Scott Bloomquist Wins First Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Event of 2017
Fresh from the hospital, Scott Bloomquist started up front, fended off Josh Richards and a handful of others in route to victory. In the end, Scott Bloomquist picked up his first 2017 LOLMDS win. He tops the 2017 East Bay Raceway Park Winternationals results sheet, giving Team Zero the win.
East Bay Raceway Park was 3 and 4 wide racing action, yet again. However, this time the track lost some of it’s energy toward the final 10 laps of the event. it was still a fantastic show, highlighting two late model champions battling for the win.
Related: East Bay Raceway Park Winternationals Photos – February 17, 2017
Early, it was Don O’Neal racing to take the lead from Bloomquist. He’d lost it after starting on pole and wanted it back.
At the same time “The New Deal” Hudson O’Neal was challenging the #5 for 2nd. A slide job pushed Hudson out of the groove, he lost several positions and never recovered.
As this was going on, Josh Richards was climbing through the field. Around lap 20, he was as far back as 9th. Around that point, he switched gears and started rolling forward.
Josh Richard went to the high side and drove around the field. Mostly with the power down on the outside. It didn’t take long, he soon reached the front of the pack. He even took the lead from Bloomquist, for a brief moment.
The two late model champions were aggressive but clean. They never touched, but they came close. it was side by side racing action for the lead in front of a packed house at in Tampa, Florida.
The last 10 laps, the track went away. The high side lost a bulk of it’s momentum. If a driver slipped out of the groove, it looked like a transition from dirt, to ice.
That forced the field into a single lane in the final 10 laps. Scott Bloomquist and Josh Richards ran nose to tail around the bottom, until reaching the checkered flag.
It was a big night for Scott Bloomquist. After a rough start to the beginning of his 2017 title chase, the 0 machine is now moving in the right direction. The win tonight at East Bay Raceway Park provides him with much needed points as he now begins the chase of points leader.
Scott Bloomquist is thankful, “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.”
It didn’t help much that said points leader Josh Richards, finished 2nd. But it’s progress for Bloomquist, baby steps.
Josh Richards talks about the race, “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.”
He continued, “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.”
Jonathan Davenport claimed the 3rd position. Last nights winner, Tim McCreadie finished 4th. Don O’Neal held on to save a top 5 run.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will rack ’em again one last time. The East Bay Raceway Park finale will take place tomorrow night.
View full East Bay Raceway Lucas Oil Late Model results below.
Author: Shane Walters
Scott Bloomquist Photos – East Bay Raceway Park
Qualifying
East Bay Raceway Park
February 17, 2017
Miller Welders Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport 14.907 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Scott Bloomquist 14.940 seconds
Heat 1
East Bay Raceway Park
February 17, 2017
(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
Heat 2
East Bay Raceway Park
February 17, 2017
(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
Heat 3
East Bay Raceway Park
February 17, 2017
(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
Heat 4
East Bay Raceway Park
February 17, 2017
(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
B-Main 1
East Bay Raceway Park
February 17, 2017
(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
B-Main 2
East Bay Raceway Park
February 17, 2017
(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
A-Main
East Bay Raceway Park
February 17, 2017
Feature Finish (50 Laps):
FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
1 | 2 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $10,100 |
2 | 8 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $5,500 |
3 | 9 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Williamson, SC | $3,600 |
4 | 17 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $2,750 |
5 | 1 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $2,250 |
6 | 11 | 15 | Steve Francis | Bowling Green, KY | $1,800 |
7 | 23 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $1,500 |
8 | 12 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $1,300 |
9 | 18 | 11 | Austin Hubbard | Bridgeville, DE | $1,200 |
10 | 7 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $1,100 |
11 | 6 | 6T | Tim Dohm | Cross Lanes, WV | $1,075 |
12 | 13 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Rochester Mills, PA | $1,050 |
13 | 16 | 28E | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $1,025 |
14 | 21 | 11b | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $1,000 |
15 | 10 | 40B | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | $950 |
16 | 5 | 240 | Doug Drown | Wooster, OH | $925 |
17 | 15 | H1 | Jared Miley | South Park, PA | $900 |
18 | 14 | 14c | Corey Conley | Wellsburg, WV | $875 |
19 | 24 | 75 | Colton Flinner | Allison Park, PA | $850 |
20 | 25 | 92 | Nick Davis | Millsboro, DE | $825 |
21 | 19 | 38 | Kenny PettyJohn | Millsboro, DE | $800 |
22 | 3 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | $800 |
23 | 4 | 17d | Zack Dohm | Cross Lanes, WV | $800 |
24 | 22 | c81 | Timothy Culp | Prattsville, AR | $800 |
25 | 26 | 27H | Doug Horton | Wiamauma, FL | $800 |
26 | 20 | D8 | Dustin Linville | Lancaster, KY | $800 |
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
More from this event
Results
Feb 13 | Feb 14 | Feb 15 | Feb 16 | Feb 17 | Feb 18
Photos
Feb 13 | Feb 14 | Feb 15 | Feb 16 | Feb 17 | Feb 18
More Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
2017 Schedule/Results | Lucas Oil Dirt Section
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