Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series results from Atomic Speedway on April 20th, 2017
Tonight the LOLMDS entered Atomic Speedway. The Spring Fever Weekend was highlighted by the Third Annual Buckeye Spring 50 event. The 3/8 mile dirt track brought the dirt late model touring series to Chillicothe, OH.
View full Atomic Speedway results below. This is a spoiler free race report. The winner wont be mentioned until the end.
Click here to view Atomic Speedway photos from the Buckeye Spring 50 event.
Rain clouds circled a 100 mile radius of the racetrack. As the gusts up wind picked up, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series went out to qualify. Hudson O’Neal set quick time in group A with a 13.281 seconds. Devin Moran lead group B, circling the high banks in 13.574 seconds.
Hudson O’Neal and his father, Don O’Neal led heat 1 to the green. Not long after, Hudson O’Neal began falling through the field. He fell all the way to 5th, 1 spot outside of a transfer spot. Don O’Neal went on to win heat 1.
Heat 2 winner was Brandon Sheppard. Devin Moran continued his strong pace, winning heat 3. Timothy Culp picked up the final heat race win.
Green flag.
The field kicked up a storm cloud of dust as they threw it into turn 1. The very literal storm clouds heading toward the track carried that dust through the air and across the racetrack.
Don O’Neal holds the field off and maintains the lead. He sticks to the high side of the racetrack. The #5 is pulling a gap on the field.
Scott Bloomquist and Josh Richards are racing side by side, lap after lap. Bloomquist low, Richards high. Bloomquist takes the spot and sets sights on the top 5. They swap the momentum, lap after lap. This is the battle for the championship.
However, Brandon Sheppard jumps the cushion exiting turn two. Bloomquist is still on the gas, Richards is there as well. they end up 3 wide and rubbing fenders off down the back straight-away.
2 laps later, Josh Richards is coasting along the highside of the track. Flat left rear. Pretty sure he was involved in the traffic jam as Sheppard re-entered the racing surface.
Restart. We have a race again. Darrell Lanigan is showing strength. He’s hanging with his Clint Bowyer Racing teammate, Don O’Neal. However, he’s not putting any pressure on the #5 for the lead.
Bloomquist is now inside the top 5 as well. He’s now side-by-side with Devin Moran.
20 to go, Darrell Lanigan throws a slide job on Don O’Neal into turn 3. He nearly clears him. Lannigan chases the car all the way up the banking, leaving just enough room for Don O’Neal before they both hit the wall. Don O’Neal carries his momentum on the high-side, retains the lead.
Very clean racing, though expected given these two are teammates.
Darrell Lanigan is still there. He looks low a few times, nothing comes from it.
1 to go, Don O’Neal is taking the white flag. The leaders are deep into lapped traffic. He leads Lanigan by 2-3 car lengths. However, O’Neal is forced to exit the gas, avoiding a lapped car running his groove.
Darrell Lanigan saw all this coming. He’s already driving it to the bottom in turn 1. Slide job, this one sticks! A last lap pass for the lead.
Don O’Neal attempts to take it back in turn 3, nothing. Lanigan is coming to the checkered with a lapped car to his outside. He doesn’t lift, putting Rod Conley into the front straight wall. That car bounces off the wall, Bloomquist is coming to the line in the gas. He launches over the lapped car, Bloomquist crosses the line in 3rd with 1 wheel on the ground.
Darrell Lanigan will collect the $10,000 check in the Buckeye Spring 50 at Atomic Speedway! His bad luck has finally come to an end. He picks up his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of 2017.
Darrell Lanigan speaks from victory lane as rain drizzle drops fall, “We were a little better there in one and two than him [O’Neal]. I kind of used the 71 [Hudson O’Neal] as a little bit of a pick on Donnie. I got through there clean and got the checkered. This is why we do this every week, because we enjoy it. To get a win makes the next night a little bit easier. The track was in good shape tonight, the top finally died out and you could race all over it.”
Bloomquist comments on the wild finish, “I didn’t even see him [Conley]. I tried to react. I think most of the damage is cosmetic, at least we didn’t destroy a car. It looked like it got the body panels and it didn’t knock the front end out. I didn’t know how the traffic was going to work out on that last lap. I just needed a longer race, but we will take this and head to Sharon.”
Bloomquist was followed by Jackie Boggs, Earl Pearson Jr., Steve Casebolt, Brandon Sheppard and Gregg Satterlee.
Tonight I’d like to thank the racing gods. Somehow they parted the clouds and allowed us to go racing.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is at it again tomorrow. Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH is the next stop. On April 22, the series heads to Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD. The weekend tour comes to a close at Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, PA on April 23rd.
View full Atomic Speedway Lucas Oil Late Model results below.
