Bloomquist Holds On to Win at East Bay Raceway Park
Story By: JEREMEY SHIELDS / LUCAS LATE MODEL SERIES MEDIA
Photos By: MARK RANALLETTA / RACERSGUIDE.COM
TAMPA, FL – February 18, 2017 – Defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion Scott Bloomquist held off series newcomer Josh Richards to win the Friday night edition of the 41st Annual Wrisco Industries Winternationals – presented by E3 Spark Plugs at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL. It was Bloomquist’s eighth career win at the 3/8-mile oval and the 78th of his career in LOLMDS competition.
Bloomquist took the lead on lap 19 from Don O’Neal and then held off Richards and Jonathan Davenport, who had come from ninth to challenge Bloomquist late in the race. The previous night’s winner Tim McCreadie charged from 17th to finish fourth in the Sweeteners Plus, Longhorn Chassis – while O’Neal crossed the finish line fifth in the Peak Antifreeze and Coolant, Club 29 Race Car for Clint Bowyer Racing.
O’Neal led the first lap of the race before Doug Drown charged to the lead on lap two. O’Neal then regained the top spot and held off Bloomquist until lap 16, when Bloomquist got around him just before the caution flag waved.
Bloomquist attributed his win to a multitude of people, including Randy Sweet who helped design the Sweet-Bloomquist Chassis that he drove to the victory. “We have a bunch of help this weekend that Randy brought down for us. It takes a more people to get this done than it used to.”
“I definitely have to thank Reece Monument Company, Crop Production Services, Mark Martin Automotive, Sorbera Chiropractic, Crossfit Overton, Penske Shocks, Horton Coal, Petroff Towing, Base Racing Fuels, and Andy Durham Race Engines. The motor ran perfect,” said the three-time LOLMDS champion in Lucas Oil Victory Lane.
Richards’ Best Performance Motorsports, Dargie Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis entry came home in second as he embarks on his first full-season with the LOLMDS.
“If the cautions didn’t come out we may have gotten him [Bloomquist]. Once the cautions came out there at the end I just had to protect the bottom. I ventured up the track in three and four that one lap and I figured I had better get back down. We just wanted to salvage second for a good night. We got behind in the heat race, we had a shock issue that messed us up some and I was riding wheelies out there,” said the 28-year-old Richards.
Davenport’s new Barry Wright Icon Chassis was impressive in its second run at East Bay Raceway Park this week. “When we went to the top, the car was really good. Dor the first part of the race we were just trying to save our stuff – I should have stayed up top for another lap. I thought my right rear was getting too hot. When I dropped down low that’s when he [Richards] got by me.”
Completing the top ten were Steve Francis, Earl Pearson Jr., Jimmy Owens, Austin Hubbard, and Hudson O’Neal.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday, February 17th, 2017
Wrisco Industries Winternationals – presented by E3 Spark Plugs
East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
Miller Welders Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 14.907 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Scott Bloomquist / 14.940 seconds
Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Doug Drown, Jonathan Davenport, Gregg Satterlee, Tim McCreadie, Doug Horton, Bobby Pierce, Michael Lake, Pancho Lawler, Boom Briggs, John Gardner-DNS
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Darrell Lanigan, Hudson O’Neal, Steve Francis, Jared Miley, Kenny PettyJohn, Nick Davis, Mason Zeigler, GR Smith, Brian Ligon, Freddie Carpenter-DNS
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Tim Dohm , Kyle Bronson, Corey Conley , Austin Hubbard, Ricky Weiss, David Breazeale, Gordy Gundaker, Chad Hollenbeck, Colton Flinner, Todd Frank
QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Zack Dohm, Josh Richards, Jimmy Owens, Dennis Erb, Jr., Earl Pearson, Jr., Dustin Linville, Timothy Culp, Bob Gardner, Davey Johnson, Austin Rettig
Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Tim McCreadie, Kenny PettyJohn, Bobby Pierce, Doug Horton, Mason Zeigler, Boom Briggs, GR Smith, Pancho Lawler, Nick Davis, Brian Ligon, Michael Lake-DNS, John Gardner-DNS, Freddie Carpenter-DNS
Fast Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Austin Hubbard, Dustin Linville, Timothy Culp, Earl Pearson, Jr., Ricky Weiss, David Breazeale, Gordy Gundaker, Bob Gardner, Austin Rettig, Colton Flinner, Chad Hollenbeck, Todd Frank, Davey Johnson
Race Statistics
Entrants: 42
Lap Leaders: Don O’Neal (Lap 1); Doug Drown (Lap 2); Don O’Neal (Laps 3 – 15); Scott Bloomquist (Laps 16 – 50)
Cautions: Bobby Pierce (Lap 16); Debris (Lap 16); Debris (Lap 17); Zack Dohm (Lap 23); Gregg Satterlee (Lap 30); Kenny PettyJohn (Lap 45)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Earl Pearson Jr., Colton Flinner
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Wrisco Winternationals Provisional: Nick Davis
Strawberry Dash Provisional: Doug Horton
Wrisco Feature Winner: Scott Bloomquist
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr. (Started: 23rd; Finished: 7th; Advanced 16 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: n/a
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Bobby Pierce
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Richards
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: n/a
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Andy Durham Race Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Sweet-Bloomquist Race Cars
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Cody Mallory (Scott Bloomquist)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Don O’Neal (Lap #3 – 16.0505 seconds)
Safecraft Most Laps Led: Scott Bloomquist (35 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Don O’Neal
Time of Race: 37 minutes 14 seconds
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Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Marketing Partners Include: Allstar Performance, Andy Durham Racing Engines, AR Bodies, ASi Racewear, Bad Boy Mowers, Barry Wright Race Cars, Black Diamond Chassis, Sweet-Bloomquist Race Cars, BRODIX, Clements Race Engines, Capital Race Cars, COMP Cams, CV Products, DirtonDirt.com, Dunn-Benson Ford, E3 Spark Plugs, Earnhardt Technologies Group, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Fast Orange, FK Rod Ends, GEICO, General Tire, Heath Lawson Photography, Hoosier Tire, Hot Rod Processing, JRi Shocks, Keyser MFG, K&N Engineering, Lucas Oil Products, Lucas Oil Racing TV, Longhorn Chassis, MAVTV Motorsports Network, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welders, Öhlins Shocks, Optima Batteries, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, PFC Brakes, Pierce Race Cars, Pro Power Racing Engines, Protect The Harvest, QA1, Ram Mounts, Rhino AG, Rocket Chassis, Safecraft, Simpson Race Products, Spray Nine Sunoco Race Fuels, Super Clean, WELD Racing, Wrisco Aluminum, 5150 Race Trailers
About Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Founded in 2005, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is the nation’s premier dirt late model sanctioning organization. In 2016, the LOLMDS will sanction 53 events in 19 states. The series is owned by the parent company Lucas Oil Products Inc. and receives national exposure through a TV package filmed, produced and edited by Lucas Oil Production Studios. LOLMDS events will be broadcast on four TV Networks including CBS, NBC Sports, CBS Sports Network and the MAVTV Motorsports Network. For more information about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series visit the official website at: www.LucasDirt.com.
