Bloomquist Cruises To Convincing Victory In Smoky Mountain Speedway’s Mountain Outlaw 50 Presented by NAPA
Former World of Outlaws Late Model Series Champion Leads All 50 Laps to Claim Second Series Victory of 2015
By Joshua Joiner, WoO LMS PR
MARYVILLE, Tenn. – May 9, 2015 – Scott Bloomquist made winning Saturday night’s Mountain Outlaw 50 Presented by NAPA look easy, but there was so much more that went into his dominating performance than the 50 flawless laps he ran around Smoky Mountain Speedway.
After struggling to get his self-designed Sweet-Bloomquist car to perform to his liking for most of the season, Bloomquist, 51, of Mooresburg, Tenn., and his team undertook a complete rebuild on the car in preparation for Saturday’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series event. The hard work paid off with Bloomquist cruising to a $10,125 victory in front of a near-capacity crowd at the East Tennessee oval.
“We worked all week on this car,” said Bloomquist, the 2004 WoO LMS champion who recorded his second series victory of the season and 28th of his Hall-of-Fame career. “We’d been having trouble with it, so this week we stripped it down completely to the frame, cut it in three pieces and put it back together. I was pretty confident it was gonna run good tonight.”
Bloomquist was dominant all night in his Reece Monuments-sponsored ride. He posted the fastest time in his qualifying group, led every lap of his heat race and controlled the entire distance of the 50-lap A-Main after drawing the pole position in the night’s top-eight redraw. He built a lead of more than seven seconds during a 30-lap green-flag run and pulled away from Ray Cook of Brasstown, N.C., and Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., after the race’s final restart on lap 32.
“It’s nice when they run a big race here and we can win,” said Bloomquist whose shop is roughly an hour and a half drive from Smoky Mountain Speedway. “We go home feeling good and got our confidence high knowing we got two really good race cars.”
The second-starting Cook settled for the runner-up finish after holding off a fierce challenge from Lanigan, who advanced from his fifth starting spot to finish third. Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., rallied from the 17th starting position to finish fourth with 10th-starting Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., rounding out the race’s top five finishers.
Making his first WoO LMS appearance of the season, Cook was solid in his Jay Dickens-powered Capital Race Car, matching his career-best WoO LMS finish. But the 43-year-old veteran racer couldn’t keep pace with Bloomquist.
“He shows up every now and then and spoils the show,” Cook said of Bloomquist’s impressive performance. “He’s had a good year, but not to his standards. He’s back rolling now it looks like.”
After moving into third on lap 21, Lanigan pressured Cook for most of the second half of the race. The three-time and defending WoO LMS champion felt his Cornett-powered Club 29 house car was capable of running with Bloomquist, but he never got the chance to show it as he failed to find a way around Cook.
“I would’ve liked to have got up there and raced with (Bloomquist) at the front,” said Lanigan, who is still looking for his first WoO LMS victory of the season after last year winning a single-season record 17 series races. “It was a little hard to pass, but we had a pretty good hot rod.”
Lanigan’s third-place effort moved him back ahead of fellow three-time WoO LMS champion Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., for second in the series standings. Richards, who finished sixth in Saturday’s race trails Lanigan by two points. The two past champions are chasing Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., who now leads the chase by 90 points after a seventh-place finish on Saturday.
Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., was eighth at the finish of Saturday’s A-Main with 18th-starting Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., and Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., rounding out the top 10 in a race slowed by two cautions.
Frank Heckenast Jr. of Frankfort, Ill., saw a potential top-five finish go awry when his right-rear tire blew out and caused the lap-32 caution. The 2014 WoO LMS Rookie of the Year ended up 15th at the finish. Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., was also denied a top five when he slowed from fourth with two laps remaining.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series returns to action May 23-24 with the Jackpot 100 weekend at Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne, W.Va. The two-race event features an $8,000-to-win WoO LMS program on Sat., May 23 and a $10,000-to-win race on Sun., May 24.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com. Fans can also follow the WoO LMS on Twitter at Twitter.com/WoOLateModels and Facebook at Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsLateModelSeries.
