Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Batesville Motor Speedway
May 18-19, 2012
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Jimmy Owens Wins Bad Boy 98 in Terrific Batesville Battle



by James Essex
LOCUST GROVE, AR (May 19) - The defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN finally got his breakthrough victory on Saturday Night at Batesville Motor Speedway, after having finished 2nd seven times.
 
Owens fought off the challenges from Hall-of-Fame drivers, Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR and Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN to capture the Inaugural Bad Boy 98. The race paid $10,000 to win and Owens also claimed a 2012 Chevy Camaro from Mark Martin Chevrolet as his trophy. Moyer chased down Owens late in the race, but fell short of victory. Moyer did earn a $20,000 payday for second. Bloomquist came home third, followed by Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR and Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN.
 
Moyer entered the race leading the nation, with ten feature wins, and was looking for his first-win in seven years at his home track. He grabbed the lead at the start of the 98-lap affair. O'Neal challenged him early on. Owens regrouped and passed O'Neal for second on lap nine, then quickly began gaining ground on the leader.
 
Owens set up Moyer for a few laps and eventually got by him for the lead on lap 12. Meanwhile Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA quickly made his way up to third. With 20 laps scored, the running order was Owens, Moyer, Birkhofer, O'Neal and Steve Francis of Ashland, KY in the top five.



On lap 24 Earl Pearson Jr.'s car went up in smoke heading into turn number one, causing a chain reaction wreck involving several cars. By lap 47 Bloomquist made it a three-way battle for the lead. Both Moyer and Bloomquist closed on Owens in heavy traffic, but a caution for Austin Hubbard on lap 70 cleared the track for Owens in the remaining 28 circuits. Owens pulled away on the restart as Moyer and Bloomquist battled hard for second.
 
Owens had a commanding lead with ten laps to go, but Moyer cut that deficit in half by five to go. Owens had to contend with traffic to the finish. Moyer sliced the lead to three-car lengths, but couldn't get any closer as the two took the white flag. Moyer made one last stab at the lead, but Owens headed to the finish line for his first series win of 2012.
 
"I have to thank Mike Reece for giving me the opportunity to drive his car, the crew did a great job this weekend, we were geared up for the long run tonight and it paid off! To hold off two of the best drivers to ever race Late Models is quite an accomplishment," said the 40-year-old Owens, who remains out in front of this year's Lucas Oil Championship Points Standings.
 
"I have to thank all of my great sponsors Reece Monument Company, Gantte Appraisals, Sunoco Race Fuels, Red Line Oil, C&C Trucking, and Midwest Sheet Metal, it feels good to finally get back to Lucas Oil Victory Lane. With all the second-place finishes this year, we knew eventually we would get here, thanks to the fans for coming out tonight, and I am going to give this new car to my 3-year-old son Nathan, so he can drive it when he gets old enough," said Owens, who drives a Bloomquist Race Cars Ford powered by a Cornett Racing Engine.
 
Owens was teamed with fan, Matt McRae of Quitman, AR and the 19-year-old will drive away with a new 2012 Ford Mustang from Mark Martin Ford. "I can't believe it," said McRae. "I am now the biggest Jimmy Owens fan."


 
Completing the top ten were Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, WI; John Blankenship of Williamson, WV; Steve Francis of Ashland, KY; Jared Landers of Batesville, AR; and Billy Moyer Jr. of Batesville, AR.
 
In preliminary action, Billy Moyer set the Red Buck Cigars Fast Time amongst the 48 entrants with a lap of 13.011 seconds. Heat races were taken by: Billy Moyer, Don O'Neal, Jimmy Owens, and Steve Francis. Earl Pearson Jr. and Jesse Stovall won their respective B-Mains.
  
