Pearson Powers to Lucas Oil Victory Lane at East Bay

TAMPA, FL (February 16, 2013) - Earl Pearson Jr. rallied from a flat tire to win the $10,000 DART Winternationals finale for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at East Bay Raceway Park. Pearson pitted on lap 37 after suffering a right rear flat and restarted from the tail. He charged through the field, taking the lead from Don O'Neal on lap 52 and led the remainder of the race.

Driving for NASCAR's Bobby Labonte, Pearson took the Lucas Oil Products and MAVTV sponsored Longhorn Chassis Chevrolet to Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the first time since July of 2010 at Tri-City (IL) Speedway. "It's been a longtime, no doubt," said the 4-time series champion who was all smiles from ear-to-ear. "This deal with Kevin Rumley came together just a few months ago and we have come out of the box running much better! I have to thank Steve Shaver, he was my crew chief this week, and everybody at Lucas Oil and MAVTV for their support! It feels great to be back in victory lane!"

Pearson's win was the third of his career at East Bay and his 25th on the LOLMDS tour. Scott Bloomquist wound up second followed by O'Neal, Jared Landers, and Steve Francis.

Bloomquist, who was one of the few cars not having to pit, got by O'Neal in the closing laps to take a podium finish in second. "We ran the hardest tires we could; the track was actually pretty good! It was black from top to bottom, but when you start getting some of that sand grit mixed in after a while, that's why the tires started going away."

O'Neal, with his third place finish, clinched the DART Winternationals Championship, worth $5,000. "We are really proud to win the DART (Winternationals) Championship! As far as the race was concerned, we tried to conserve the tires the best we could, and I was just hanging on there at the end and I knew those guys that pitted were going to be hard to handle."

In preliminary action, Vic Coffey set the overall Time (Group B) amongst the 36 entrants, with a lap of 14.417 seconds. Don O'Neal set the fastest time in Group A with a time of 14.547 seconds. Don O'Neal, Austin Hubbard, Dennis Erb Jr., and won their respective Heat Races. Jared Landers and Scott Bloomquist won their respective B-Mains. Devin Moran was the PRC Strawberry Dash Winner.
After the main event, Doug Blashe won the $1,000-to-win Non-Qualifiers Race. Brad Malcuit, Nick Davis, James O'Hara and Bob Geiger rounded out the Top-5.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will return to action on Saturday, March 24th, with the Brian Bowman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Indiana Icebreaker at Brownstown Speedway in Brownstown, IN. The event will pay $10,000-to-win, and will include RedBuck Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and the 50-Lap main event. For more information, log onto www.brownstownspeedway.com.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and follow the series on www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, February 16th, 2013
37th Annual DART Winternationals
East bay Raceway Park - Tampa, FL

Red Buck Fast Time Group A: Don O'Neal / 14.547 seconds
Red Buck Fast Time Group B: Vic Coffey / 14.417 seconds
 
Wiles Drive Shafts Heat Race #1 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O'Neal, Jimmy Owens, Ricky Weiss, Todd Frank, Chad Stapleton, Chad Hollenbeck, Jason McBride, Doug Blashe, Scott Phillips
 
Eibach Springs Heat Race #2 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Austin Hubbard, John Blankenship, Donnie Moran, David Breazeale, Jared Landers, Billy Moyer Jr., Nick Davis, James O'Hara, Bob Geiger

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Dennis Erb Jr., Eddie Carrier Jr., Steve Francis, Vic Coffey, Devin Moran, Justin Rattliff, Jerry Lierly, Brad Malcuit, Tyler Reddick
 
HAWK Performance Heat Race #4 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Earl Pearson Jr., Doug Drown, Bobby Pierce, Eric Jacobsen, Jason Riggs, Scott Bloomquist, Stormy Scott, Braden Mitchell, Leon Henderson

CV Products B-Main #1 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Jared Landers, Billy Moyer Jr., Jason McBride, Chad Stapleton, Doug Blashe, Bob Geiger, James O'Hara, Scott Phillips, Nick Davis, Chad Hollenbeck

Wrisco Aluminum B-Main #2 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Justin Rattliff, Stormy Scott, Devin Moran, Jerry Lierly, Brad Malcuit, Jason Riggs, Leon Henderson, Braden Mitchell

PRC Strawberry Dash Finish: Devin Moran, Jason Riggs, Doug Blashe, Nick Davis, Brad Malcuit, Scott Phillips, O'Hara

Feature Finish (60 Laps):


FINISH

START

CAR #

DRIVER NAME

HOMETOWN

1

4

44

Earl Pearson Jr.

