Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Virginia Motor Speedway
September 15, 2012
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Lathroum Lands Biggest Payday of Career in USA 100 at Virginia Motor Speedway



by James Essex
JAMAICA, VA (September 15, 2012) - Jamie Lathroum of Mechanicsville, MD a former track champion at Bill Sawyer's Virginia Motor Speedway captured the biggest victory of his racing career on Saturday Night. He took home the $20,000 first place in the 33rd Annual USA 100. Lathroum took over the lead on lap 18 and held off Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN for the win in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned event.
 
Steve Francis of Ashland, KY led the first 15 laps of the race until Lathroum forged under him coming off of turn four. Francis then jumped the cushion and was forced to stop on the track before contact with the inside guardrail. On the restart, Lathroum picked up the lead, but a big wreck in turn four involving four cars changed the complexion of the top five.
 
Lathroum maintained the top spot with Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL and John Blankenship of Williamson, WV running in third. Lathroum built his lead over Pearson and Blankenship as the drivers approached the halfway mark of the race.


 
Blankenship squeezed by Pearson for second as he began to run down the leader, Lathroum. Blankenship closed the gap in a hurry as he closed to within a car length of Lathroum, who was having difficulty negotiating lapped car. Blankenship tried to pass Lathroum several times, but could never get a good enough run.
 
Lathroum meanwhile stretched his lead out to a comfortable margin over Blankenship, who was now receiving pressure from the duo of Pearson and Bloomquist. Bloomquist moved into the third spot on lap 43 as he tracked down Blankenship and overhauled him on lap 46.
 
Bloomquist then tried to diamond-off the corners in an effort to catch the high-flying Lathroum, but it was to no avail as Lathroum hit his marks lap after lap as he took his car to Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the first time in his career. He becomes the 15th different winner this year in series competition.
 
"This is just awesome," said Lathroum, who emerged from his MasterSbilt by Huey with tears in his eyes. "This is the biggest win of my career and to outrun Bloomquist, O'Neal, and the rest of these guys is just unbelievable! I have to thank my crew, everybody here at Virginia Motor Speedway, my family and the fans," said the 33-year-old, whose biggest win before tonight was a $10,000 victory in 2009.
 
Lathroum, who captured the late model track title at VMS back in 2005, said keeping his car away from the bumps and cushion was critical to his success. "I tried to stay away from all of that, there were guys jumping the cushion, it would bite you if you let it. I just tried to be smooth lap after lap and we got it done," said the driver of the Three Mules Welding, Claar Logging, Superior Tank, The Bowles Boys, Lathroum's Seafood, Integra, Abell Auto Glass and Eugene Copsey's Plumbing. His car is powered by an Eatmon Racing Engine.


 
Bloomquist came home in second, followed by Blankenship, Don O'Neal of Martinsville, IN;and Pearson rounded out the top five.
 
Completing the top ten were: Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA; Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN; Jared Landers of Batesville, AR; Dan Stone of Thompson, PA; and Walker Arthur of Forest, VA.
 
In preliminary action, Jimmy Owens set the Fast Time amongst the 25 entrants, with a lap of 17.456 seconds. David Williams set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 17.673 seconds. Steve Shaver and Steve Francis won their respective Heat Races. David Williams won the B-Main.

A-Main
1 4 6L Jamie Lathroum Mechanicsville, MD
2 11 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
3 8 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
4 10 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
5 9 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL
6 21 11T Tyler Reddick Corning, CA
7 13 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
8 3 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
9 22 21d Daniel Stone Thompson, PA
10 23 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA
11 12 11h Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
12 24 4 David Watts Buchanan, VA
13 15 24m Kenny Moreland Waldorf, MD
14 2 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
15 25 Bad 1 Billy Tucker King George, VA
16 6 15d Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
17 1 6s Steve Shaver Vienna, WV
18 20 88 Ricky Elliott Seaford, DE
19 19 18e Eric Wells Hazard, KY
20 14 26 Jerry Bard Shippensburg, PA
21 5 44m Chris Madden Gaffney, SC
22 7 2 Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA
23 16 1m Jeremy Miller Littlestown, PA
24 18 5n Dean Bowen Whiteville, NC

Heat #1 (25 Laps)
1 2 6 Steve Shaver Vienna, WV
2 3 5 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
3 4 44 Chris Madden Gaffney, SC
4 5 17m Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA
5 6 44 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL
6 7 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
7 1 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
8 10 24 Kenny Moreland Waldorf, MD
9 12 15 Dean Bowen Whiteville, NC
10 9 45 Ricky Elliott Seaford, DE
11 8 18 Eric Wells Hazard, KY
12 13 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA
13 11 11t Tyler Reddick Corning, CA

Heat #2  
1 2 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
2 3 6 Jamie Lathroum Mechanicsville, MD
3 4 15 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA
4 5 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
5 6 71 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
6 7 11 Austin Hubbard Seaford, DE
7 8 26 Jerry Bard Shippensburg, PA
8 12 1M Jeremy Miller Gettysburg, PA
9 1 72 David Williams Clements, MD
10 11 47 Matt Quade Mechanicsville, MD
11 10 04 David Watts Buchanan, VA
12 9 2 Dan Stone Thompson, PA

B-Main
David Williams
Dean Bowen
Eric Wells
Ricky Elliott
Tyler Reddick
Daniel Stone
David Watts
Billy Tucker
Matt Quade
DNS, Walker Arthur