Jimmy Owens Cashes in on COMP Cams Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway

LOCUST GROVE, AR (August 16, 2014) – For the second time in his career, Jimmy Owens found victory lane in the COMP Cams Topless 100-Presented by Crop Production Services. The three-time and defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Champion took the lead on lap 81 from Don O’Neal and cruised on for the $40,000 victory. Owens had previously won the event back in 2009.

Dale McDowell charged from his eleventh starting spot to finish second. McDowell passed Jonathan Davenport on the final circuit to earn the runner-up spot. Davenport came home third, followed by 23rd-starting, Scott Bloomquist, with Don O’Neal rounding out the top five.

“It’s such a great win for our team, my car owner Mike Reece, and all my sponsors. The Club 29 car and the Cornett Ford Engine combination haven’t missed a beat this season. You could run anywhere on this track once things got going. The groove widened out as the race went on. I could maneuver my car anywhere. I tried a couple of times to get by Don [O’Neal], but he held his line and raced us clean. I just got a run on him and we were fortunate enough to clear him.”

Pole-sitter Stacy Taylor led the first ten laps of the event. O’Neal got by him on lap 10, and then built a steady lead over the field. Taylor held down the second spot until four-time Topless 100 winner, Billy Moyer moved past him to take over second. Owens, who started seventh, picked up the pace after a couple of caution flags had bunched the field.

Owens lost second to hometown driver and former winner of the event, Wendell Wallace in the middle stages of the race. Wallace scooted by Owens and held the position until lap 54 when Owens got back by him. O’Neal and Owens then waged a two-car battle for the race lead until Owens forged ahead with 19 laps to go.

“I was trying to run a different line than him [O’Neal], but he stayed in front coming off the corners. It seems like it’s always a tire game when you come here. Will they hold up or won’t they, that’s the question. Tonight the tires held up. We are pretty excited to get this win in front of such a large crowd. I have to thank Reece Monument Company, Edge Services, Sunoco, Red Line Oil, Keyser, Ohlins, and FORD. Also thanks to COMP CAMS And Crop Production Services for sponsoring this race.”

Davenport is still looking for the first crown jewel win of his career and was hoping for a caution with less than ten laps to go to have a shot at Owens. That caution never came, and McDowell tracked him down to take away second in the final six laps.

“We had a great car tonight,” said McDowell in victory lane. “The bottom was better for us, there was enough grip that we were able to pass three cars there at the end. I don’t think even with a caution I could have gotten by him [Owens], said the driver of the Team Dillon Warrior Race Cars Chevrolet. Congrats to Jimmy on the win, he deserved it. I can’t believe I had enough momentum on that last lap to get by Jonathan. We have struggled a little bit since winning the Dream. So it feels good to run strong again.”

Davenport felt he a had a car that could challenge Owens near the end. “We just fell too far back from him with about five to go. He had a couple of lapped cars between us that he’d successfully cleared and it kind of hurt my momentum a little bit. The best car won. We will take third and move on. We learned a lot about completing a 100-lap race this weekend. We will be better in the future,” said the driver of the AES Racing, K&L Rumley Longhorn Chassis.

Completing the top ten were John Blankenship, Stacy Taylor, Jimmy Mars, Chris Brown, and Jared Landers.

In preliminary action, Stacy Taylor set the overall Miller Welders Fast Time (Group A) amongst the 63 entrants, with a lap of 13.554 seconds. Brian Birkhofer set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 13.867 seconds. Stacy Taylor, Don O’Neal, Jonathan Davenport, Brian Birkhofer, Wendell Wallace, and Billy Moyer won their respective heat races. Robbie Stuart and Earl Pearson, Jr. won their respective B-Mains.