Jacksonville, FL

2

18

0

Scott Bloomquist

Mooresburg, TN

3

1

71

Don O'Neal

Martinsville, IN

4

17

5

Jared Landers

Batesville, AR

5

10

15

Steve Francis

Ashland, KY

6

19

21JR

Billy Moyer Jr.

Batesville, AR

7

11

99

Donnie Moran

Dresden, OH

8

5

20

Jimmy Owens

Newport, TN

9

2

28e

Dennis Erb Jr.

Carpentersville, IL

10

7

23

John Blankenship

Williamson, WV

11

23

11T

Tyler Reddick

Corning, CA

12

12

32

Bobby Pierce

Oakwood, IL

13

9

7w

Ricky Weiss

Headingley, MB

14

15

54

David Breazeale

Philadelphia, MS

15

6

28

Eddie Carrier Jr.

Salt Rock, WV

16

8

63

Doug Drown

Wooster, OH

17

14

32c

Vic Coffey

Caledonia, NY

18

21

77

Jason McBride

Carbondale, IL

19

24

7L

Jerry Lierly

Camp Point, IL

20

25

32s

Chad Stapleton

Edinburgh, IN

21

22

2s

Stormy Scott

Woodward, OK

22

16

5J

Eric Jacobsen

Watsonville, CA

23

26

99m

Devin Moran

Dresden, OH

24

20

16

Justin Rattliff

Campbellsville, KY

25

13

21F

Todd Frank

Mellen, WI

26

3

11h

Austin Hubbard

Seaford, DE



Non-Qualifiers Race Finish: Doug Blashe, Brad Malcuit, Nick Davis, James O'Hara, Bob Geiger

Race Statistics

Entrants: 36
Lap Leaders: Don O'Neal (Laps 1 - 51); Jimmy Owens (Laps 52 - 60)
Caution Flags: Steve Francis (Lap 35); John Blankenship, Steve Francis (Lap 37); Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 43); Ricky Weiss (Lap 43); Bobby Pierce (Lap 45); David Breazeale (Lap 47)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Tyler Reddick, Jerry Lierly (Fast Time)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: n/a
DirtonDirt.com Fast Time Provisional: Chad Stapleton
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Scott Bloomquist (Started: 18th, Finished: 2nd, Advanced: 16 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr.
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Earl Pearson Jr.
JRi Shocks/Dunn Benson Ford Rookie of the Race: n/a
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Roush-Yates Race Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Steve Shaver (Earl Pearson Jr.)
HAWK Performance Fastest Lap of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr. (Lap# 52; 15.321 seconds)
Time of Race: 49 minutes 56 seconds

 
DART Winternationals Point Standings:


POS

CAR#

DRIVER

HOMETOWN

POINTS

1

71

Don O'Neal

Martinsville, IN

1360

2

28e

Dennis Erb Jr.

Carpentersville, IL

1265

3

15

Steve Francis

Ashland, KY

1160

4

11T

Tyler Reddick

Corning, CA

1130

5

20

Jimmy Owens

Newport, TN

1125

6

32

Bobby Pierce

Oakwood, IL

1090

6

32c

Vic Coffey

Caledonia, NY

1090

8

23

John Blankenship

Williamson, WV

1075

9

5J

Eric Jacobsen

Watsonville, CA

1060

10

99

Donnie Moran

Dresden, OH

1030

 

Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
 


POS

CAR #

DRIVER NAME

HOMETOWN

POINTS

1

71

Don O'Neal

Martinsville, IN

480

2

44

Earl Pearson Jr.

