DAVENPORT AND MILLER STEAL FRIDAY WORLD 100 THUNDER FROM MA NATURE
Duo Captures Twin-25 Features in Final Tune-Up for Tonight’s World 100

 ROSSBURG, OH (Sept. 5) – Just beating Mother Nature to her game, Jonathan Davenport and Matt Miller pulled off wins in Friday’s twin 25-lap main events that served as the final tune-up to tonight’s famed World 100 for dirt Late Models at Eldora Speedway.

Looking for his first Late Model victory at Eldora Speedway, things didn’t start off too well for Davenport on Thursday’s opening night; however he turned things around in Friday’s opening feature.  Blitzing front-row starters by going from third to first on the opening lap, Davenport then led all 25 laps for a $5,000 payday.

“We really worked hard trying to get us a win here,” Davenport said.  “Me and Kevin (Rumley) made a big swing at it here.   We did last night and it was the wrong way, but tonight I think was the right direction.”

Davenport built a straightway lead after seven laps and turned back a mid-race challenge from sixth-starting Scott Bloomquist, then survived a late restart before taking the checkers of victory.

Bloomquist drew within several lengths as the frontrunners entered traffic by lap 13, but over the next few laps, Davenport stepped up his aggressiveness to put a cushion of four lapped cars between himself and Bloomquist, drawing away before a lap-19 caution for Brian Shirley, who stopped at the end of the front stretch.

With the field bunched for the six-to-go restart, Bloomquist started alongside Davenport, who immediately returned to the high side of the track to a high groove that was too much for everyone else, as he pulled away to win by more than a half-straightaway.

Bloomquist was second, followed by fellow multiple World 100 winners and fourth-row starters Brian Birkhofer and Billy Moyer, while Chris Madden was fifth.

With strong storms in the vicinity and rapidly approaching, the evening’s finale rolled to the track.

Matt Miller was battling more than a fellow front-row started; he was battling a cancer-surviving driver on an emotional quest for a victory in his final visit to the historic one-half mile oval.

Randy Korte, his car carrying a special graphics scheme tanking fans who donated to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, led the first half of the race from the outside of the front-row, but the pole sitting Miller went under him on the 13th lap and held off Korte the rest of the way for a $5,000 victory.

As the rains came in and began falling during victory lane ceremonies and fans scurried for shelter, Miller knew what it meant to beat Korte, a two-time UMP DIRTcar champion.

“My buddy Randy, I know it’s his last time and I hate to take it from himn, but it’s a race and we need it as bad as he does,” said Miller.

Korte settled for second in a race with a four-car breakaway.  Tim McCreadie was third, followed by R.J. Conley, while Darrell Lanigan rounded out the top five.

Korte, who entered the World 100 weekend excited to help cap his successful career, gave it his best shot against Miller.

“When we got in traffic, you never know what’s going to happen,” Korte said.  “It got close there.   I think he found a better groove than me when he passed me.   The middle started getting really good and he figured it out before me.”

Joining Dale McDowell and Jimmy Owens (Thursday night) as World 100 preliminary feature winners, they join the balance of the 120-car World 100 field in another full program tonight (Saturday) that will conclude with the proclaimed ‘granddaddy of them all’ among dirt Late Model racing – the World 100, and the 44th annual chase for the coveted globed trophy.

Fans can purchase remaining race tickets and campsites for the World 100 — or any other exciting Eldora event — by going online to www.EldoraSpeedway.com. Tickets and campsites may also be purchased through the Eldora offices during normal business hours by calling (937) 338-3815.   With the broadcast simulcast on both www.EldoraSpeedway.com or www.DirtonDirt.com, fans can visit either website to purchase a pay-per-view package and stream the racing through their favorite device.
Additionally, race fans and race teams can get behind-the-scenes access by following @EldoraSpeedway on Twitter, hitting ‘Like’ at Facebook.com/EldoraSpeedway and viewing video highlights at YouTube.com/EldoraSpeedwayInc. Mobile device users can access the Eldora Speedway app for the iPhone, iPad and Android, which are available for download via iTunes and Google Play.
-ES-