Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Atomic Speedway
March 20, 2015
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Davenport Decimates Lucas Oil Buckeye Spring 50 at Atomic Speedway



by Scott Wolfe
ALMA, OH (March 20) – Jonathan Davenport led every lap of a fast and furious Buckeye Spring 50 on Friday Night at Atomic Speedway.  With the win Davenport takes over the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series points lead heading to Brownstown Speedway on Saturday Night.

A packed house of fans anxious to end the long winter months got their first fill of a hot summer when several cars were at or under the track record in hot laps.  The very first qualifier out of the gate, Davenport broke the four year old record held by Ben Adkins of 13:377.  By the time qualifications ended, the superior racing surface played host to 14 cars that eclipsed Adkins' mark, and seven cars broke into the 12-second barrier.  Jimmy Owens left as the new track record holder with an impressive time of 12:748.

Davenport consistently turned laps faster than the old track record amid heavy traffic throughout the feature, pacing the field with a 13:299 on lap 39.  The tacky track surface provided great door-to-door racing for the duration of the event.

Josh Richards briefly took the lead from Davenport on a restart, but Davenport quickly shot back around him re-taking the lead.  Richards came home in second followed by 17th starting Mason Zeigler, Chris Brown, and Jimmy Owens.



“The car was unbelievable all night long, we found a few things wrong after qualifying.  We were just on spot in the heat and feature.  The track was extremely fast and hooked-up.  It is a great feeling to have a car that handled like that the entire race.  The only thing we really tore up was the right front flair, but we will get that fixed and get ready for Brownstown tomorrow night.”

“I can’t thank Kevin and Le Roy Rumley enough for what they have done for me.  I have very rarely won north of the Mason-Dixon line, so to come here and win feels real good.  When Josh went by me on that one restart, I just got up on the wheel and was able to get back under him.”

Davenport, who started on the pole, was in lapped traffic only five laps into the race as he was setting a blistering pace.  At times to show how dominant Davenport was he was a full second faster than anyone else, several times during the race.

“We have added some new sponsors this year in Sundance Services and Sundance Flowback Well testing out of Texas.  I want to thank TS Crane Service and Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas as well.  It’s going to great to go to Brownstown tomorrow night sporting that Midwest Sheet Metal orange spoiler.  That means we are leading the points, that’s great.”

Richards was pleased with his second place finish as his good start to the year continued.  “Jonathan was so fast tonight.  I lost track of him several times out there.  Having not raced much last year, and to come here when it’s hooked up, I think I need to get back in the gym and work out some more.  I want to thank Valvoline and Seubert Calf Ranches.  We are coming to Brownstown tomorrow night, and try and get the win there.”



Zeigler charged through the field to take third at the finish put on a show for the huge crowd on hand.  “We have only been here once, and it was rained out.  Wow what a racetrack and race that was.  I hoped the crowd enjoyed that one.  We were just biding our time out there and then all of sudden we had those restarts and we were in the top five.  To have Longhorn Chassis finish first and third in this stout field that is something.”

Completing the top ten were Steve Francis, Devin Moran, Dennis Erb Jr., Don O’Neal, and Dustin Linville.


A-Main (unofficial)
1 1 6 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA (50) 10,000
2 3 1R Josh Richards Shinnston, WV (50) 5,500
3 17 25z Mason Zeigler Chalk Hill, PA (50) 3,500
4 4 21b Chris Brown Spring, TX (50) 2,750
5 5 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN (50) 2,250
6 2 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY (50) 1,800
7 16 99m Devin Moran Dresden, OH (50) 1,500
8 23 28e Dennis Erb Jr Carpentersville, IL (50) 1,300
9 7 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN (50) 1,200
10 13 D8 Dustin Linville Bryantsville, KY (50) 1,100
11 6 28 Eddie Carrier Jr Salt Rock, WV (50) 1,075
12 12 6T Tim Dohm Charleston, WV (50) 1,050
13 8 1 Earl Pearson Jr Jacksonville, FL (50) 1,025
14 21 32 Bobby Pierce Oakwood, IL (50) 1,000
15 10 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR (50) 950
16 15 54 Matt Westfall Pleasant Hill, OH (47) 925
17 24 21JR Billy Moyer Jr Batesville, AR (36) 900
18 22 20c Duane Chamberlain Richmond, IN (23) 875
19 25 47 Greg Oliver Jackson, OH (22) 850
20 11 7R Kent Robinson Bloomington, IN (20) 825
21 18 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN (18) 800
22 14 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY (17) 800
23 20 c4 Freddie Carpenter Parkersburg, WV (12) 800
24 9 c9 Steve Casebolt Richmond, IN (11) 800
25 19 1J Davey Johnson Greensburg, PA (6) 800

