World of Outlaws Late Model Series Points Leader Triumphant In First-Ever Start At Manitoba Track

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA – July 11, 2013 – Josh Richards didn’t take long to master Red River Co-op Speedway.

Making his first-ever start at the four-tenths-mile Canadian oval after missing last year’s inaugural World of Outlaws Late Model Series event while racing on the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Richards rolled off the outside pole to score a wire-to-wire victory in Thursday night’s 50-lap Wild West Tour A-Main.

Richards, 25, of Shinnston, W.Va., used some daring moves in lapped traffic late in the race to turn back a furious challenge from Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., who ducked underneath Richards several times but ultimately crossed the finish line 3.421 seconds behind in the runner-up spot. (more…)

ZANESVILLE, OH (July 3, 2013) – Devin Moran led all 50 laps in a hotly contested Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Budweiser 50 on Wednesday Night at Muskingum County Speedway. The 18-year-old son of Hall of Fame driver, Donnie Moran charged ahead of the pack and delivered a career-best $10,000 victory.

The second-generation racer crossed the finish line to the cheers of the home-track crowd just as his dad flipped in turn number two. The elder Moran escaped the flip uninjured and joined his son in victory lane. Earl Pearson Jr. finished second followed by Doug Drown, Steve Francis, and John Blankenship.

“I can’t believe it, I can’t thank my dad and grandpa enough for all of their support! This is a dream come true to win one of these Lucas Oil races! These guys are the best of the best, and to win here on my home track is super special,” said the youngster in Lucas Oil Victory Lane. (more…)

RURAL RETREAT, VA (June 22, 2013) – Four-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion Earl Pearson Jr. passed race leader John Blankenship on the white flag lap, to win the Blue Ridge 50 on Saturday night at Wythe Raceway. Pearson pulled away on the final circuit for his second LOLMDS win of the year and the 26th of his career.

Blankenship, the winner a year ago at Wythe came home second followed by Steve Shaver, Jared Landers, and Steve Francis.

“I have to thank all the fans for coming out here tonight at Wythe, this place is packed! I had a second-place car, I didn’t think I could pass John (Blankenship), I just took a different line after the caution and found enough moisture, and I just went for it,” said the driver of the Bobby Labonte Racing, Longhorn Chevrolet. (more…)

GAFFNEY, SC (June 21, 2013) – Hometown driver Chris Madden led all the way on Friday night to win the Grassy Smith Memorial at Cherokee Speedway. Madden took home $10,000 for his third career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory. Madden had tough competition early from Brent Dixon and Chris Ferguson until those two drivers experienced problems. The defending race winner, Steve Francis finished second followed by Dennis Erb Jr., Don O’Neal, and Dale McDowell.

“It feels great to win here at Cherokee, it has been a while. The car was super tonight, we had a few problems there in traffic, but overall, after that last caution, I could drive it anywhere on the track. I have a lot of friends here tonight. My wife and kids left for vacation, I will join them tomorrow,” said the winner afterwards.

Madden battled with Ferguson and Dixon for the first several circuits. Dixon got by Ferguson on lap 16 and then pursued Madden for the lead. Dixon and Ferguson were able to stay close to Madden as the race for the lead began to heat up as the trio got into lapped traffic. (more…)

SWAINSBORO, GA (June 20, 2013) – Dennis Erb Jr. led the final 17 laps, and went on to win the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event on Thursday night at Swainsboro Raceway. Erb’s fourth win of the season was worth $10,000. Earl Pearson Jr. led the first 32 laps until Erb passed him on the high-side. Pearson finished second followed by Jared Landers, Don O’Neal, and Steve Francis.

“It’s our first time here; the car was good whether we ran low or high. I was setting him (Pearson) up for four or five laps and finally went into turn three and the car stuck, enabling me to finally get by Earl. It’s been a great year for us so far, this if our fourth Lucas Oil win! We aren’t worried about the points right now, we just want to win races,” said Erb, who was joined by Crew Chief, Heather Lyne, in Lucas Oil Victory Lane.

“It was a really good race for the lead there early on between us, Earl, and Jared. The track was really good after they worked on it during the break. I have to thank my sponsors: J&L Scrap Metal Metals, JR McBride Leasing, Bloomquist Race Cars, and Kuntz and Company Motors.” (more…)

COLUMBUS, MS (June 15, 2013) – Mike Marlar overtook race leader, Don O’Neal with nine laps to go to take the $20,000 to win “Clash at the Mag” Presented by the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau on Saturday Night at Magnolia Motor Speedway. Marlar’s first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season was hard earned as a caution with 12 laps to go set up a great finish.

Marlar, in his first weekend piloting a Bloomquist Race Car led to the checkers holding off O’Neal and John Blankenship for his fifth career LOLMDS victory. Point’s leader, Jimmy Owens, who started 12th, came home in fourth followed by 17th starting, Randy Weaver.

“When I saw the caution come out, I got down in some dry dirt on the bottom of the track, and then I had to clean my tires off really good for the restart,” said Marlar. “It was good to have one more shot at it there at the end, I lined up beside Blankenship for the restart, and my car took off really well up top, and it only took us a few laps to get by O’Neal. They had an awesome race track here tonight, we have always enjoyed coming down here to Mississippi to race, and they have a lot of great fans here.” (more…)

WAYCROSS, GA ( June 10, 2013) – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series returns to Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS for the Annual Columbus Convention and Visitor’s Bureau “Clash at the Mag” this weekend. The 100-lap feature event on Saturday will pay $20,000 to win and $1,200 to start. Activities will get underway with an open practice session on Thursday night, June 13th from 7 to 10pm. Then on Friday night, June 14th there will be RED BUCK Time Trials and Heat Races for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, along with Street Stocks and the NeSmith Dirt Late Models as support classes. Saturday night, June 15th the LOLMDS will run B-Mains and the 100-Lap, $20,000-to-win, Columbus Convention and Visitor’s Bureau “Clash at the Mag” feature event. Street Stocks and the NeSmith Dirt Late Models will also compete on Saturday night as support classes.

Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN is the defending “Clash at the Mag” winner after winning last year’s event. O’Neal and the stars of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will again be on hand, battling a tough field of competitors from Mississippi and surrounding states. “We’re looking forward to returning to Magnolia Motor Speedway this weekend and hope to repeat last year’s win! It’s a great facility to race at and we always enjoy seeing the great fans from that area. Last year, we really hit on a good set up and our Jay Dickens Engine really put out some great horsepower, enabling us to beat a strong field of racers,” stated O’Neal, driver of the #71 Optima Batteries MasterSbilt House Car. (more…)

Georgian Rolls To Fourth World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory Of 2013

BUSTI, NY – June 1, 2013 – Shane Clanton made sure he gave his better half a 25^th birthday present to remember on Saturday night at Stateline Speedway.

Racing at a track where his wife Michelle grew up watching her father Ron Davies in action, Clanton surged into the lead on lap 11 and marched on to a $10,550 victory in the 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main.

“Michelle’s birthday is today,” said Clanton, whose wife’s hometown of Warren, Pa., is less than a half-hour drive from the one-third-mile Stateline oval. “She sent me a message this morning and said, ‘I need a W for my birthday.’ I got her one I guess.” (more…)

TAZEWELL, TN (May 31, 2013) – John Blankenship took home his first ever win at Tazewell Speedwayon Friday Night capturing the Toyota Knoxville 50. Blankenship picked up his second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of 2013 after taking over the lead on lap nine, when race leader Scott Bloomquist went pitside. Blankenship then held off several challenges from Jimmy Owens as he pulled away at the end. Owens nursed a smoking car home in second followed by Earl Pearson Jr., Dennis Erb Jr. and Steve Francis.

“Yes that was a tough race, Francis got me on the restart and then we were finally able to make it stick. I saw Jimmy’s nose a couple of times, I got a little excited, but we kept at it and it feels good to win so close to our race shop in Knoxville,” said the winner. “I am glad that Bobby’s (Pierce) ok, I saw Scott (Bloomquist) slide in there, he must have gotten a lot of damage, because I saw him pull out of the race.” (more…)

WHEATLAND, MO (May 25, 2013) – Jimmy Owens’ dominance of Lucas Oil Speedway continued on Saturday Night as the veteran driver notched his third consecutive Lucas Oil Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com. Owens took the lead on lap 11 from Scott Bloomquist and was virtually unchallenged the rest of the way, picking up the $30,000 for his win in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and Lucas Oil Midwest Racing Association co-sanctioned event.

Owens now has won six races at the track since 2010. Chris Simpson came home in second; his best career finish in a crown-jewel event. Dennis Erb, Jr. charged from 20th to take third. Brady Smith also made his way to a top five finish, grabbing fourth after starting 22nd. Chad Simpson would round out the top five, climbing from 24th to fifth at the finish. (more…)