Results of World of Outlaws Late Model Series Mountain Outlaw 50 Presented by NAPA at Smoky Mountain Speedway (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (1) Scott Bloomquist/50 $10,125
2. (2) Ray Cook/50 $5,500
3. (5) Darrell Lanigan/50 $3,600
4. (17) Tim McCreadie/50 $3,150
5. (10) Chub Frank/50 $2,550
6. (8) Josh Richards/50 $2,350
7. (7) Shane Clanton/50 $1,950
8. (12) Jimmy Owens/50 $1,300
9. (18) Mike Marlar/50 $1,250
10. (11) Steve Francis/50 $1,200
11. (21) Randy Weaver/50 $1,050
12. (3) Derek Ellis/50 $1,050
13. (9) Donald McIntosh/50 $1,000
14. (15) Eric Wells/50 $1,500
15. (4) Frank Heckenast Jr./49 $1,400
16. (23) Morgan Bagley/49 $1,350
17. (24) Chase Junghans/49 $1,320
18. (13) Rick Eckert/48 $1,400
19. (14) Dale McDowell/47 $730
20. (19) Brandon Overton/41 $1,500
21. (20) Kent Robinson/34 $700
22. (6) Vic Hill/28 $750
23. (16) Austin Smith/22 $700
24. (22) Don O’Neal/16 $700
Time of Race: 20 Mins., 35 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 1.123 Secs.
Yellow Flags: Two (laps 2 & 32)
Lap Leaders: Bloomquist (1-50)
Provisional Starters: Bagley, Junghans
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Cook ($500)
WoO LMS ‘Rookie of the Race’ Winner: Overton ($250)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
Group A
1. 1-Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va., 15.396
2. 99jr-Frank Heckenast Jr., Frankfort, Ill., 16.651
3. 116-Randy Weaver, Crossville, Tenn., 16.670
4. 25-Shane Clanton, Zebulon, Ga., 15.722
5. 7-Donald McIntosh, Dawsonville, Ga., 15.723
6. 1*-Chub Frank, Bear Lake, Pa., 15.725
7. 1H-Vic Hill, Mosheim, Tenn., 15.737
8. 17m-Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga., 15.740
9. 7v-Rick Eckert, York, Pa., 15.741
10. 76-Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga., 15.749
11. 23-Cory Hedgecock, Lenoir City, Tenn., 15.869
12. 14m-Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas, 15.885
13. 39-Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y., 15.890
14. 18c-Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., 15.906
15. 4T-Tommy Kerr, Maryville, Tenn., 16.135
16. 201-Billy Ogle Jr., Knoxville, Tenn., 16.170
17. 28-Jeff Wolkenbarger, Clinton, TN, 16.204
18. 99B-Boom Briggs, Bear Lake, Pa., 16.377
Group B
1. 0-Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn., 15.479
2. 20-Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn., 15.699
3. 99-Derek Ellis, Chatsworth, Ga., 15.810
4. 53-Ray Cook, Brasstown, N.C., 15.847
5. 15-Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky., 15.899
6. 5-Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind., 15.912
7. 157-Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn., 15.922
8. 11-Austin Smith, Cedartown, Ga., 15.971
9. c5-David Crabtree, Maryville, Tenn., 15.977
10. 52D-Mark Douglas, Knoxville, Tenn., 16.007
11. 7R-Kent Robinson, Bloomington, Ind., 16.019
12. 29-Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky., 16.081
13. 18-Eric Wells, Hazard, Ky., 16.243
14. 4-Mark Vineyard, Powell, Tenn., 16.406
15. 77-Jordan Yaggy, Rochester, Minn., 16.481
16. 25z-Mason Zeigler, Chalk Hill, Pa., 16.497
17. 777-Jared Landers, Batesville, Ark., no time
18. 31-Skip Arp, Georgetown, Tenn., no time
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Richards, Hill, McIntosh, Eckert, McCreadie, Weaver, Hedgecock, Wolfenbarger, Kerr.
