BYRAM, MS (March 30, 2012) – For the second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event in a row, Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN passed defending series champion, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN to deny Owens his first win of the season. O’Neal took the lead on lap 38 from Owens and then went on for the $10,000 victory in the “Southern 50” at Jackson Motor Speedway before the biggest crowd in track history.
Owens finished second followed by Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA who passed Jared Landers of Batesville, AR on the final lap to take third. Wendell Wallace of Batesville, AR completed the top five.
Last week at Brownstown (IN) Speedway Owens held a commanding lead until O’Neal tracked him down and passed him for the win. At Jackson, Owens led the first 38 circuits of the race, despite several laps running in heavy lapped traffic. O’Neal grabbed the lead with 12 laps left to take his fourth LOLMDS win of 2012.
“Wow this is just unbelievable,” said the 47-year-old veteran gunning for his first career series title. He has finished runner-up twice before. “Jimmy was solid again, tonight I really didn’t think I could catch him like I did at Brownstown, but he started coming back to me after a couple of cautions and I knew if I stayed right with him, I could make a run for the lead.”
This win is the 23rd of his career in Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competition. O’Neal has now climbed to second in points, just behind Owens. “Ever since we started running this series full-time, we have come up just short in winning the points title. The way last year was, I didn’t think we could run any better than we did. To win championships, you have to be consistent and this has just been an awesome start for 2012,” said the winner in Lucas Oil Victory Lane.
“I have to thank all the crew: Tader Masters, Cody Mahoney, everybody at the shop. We are just clicking on all cylinders and it’s still only March,” said the veteran wheelman. O’Neal drives the MasterSbilt Chassis House Car sponsored by Optima Batteries, Independence lumber, Jones Core, Seubert Calf Ranches, Tarpy Trucking, Superior Cleaning Services, O’Neal Mulch, and Budda Bert Transmissions.
“It’s also great to win here in the home-state of my engine builder Jay Dickens, there’s not another motor better.”
Owens drove the Mike Reece-owned, Reece Monument Company, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford. Reddick had an impressive run from seventh and nabbed third in the Broken Bow records, Stoney Creek Records, Bloomquist Race Cars entry to equal his best finish of the year.
Completing the top ten were Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA; Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL; Steve Francis of Ashland, KY; Bubba Mullins of West Monroe, LA; and Timothy Culp also of West Monroe, LA.
In preliminary events Jared Landers was the Red Buck Cigars Fast Qualifier among the 45 entrants with a lap of 15.376 seconds. Heat races were won by Landers, Don O’Neal, Jimmy Owens, and Jimmy Cliburn. Steve Francis and Chris Wall captured the B-Mains.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series now moves to the state of Texas on Saturday Night, March 31st for a visit to Lonestar Speedway in Kilgore, TX for the $10,000 to win “High Banks Havoc” to conclude the month of March.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com or call the series’ office at (951) 532-2503.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, March 30, 2012
Southern 50
Jackson Motor Speedway – Jackson, MS
45 cars
45 cars
Feature Finish – 50 Laps:
|
FINISH
|
START
|
CAR #
|
DRIVER NAME
|
HOMETOWN
|
|
1
|
3
|
71
|
Don O’Neal
|
Martinsville, IN
|
|
2
|
2
|
20
|
Jimmy Owens
|
Newport, TN
|
|
3
|
7
|
11T
|
Tyler Reddick
|
Corning, CA
|
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
Jared Landers
|
Batesville, AR
|
|
5
|
5
|
6m
|
Wendell Wallace
|
Batesville, AR
|
|
6
|
11
|
15d
|
Jonathan Davenport
|
Blairsville, GA
|
|
7
|
8
|
44
|
Earl Pearson, Jr.
|
Jacksonville, FL
|
|
8
|
17
|
15
|
Steve Francis
|
Ashland, KY
|
|
9
|
10
|
C11
|
Bubba Mullins
|
West Monroe, LA
|
|
10
|
9
|
C8
|
Timothy Culp
|
West Monroe, LA
|
|
11
|
22
|
4
|
Cliff Williams
|
Star, MS
|
|
12
|
21
|
F5
|
BJ Robinson
|
Shreveport, LA
|
|
13
|
4
|
88c
|
Jimmy Cliburn
|
Star, MS
|
|
14
|
15
|
28e
|
Dennis Erb, Jr.
|
Carpentersville, IL
|
|
15
|
24
|
53
|
Ray Cook
|
Brasstown, NC
|
|
16
|
25
|
18e
|
Eric Wells
|
Hazard, KY
|
|
17
|
18
|
71w
|
Chris Wall
|
Springfield, LA
|
|
18
|
6
|
5b
|
Klint Byars
|
Calhoun City, MS
|
|
19
|
12
|
11h
|
Austin Hubbard
|
Seaford, DE
|
|
20
|
13
|
187th
|
John Blankenship
|
Williamson, WV
|
|
21
|
14
|
88b
|
Jeremy Broadus
|
Biloxi, MS
|
|
22
|
20
|
18H
|
Ronny Lee Hollingsworth
|
Northport, AL
|
|
23
|
16
|
888
|
Jason Cliburn
|
Star, MS
|
|
24
|
19
|
444
|
Brooks Strength
|
Byram, MS
|
|
25
|
23
|
0
|
Scott Bloomquist
|
Mooresburg, TN
|