Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Jackson Motor Speedway
March 30, 2012
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O’Neal Outduels Owens Again in Lucas Oil Series Event at Jackson

by James Essex
BYRAM, MS (March 30, 2012) - For the second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event in a row, Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN passed defending series champion, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN to deny Owens his first win of the season. O'Neal took the lead on lap 38 from Owens and then went on for the $10,000 victory in the "Southern 50" at Jackson Motor Speedway before the biggest crowd in track history.

Owens finished second followed by Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA who passed Jared Landers of Batesville, AR on the final lap to take third. Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR completed the top five.

Last week at Brownstown (IN) Speedway Owens held a commanding lead until O'Neal tracked him down and passed him for the win. At Jackson, Owens led the first 38 circuits of the race, despite several laps running in heavy lapped traffic. O'Neal grabbed the lead with 12 laps left to take his fourth LOLMDS win of 2012.

"Wow this is just unbelievable," said the 47-year-old veteran gunning for his first career series title. He has finished runner-up twice before. "Jimmy was solid again, tonight I really didn't think I could catch him like I did at Brownstown, but he started coming back to me after a couple of cautions and I knew if I stayed right with him, I could make a run for the lead."

This win is the 23rd of his career in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competition. O'Neal has now climbed to second in points, just behind Owens. "Ever since we started running this series full-time, we have come up just short in winning the points title. The way last year was, I didn't think we could run any better than we did. To win championships, you have to be consistent and this has just been an awesome start for 2012," said the winner in Lucas Oil Victory Lane.

"I have to thank all the crew: Tader Masters, Cody Mahoney, everybody at the shop. We are just clicking on all cylinders and it's still only March," said the veteran wheelman. O'Neal drives the MasterSbilt Chassis House Car sponsored by Optima Batteries, Independence lumber, Jones Core, Seubert Calf Ranches, Tarpy Trucking, Superior Cleaning Services, O'Neal Mulch, and Budda Bert Transmissions.

"It's also great to win here in the home-state of my engine builder Jay Dickens, there's not another motor better."

Owens drove the Mike Reece-owned, Reece Monument Company, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford. Reddick had an impressive run from seventh and nabbed third in the Broken Bow records, Stoney Creek Records, Bloomquist Race Cars entry to equal his best finish of the year.

Completing the top ten were Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA; Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; Steve Francis of Ashland, KY; Bubba Mullins of West Monroe, LA; and Timothy Culp also of West Monroe, LA.

In preliminary events Jared Landers was the Red Buck Cigars Fast Qualifier among the 45 entrants with a lap of 15.376 seconds. Heat races were won by Landers, Don O'Neal, Jimmy Owens, and Jimmy Cliburn. Steve Francis and Chris Wall captured the B-Mains.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series now moves to the state of Texas on Saturday Night, March 31st for a visit to Lonestar Speedway in Kilgore, TX for the $10,000 to win "High Banks Havoc" to conclude the month of March.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Friday Night, March 30, 2012
Southern 50
Jackson Motor Speedway - Jackson, MS

A-Main  
1 3 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
2 2 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
3 7 11 Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
4 1 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
5 5 88 Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR
6 11 15 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
7 8 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
8 17 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
9 10 11 David Mullins West Monroe, LA
10 9 c8 Timothy Culp West Monroe, LA
11 22 4c Cliff Williams Star, MS
12 21 R5 BJ Robinson Blanchard, LA
13 4 88c Jimmy Cliburn Star, MS
14 15 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
15 24 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
16 25 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY
17 18 71 Chris Wall Holden, LA
18 6 5B Klint Byars Carrollton, MS
19 12 11 Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
20 13 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
21 14 88b Jeremy Broadus Biloxi, MS
22 20 18 Ronny Lee Hollingsworth Northport, AL
23 16 888 Jason Cliburn Star, MS
24 19 444 Brooks Strength Byrum, MS
25 23 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN

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B-Main #1  
1 7 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
2 4 444 Brooks Strength Byrum, MS
3 6 R5 BJ Robinson Blanchard, LA
4 5 27 Chris McElhenney Decatur, MS
5 3 93 Ray Moore Haughton, LA
6 10 31 Scott Creel Franklinton, LA
7 2 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY
8 11 14 Henry Cooper Star, MS
9 1 6x Rob Litton Alexandria, LA
10 8 21k Kody Barber Bogalusa, LA
11 9 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
dns 18 Dewayne Lott Pearl, MS
dns 12c Edmond Jenkins Utica, MS
dns 90 Brian Rickman Columbus, MS

B-Main #2  
1 1 71 Chris Wall Holden, LA
2 2 18 Ronny Lee Hollingsworth Northport, AL
3 3 4c Cliff Williams Star, MS
4 12 10w Rodney Wing Meridian, MS
5 7 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
6 5 A1 Duke Whiseant Texarkana, TX
7 11 10x Leon Henderson Laurel, MS
8 9 86 Rick Rickman Columbus, MS
9 6 11c Jeff Chanler Minden, LA
10 4 R5 Hunter Rasdon Jonesboro, AR
11 8 1c Chad Thrash Meridian, MS
12 10 F4 Dwight Falcon Pine Grove, LA
dns 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
dns 74 Paul Joiner Laird Hill, TX
dns 9 Clint Logan Philadelphia, MS

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Heat #1  
1 1 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
2 4 88 Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR
3 7 c8 Timothy Culp West Monroe, LA
4 6 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
5 10 6x Rob Litton Alexandria, LA
6 9 93 Ray Moore Haughton, LA
7 8 27 Chris McElhenney Decatur, MS
8 2 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
9 3 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
10 5 14 Henry Cooper Star, MS
11 11 12c Edmond Jenkins Utica, MS

Heat #2  
1 2 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
2 3 11 Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
3 1 49 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
4 6 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
5 7 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY
6 4 444 Brooks Strength Byrum, MS
7 9 R5 BJ Robinson Blanchard, LA
8 8 21k Kody Barber Bogalusa, LA
9 5 31 Scott Creel Franklinton, LA
10 10 18 Dewayne Lott Pearl, MS
11 11 90 Brian Rickman Columbus, MS

Heat #3  
1 1 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
2 3 5B Klint Byars Carrollton, MS
3 8 11 David Mullins West Monroe, LA
4 2 88b Jeremy Broadus Biloxi, MS
5 7 71 Chris Wall Holden, LA
6 6 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
7 5 R5 Hunter Rasdon Jonesboro, AR
8 11 11c Jeff Chanler Minden, LA
9 10 1c Chad Thrash Meridian, MS
10 12 F4 Dwight Falcon Pine Grove, LA
11 9 74 Paul Joiner Laird Hill, TX
12 4 10w Rodney Wing Meridian, MS

Heat #4  
1 2 88c Jimmy Cliburn Star, MS
2 3 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
3 1 11 Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
4 4 888 Jason Cliburn Star, MS
5 5 18 Ronny Lee Hollingsworth Northport, AL
6 8 4c Cliff Williams Star, MS
7 6 A1 Duke Whiseant Texarkana, TX
8 7 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC
9 11 86 Rick Rickman Columbus, MS
10 10 10x Leon Henderson Laurel, MS
11 9 9 Clint Logan Philadelphia, MS