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, May 18th, 2012
"Bad Boy 98"
Batesville Motor Speedway - Batesville, MO

A-Main  
1 2 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN $10,000 + 2012 Chevy Camaro
2 1 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
3 13 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
4 8 6m Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR
5 3 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
6 19 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
7 24 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
8 4 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
9 7 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
10 15 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
11 14 11t Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
12 20 11 Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
13 12 15 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
14 9 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
15 23 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY
16 10 18 Ronny Lee Hollingsworth Northport, AL
17 21 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
18 22 F5 B.J. Robinson Shreveport, LA
19 11 15b Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, IA
20 16 41 Brad Neat Dunnville, KY
21 5 1S Jack Sullivan Greenbriar, AR
22 6 25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove, GA
23 17 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
24 18 00 Jesse Stovall Galena, MO

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B-Main #1  
1 6 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
2 4 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
3 7 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
4 9 93 Ray Moore Shreveport, LA
5 12 33 Tanner English Benton, KY
6 11 5B Klint Byars Carrollton, MS
7 10 96t R.C. Whitwell Tucson, AZ
8 8 c8 Timothy Culp West Monroe, LA
9 14 17 Nicolas Black Van Buren, AR
10 13 7L Jerry Lierly Camp Point, IL
11 5 5e Eric Jacobsen Seacliff Beach, CA
12 2 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
13 1 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
14 3 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY
dns 37 Joseph Long Bryant, AR
dns 2 John Anderson Omaha, NE

B-Main #2  
1 3 00 Jesse Stovall Galena, MO
2 4 11 Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
3 2 F5 B.J. Robinson Shreveport, LA
4 6 58 A.J. Diemel Bonduel, WI
5 8 17 Robert Baker Bryant, AR
6 7 15t David Turner Adrian, MO
7 11 11k Jon Kirby Russellville, AR
8 14 0 Shane Harris Sheridan, AR
9 9 71 Chris Wall Holden, LA
10 13 02 Tommy Weder Woodward, OK
11 1 27 Stacy Taylor Jacksonville, AR
12 5 A1 Duke Whiseant Texarkana, TX
13 10 11c Jeff Chanler Minden, LA
14 12 115 Brandon Smith Floral, AR
dns F1 Jeff Floyd Walnut Ridge, AR
dns 66 Bill Frye Greenbriar, AR

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Heat #1  
1 1 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
2 3 1S Jack Sullivan Greenbriar, AR
3 5 28 Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
4 2 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
5 7 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
6 6 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY
7 4 5e Eric Jacobsen Seacliff Beach, CA
8 9 14M Morgan Bagley Longview, TX
9 8 93 Ray Moore Shreveport, LA
10 10 5B Klint Byars Carrollton, MS
11 11 7L Jerry Lierly Camp Point, IL
12 12 37 Joseph Long Bryant, AR

Heat #2  
1 1 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
2 2 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
3 3 15b Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, IA
4 5 21jr Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR
5 6 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
6 8 28 Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
7 7 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
8 10 c8 Timothy Culp West Monroe, LA
9 9 96t R.C. Whitwell Tucson, AZ
10 4 33 Terry English Benton, KY
11 11 17 Nicolas Black Van Buren, AR

Heat #3  
1 1 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
2 2 25 Shane Clanton Locust Grove, GA
3 3 18 Ronny Lee Hollingsworth Northport, AL
4 4 11 Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
5 6 27 Stacy Taylor Jacksonville, AR
6 5 00 Jesse Stovall Galena, MO
7 9 A1 Duke Whiseant Texarkana, TX
8 11 15t David Turner Adrian, MO
9 8 71 Chris Wall Holden, LA
10 12 11k Jon Kirby Russellville, AR
11 10 66 Bill Frye Greenbriar, AR
12 7 02 Tommy Weder Woodward, OK

Heat #4  
1 1 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
2 3 6m Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR
3 5 49 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
4 2 41 Brad Neat Dunnville, KY
5 7 F5 B.J. Robinson Shreveport, LA
6 4 11 Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
7 11 58 A.J. Diemel Bonduel, WI
8 8 17 Robert Baker Bryant, AR
9 9 11c Jeff Chanler Minden, LA
10 6 F1 Jeff Floyd Walnut Ridge, AR
11 10 115 Brandon Smith Floral, AR
12 12 0 Shane Harris Sheridan, AR

Fast time Group A: Billy Moyer 13.011
Fast time Group B: Jimmy Owens 13.032

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Next weekend, the stars of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series head to the "DART Show Me 100." The prestigious 20th annual event will take place from May 25th to 26th. For more information on the crown-jewel "Show-Me 100" at the "Diamond of the Dirt Tracks", Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO, log onto www.lucasoilspeedway.com.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and be sure to follow the series at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.