B-Main #2
1 0 Scott Bloomquist
2 c4 Freddie Carpenter
3 20c Duane Chamberlain
4 21JR Billy Moyer Jr.
5 25 Mike Benedum
6 00 Chris Keller
7 9R JP Roberts
8 2* Kyle Moore
9 44J Jeremy Berwanger
10 47 Greg Oliver
dns 71C RJ Conley
dns 7 Billy Staker

B-Main #1
1 25z Mason Zeigler
2 1J Davey Johnson
3 32 Bobby Pierce
4 B5 Brandon Sheppard
5 71R Rod Conley
6 5m Ryan Markham
7 71J JT Conley
8 9F Mark Frazier
9 28e Dennis Erb Jr
10 94 Austin Rettig
11 22 Rusty Yarger
dns 10 Jake Keaton

Heat #1
1 6 Jonathan Davenport
2 20 Jimmy Owens
3 c9 Steve Casebolt
4 D8 Dustin Linville
5 25z Mason Zeigler
6 32 Bobby Pierce
7 5m Ryan Markham
8 71J JT Conley
9 94 Austin Rettig
10 10 Jake Keaton

Heat #2
1 1R Josh Richards
2 5 Don O'Neal
3 7R Kent Robinson
4 54 Matt Westfall
5 1J Davey Johnson
6 B5 Brandon Sheppard
7 71R Rod Conley
8 28e Dennis Erb Jr
9 9F Mark Frazier
10 22 Rusty Yarger

Heat #3
1 15 Steve Francis
2 28 Eddie Carrier Jr.
3 777 Jared Landers
4 39 Tim McCreadie
5 0 Scott Bloomquist
6 25 Mike Benedum
7 9R JP Roberts
8 44J Jeremy Berwanger
9 71C RJ Conley
10 47 Greg Oliver

Heat #4
1 21b Chris Brown
2 1 Earl Pearson Jr.
3 6T Tim Dohm
4 99m Devin Moran
5 20c Duane Chamberlain
6 21JR Billy Moyer Jr.
7 c4 Freddie Carpenter
8 00 Chris Keller
9 2* Kyle Moore
10 7 Billy Staker

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Group A Qualifying
1 20 Jimmy Owens 12.748
2 5 Don O'Neal 12.790
3 6 Jonathan Davenport 12.900
4 1R Josh Richards 13.207
5 c9 Steve Casebolt 13.226
6 54 Matt Westfall 13.248
7 25z Mason Zeigler 13.307
8 7R Kent Robinson 13.345
9 5m Ryan Markham 13.410
10 71R Rod Conley 13.426
11 D8 Dustin Linville 13.447
12 1J Davey Johnson 13.468
13 32 Bobby Pierce 13.500
14 B5 Brandon Sheppard 13.569
15 28e Dennis Erb Jr 13.764
16 94 Austin Rettig 13.842
17 9F Mark Frazier 14.002
18 10 Jake Keaton 14.519
19 22 Rusty Yarger 15.665
20 71J JT Conley no time

Group B Qualifying
1 15 Steve Francis 12.877
2 1 Earl Pearson Jr. 12.949
3 71C RJ Conley 13.019
4 21b Chris Brown 13.029
5 777 Jared Landers 13.238
6 20c Duane Chamberlain 13.247
7 28 Eddie Carrier Jr. 13.348
8 99m Devin Moran 13.398
9 44J Jeremy Berwanger 13.398
10 6T Tim Dohm 13.416
11 25 Mike Benedum 13.487
12 21JR Billy Moyer Jr. 13.501
13 39 Tim McCreadie 13.537
14 00 Chris Keller 13.798
15 0 Scott Bloomquist 13.803
16 2* Kyle Moore 13.922
17 47 Greg Oliver 13.922
18 c4 Freddie Carpenter 13.964
19 9R JP Roberts 14.120
20 7 Billy Staker 15.213


- all results unofficial
- courtesy Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series