Author: Shane Walters
Darrell Lanigan
Atomic Speedway Winner Photos
QUALIFYING
Atomic Speedway
April 20, 2017
Miller Welders Fast Time Group A: Hudson O’Neal / 13.281 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Devin Moran / 13.574 seconds
HEAT 1
Atomic Speedway
April 20, 2017
Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, RJ Conley, Scott Bloomquist, Dennis Erb, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Steve Casebolt , Steve Francis, Shannon Thornsberry, Derek Chaney
HEAT 2
Atomic Speedway
April 20, 2017
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Brandon Sheppard, Gregg Satterlee, Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson, Jr., Boom Briggs, Tyler Carpenter, Colton Flinner
HEAT 3
Atomic Speedway
April 20, 2017
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Devin Moran, Darrell Lanigan, Josh Richards, Rod Conley, Mark Frazier, Tim Dohm , Devin Gilpin, Harrison Hall, Billy Staker
HEAT 4
Atomic Speedway
April 20, 2017
QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Timothy Culp, Jackie Boggs, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Bobby Pierce, Kody Evans, Colten Burdette, Billy Gullion, Chris Shannon
B-Main 1
Atomic Speedway
April 20, 2017
Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Hudson O’Neal, Steve Casebolt , Earl Pearson, Jr., Tyler Carpenter, Steve Francis, Boom Briggs, Shannon Thornsberry, Derek Chaney, Colton Flinner
B-Main 2
Atomic Speedway
April 20, 2017
Fast Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Kody Evans, Mark Frazier, Devin Gilpin, Colten Burdette, Tim Dohm , Billy Gullion, Billy Staker, Harrison Hall, Chris Shannon
A-MAIN
Atomic Speedway
April 20, 2017
Feature Finish (50 Laps):
FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
1 | 6 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | $10,700 |
2 | 1 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $6,400 |
3 | 9 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $4,500 |
4 | 2 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $2,750 |
5 | 11 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $2,950 |
6 | 8 | 4B | Jackie Boggs | Grayson, KY | $1,800 |
7 | 21 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $2,300 |
8 | 19 | C9 | Steve Casebolt | Richmond, IN | $1,300 |
9 | 3 | 1S | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $1,200 |
10 | 7 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Rochester Mills, PA | $1,100 |
11 | 15 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $1,875 |
12 | 13 | 28E | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $1,750 |
13 | 4 | C8 | Timothy Culp | Prattsville, AR | $1,025 |
14 | 12 | 10C | Eddie Carrier, Jr. | Salt Rock, WV | $1,000 |
15 | 10 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $1,650 |
16 | 18 | 4G | Kody Evans | Camden, OH | $925 |
17 | 17 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $1,700 |
18 | 24 | 99B | Boom Briggs | Bear Lake, PA | $1,575 |
19 | 14 | 71R | Rod Conley | Wheelersburg, OH | $850 |
20 | 22 | 1G | Devin Gilpin | Columbus, IN | $825 |
21 | 5 | 71c | RJ Conley | Wheelersburg, OH | $800 |
22 | 23 | 15 | Steve Francis | Bowling Green, KY | $1,500 |
23 | 16 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $800 |
24 | 20 | 9F | Mark Frazier | Chillicothe, OH | $800 |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 33
Lap Leaders: Don O’Neal (Lap 1 – 49); Darrell Lanigan (Lap 50)
Cautions: Steve Francis (Lap 21); Steve Francis (Lap 28); Josh Richards (Lap 31)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Steve Francis; Boom Briggs
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Wrisco Feature Winner: Darrell Lanigan
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr. (Started: 21st; Finished: 7th; Advanced 14 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Scott Bloomquist
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Kody Evans
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Darrell Lanigan
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: Gregg Satterlee
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Black Diamond Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Brian Leonberg (Darrell Lanigan)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Don O’Neal (Lap # 2 – 15.633 seconds)
Safecraft Most Laps Led: Don O’Neal (49 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Don O’Neal
Time of Race: 33 minutes 49 seconds
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS | EANINGS |
1 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | 1985 | $64,200 |
2 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | 1835 | $53,500 |
3 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | 1800 | $47,075 |
4 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 1680 | $37,925 |
5 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | 1665 | $34,700 |
5 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 1665 | $28,800 |
7 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | 1590 | $27,100 |
8 | 28E | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | 1585 | $22,000 |
9 | 15 | Steve Francis | Bowling Green, KY | 1480 | $18,150 |
10 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 1375 | $13,875 |
11 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Williamson, SC | 1370 | $18,575 |
12 | 99B | Boom Briggs | Bear Lake, PA | 1320 | $12,000 |
13 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Rochester Mills, PA | 1295 | $10,550 |
13 | C8 | Timothy Culp | Prattsville, AR | 1295 | $8,525 |
15 | 75 | Colton Flinner | Allison Park, PA | 1135 | $7,225 |
*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*
MORE LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT
2017 Schedule/Results | Lucas Oil Dirt Section
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