Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series results from Sharon Speedway on April 21st, 2017
Tonight the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series landed at Sharon Speedway. The dirt track is a 3/8 mile located in Hartford, Ohio. It’s the Steel Valley 50 paying $10,000 to the winner.
This would be the first night of racing on a brand new clay surface. It was a bitter cold night, windy too, just to made sure we felt the cold air. None of that hurt the attendance. The Ohio fans didn’t care. A packed house filled the front and back straightaway seats.
Related: Sharon Speedway Photos – April 21, 2017
27 dirt late models unloaded in the pitlane in search of the $10,000 check to the winner. Brandon Sheppard jumped right out of the gate, setting quick time at 14.842 seconds. That’s a new track record around the semi-banked 3/8 mile dirt track.
Rains were hard on the new track surface overnight. As the heat races got underway major ruts began to form in the track, almost instantly.
Darrell Lanigan was the first one to figure out how deep they were. Starting on the outside, he was forced to run through them. He went from 2nd to 5th, in one corner, lap 1. The field raced around the the bumps, mostly low. Brandon Sheppard went flag to flag, claiming the first heat win. Darrell Lanigan would be forced to the B-Main.
In heat two, Timothy Culp was the early leader. He made a mistake in turn 4, Scott Bloomquist capitalized. Bloomquist took the lead and went on to win heat 2. Josh Richards won heat 3. Most drivers went to the bottom, stayed there.
Darrell Lanigan, last nights winner would start on pole in the B-Main. He fell to 4th or 5th in a hurry. However, he found speed on the highside, passing 2-3 cars in one corner. Just as soon as he did that, cut tire. He dragged his car back to the pits, re-entered the track with a new Hooiser. However, he made no progress, finishing last of the cars remaining on track. He will need a provisional.
Meetings were held shortly after the B-Main with the Lucas Oil regulars. The discussion was the track conditions. Soon after, the track workers went to work on the track. Pulling out all the machines, they smoothed the entire surface top to bottom. The fans began getting restless. An hour later, we essentially had a brand new rut-free racetrack.
Green flag. In 50 laps we will have a winner.
Brandon Sheppard jumps out to the early lead. Bloomquist falls in 2nd. Not for long, Bloomquist takes the lead. The track is still bumpy.
Josh Richards started 3rd. He’s now climbing up to Bloomquist, as Brandon Sheppard falls through the field. Josh Richards low, Bloomquist high. Richards powers through the bumps and slips past Bloomquist.
Josh Richards in now checking out on the field. However, Gregg Satterlee is looking like a strong contender for the win.
Caution. We are going to have a lot tonight, track is still rough. They are now down to the original dirt surface from last year in the middle of turn 1. Cars are dropping from the field left and right.
Scott Bloomquist has pulled to the pits, and stayed there. We are fast approaching a time where we might have more cars in the pits than on the racetrack.
Green. Josh Richards continues to lead. Brandon Sheppard is now jumping back through the field. Literally jumping, his car has been 1-2 wheels on the ground multiple times in the middle of turns 3-4.
On a late race restart, Gregg Satterlee is 3rd. He loses 5 positions before he crosses the start-finish line. Not sure if he accelerated while airborn, or something else. He’s still fast, he’s also not in the pits like the majority of the field. It could be worse.
Satterlee immediately collects his car and gets back on offense. Brandon Sheppard is in the tails of Josh Richards but he’s going to come up short.
Josh Richards is going to win at Sharon Speedway! This is a huge win for the Best Performance Motorsports camp. Especially given the points leader dropped out of the race from 3rd.
Brandon Sheppard settles for 2nd. Gregg Satterlee fights back to 3rd. Devin Moran and Jimmy Owens complete the top 5.
Josh Richards speaks from victory lane, “I was trying to move around a lot in the final laps. As a driver, it’s mentally challenging.”
He continued, “We are going to have to go through these cars from front to back for tomorrow at Hagerstown. The crews work very hard during the week to get these cars ready. Thanks to the crowd for coming out tonight, it looked like a big crowd,” said the driver for the Best Performance Motorsports, Dargie Race Engines, Rocket Chassis.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will rack ’em again tomorrow night. On April 22, the series heads to Hagerstown Speedway in Hagerstown, MD. The weekend tour will come to a close the following day at Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, PA on April 23rd.
View full Sharon Speedway Lucas Oil Late Model results below.
Author: Shane Walters
Josh Richards
Sharon Speedway Winner Photos
QUALIFYING
Sharon Speedway
April 21st, 2017
Miller Welders Fast Time Group A: Brandon Sheppard / 14.842 seconds ***NEW TRACK RECORD***
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Timothy Culp / 14.979 seconds
HEAT 1
Sharon Speedway
April 21st, 2017
Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Brandon Sheppard, Gregg Satterlee, Devin Moran, Don O’Neal, Jimmy Owens, Russ King, Darrell Lanigan, Chad McClellan, Clay Ruffo
HEAT 2
Sharon Speedway
April 21st, 2017
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Timothy Culp, Jared Miley, Michael Norris, Steve Francis, Tim McCreadie, Dennis Erb, Jr., Keith Barbara, Bobby Rohrer
HEAT 3
Sharon Speedway
April 21st, 2017
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Josh Richards, Chub Frank, Hudson O’Neal, Alex Ferree, Earl Pearson, Jr., Boom Briggs, Dylan Yoder, Robert Anderzack, Colton Flinner
B-Main 1
Sharon Speedway
April 21st, 2017
Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Dylan Yoder, Dennis Erb, Jr., Robert Anderzack, Keith Barbara, Darrell Lanigan, Colton Flinner, Clay Ruffo, Bobby Rohrer-DNS, Chad McClellan-DNS
A-MAIN
Sharon Speedway
April 21st, 2017
Feature Finish (50 Laps):
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 3 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $10,800 |
| 2 | 1 | 1S | Brandon Sheppard | New Berlin, IL | $5,600 |
| 3 | 4 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Rochester Mills, PA | $4,300 |
| 4 | 7 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $2,750 |
| 5 | 13 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $3,050 |
| 6 | 12 | 10 | Alex Ferree | Valencia, PA | $1,800 |
| 7 | 18 | 99B | Boom Briggs | Bear Lake, PA | $2,200 |
| 8 | 24 | 75 | Colton Flinner | Allison Park, PA | $1,300 |
| 9 | 19 | 24 | Dylan Yoder | Selinsgrove, PA | $1,200 |
| 10 | 6 | 1* | Chub Frank | Bear Lake, PA | $1,100 |
| 11 | 5 | C8 | Timothy Culp | Prattsville, AR | $1,775 |
| 12 | 10 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $1,850 |
| 13 | 22 | 17b | Keith Barbara | South Park, PA | $1,025 |
| 14 | 15 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $1,700 |
| 15 | 11 | 72 | Michael Norris | Sarver, PA | $950 |
| 16 | 9 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $1,625 |
| 17 | 8 | H1 | Jared Miley | South Park, PA | $900 |
| 18 | 16 | 56 | Russ King | Bristolville, OH | $875 |
| 19 | 2 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $1,850 |
| 20 | 23 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | $1,525 |
| 21 | 21 | 8a | Robert Anderzack | Swanton, OH | $800 |
| 22 | 17 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $1,500 |
| 23 | 14 | 15 | Steve Francis | Bowling Green, KY | $1,500 |
| 24 | 20 | 28E | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $1,500 |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 27
Lap Leaders: Scott Bloomquist (Laps 1 – 3); Josh Richards (Laps 4 – 50)
Cautions: Scott Bloomquist (Lap 15); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 18); Timothy Culp (Lap 28); Chub Frank (Lap 33)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Darrell Lanigan, Colton Flinner
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Wrisco Feature Winner: Josh Richards
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Colton Flinner (Started: 24th; Finished: 8th; Advanced 16 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Scott Bloomquist
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Josh Richards
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Richards
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: Rocket Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Randall Edwards (Josh Richards)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Josh Richards (Lap #4 – 14.909 seconds)
Safecraft Most Laps Led: Josh Richards
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Brandon Sheppard
Time of Race: 27 minutes 38 seconds
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | 2085 | $66,050 |
| 2 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | 1935 | $55,050 |
| 3 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | 1900 | $57,875 |
| 4 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 1780 | $39,775 |
| 5 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 1765 | $31,850 |
| 5 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | 1765 | $36,400 |
| 7 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | 1690 | $28,625 |
| 8 | 28E | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | 1685 | $23,500 |
| 9 | 15 | Steve Francis | Bowling Green, KY | 1580 | $19,650 |
| 10 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 1475 | $15,500 |
| 11 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Williamson, SC | 1470 | $18,575 |
| 12 | 99B | Boom Briggs | Bear Lake, PA | 1420 | $14,200 |
| 13 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Rochester Mills, PA | 1395 | $14,850 |
| 13 | C8 | Timothy Culp | Prattsville, AR | 1395 | $11,000 |
| 15 | 75 | Colton Flinner | Allison Park, PA | 1235 | $8,525 |
*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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