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Clanton, Heckenast, Frank, McDowell, Overton, Bagley, Briggs, Junghans. DNS: Ogle.
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Bloomquist, Ellis, Francis, Wells, Marlar, Robinson, Crabtree, Landers, Yaggy.
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Cook, Lanigan, Owens, Smith, Douglas, O’Neal, Vineyard, Zeigler. DNS: Arp.
B-Main No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): McCreadie, Overton, Weaver, Bagley, Junghans, Ogle, Kerr, Hedgecock, Wolfenbarger, Briggs.
B-Main No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Marlar, Robinson, O’Neal, Douglas, Zeigler, Landers, Yaggy, Vineyard. DNS: Crabtree, Arp.
World of Outlaws Late Model Series Contingency Award Winners (awards presented to noted finisher/qualifier or next highest displaying decal):
Ohlins Shocks ($50 cash to fast qualifier): Eckert
Comp Cams ($50 certificate to A-Main winner): Cook
MSD Ignition ($50 cash to A-Main winner): Bloomquist
Quartermaster ($100 certificate to A-Main winner): Cook
Wrisco (three sheets of aluminum/certificate to A-Main winner): Bloomquist
Mobil 1 ($50 cash to 4th-place finisher in A-Main): McCreadie
JE Pistons ($50 cash to 5th-place finisher in A-Main): Frank
Lincoln Welders ($50 cash to 6th-place finisher in A-Main): Clanton
VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash to 8th-place finisher in A-Main): Marlar
Edelbrock ($50 cash to 9th-place finisher in A-Main): McIntosh
Comp Cams ($50 cash to 10th-place finisher in A-Main): Ellis
Cometic ($50 cash to 12th-place finisher in A-Main): Wells
JRI Shocks ($50 cash to 13th-place finisher in A-Main): Hill
Superflow Dynos ($50 cash to 14th-place finisher in A-Main): Wells
Quartermaster ($25 certificate to 15th-place finisher in A-Main): Junghans
JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 16th-place finisher in A-Main): Bagley
Quartermaster ($50 certificate to 19th-place finisher in A-Main): Overton
Mobil 1 (20 percent certificate to 20th-place finisher in A-Main): Overton
JE Pistons (one set of rings certificate to 21st-place finisher in A-Main): Robinson
MSD Ignition ($25 cash to 24th-place finisher in A-Main): Bloomquist
QA1 ($50 to driver with fastest lap of the night): Bloomquist
Arizona Sports Shirts ($100 certificate to highest-finishing non-WoO driver): Bloomquist
2015 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of May 9 – 14 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
1. Shane Clanton – 1972
2. Darrell Lanigan – 1882 (-90)
3. Josh Richards – 1878 (-94)
4. Chub Frank – 1846 (-126)
5. Tim McCreadie – 1786 (-186)
6. Morgan Bagley – 1762 (-210)
7. Rick Eckert – 1760 (-212)
8. Eric Wells – 1732 (-240)
9. Frank Heckenast Jr. – 1728 (-244)
10. Brandon Overton – 1668 (-304)*
11. Chase Junghans – 1654 (-318)
12. Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs – 1540 (-432)
13. Jordan Yaggy – 1442 (-530)*
*Rookie competitor
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), Lincoln Welder (Official Welder), VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award) and McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award); in addition to contingency sponsors: Butlerbuilt, Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, JRI Shocks, Mobil 1, MSD, Ohlins Shocks, QA1, QuarterMaster, Superflow Dynos and Wrisco Aluminum; along with manufacturer sponsors Capital Race Cars, Club 29 Chassis, Integra Shocks, Impact Racing Products, Intercomp, Racing Electronics, Rocket Chassis, and TNT Rescue.