Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series: Francis and Blankenship Weekend Winners!

RURAL RETREAT, VA (June 23, 2012) – John Blankenship of Williamson, WV was the last driver to arrive to race Saturday at Wythe Raceway, but at the end of the night, he was first to cross the finish line as he collected the win in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series “Blue Ridge 50”. Blankenship started 14th and roared through the field, gaining the lead from Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA on lap 36.

Blankenship then had to race through a green-white-checker finish after a caution came out with two laps to go. He went on to score his second career LOLMDS victory. Davenport finished second in the Clint Bowyer Racing, Georgia Boot, Barry Wright Toyota as he just barely edged our Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA in the Team Dillon Racing, Clements Race Engines, Warrior Chevrolet.

Blankenship; whose first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win came last year at Hagerstown (MD) Speedway after starting 17th; earned $10,000 for the victory in front of the largest crowd in the track’s history. “I can’t thank the crew enough, Tom Buckingham, and everybody did a great job on the car after time trials, we qualified poorly, but we passed some cars in the heat, so I knew we might have a good car for the feature,” said the 30-year-old Blankenship.

“We started on the outside of the seventh row and we had to get by a lot of tough drivers. The car was just awesome from the start,” said Blankenship, who reached the top five by the 20th circuit.

“Once we got to the top five, we rolled around Madden and Dale (McDowell). Then we got to Davenport and I knew it would be a tough race with him, but we raced hard there for a while until I was finally able to clear him off of two. I have to thank my sponsors, Coal America’s Energy, Todd Case Trucking, Fast Lane, VP Race Fuels, Bear Cove Village, Integra Shocks, Cornett Race Engines and Rocket Chassis.”

Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC came from the 20th starting position to claim fourth, just ahead of Kennie Compton Jr. of Bland, VA, who was the highest finishing home state driver.

Completing the top ten were Vic Hill of Morristown, TN; Chris Madden of Gaffney, SC; Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN; Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN; and Eric Wells of Hazard, KY.

In preliminary action, Tyler Reddick set the Red Buck Cigars Fast Time amongst the 29 entrants with a lap of 16.077 seconds. Heat races were taken by: Jonathan Davenport, Vic Hill, Tyler Reddick, and Dale McDowell. Jared Landers and Donald Bradsher won their respective B-Mains.

The series will be back in action on July 1st and 3rd for a pair of $10,000 spectacular “Buckeye State” show-downs. On July 1st, the stars of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series take to Portsmouth Raceway Park in Portsmouth, OH for the “Independence 50”. On the eve of Independence Day, Muskingum County Speedway in Zanesville, OH plays host to the series with the “Budweiser 50”. Both events will feature Red Buck Cigars Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and 50-lap main events. For more information on either event, go to www.portsraceway.com and www.themuskingumcountyspeedway.com.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and be sure to follow the series at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, June 23rd, 2012
Inaugural “Blue Ridge 50”
Wythe Raceway – Rural Retreat, VA

Red Buck Cigars Fast Time:
Jonathan Davenport / 16.084 seconds (Group A)
Tyler Reddick / 16.077 seconds (Group B)

Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jonathan Davenport, Kennie Compton, Scott Bloomquist, Eric Wells, Justin Labonte, Brett Miller, Steve Shaver, Dennis Franklin

U. S. Steel Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Vic Hill, Chris Madden, Ty Dillon, Johnny Pursley, Jared Landers, Billy Hicks, Tim Rivers

Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Tyler Reddick, Mike Marlar, Chris Ferguson, John Blankenship, Austin Hubbard, Ray Cook, Earl Pearson, Jr.

HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Dale McDowell, Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, Ricky Weeks, Donald Bradsher, Don O’Neal, Travis Greer

JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Advance): Jared Landers, Brett Miller, Justin Labonte, Dennis Franklin, Steve Shaver, Billy Hicks, Tim Rivers

PAC Racing Springs Second B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Advance): Donald Bradsher, Ray Cook, Austin Hubbard, Don O’Neal, Earl Pearson, Jr., Travis Greer-DNS

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GAFFNEY, SC (June 22, 2012) – Steve Francis of Ashland, KY held off a late-race charge from Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA to win the 14th Annual Grassy Smith Memorial on Friday Night at Cherokee Speedway. Francis earned his third Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned win of 2012 while piloting the Valvoline, Barry Wright House Car. He is taking home $10,000 for the victory. It is also Francis’ first ever win at the track.

Steve Shaver of Vienna, WV, got around Davenport near the end, to finish second. Davenport had passed Francis for the lead heading down the backstretch with five laps remaining, but a caution flag sent him back to the second spot, taking away the potential winning pass. Davenport got out of the groove in turn two on the ensuing restart which allowed Shaver to get by. Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN finished fourth, followed by 2-time series champion, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN.

Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN led the first 18 laps of the race. Francis passed him in heavy traffic on lap 19. O’Neal then suffered driveline failure on the restart, forcing his car to slow dramatically on the frontstretch. Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN, the current series point’s leader, suffered a flat tire and pitted, giving up fifth position in the race. Owens had run as high as second until his tire started to go flat.

Francis went on to lead the rest of the event and took the victory at his car owner and chassis builder, Barry Wright’s home turf. “To win for Barry and Lance Wright here at their home track is just terrific! I couldn’t wait until this race was over, because I wasn’t sure how much right rear tire we had left. We held on, and I had to get up on the wheel at the end when Jonathan pressured me on the outside,” said the 44-year-old racer.

“We have been coming here a long-time and to finally win here is something we can be proud of, the Clements Engine ran great and the car was just superb, I was saving my tires. I got a little too conservative there, we caught a break on that yellow when he (Davenport) got by me.”

Completing the top ten were Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA; Jeff Smith of Gastonia, NC; Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, SC; Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN; and Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL.

In preliminary action, Mike Marlar set the Red Buck Cigars Fast Time amongst the 28 entrants with a lap of 15.541 seconds. Heat races were taken by: Jimmy Owens, Steve Shaver, Don O’Neal, and Steve Francis. Johnny Pursley and Ross Bailes won their respective B-Mains.
The series heads to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia tomorrow, Saturday June 23rd, for the Inaugural “Blue Ridge 50” at Wythe Raceway in Rural Retreat, VA. The event will include Red Buck Cigars Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and the 50-lap main event. For more information, log onto www.wytheraceway.com.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and be sure to follow the series at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, June 22nd, 2012
14th Annual Grassy Smith Memorial
Cherokee Speedway – Gaffney, SC

Red Buck Cigars Fast Time:
Jonathan Davenport / 15.652 seconds (Group A and Overall)
Mike Marlar / 15.541 seconds (Group B)

Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Jimmy Owens, Jonathan Davenport, John Blankenship, Eric Wells, Johnny Pursley, Freddy Smith, John Pursley

U. S. Steel Second Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Steve Shaver, Casey Roberts, Tyler Reddick, Austin Hubbard, Jeff Smith, Ty Dillon, Chris Madden-DNS

Simpson Performance Products Third Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Don O’Neal, Jared Landers, Mike Marlar, Dale McDowell, Ross Bailes, Tim Rivers, Dennis Franklin

HAWK Brakes Fourth Heat (10 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Steve Francis, Scott Bloomquist, Chris Ferguson, Earl Pearson, Jr., Mike Gault, Donald Bradsher, Brent Dixon

JRi Shocks First B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Advance): Johnny Pursley, Jeff Smith, Ty Dillon, John Pursley, Freddy Smith-DNS, Chris Madden-DNS

PAC Racing Springs Second B-Main (12 Laps – Top 3 Advance): Ross Bailes, Mike Gault, Donald Bradsher, Dennis Franklin, Tim Rivers, Brent Dixon