte Racing, Lucas Oil Products, Longhorn Dodge continued his recent resurgence with a third place finish ahead of two Empire State drivers, Decker in the Gypsum Express, Rocket, who earned the PBM Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race and Coffey in the Sweeteners Plus, Rocket.

Completing the top ten were Bloomquist; Jared Landers of Batesville, AR; Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN; Steve Francis of Ashland, KY; and Dan Stone of Thompson, PA.

In preliminary action Jimmy Owens was the Red Buck Cigars Fast Qualifier among the 29 entrants. Heat race winners were Owens, Tyler Reddick, Scott Bloomquist, and Ray Cook. The B-Mains went to Don O'Neal and John Blankenship.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will conclude its three-race swing on Saturday Night, July 30th at Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD for a $10,000 to win event.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Thursday Night, July 28th, 2011
"Coors Light 50"
Utica-Rome Speedway - Vernon, NY

Feature Finish - 50 Laps
1 8 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY
2 1 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
3 10 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL
4 19 91 Billy Decker Unidilla, NY
5 11 32c Vic Coffey Caledonia, NY
6 2 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
7 21 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
8 17 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
9 15 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
10 7 2 Daniel Stone Thompson, PA
11 14 99L Larry Wight Phoenix, NY
12 4 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
13 3 11t Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
14 5 41n Brad Neat Dunnville, KY
15 24 19 Dale Planck Cortland, NY
16 20 99z David Zona Montrose, PA
17 12 99jr Frank Heckenast, Jr. Frankfort, IL
18 9 57J Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS
19 22 R1 Dale Caswell W. Monroe, NY
20 13 44c Clint Smith Senoia, GA
21 6 19t Tim Fuller Watertown, NY
22 23 18e Eric Wells Hazard, KY
23 16 119 Jim Bernheisel Lebanon, PA
24 18 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV

Race Statistics
Entrants: 29
Lap Leaders: Jimmy Owens (Laps 1 - 27); Tim McCreadie (Laps 28 - 50)
Caution Flags: John Blankenship (Lap 1); Jim Bernheisel (Lap 10); Tyler Reddick (Lap 27); Clint Smith (Lap 33);
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Eric Wells
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: none
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Provisionals: Dale Planck
Time of Race: 30 minutes 27 seconds

Red Buck Cigars Fast Time:
Jimmy Owens / 18.794 seconds (Group A and Overall)
Scott Bloomquist / 18.923 seconds (Group B)

Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Brad neat, Bub McCool, Clint Smith, Jared Landers, Billy Decker, Carey Terrance, DJ Myers

Wiles Driveshafts Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Tyler Reddick, Dan Stone, Vic Coffey, Steve Francis, Don O'Neal, Eric Wells, Dale Planck

Sweet Manufacturing Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Scott Bloomquist, Tim Fuller, Earl Pearson Jr., Larry Wight, David Zona, Aaron Jacobs, John Blankenship

HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Ray Cook, Tim McCreadie, Frank Heckenast Jr., Jim Bernheisel, Dale Caswell, Brent Rhebergen, Alan Fink

JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): Don O'Neal, Billy Decker, Jared Landers, Dale Planck, Carey Terrance, Eric Wells, DJ Myers

Wrisco Aluminum Second B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Advance): John Blankenship, David Zona, Dale Caswell, Aaron Jacobs, Brent Rhebergen, Alan Fink


Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
2011 Point Standings (7/28/2011)
1 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN 4120
2 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN 4085
3 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN 3720
4 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY 3390
5 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL 3370
6 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR 3235
7 41n Brad Neat Dunnville, KY 3140
8 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC 3115
9 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV 3055
10 57J Bub McCool Vicksburg, MS 3035
11 11t Tyler Reddick Corning, CA 2995
12 17m Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA 2865
13 18e Eric Wells Hazard, KY 2655
14 99jr Frank Heckenast, Jr. Frankfort, IL 2560