Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Lucas Oil Speedway
July 12, 2014
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Owens Wins His 3rd CMH Diamond Nationals at Lucas Oil Speedway



LOLMDS PR
WHEATLAND, MO (July 12) - Jimmy Owens returned to dominance on Saturday Night at Lucas Oil Speedway by winning the 8th Annual CMH Diamond Nationals. With car owner Mike Reece looking on, Owens ran away from Scott Bloomquist to record his 50th career win with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The event was co-sanctioned with the Lucas Oil MLRA Late Models.
 
Both Owens and Bloomquist entered the event with 49 wins, each, in series history. Owens initially took the lead on lap three from Earl Pearson, Jr. and then had to fight off the challenges of Bloomquist. Owens and Bloomquist ran side-by-side for a handful of laps in heavy traffic. Bloomquist led for four laps until Owens pulled ahead for good on lap 19. The race saw only one caution flag and that was for a multi-car accident four laps into the race.
 
Jesse Stovall charged from the 16th starting spot to finish fourth. He survived a torrid battle with Don O'Neal, who entered the event as the LOLMDS points leader and finished fifth.
 
"Man, I don't know what to say. The car was super good all night. It's great to win here in front of my car owner and this tremendous crowd. The track was probably the best I have ever seen it from start to finish. We could run anywhere on it. I don't know what it is about this place, but for some reason we can get around here pretty good", stated Jimmy Owens in victory lane.
 
"I got by Earl early on, and then we had that one caution. Then I got into some big-time traffic and Scott caught me. We had a heck of a race for a while. Everybody out there was giving everybody plenty of room to maneuver. Once we got back in front, I was hoping the race would stay green and it did. That's just a testament to the drivers that raced tonight and the track conditions. I have to thank Reece Monument Company, Edge Services, Ohlins, Sunoco, Red Line Oil, FORD, and Keyser. It was a great win for us", Owens concluded. With his sixth series victory of 2014, Owens moved ahead of O'Neal in the series championship point standings by just five points heading into Tuesday's event at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas.
 
Bloomquist recorded yet another second -place finish, but could not keep pace with Owens over the last half of the race. "He [Owens] was really good tonight; I kind of made some adjustments on the car that didn't turn out liked I had hoped. The car has been solid no doubt. The track was just outstanding to race on tonight. Everyone could race from the bottom to the top. We needed to be a little freer with the car. But man one spot again, that's all we need. We have a few days off to regroup before we head to Lakeside, so we will hope for better results then. I have to thank Ole Smoky Moonshine, Penske Shocks, Andy Durham Race Engines, and Randy Sweet."
 
Pearson led the first two circuits, and then managed to stay in the top three for the rest of the race, coming home third behind Owens and Bloomquist. "What a great crowd tonight! Having Forrest Lucas was here tonight was a real honor. The track was just was superb tonight. Gary Hubert and his crew are really doing a great job with the track prep. We were good early on and could stay up there with those two, but I went to the top and got faster, but I had lost so much ground to them, I wasn't going to able to catch them without a caution flag. I have to thank Bobby Labonte, Lucas Oil Products, MAVTV American Real, Sunoco and everyone else on the team."
 
Completing the top ten were Steve Francis, Will Vaught, John Blankenship, Brandon Overton, and Terry Phillips.

In preliminary action, Justin Asplin set the overall Miller Welders Fast Time (Group A) amongst the 41 entrants, with a lap of15.263 seconds. Scott Lewis set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 15.439 seconds. Earl Pearson Jr., Jimmy Owens, Scott Lewis, and Scott Bloomquist won their respective heat races. Jeremy Payne and Josh Hughes won their respective B-Mains.
 
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, July 12th, 2014
CMH Diamond Nationals
Lucas Oil Speedway - Wheatland, MO

A-Main
1 3 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
2 4 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
3 1 44P Earl Pearson Jr Trinity, FL
4 16 00S Jesse Stovall Billings, MO
5 13 5L Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
6 8 15F Steve Francis Ashland, KY
7 6 1V Will Vaught Crane, MO
8 24 23J John Blankenship Williamson, WV
9 7 5E Brandon Overton Appleton, GA
10 11 75P Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
11 19 25C Chad Simpson Mt Vernon, IA
12 9 28E Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL
13 12 19R Ryan Gustin Marshalltown, Ia
14 10 56J Tony Jackson, Jr Lebanon, MO
15 27 777 Jared Landers Batesville, Ar
16 5 77A Justin Asplin Birch Tree, MO
17 23 28 Eddie Carrier, Jr Salt Rock, WV
18 14 12H Jason Hughes Watts, OK
19 18 7H Josh Hughes Westville, OK
20 20 6T Travis Dickes Madison, NE
21 28 91P Jason Papich Nipomo, CA
22 25 16A Austin Siebert Grandview, MO
23 21 43A Garrett Alberson Las Cruces, NM
24 26 14M Reid Millard Jefferson City, MO
25 2 99L Scott Lewis Henderson, CO
26 17 186 Jeremy Payne Springfield, MO
27 15 85D Mark Dotson Cameron, MO
28 22 2B Jason Bodenhamer Centerview, MO

B-Main #1
1 186 Jeremy Payne
2 25C Chad Simpson
3 43A Garrett Alberson
4 94 Austin Rettig
5 18 Jack Sullivan
6 16A Austin Siebert
7 21D Mark Daye
8 99F Clay Fisher
9 14M Reid Millard
10 0F Ferrell Skelton
11 99J Larry Jones
12 8 Craig Vosbergen
13 0X Jason Sivils

B-Main #2
1 6T Travis Dickes
2 7H Josh Hughes
3 2B Jason Bodenhamer
4 28 Eddie Carrier, Jr
5 4G Brantlee Gotschall
6 777 Jared Landers
7 17H Jason Hughes
8 42M Brandon McCormick
9 91P Jason Papich
10 14T Cody Holtkamp
11 23J John Blankenship
12 77 Gavin Landers

Heat #1
1 44P Earl Pearson Jr
2 77A Justin Asplin
3 28E Dennis Erb Jr
4 5L Don O’Neal
5 94 Austin Rettig
6 25C Chad Simpson
7 18 Jack Sullivan
8 16A Austin Siebert
9 8 Craig Vosbergen
10 99F Clay Fisher
11 0X Jason Sivils

Heat #2
1 20 Jimmy Owens
2 5E Brandon Overton
3 75P Terry Phillips
4 85D Mark Dotson
5 186 Jeremy Payne
6 43A Garrett Alberson
7 14M Reid Millard
8 21D Mark Daye
9 0F Ferrell Skelton
10 99J Larry Jones

Heat #3
1 99L Scott Lewis
2 1V Will Vaught
3 56J Tony Jackson, Jr
4 12H Jason Hughes
5 17H Josh Hughes
6 777 Jared Landers
7 28 Eddie Carrier, Jr
8 7H Josh Hughes
9 91P Jason Papich
10 23J John Blankenship

Heat #4
1 0 Scott Bloomquist
2 15F Steve Francis
3 19R Ryan Gustin
4 00S Jesse Stovall
5 4G Brantlee Gotschall
6 6T Travis Dickes
7 2B Jason Bodenhamer
8 42M Brandon Mccormick
9 14T Cody Holtkamp
10 77 Gavin Landers