Davenport Continues Dream Season; Wins Sunoco North/South 100!

UNION, KY (August 8, 2015) – Jonathan Davenport continued his record-setting season on Saturday Night by winning the 33rd Annual Sunoco North/South 100 – Presented by Lucas Oil at Florence Speedway. In front of a record-breaking crowd, Davenport took home the $50,000 payday. Davenport helmed the K&L Rumley Enterprises, Longhorn Chassis, and has recorded over $358,000 in winnings alone so far this season.

Trailing Davenport to the finish line was Scott Bloomquist, a 2-time winner of the event who was looking for his first win in the crown-jewel race since 2000. Mike Marlar charged from 12th to third at the finish followed by Dale McDowell who came from 16th to place fourth. Pole-sitter Jared Landers was fifth.

“It’s been a lot of hard work to get here, a lot of tough times, and it’s paying off. Wow what a trophy! This has been a dream season, and I hope it continues. This is a new motor; we didn’t even put it on the dyno. Lee Roy Rumley; I just can’t say enough about the horsepower we have. Of course Kevin Rumley is just an incredibly talented person. This is just great!”

The race saw three different leaders in the first three laps as Davenport, Jimmy Owens, and Jason Jameson swapped the top spot. Owens took command on lap 5 and built his lead over Davenport. Owens continued to lead as he approached lapped traffic. Owens then got tangled up with a lap-car as he spun in turn two to bring out the caution.

Davenport picked up the lead on lap 17. Bloomquist moved up to second and tried to chase down Davenport through the end of the race. Bloomquist closed to within two car lengths at certain points near the end of the race, but was never close enough to pass Davenport in the waning laps.

The 31-year-old Davenport took the checkers first to become the 21st different winner of the event.

“I would like to thank TS Crane Service, Sundance Services, Sundance Flowback well testing, Bryson Motorsports, JRi Shocks, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, and everybody else who helps with the team.”

Bloomquist was seeking his first North/South 100 win in 15 years. “We have to do some more homework. He [Davenport] is the guy to beat now. We will work hard again this week and come to Batesville looking to win. I want to thank Crop Production Services, Dyna Gro, Mark Martin, and Horton Coal.”

Marlar had a stirring run in his new Capital Race Cars entry. “It was good run for us. I wish we would have started closer to the front. I don’t know if I had enough for Jonathan and Scott tonight. We are happy with this finish. I’d really like to thank Ronnie Delk, Delk Equipment Sales, and RS Trading Company.”

Completing the top ten were Chris Brown, Steve Francis, Dustin Linville, Steve Casebolt, and Eddie Carrier Jr.

In preliminary action, Dustin Linville, Jason Jameson, Steve Francis, Jared Landers, Randy Weaver, and Chris Ferguson won their respective first round heat races. Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Justin Rattliff, Dale McDowell, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Casebolt, and Jonathan Davenport won their respective second round heat races. Randy Weaver, Dustin Linville, and Chris Brown won their respective B-Mains. # won the Non-Qualifiers Race.

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Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday, August 8th, 2015
33rd Annual Sunoco North/South 100-presented by Lucas Oil
Florence Speedway – Union, KY

Eibach Springs FIRST ROUND Heat Race #1 Finish: Dustin Linville, John Gill, Chris Simpson, Scott James , Justin Rattliff, Jimmy Mars, James Rice, Skylar Marlar, Ted Nobbe, Kenneth Howell, Dennis Erb, Jr.

FK Rod Ends FIRST ROUND Heat Race #2 Finish: Jason Jameson, Jimmy Owens, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Josh Rice, Cody Mahoney, Kent Robinson, Brandon Sheppard, Brad Neat, Kolby Vandenbergh, Daniel Dial, Jay Shell

Simpson Performance Products FIRST ROUND Heat Race #3 Finish: Steve Francis, Tim McCreadie, Skip Arp, RJ Conley, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jesse Lay, Steve Landrum, Joe Janowski, James Lay, Austin Mills

QA1 FIRST ROUND Heat Race #4 Finish: Jared Landers, Michael Chilton, Nick Latham, Mike Marlar, Chad Stapleton, Gregg Satterlee, Garrett Alberson, Matt Westfall, Ethan Burgess, Joe Brewer

Eibach Springs FIRST ROUND Heat Race #5 Finish: Randy Weaver, Chris Brown, Bobby Pierce, Don O’Neal, Steve Casebolt , Greg Johnson, Chad Smith, Mason Zeigler, Zak Blackwood, Michael Hensley

FK Rod Ends FIRST ROUND Heat Race #6 Finish: Chris Ferguson, Jonathan Davenport, Scott Bloomquist, Dale McDowell, Duane Chamberlain, Jackie Boggs, Dustin Nobbe, Mason Combs, Robby Hensley, Curt Addison