Jacksonville, FL

460

3

32

Bobby Pierce

Oakwood, IL

400

4

15

Steve Francis

Ashland, KY

395

5

28e

Dennis Erb Jr.

Carpentersville, IL

390

6

20

Jimmy Owens

Newport, TN

385

7

23

John Blankenship

Williamson, WV

380

7

63

Doug Drown

Wooster, OH

380

9

5

Jared Landers

Batesville, AR

365

10

0

Scott Bloomquist

Mooresburg, TN

360

11

32c

Vic Coffey

Caledonia, NY

350

12

11T

Tyler Reddick

Corning, CA

345

13

99

Donnie Moran

Dresden, OH

320

14

21JR

Billy Moyer Jr.

Batesville, AR

305

15

28

Eddie Carrier Jr.

Salt Rock, WV

300

16

54

David Breazeale

Philadelphia, MS

295

16

7L

Jerry Lierly

Camp Point, IL

295

18

7w

Ricky Weiss

Headingley, MB

290

18

11h

Austin Hubbard

Seaford, DE

290

18

81JR

Jason Riggs

Harrisburg, IL

290

21

4-Ds

Chad Hollenbeck

Montrose, PA

275

22

99m

Devin Moran

Dresden, OH

265

23

32s

Chad Stapleton

Edinburgh, IN

255

24

77

Jason McBride

Carbondale, IL

250

24

5J

Eric Jacobsen

Watsonville, CA

250

24

16

Justin Rattliff

Campbellsville, KY

250



*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*


  

 

Owens Overtakes O'Neal, Wins Day Race at East Bay

TAMPA, FL (February 16, 2013) - Jimmy Owens passed race leader, Don O'Neal on lap 16 and went on the take the $7,000 main event at East Bay Raceway Park Saturday afternoon. The race was originally scheduled for Thursday Night, but was rained out. The win marks the second victory at EBRP for the 2-time and reigning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion.

O'Neal and Dennis Erb Jr. battled it out for the first 15 laps, with Erb officially leading lap 9. Erb had a flat on lap 15, bringing out the first caution of the race. Owens, who started fifth passed O'Neal on the outside after the restart. Owens then led the rest of the race and picked up his second career win at East Bay and the 37th series win of his career. O'Neal came home in second, followed by Eric Jacobsen, John Blankenship, and Vic Coffey.

"For a day race, the track was really great! The crew went out and worked it after the rain delay and there were enough crumbs out there to give everybody traction for the first part of the race," said the driver of the Mike Reece-owned, Reece Monument Company, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford. "From where we started, I figured that I needed to get to the front before the track took rubber. I saw Erb running up top and I don't know what happened to him. John (Blankenship) and I had a really good race for second. I was finally able to clear him and was able to catch O'Neal and pass him for the lead."

O'Neal was looking for his second straight win week, but came up just a car-length short. He commented: "I left the door open in turn one and I knew I was in trouble. Our car has really been great this week, I knew once Owens was in front it was going to be hard to pass him back. We will take second and work towards tonight's race!"

Jacobsen recorded his second podium finish of the week with a solid third place. "We have got this place figured out, but we just can't seem to close the deal and get a win here. I haven't run as much over the few years as these [Lucas Oil] guys. They race so much more than me, but the car feels good and maybe tonight we can end the week on a good note."

In preliminary action, Jimmy Owens set the overall RedBuck Fast Time (Group A) amongst the 34 entrants, with a lap of 15.346 seconds. Dennis Erb Jr. set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 15.672 seconds. Don O'Neal, John Blankenship, Dennis Erb Jr., and Eric Jacobsen won their respective Heat Races. Jared Landers and Tyler Reddick won their respective B-Mains. Leon Henderson was the PRC Strawberry Dash-Draw Winner, Henderson was drawn at random from a pool of eligible drivers due to rain delay and condensed format.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt series will be back later this evening, Saturday, February 16th with the second program of today's double-header at the 37th Annual DART Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, FL. Hot Laps for the event will begin at 6:00PM and will also feature RedBuck Time Trials, Heats, B-Mains, PRC Strawberry Dash. The evening will be capped off with the $10,000-to-win, 60-Lap main event and the $1,000-to-win Non-Qualifiers' Race. For more information on the event or EBRP, log onto www.eastbayracewaypark.com.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and follow the series on www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Day (Thursday's Make-Up Event), February 16th, 2013
37th Annual DART Winternationals
East bay Raceway Park - Tampa, FL

