WAYCROSS, GA – The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will have a rare weekend off this week, but the series will be back in action next weekend. The series will be kicking off the Month of May at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, IL and Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, KY.
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On Friday Night, May 4th, the LOLMDS visits the Kevin and Tammy Gundaker-promoted Tri-City Speedway, which is just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, MO. The series will be making its eighth appearance at the immaculate 3/8ths mile facility. On Saturday Night, May 5th the series will head to the Bob Sargent-promoted Paducah International Raceway. Mother Nature has decided the outcome for the last two years after the series inaugural race in 2009. Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA won that event. Both events will be complete one day shows with Red Buck Cigar Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains and a $10,000 to win main event. Fans will get a chance to get up close and meet the drivers at each event, during the drivers autograph sessions. At Tri-City, the autograph session will take place from 5:15pm – 5:45pm (CDT); and at PIR from 4:00pm – 5:00pm (CDT).
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Defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion, Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN will lead the stars of the series into Tri-City and Paducah holding the series points lead. Despite not winning a main event so far in 2012, Owens has recorded five (5) runner-up finishes in seven series point’s events in 2012 thus far. His consistent finishes have enabled him to stay atop the points chase.
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After Owens positions two through eight in the series championship points standings are separated by only 90-points. Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN and 4-time champ, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL are tied for second followed by red-hot, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN and Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA.
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Steve Francis of Ashland, KY is sixth in points followed by Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, IL; Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA; Jared Landers of Batesville, AR; and John Blankenship of Williamson, WV. Austin Hubbard of Seaford, DE and Eric Wells of Hazard, KY are just outside of the top ten. Twelve drivers have maintained perfect attendance up to this point in the season.
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So far in 2012 there have been six different winners in the first 11 races. O’Neal is leading the way with four appearances in Lucas Oil Victory Lane this year. Bloomquist, who has won the last two LOLMDS events in Virginia and Pennsylvania, is joined by Francis as a multiple winner this year. Erb, Landers, and Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC have also won on the series tour this year. Also, in the first 11 events, the average starting spot by the race winner is fifth. Only twice this year on the ultra-competitive tour has the race winner started on the front row.
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For more information on the LOLMDS events on May 4th at Tri-City and May 5th at Paducah you can log onto each track’s respective websites at www.tricityspeedway.net and www.paducahracing.com.
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For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, visit the series’ website at www.lucasdirt.com. Follow us as well at http://www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and http://twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.
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Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Points Standings
1. Jimmy Owens (Newport, TN) – 1545
2. Earl Pearson Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) – 1370
3. Don O’Neal (Martinsville, IN) -1370
4. Scott Bloomquist (Mooresburg, TN) – 1340
5. Jonathan Davenport (Blairsville, GA) – 1335
6. Steve Francis (Ashland, KY) – 1325
7. Dennis Erb Jr. (Carpentersville, IL) – 1300
8. Tyler Reddick (Corning, CA) – 1280
9. Jared Landers (Batesville, AR) – 1245
10. John Blankenship (Williamson, WV) – 1180
11. Austin Hubbard (Seaford, DE) – 1125
12. Eric Wells (Hazard, KY) – 1120