Eibach Springs SECOND ROUND Heat Race #1 Finish: Tim McCreadie, Don O’Neal, Garrett Alberson, Jason Jameson, Chris Simpson, Jackie Boggs, Nick Latham, Joe Janowski, Daniel Dial, Michael Hensley

FK Rod Ends SECOND ROUND Heat Race #2 Finish: Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jimmy Mars, Brandon Sheppard, Chris Brown, Michael Chilton, Joe Brewer, Kenneth Howell, Duane Chamberlain

Simpson Performance Products SECOND ROUND Heat Race #3 Finish: Justin Rattliff, Cody Mahoney, Chad Smith, Chad Stapleton, Brad Neat, Skylar Marlar, Dustin Nobbe, Skip Arp, James Lay, Robby Hensley

QA1 SECOND ROUND Heat Race #4 Finish: Scott Bloomquist, Dale McDowell, Kent Robinson, Mason Zeigler, Scott James , Ethan Burgess, Kolby Vandenbergh, Jesse Lay, Zak Blackwood, James Rice

Eibach Springs SECOND ROUND Heat Race #5 Finish: Steve Casebolt , Matt Westfall, Jared Landers, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Dennis Erb, Jr., Randy Weaver, Dustin Linville, RJ Conley, Jay Shell, Mason Combs, Curt Addison

FK Rod Ends SECOND ROUND Heat Race #6 Finish: Jonathan Davenport, Josh Rice, Mike Marlar, Chris Ferguson, Gregg Satterlee, Greg Johnson, Bobby Pierce, John Gill, Ted Nobbe, Steve Landrum, Austin Mills

Fast Shafts B-Main #1 Finish (20 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Randy Weaver, Earl Pearson, Jr., Kent Robinson, Jimmy Mars, Gregg Satterlee, Skip Arp, RJ Conley, Garrett Alberson, Joe Janowski, Kolby Vandenbergh, Daniel Dial, Steve Landrum, Dustin Nobbe, Joe Brewer, Jay Shell, James Lay-DNS

Keyser MFG B-Main #2 Finish (20 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Dustin Linville, Chris Simpson, Nick Latham, Chad Smith, Dennis Erb, Jr., Skylar Marlar, Bobby Pierce, Mason Zeigler, Michael Hensley, Michael Chilton, Ted Nobbe, Robby Hensley, Mason Combs, Ethan Burgess, Jackie Boggs

Sunoco Race Fuels B-Main #3 Finish (20 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Chris Brown, John Gill, Greg Johnson, Jesse Lay, Zak Blackwood, Scott James , Austin Mills, Curt Addison, Duane Chamberlain, Chad Stapleton, Matt Westfall, Brandon Sheppard, Brad Neat-DNS, James Rice-DNS, Kenneth Howell-DNS

Inside Pole Dash Finish (6 Laps): Jared Landers, Jimmy Owens, Jason Jameson, Don O’Neal, Justin Rattliff, Josh Rice, Eddie Carrier Jr., Tim McCreadie

Outside Pole Dash Finish (6 Laps): Jonathan Davenport, Steve Francis, Chris Ferguson, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Casebolt, Mike Marlar, Cody Mahoney, Dale McDowell

Feature Finish (100 Laps):

Non-Qualifiers Race Finish (30 Laps): Kent Robinson, Nick Latham, Bobby Pierce, Chad Smith, Greg Johnson, Scott James, Garrett Alberson, Skylar Marlar, Kolby Vandenbergh, RJ Conley, Jesse Lay, Joe Janowski, Michael Hensley, Zak Blackwood, Daniel Dial, Curt Addison, Michael Chilton, Austin Mills

Race Statistics
Entrants: 62
Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 1); Jimmy Owens (Lap 2); Jason Jameson (Laps 3 – 4); Jimmy Owens (Laps 5 – 16); Jonathan Davenport (Laps 17 – 100)
Cautions: Jimmy Owens, Josh Rice (Lap 16); Tim McCreadie (Lap 31); John Gill (Lap 61); Debris (Lap 70)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Brandon Sheppard; Dennis Erb Jr.
Miller Welders Fast Time Provisionals: n/a
Florence Speedway Track Provisional: Robby Hensley
Wrisco Feature Winner: Jonathan Davenport
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Chris Brown (Started: 19th; Finished: 6th; Advanced 13 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performer of the Race: Mike Marlar
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jonathan Davenport
Rookie of the Race: Chris Brown
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: JC Crockett (Chris Brown)
CV Products Fastest Lap of the Race: Jason Jameson (Lap #3; 16.6717 seconds)
Hot Rod Processing Most Laps Led: Jonathan Davenport
PFC Brakes Tough Break Award: Jimmy Owens
Time of Race: 45 minutes 30 seconds