MANSFIELD, OH (July 1, 2018) – Don O’Neal brought the Clint Bowyer Racing, Club 29 to Victory Lane for the first time this season in dominating fashion. The former Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion led all 50 laps of the Freedom 50 on Sunday night at Mansfield Motor Speedway.
O’Neal took the lead at the start of the race and never looked back, going unchallenged for his 44th career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win. It was his first Series win since the Pittsburgher 100 last October. Scott Bloomquist and Jimmy Owens battled for second for several laps with Bloomquist finally able to pull away from Owens in the last half of the race. Earl Pearson Jr. finished in fourth followed by Hudson O’Neal in fifth.
Starting on the outside front row, Don O’Neal was slowed by a handful of cautions. He closed out the race with an over four second margin of victory over Bloomquist. In the series championship points standings, O’Neal becomes the eighth driver in the top ten to earn a win in 2018.
“It seems like a long time since we have been in Victory Lane. My hat is off to the whole crew, they worked so hard getting us headed in the right direction. Anthony Burroughs [Crew Chief] and my team, they have never given up this season. They are making us better every week. My crew was signaling me so I knew I had a pretty good lead, but I didn’t know it was as much as it was.”
Bloomquist completed his second straight podium finish and was able to close the gap on points leader, Jonathan Davenport, who finished 12th. “He [O’Neal] was a little better tonight. We had some issues with our carburetor. Don was good and we couldn’t run with him. We will take this second place and head to the next race. Everything we learned tonight is geared toward the Dirt Million here in August.”
Owens took third in a competitive run as he and Bloomquist battled for second for several laps. “We had a good hot rod tonight, but tightened up the car a bit too much. Congrats to Don O’Neal and his crew for a great run tonight.”
The winner’s Clint Bowyer Racing, Clements Racing Engines-powered entry is sponsored by: Peak Antifreeze and Coolant, iRacing.com, Crawford Outdoor, Cometic Gasket, Penske Racing Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, and Clint Bowyer Autoplex.
Completing the top ten were RJ Conley, Dennis Erb Jr., Devin Moran, Dale McDowell, and Josh Richards.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Sunday, July 1, 2018
Freedom 50 presented by Summit Racing Equipment
Mansfield Motor Speedway – Mansfield, OH
Miller Welders Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Hudson O’Neal / 16.507 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Don O’Neal / 16.732 seconds
Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Jimmy Owens, Hudson O’Neal, Dale McDowell, Jon Henry, Zack Dohm, Doug Drown, Rob Anderzack, Jackie Boggs, Mason Zeigler
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Darrell Lanigan, Rod Conley, Josh Richards, Tim McCreadie, Kody Evans, Austin Rettig, Jerry Aber, Jason Jameson
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, RJ Conley, Dennis Erb, Jr., Bobby Pierce, Tyler Carpenter, Matt Cosner, Matt Irey, Ryan Markham, JR Gentry
QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Earl Pearson, Jr., Gregg Satterlee, Jonathan Davenport, Devin Moran, Kyle Bronson, Kyle Moore, Ryan Scott, Jeff Warnick
Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Zack Dohm, Kody Evans, Jackie Boggs, Doug Drown, Mason Zeigler, Jason Jameson, Rob Anderzack, Jerry Aber, Austin Rettig, Tim McCreadie-DNS
FAST Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Kyle Bronson, Tyler Carpenter, Kyle Moore, Ryan Markham, Ryan Scott, Matt Cosner, Matt Irey, JR Gentry, Jeff Warnick
Lucas Oil Feature Finish (50 Laps):
| FINISH | START | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 2 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $12,800 |
| 2 | 3 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | $6,300 |
| 3 | 1 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | $4,300 |
| 4 | 4 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | $3,550 |
| 5 | 5 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | $3,050 |
| 6 | 6 | 71c | RJ Conley | Wheelersburg, OH | $1,800 |
| 7 | 10 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | $1,500 |
| 8 | 16 | 9 | Devin Moran | Dresden, OH | $1,300 |
| 9 | 9 | 17m | Dale McDowell | Chickamauga, GA | $1,200 |
| 10 | 15 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | $2,100 |
| 11 | 8 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Indiana, PA | $1,775 |
| 12 | 12 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | $1,950 |
| 13 | 18 | 40B | Kyle Bronson ® | Brandon, FL | $1,825 |
| 14 | 21 | 4B | Jackie Boggs | Grayson, KY | $1,000 |
| 15 | 24 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler ® | Chalk Hill, PA | $1,000 |
| 16 | 23 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | $1,700 |
| 17 | 20 | 28C | Tyler Carpenter | Parkersburg, WV | $1,000 |
| 18 | 11 | 71R | Rod Conley | Wheelersburg, OH | $1,000 |
| 19 | 19 | 4G | Kody Evans | Camden, OH | $1,000 |
| 20 | 22 | 11* | Kyle Moore | Mansfield, OH | $1,000 |
| 21 | 7 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | $1,700 |
| 22 | 13 | 15H | Jon Henry | Ada, OH | $1,000 |
| 23 | 14 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | $1,700 |
| 24 | 17 | 17d | Zack Dohm | Cross Lanes, WV | $1,000 |
Race Statistics
Entrants: 35
Lap Leaders: Don O’Neal (Laps 1 – 50)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Don O’Neal
Margin of Victory: 4.130 seconds
Cautions: Kyle Moore (Lap 6); Bobby Pierce (Lap 14); Darrell Lanigan (Lap 23)
Series Provisionals: Tim McCreadie, Mason Zeigler
Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Devin Moran (Advanced 8 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Josh Richards
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Don O’Neal
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: Kyle Bronson
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Club 29 Race Cars
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs (Don O’Neal)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Don O’Neal (Lap #1 – 18.3851 seconds)
STEEL-IT Most Laps Led: Don O’Neal (50 Laps)
Dirty Girl Racewear Farthest Traveler: Kyle Bronson
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Jimmy Owens
Time of Race: 32 minutes 35 seconds
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER NAME | HOMETOWN | POINTS | EARNINGS |
| 1 | 49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | 3915 | $111,550 |
| 2 | 0 | Scott Bloomquist | Mooresburg, TN | 3820 | $122,775 |
| 3 | 1R | Josh Richards | Shinnston, WV | 3715 | $91,100 |
| 4 | 1 | Earl Pearson, Jr. | Jacksonville, FL | 3635 | $78,050 |
| 5 | 39 | Tim McCreadie | Watertown, NY | 3545 | $59,400 |
| 6 | 32 | Bobby Pierce | Oakwood, IL | 3530 | $86,250 |
| 7 | 71 | Hudson O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 3520 | $72,725 |
| 8 | 5 | Don O’Neal | Martinsville, IN | 3455 | $61,275 |
| 9 | 20 | Jimmy Owens | Newport, TN | 3340 | $54,500 |
| 10 | 14 | Darrell Lanigan | Union, KY | 3135 | $39,750 |
| 11 | 22 | Gregg Satterlee | Indiana, PA | 3100 | $40,175 |
| 12 | 28 | Dennis Erb, Jr. | Carpentersville, IL | 3090 | $33,825 |
| 13 | 40B | Kyle Bronson ® | Brandon, FL | 3085 | $56,100 |
| 14 | 25Z | Mason Zeigler ® | Chalk Hill, PA | 2955 | $27,325 |