Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
August 25, 2012
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Jimmy Owens Takes Lucas Oil Series Whiskey City 50 at Lawrenceburg Speedway

by James Essex
LAWRENCEBURG, IN (August 25, 2012) - Reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Champion, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN picked up his fourth series win of the season on Saturday Night. Owens led every lap in capturing the "Whiskey City 50" presented by Sign-A-Rama before a huge crowd at Lawrenceburg Speedway. Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN finished second, followed by John Blankenship of Williamson, WV.
 
Owens, who entered the event as the current series points' leader, started on the outside of the front row and took the lead at the drop of the green flag. Eric Wells of Hazard, KY grabbed second for the first six laps behind Owens before yielding to Jared Landers of Batesville, AR.
 
Landers appeared early on to be the only car who could hang with Owens, but Blankenship powered to second position on lap 16 around Landers. By that point of the race, Owens had already built a sizable advantage over the field. Blankenship tried to make-up ground on Owens and was closing in on the leader when a caution for debris slowed the action for the first and only time during the race.
 
On the restart Owens had Blankenship and O'Neal lined up behind him in the double-file restart, but Owens then pulled out to a lead that carried him all the way to the checkers for his 33rd career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory.
 
"The car was just fantastic all night long, I have to thank Mike Reece, my car owner, and all the crew they did a great job on the car. We were disappointed with our race on Thursday at Bulls Gap, and it seems like forever since we have won a race," said Owens, whose last series victory was last month, in the Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil (MO) Speedway.
 
"We got into traffic and had to slow down a little bit there, I didn't know who was coming up behind me. My crew was giving me signals, and then the caution came out! It's great to win here in front of this big of a crowd, this is a very nice facility and we look forward to coming back."
 
"I have to thank my sponsors Reece Monument Company, Gantte Appraisal, Red Line Oil, Midwest Sheet Metal, Sunoco Race Fuels, C&C Trucking, Hoosier Tire South, Keyser and Ohlins," said the 40-year-old driver who stretched his points lead out over O'Neal.
 
"We had a third place car for most of the race," said O'Neal, who won last year's LOLMDS event at Lawrenceburg. "We were fortunate to get by John (Blankenship) there towards the end of the race."
 
Completing the top five behind Owens, O'Neal, and Blankenship were 10th starting, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY and 16th place starter, Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA.
 
The remainder of the top ten at the finish were: Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, F; Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN; Jared Landers of Batesville, AR; Eric Wells of Hazard, KY; and Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, WV.
 
In preliminary action Scott Bloomquist set the Red Buck Cigars Fast Time amongst the 29 entrants, with a lap of 14.360 seconds. Jimmy Owens set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 14.540 seconds. Eric Wells, John Blankenship, Jimmy Owens, and Don O'Neal won their respective Heat Races. Tim Rivers and Scott James won their respective B-Mains.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, August 25th, 2012
Lawrenceburg Speedway - Lawrenceburg, IN

A-Main
1 2 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
2 4 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
3 3 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
4 10 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
5 16 15b Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, IA
6 7 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL
7 9 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
8 6 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
9 1 18e Eric Wells Hazard, KY
10 14 28 Eddie Carrier, Jr. Salt Rock, WV
11 12 28e Dennis Erb, Jr. Carpentersville, IL
12 23 11T Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
13 8 15d Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
14 22 6J Joe Janowski Carmel, IN
15 19 5bx Stephen Breeding Isom, KY
16 5 18w D.J. Wells Wooton, KY
17 17 46 Tim Rivers Salem, IN
18 15 99JR Frank Heckenast, Jr. Frankfort, IL
19 11 28m Jimmy Mars Menomonie, WI
20 18 81 Scott James  Lawrenceburg, IN
21 20 5b Mike Marlar Winfield, TN
22 24 41n Brad Neat Dunnville, KY
23 21 T1 Tyler Allen Indianapolis, IN
24 13 24H Greg Johnson Bedford, IN

Race Statistics
Entrants: 29
Lap Leaders: Jimmy Owens (Lap 1 - 50)
Caution Flags: Debris (Lap 36)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Tyler Reddick, Brad Neat
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: none
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Provisional: none

First Heat (10 Laps - Top 4 Transfer): Eric Wells, D.J. Wells, Scott Bloomquist, Greg Johnson, Stephen Breeding, Tyler Allen, Eric Jacobsen
 
Second Heat (10 Laps - Top 4 Transfer): John Blankenship, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jimmy Mars, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Robby Hensley, Tim Rivers, Jeff Simonton
 
Third Heat (10 Laps - Top 4 Transfer): Jimmy Owens, Jared Landers, Steve Francis, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Mike Marlar, Brad Neat, Joe Janowski
 
Fourth Heat (10 Laps - Top 4 Transfer): Don O'Neal, Jonathan Davenport, Dennis Erb, Jr., Brian Birkhofer, Steve Casebolt, Scott James , Tim Prince, Tyler Reddick
 
First B-Main (12 Laps - Top 3 Transfer): Tim Rivers, Stephen Breeding, Tyler Allen, Jeff Simonton, Robby Hensley-DNS, Eric Jacobsen-DNS
                                   
Second B-Main (12 Laps - Top 3 Transfer): Scott James, Mike Marlar, Joe Janowski, Steve Casebolt , Tyler Reddick, Brad Neat, Tim Prince

Fast Time Group A: Scott Bloomquist / 14.360 seconds
Fast Time Group B: Jimmy Owens / 14.540 seconds