Red Buck Fast Time Group A: Jimmy Owens / 15.346 seconds
Red Buck Fast Time Group B: Dennis Erb Jr. / 15.672 seconds
 
Wiles Drive Shafts Heat Race #1 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O'Neal, Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran, David Breazeale, Jared Landers, Devin Moran, Nick Davis
 
Eibach Springs Heat Race #2 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): John Blankenship, Austin Hubbard, Braden Mitchell, Jason Riggs, Jason McBride, Scott Bloomquist, Chad Hollenbeck, Brad Malcuit, James O'Hara

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Dennis Erb Jr., Vic Coffey, Bobby Pierce, Chad Stapleton, Billy Moyer Jr., Doug Blashe, Doug Drown, Scott Phillips, Bob Geiger
 
HAWK Performance Heat Race #4 (8 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Eric Jacobsen, Jerry Lierly, Justin Rattliff, Eddie Carrier Jr., Tyler Reddick, Ricky Weiss, Stormy Scott, Leon Henderson

CV Products B-Main #1 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Jared Landers, Scott Bloomquist, David Breazeale, Jason McBride, Devin Moran, Nick Davis, Chad Hollenbeck, James O'Hara, Brad Malcuit-DNS

Wrisco Aluminum B-Main #2 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tyler Reddick, Billy Moyer Jr., Doug Blashe, Ricky Weiss, Doug Drown, Stormy Scott, Leon Henderson, Scott Phillips, Bob Geiger

PRC Strawberry Draw Winner: Leon Henderson

Feature Finish (35 Laps):


FINISH

START

CAR #

DRIVER NAME

HOMETOWN

1

5

20

Jimmy Owens

Newport, TN

2

1

71

Don O'Neal

Martinsville, IN

3

4

5J

Eric Jacobsen

Watsonville, CA

4

3

23

John Blankenship

Williamson, WV

5

6

32c

Vic Coffey

Caledonia, NY

6

9

15

Steve Francis

Ashland, KY

7

20

21JR

Billy Moyer Jr.

Batesville, AR

8

10

32

Bobby Pierce

Oakwood, IL

9

16

28

Eddie Carrier Jr.

Salt Rock, WV

10

8

7L

Jerry Lierly

Camp Point, IL

11

18

11T

Tyler Reddick

Corning, CA

12

21

54

David Breazeale

Philadelphia, MS

13

7

11h

Austin Hubbard

Seaford, DE

14

25

4-Ds

Chad Hollenbeck

Montrose, PA

15

14

32s

Chad Stapleton

Edinburgh, IN

15

22

1B

Doug Blashe

Marion, WI

17

13

99

Donnie Moran

Dresden, OH

18

11

64

Braden Mitchell

Russellville, AL

19

2

28e

Dennis Erb Jr.

Carpentersville, IL

20

15

81JR

Jason Riggs

Harrisburg, IL

21

24

7w

Ricky Weiss

Headingley, MB

22

23

77

Jason McBride

Carbondale, IL

23

26

10

Leon Henderson

Laurel, MS

24

12

16

Justin Rattliff

Campbellsville, KY

25

19

0

Scott Bloomquist

Mooresburg, TN

26

17

5

Jared Landers

Batesville, AR

 

Race Statistics

Entrants: 36
Lap Leaders: Don O'Neal (Laps 1 - 8); Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 9); Don O'Neal (Laps 10 - 15); Jimmy Owens (Laps 16 - 35)
Caution Flags: Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 15); Donnie Moran, Tyler Reddick, Jason Riggs, Justin Rattliff, Scott Bloomquist, Ricky Weiss (Lap 16); Jared Landers (Lap 5)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: n/a
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: n/a
DirtonDirt.com Fast Time Provisional: Chad Hollenbeck
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Billy Moyer Jr. (started: 20th, finished: 7th, advanced: 13 positions)
Allstar Performer of the Race: John Blankenship
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
JRi Shocks/Dunn Benson Ford Rookie of the Race: n/a
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Race Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Bloomquist Race Cars
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Chris Fox (Jimmy Owens)
HAWK Performance Fastest Lap of the Race: Don O'Neal (Lap# 29; 15.668 seconds)
Time of Race: 25 minutes 11 seconds

