Scott Bloomquist took the lead at the start and led all the way
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series staged its final race of the 2018 season as it made its annual trek to The Dirt Track at Charlotte for a Saturday night show that would pay $12,000 to the winner. Coming into the weekend, Mike Marlar held a slim points lead over Chris Madden and Brandon Sheppard as they found themselves locked in a tight battle for the overall series crown. When the dust settled on night two of the World of Outlaws World Finals presented by Can-Am, it was Scott Bloomquist who walked away with the top prize.
Marlar went on to earn his first career national touring Late Model series crown as he secured the World of Outlaws Craftsman Late Model Series title with two solid results over the weekend.
Group A qualifying for this race was held on Thursday night with Mike Marlar leading the way by setting a time of 14.536 seconds. That effort bettered the times of Scott Bloomquist, Tyler Bare, Jonathan Davenport and Casey Roberts.
Because of rain, Group B time-trial had to completed on Saturday afternoon with Dale McDowell posting the fastest time with a lap of 14.701 seconds to beat out Kent Robinson, Don O’Neal, Tim McCreadie and Pat Doar.
Marlar took the win in the first heat as he beat out Chris Madden and Jonathan Davenport while Bloomquist captured the second heat over Casey Roberts and Dennis Erb, Jr.
Chase Junghans was the victor in the third preliminary of the night over Benji Hicks and Justin Williams while McDowell claimed the fourth heat by outrunning Brandon Sheppard and McCreadie.
Kent Robinson took the fifth heat ahead of Doar and Rick Eckert just before Earl Pearson, Jr. won the sixth and final heat race of the evening besting Tyler Erb and Brandon Overton.
Jackie Boggs, Jimmy Owens and Shane Clanton won the three B-main races used to set the remainder of the starting lineup for the main event.
The WoO Late Model Series redraw placed Pearson on the pole with McDowell, Robinson, Bloomquist, Junghans and Marlar lining up on his flanks.
At the start of the 50-lap feature it was Bloomquist who cut between the two front row starters to take the early lead while Pearson, Robinson, Marlar and McDowell trailed after the completion of the first lap. Just behind top-5 runners was a battle between Junghans and Sheppard for the sixth position. But both of those drivers would instead set their sights on McDowell as each passed by the No. 17m machine.
A lap 8 caution for the slowing car of Tyler Erb briefly slowed the action but when the green flag waved again, it was Pearson who would fall back as several cars passed by the Dirt Million winner. At the same time, Robinson grabbed the second position while Junghans assumed third in the running order.
Jackie Boggs brought out another caution just one lap after the previous restart. On the ensuing restart, Robinson briefly offered a challenge to Bloomquist for the race lead while Marlar jumped up to the third place in the rundown. Also, Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series champion Jonathan Davenport began to climb up the leader board as he entered the top-5 on lap 12.
Bloomquist began to slip away from the field and looked to be having his way until a lap 21 caution again allowed the pack to catch up.
The race restarted for the final time on lap 21 as the event would run caution free from that point. Bloomquist maintained a relatively comfortable advantage while Junghans and Davenport disputed the fourth spot.
Sheppard, who won the rain delayed Friday night feature earlier in the day, entered the top-5 on lap 27 but was embroiled in a fight with McCreadie to hold the position. At the same time, Davenport took to the outside groove to pass by Marlar and seize second.
For the remainder of the event Bloomquist would remain in control while the likes of Sheppard and Junghans battled for position behind him.
Feature Finish: 1. Scott Bloomquist, 2. Jonathan Davenport, 3. Brandon Sheppard, 4. