Casey Roberts Runs Race Of His Life To Win First-Ever World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main At Volusia Speedway Park
Georgia Driver Overtakes Bloomquist For Lead In Thrilling DIRTcar Nationals by Summit Headliner
By Kevin Kovac, WoO LMS P.R. Director
BARBERVILLE, FL – Feb. 20, 2014 – Casey Roberts wasn’t running at the finish of the three dirt Late Model features that kicked off the 43rd annual DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment.
But when the checkered flag flew on the fourth race – Thursday night’s 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main – the unheralded 36-year-old driver from Toccoa, Ga., was first across the finish line.
Roberts pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the DIRTcar Nationals by Summit, passing dirt-track legend Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., coming to the white flag to become the mid-winter motorsports meet’s third first-time dirt Late Model winner in four events.
Refusing to concede after losing the lead to Bloomquist on lap 31, Roberts patiently stuck to the bottom of the half-mile oval and slipped ahead of Wednesday night’s DIRTcar Late Model feature victor to gain command as lap 49 was scored. The Peach State racer then staved off a last-ditch bid by Bloomquist to score his first-ever WoO LMS triumph by a mere. 0.185 of a second.
Roberts’s dramatic drive ignited the large Volusia crowd, which gave the underdog a rousing welcome when he emerged from his Cushman Motorsports Capital Race Car in Victory Lane.
“I’m pretty much a no-name or whatever,” Roberts modestly said while standing on the homestretch stage following the race. “I guess everybody thinks it’s good to see guys like me win.
“I’ll tell ‘ya, I’m just blessed to be here. It feels like it’s not even really happening.”
Bloomquist settled for runner-up money, falling short after leading laps 31-48. Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., charged forward for the second straight night, advancing from the 15th starting spot to place third. John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va., and Gregg Satterlee of Indiana, Pa., finished fourth and fifth, respectively, after spending the final laps in a dogfight for position.
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A-Main Finish: 1. Casey Roberts, 2. Scott Bloomquist, 3. Dale McDowell, 4. John Blankenship, 5. Gregg Satterlee, 6. Brandon Sheppard, 7. Steve Francis, 8. Darrell Lanigan, 9. Rick Eckert, 10. Shane Clanton, 11. Billy Moyer, 12. Tim Fuller, 13. Don O’Neal, 14. Brady Smith, 15. Vic Coffey, 16. Eric Wells, 17. Mike Marlar, 18. Kenny Pettyjohn, 19. Ivedent Lloyd Jr., 20. Chub Frank, 21. Tim McCreadie, 22. Morgan Bagley, 23. Clint Smith, 24. Brian Shirley, 25. Kyle Bronson