Weekend Recap will be a regular feature throughout the 2017 season on InsideDirtRacing.com. Here, a brief summary of the various national and regional touring series that impact the east Tennessee area will provide a quick review of what happened over the past weekend.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series: The LOLMDS had a busy weekend and one in which they had to work around weather issues as Mother Nature once again tried to interfere with the plans of the series, teams, and fans. But after moving the event originally scheduled for Thursday night at Duck River Raceway Park to Sunday, the tour was able to contest all three of its races.
Earl Pearson, Jr. returned to a Lucas Oil victory lane for the first time since May of 2015 when he led from flag-to-flag on the third-mile Boyd’s Speedway located in Ringgold, GA. While the fact that the eventual winner led all the way may have made the race seem as if it lacked action, that was far from the truth as intense racing and a couple of intriguing incidents took place behind the front runner. Josh Richards drove from his 14th starting spot to finish second with Jimmy Owens, Tim McCreadie and Darrell Lanigan rounding out the top-5 finishers.
Pearson collected $10,000 for his victory.
Click here to see the full rundown and complete story of the race at Boyd’s.
Earl Pearson, Jr. ended his Lucas Oil winless drought at Boyd’s
The LOLMDS moved to the East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, Alabama on Saturday night for a $12,000-to-win event. Defending series champion Scott Bloomquist proved to have the dominant car in the feature as he led all 60 laps to capture the checkered flag. Jimmy Owens made a late-race effort to catch the leader but came up short on the glassy slick track. Earl Pearson Jr., Don O’Neal and Tim McCreadie rounded out the top-5 finishers.
Click here to see the full rundown and complete story of the race at EAMS.
Scott Bloomquist beat the field at EAMS
The Lucas Oil Series rounded out its busy three-race weekend at Duck River Raceway Park in Wheel, Tenn. with a $10,000-to-win event on Sunday night. Don O’Neal started from the pole and emerged from a battle with Timothy Culp during the first half of the race then had to re-take the top spot from Scott Bloomquist on lap 38 to drive on to the win. The Clint Bowyer-owned entry was followed to the finish line by Bloomquist, Tanner English, Brandon Overton and Dennis Erb, Jr.
Click here for the full rundown and complete story of the race at Duck River.
Don O’Neal
World of Outlaws Late Models: Like their national touring counterparts, the WoO Late Models tour had to contend with weather before completing all of their scheduled events for the weekend. Friday night’s preliminary for the Illini 100 at Farmer City Raceway in Illinois had to be moved to Sunday because of Mother Nature.
In the Saturday night main event, it was Brandon Sheppard who continued the hot start that he and his Rocket Chassis house car team have gotten off to in 2017. The home state driver led all the way to earn the $15,000 first prize in a race that ran all 75 laps without a yellow flag. Billy Moyer tirelessly pursued Sheppard throughout most of the race only to eventually lose the runner-up spot to Brian Shirley in the closing laps. Moyer came home third with Devin Moran and Shannon Babb rounding out the top-5.
Click here for the full rundown and complete story of the Illini 100.
Brandon Sheppard now drives the Rocket house car
The race initially scheduled for Friday night at Farmer City was contested on Sunday evening and proved to be a thriller. Brian Shirley, who was running fourth with four laps remaining, passed by Shannon Babb, Bobby Pierce, and Billy Moyer to take the $6,000 victory. Moyer, Pierce and Babb had engaged in a fierce battle for the lead over the first twenty laps of the feature before Shirley tracked them down. At the finish line it Shirley winning over, Moyer, Pierce, Chris Madden and Babb. Points leader Brandon Sheppard starting for the 17th spot but worked his way up to 9th in the final order.
Click here for the full rundown and complete story of Sunday’s race at Farmer City.
Brian Shirley charged to the win at Farmer City on Sunday
Carolina Clash: Zack Mitchell earned his second consecutive victory on this series as he cashed the $4,000 first prize for the win at Friendship Motor Speedway in Elkin, NC. The South Carolina native led all 40 laps in dominant fashion after starting the feature from the pole position. Anthony Sanders, Ross Bailes, Michael Brown and Josh Langley completed the top-5 finishers.
Mitchell entered the race as the Carolina Clash points leader and his win only served to extend that advantage.
Zack Mitchell picked up his second consecutive Carolina Clash win
Unsanctioned Super Late Models: Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn. hosted a $7,500-to-win unsanctioned Super Late Model race to accompany the visiting Southeast Dirt Modified Series on Saturday night. Dale McDowell notched the first ever win for his brother’s Shane McDowell Racing operation as the Chickamauga, GA veteran led all 50 laps on the 4/10 mile track. Donald McIntosh emerged from an intense battle behind the leader with the runner-up position with Chris Ferguson, Brandon Overton and Michael Chilton made up the remainder of the top-5.
Click here for the full rundown and complete story of the Smoky Mountain race.
Dale McDowell on his way to victory at Smoky Mountain