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Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, August 16th, 2014
Batesville Motor Speedway – Locust Grove, AR

Miller Welders Fast Time Group A: Stacy Taylor / 13.554 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Brian Birkhofer / 13.867 seconds

Fast Shafts Heat Race #1 Finish (20 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Stacy Taylor, Jimmy Owens ,John Blankenship, Robbie Stuart, Clay Fisher, Rick Hearnsberger, Joey Smith, Jeremy Payne, Jason Papich, Ray Moore, Dwight Falcon

Eibach Springs Heat Race #2 Finish (20 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Mike Marlar, Jimmy Mars, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Dennis Erb, Jr., Ryan Gustin, Jesse Stovall, Jake Davis, Shannon Scott, Scott Bloomquist, Kenneth Crowe

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (20 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Jonathan Davenport, Dale McDowell, Shannon Babb, Jack Sullivan, Doug Drown, Kyle Beard, Brandon Smith, Jason Hughes, Gavin Landers, Chandler Petty

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #4 Finish (20 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Brian Birkhofer, Billy Moyer, Jr., Bub McCool, Jeff Taylor, Robert Baker, Jon Mitchell, Jason Hughes, Jason Bodenhamer, Kody Mea, Chad Dupont, Lynn Beach

Fast Shafts Heat Race #5 Finish (20 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Wendell Wallace, Steve Francis, Terry Phillips, Earl Pearson, Jr., Tommy Weder, Mark Dotson, Tony Jackson, Jr., Austin Rettig, Timothy Culp, Troy Berdan

Eibach Springs Heat Race #6 Finish (20 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Billy Moyer, Chris Brown, Jared Landers, Justin Asplin, Will Vaught, Anthony Burroughs, Tommy Surrett, Chris Wall, Tyler Erb, David Payne

JRi Shocks B-Main #1 (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer) Finish: Robbie Stuart, Jack Sullivan, Dennis Erb, Jr., Ryan Gustin, Jason Papich, Doug Drown, Chandler Petty, Jesse Stovall, Clay Fisher, Shannon Scott, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Brandon Smith, Rick Hearnsberger, Kyle Beard, Scott Bloomquist, Jason Hughes, Jeremy Payne, Gavin Landers, Joey Smith, Jake Davis, Ray Moore, Dwight Falcon, Kenneth Crowe

CV Products B-Main #2 (15 Laps, Top 2 Transfer) Finish: Earl Pearson, Jr., Robert Baker, Jeff Taylor, Tommy Weder, Mark Dotson, Jon Mitchell, Timothy Culp, Austin Rettig, Justin Asplin, Lynn Beach, Anthony Burroughs, Will Vaught, Jason Hughes, Tommy Surrett, Tony Jackson, Jr., David Payne, Kody Mea, Troy Berdan, Jason Bodenhamer, Chris Wall, Tyler Erb, Chad Dupont

Feature Finish (100 Laps):

FINISH START CAR # DRIVER NAME HOMETOWN

Race Statistics
Entrants: 63
Lap Leaders: Stacy Taylor (Laps 1 – 10); Don O’Neal (Laps 11 – 80); Jimmy Owens (Laps 81 – 100)
Cautions: Brian Birkhofer (Lap 1); Tommy Surrett (Lap 23); Robbie Stuart (Lap 34); Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 44); Shannon Babb (Lap 54); Wendell Wallace (Lap 63); Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 70)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Scott Bloomquist, Eddie Carrier, Jr.
Lucas Oil presents the COMP Cams Super Dirt Series Provisionals: Kyle Beard, Tommy Surrett
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: Dennis Erb, Jr., Jason Papich
Miller Welders Fast Time Provisionals: n/a
Wrisco Feature Winner: Jimmy Owens
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Scott Bloomquist (Started: 23rd; Finished: 4th; Advanced 19 Positions)
Keyser Mfg Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jimmy Owens
Allstar Performer of the Race: Dale McDowell
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
Dunn Benson Ford Rookie of the Race: Jason Papich
Midwest Sheet Metal Highest Finishing Rookie: Jason Papich
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Club 29 Race Cars
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Matt Salmons (Scott Bloomquist)
HAWK Performance Fastest Lap of the Race: Stacy Taylor (Lap 3 – 14.406 seconds)
Time of Race: 50 minutes 43 seconds