Lucas Oil Late Model Series
Tri-City Speedway
July 11, 2014
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Don O'Neal Wins Terrific Battle at the Beach at Tri-City Speedway



LOLMDS PR
GRANITE CITY, IL (July 11) - A day after celebrating his birthday, current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points leader, Don O'Neal gave himself quite a present by winning the Battle at the Beach 50 on Friday Night at Tri-City Speedway. O'Neal took the lead from his teammate Steve Francis on lap 26 and withstood challenges from Jimmy Owens and Scott Bloomquist for the win.
 
In a battle amongst the top three in LOLMDS points standings, O'Neal held on for his fifth series win of the season. Bloomquist snuck by Owens at the end to finish second. Owens came home third, followed by 12th starting, Brian Birkhofer, and Francis rounded out the top five.
 
"What a win for this Clint Bowyer Race Team tonight! I saw Jimmy pull alongside a few times and I thought I had better get going. That top line was going away. The car handled really well whether we ran low, in the middle, or the top. It got pretty loose there at the end. I kept my pace pretty good, there were a few lapped cars that actually helped up keep the lead. The track was in excellent shape tonight, and I hope the fans got their money's worth," said the winner.


 
"Steve [Francis] got off to a good start. He had a really good car. I just kept digging and digging, and was finally able to get by him. I want to thank my crew chief Jeremy Justice, Tony Trent, Barry and Lance Wright. Lance couldn't be here tonight. He is with his daughter who just had surgery. Thanks to Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil, Crawford Supply, Traeger Grills, Cometic Gasket, Ohlins, Georgia Boot, Toyota, and Clements Race Engines."
 
Bloomquist was able to overcome a few early setbacks; falling to fifth at one point; to collect the second place money. "We had a really good car; the track was just spectacular all night. I had a run there a few times, and I thought I was going to get both Don and Jimmy for the lead. Another second place finish for us tonight. It feels good knowing we have a car capable of winning every time out. I have to thank Ole Smoky Moonshine, Penske Shocks, Base, Andy Durham Engines and Randy Sweet. We will head to Wheatland tomorrow night and hopefully come home with a victory."
 
Owens was in the hunt trying to make it back-to-back wins after a stunning run from 17th place to win at 201 last Saturday. "Wow what a race, at one point there was five of us racing for the lead. I tried a few times to slide up there in front of him [O'Neal], but I was going to race him clean. Then I got into the wall and that ended any chance I had of passing him for the win. Then here comes Scott and he got underneath me for second. We had a good point's night and we'll head down to Wheatland tomorrow and try to get us another win there. Thanks my Mike Reece, Reece Monument Company, Sunoco, FORD, and everybody else on this car."


 
Completing the top ten were Jared Landers, Ryan Gustin, Chad Simpson, Billy Moyer Jr., and Terry Phillips.

In preliminary action, Jim Shereck set the overall Fast Time (Group A) amongst the 37 entrants, with a lap of 14.733 seconds. Steve Francis set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 15.066 seconds. Billy Moyer Jr., Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, and Don O'Neal won their respective heat races. Brandon Overton and Jared Landers won their respective B-Mains.
  
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Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, July 11, 2014
"Battle at the Beach 50"
Tri-City Speedway - Granite City, IL

1 4 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
2 3 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
3 5 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
4 12 15b Brian Birkhofer Muscatine, IA
5 2 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
6 18 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
7 7 19R Ryan Gustin Marshalltown, IA
8 14 25c Chad Simpson Mt. Vernon, IA
9 1 21jr Billy Moyer, Jr. Batesville, AR
10 16 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
11 9 17 Jim Shereck St. Charles, MO
12 17 5e Brandon Overton Appling, GA
13 19 33T Tim Manville Highland, IL
14 13 44 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL
15 15 28e Dennis Erb, Jr. Carpentersville, IL
16 20 18x Jack Sullivan Greenbrier, AR
17 22 56 Tony Jackson, Jr. Lebanon, MO
18 23 91p Jason Papich Nipomo, CA
19 11 12 Jason Hughes Watts, OK
20 28 5A Paul Schrempf St. Louis, MO
21 27 6k Michael Kloos Trenton, IL
22 6 28 Eddie Carrier, Jr. Salt Rock, WV
23 8 23 John Blankenship Williamson, WV
24 21 6T Travis Dickes Madison, NE
25 10 00 Randy Korte Highland, IL
26 25 186 Jeremy Payne Springfield, MO
27 24 92w Scott Weber Festus, MO
28 26 99L Scott Lewis Henderson, CO

Race Statistics
Entrants: 37
Lap Leaders: Steve Francis (Laps 1 - 26); Don O'Neal (Laps 27 - 50)
Cautions: Eddie Carrier Jr., John Blankenship (Lap 29); Earl Pearson Jr. (Lap 30)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Jason Papich
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Miller Welders Fast Time Provisionals: Scott Weber
Lucas Oil Midwest Latemodel Racing Association Provisionals: Jeremy Payne, Scott Lewis

B-Main #1: Brandon Overton, Tim Manville, Travis Dickes, Jeremy Payne, Scott Weber, Chris Fetter, Scott Lewis, Bob Martintoni, Derek Fetter, Paul Schrempf, Kolby Vandenbergh

B-Main #2: Jared Landers, Jack Sullivan, Tony Jackson, Jr., Jason Papich, Michael Kloos, Billy Laycock, Gavin Landers, Steven Karnes

Heat #1: 1 21JR Billy Moyer Jr; 2 20 Jimmy Owens; 3 17 Jim Shereck; 4 44 Earl Pearson Jr; 5 5e Brandon Overton; 6 186 Jeremy Payne; 7 92w Scott Weber; 8 00v Kolby Vandenbergh; 9 44m Bob Martintoni; 10 5A Paul Schrempf

Heat #2: 1 0 Scott Bloomquist; 2 19R Ryan Gustin; 3 12 Jason Hughes; 4 28e Dennis Erb Jr; 5 6T Travis Dickes; 6 33T Tim Manville; 7 15x Chris Fetter; 8 99L Scott Lewis; 9 32F Derek Fetter

Heat #3: 1 15 Steve Francis; 2 28 Eddie Carrier Jr; 3 00 Randy Korte; 4 25c Chad Simpson; 5 18x Jack Sullivan; 6 56 Tony Jackson Jr; 7 91P Jason Papich; 8 8 Craig Vosbergen; 9 77 Gavin Landers

Heat #4: 1 5 Don O'Neal; 2 23 John Blankenship; 3 15B Brian Birkhofer; 4 75 Terry Phillips; 5 777 Jared Landers; 6 82 Billy Laycock; 7 6k Michael Kloos; 8 11 Steven Karnes; 9 81 Paul Bailey




















Event photos courtesy of Lloyd Collins