 
DART Winternationals Point Standings:


POS

CAR#

DRIVER

HOMETOWN

POINTS

1

71

Don O'Neal

Martinsville, IN

1130

2

28e

Dennis Erb Jr.

Carpentersville, IL

1080

3

15

Steve Francis

Ashland, KY

955

3

11T

Tyler Reddick

Corning, CA

955

5

20

Jimmy Owens

Newport, TN

935

5

5J

Eric Jacobsen

Watsonville, CA

935

5

32c

Vic Coffey

Caledonia, NY

935

8

32

Bobby Pierce

Oakwood, IL

920

9

23

John Blankenship

Williamson, WV

895

10

99

Donnie Moran

Dresden, OH

835

 

Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
 


POS

CAR #

DRIVER NAME

HOMETOWN

POINTS

1

71

Don O'Neal

Martinsville, IN

250

2

32

Bobby Pierce

Oakwood, IL

230

2

63

Doug Drown

Wooster, OH

230

4

44

Earl Pearson Jr.

Jacksonville, FL

210

5

28e

Dennis Erb Jr.

Carpentersville, IL

205

6

23

John Blankenship

Williamson, WV

200

7

20

Jimmy Owens

Newport, TN

195

7

32c

Vic Coffey

Caledonia, NY

195

9

15

Steve Francis

Ashland, KY

190

10

4-Ds

Chad Hollenbeck

Montrose, PA

180

11

81JR

Jason Riggs

Harrisburg, IL

175

12

11T

Tyler Reddick

Corning, CA

170

13

11h

Austin Hubbard

Seaford, DE

165

14

7L

Jerry Lierly

Camp Point, IL

160

15

5

Jared Landers

Batesville, AR

155

16

28

Eddie Carrier Jr.

Salt Rock, WV

145

17

99m

Devin Moran

Dresden, OH

140

18

54

David Breazeale

Philadelphia, MS

135

19

0

Scott Bloomquist

Mooresburg, TN

130

20

5J

Eric Jacobsen

Watsonville, CA

125

20

99

Donnie Moran

Dresden, OH

125

20

16

Justin Rattliff

Campbellsville, KY

125

20

7w

Ricky Weiss

Headingley, MB

125

20

32s

Chad Stapleton

Edinburgh, IN

125




*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*



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2013 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors
    
ASI Racewear - "The Official Merchandise Vendor" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
      
Canidae Pet Foods - "The Official Pet Foods" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series         

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Lucas Oil Products - "The Official Oil" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 
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Optima Batteries - "The Official Battery" of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
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RED BUCK- "The Official Fast Time Sponor" of the Lucas Oil late Model Dirt Series
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 2013 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include:  
Allstar Performance, AR Bodies, Banshee Graphics, Barry Wright Race Cars, Bloomquist Race Cars, COMP Cams, Cornett Racing Engines, C&R Racing, Crawford Supply, CV Products, DirtonDirt.com, Dunn-Benson Ford, Dyers Top Rods, Edlebrock,  Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Fuel Safe Fuel Cells, FK Rod Ends, Gaerte Engines, Georgia Boot, Hawk Performance, Jay Dickens Racing Engines, JE Pistons, JRi Shocks, Keyser MFG, Longhorn Chassis, Mallory Ignition, Mann Merchant Processing, MasterSbilt Chassis, Öhlins, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, Pierce Racecars, Performance Rod and Custom, Pro Power Racing, Race Engine Design, Red Buck, Rick Schwallie Photography, Roush Yates Engines, Roush Yates Parts, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Mfg, Traeger Grills, Vic Hill Race Engines, Weld Racing Wheels, Wiles Drive Shafts, Wrisco, 5150 Race Trailers.