Pearson and Erb on Front Row Saturday Night for Bad Boy 98 at Batesville
LOCUST GROVE, AR (May 17, 2013) – Four-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion, Earl Pearson Jr. and Dennis Erb Jr. will make-up the front row for Saturday Night’s Bad Boy 98 at Batesville Motor Speedway. The two veteran drivers captured wins in heats one and three during tonight’s preliminary action of the $20,000-to-win event.
Pearson was the fastest qualifier among the 40 entrants and led wire-to-wire in the first heat. He helmed the Bobby Labonte Racing, Lucas Oil Products –sponsored Longhorn Chassis Chevrolet during the heat. Current LOLMDS point’s leader, Don O’Neal slipped back to third at the start of the 12-lap race, but recovered to finish second. Other transfers from the Wiles Drives Driveshafts first heat were first-time Batesville visitor, Eddie Carrier Jr. and Chris Simpson.
In the second heat race, defending COMP Cams Topless 100 winner, Steve Francis soared to the win. Brady Smith, last week’s LOLMDS winner at LaSalle, finished second. Jared Landers finished third followed by Jesse Stovall.
Dennis Erb Jr. raced to the victory in heat three. Bobby Pierce, in his Batesville debut was running second, until he slowed and went pitside. John Blankenship rallied late to finish second. Timothy Culp earned the third spot just ahead of Tyler Reddick.
Wendell Wallace dominated the fourth heat, taking the win. Jimmy Mars and Eric Jacobsen had a fierce battle for second the entire distance, with Mars edging Jacobsen at the stripe. Hall of Famer, Billy Moyer grabbed the fourth and final transfer spot from his son late in the race. Scott Bloomquist was running second and suffered the same fate as Bobby Pierce, early in the heat.
In preliminary action, Earl Pearson Jr. set the overall time (Group A) amongst the 40 entrants, with a lap of 13.679 seconds. Bobby Pierce set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 13.738 seconds. Earl Pearson Jr., Steve Francis, Dennis Erb Jr., and Wendell Wallace won their respective heat races.
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be back in action tomorrow night, Saturday, May 18th, to close-out the Bad Boy 98 at Batesville Motor Speedway in Batesville, AR. The event will be packed with B-Mains, and the 98-Lap, $20,000-to-win main event. For more information on Batesville Motor Speedway, log onto www.batesvillemotorspeedway.net.
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and follow the series on www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Friday Night, May 17th, 2013
Bad Boy 98 – Batesville Motor Speedway – Batesville, AR
Bad Boy 98 – Batesville Motor Speedway – Batesville, AR
Red Buck Fast Time Group A: Earl Pearson Jr. / 13.679 seconds
Red Buck Fast Time Group B: Bobby Pierce / 13.738 seconds
Wiles Drive Shafts Heat Race #1 (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Earl Pearson Jr., Don O’Neal, Eddie Carrier Jr., Chris Simpson, Jimmy Owens, Brandon Smith, Jack Sullivan, Jay Brunson, Shawn Knuckles, Robert Baker
Eibach Springs Heat Race #2 (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Steve Francis, Brady Smith, Jared Landers, Jesse Stovall, Chris Wall, David Breazeale, Stacy Taylor, Jerry Lierly, Braden Mitchell, Brian Ritchie
Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Dennis Erb Jr., John Blankenship, Timothy Culp, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Beard, Keith Craft, Terry Phillips, Jeff Floyd, BJ Robinson, Bobby Pierce
FK Rod Ends Heat Race #4 (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Wendell Wallace, Jimmy Mars, Eric Jacobsen, Billy Moyer, Billy Moyer Jr., AJ Diemel, Mark Whitener, Brian Birkhofer, Austin Rettig, Scott Bloomquist
CV Products B-Main #1 (15 Laps, Top 3 Transfer):
|
CV Products – “B” MAIN #1 LINE UP
|
|||
| DRIVER |
INSIDE
|
OUTSIDE
|
DRIVER
|
| Jimmy Owens |
20
|
71w
|
Chris Wall |
| Brandon Smith |
115
|
54
|
David Breazeale |
| Jack Sullivan |
1x
|
27T
|
Stacy Taylor |
| Jay Brunson |
23B
|
7L
|
Jerry Lierly |
| Shawn Knuckles |
14JR
|
64
|
Braden Mitchell |
| Robert Baker |
17m
|
3
|
Brian Ritchie |
Wrisco Aluminum B-Main #2 (15 Laps, Top 3 Transfer):
|
Wrisco Aluminum – “B” MAIN #2 LINE UP
|
|||
| DRIVER |
INSIDE
|
OUTSIDE
|
DRIVER
|
| Kyle Beard |
86
|
21JR
|
Billy Moyer Jr. |
| Keith Craft |
8c
|
58
|
AJ Diemel |
| Terry Phillips |
75
|
58w
|
Mark Whitener |
| Jeff Floyd |
F1
|
15b
|
Brian Birkhofer |
| BJ Robinson |
F5
|
01
|
Austin Rettig |
| Bobby Pierce |
32
|
0
|
Scott Bloomquist |
Feature Line Up (98 Laps):
|
“A” MAIN LINE UP
|
|||
| DRIVER |
INSIDE
|
OUTSIDE
|
DRIVER
|
| Earl Pearson Jr. |
44
|
28e
|
Dennis Erb Jr. |
| Steve Francis |
15
|
6m
|
Wendell Wallace |
| Don O’Neal |
71
|
23
|
John Blankenship |
| Brady Smith |
2
|
28m
|
Jimmy Mars |
| Eddie Carrier Jr. |
28
|
C8
|
Timothy Culp |
| Jared Landers |
5
|
5J
|
Eric Jacobsen |
| Chris Simpson |
32x
|
11T
|
Tyler Reddick |
| Jesse Stovall |
14w
|
21
|
Billy Moyer |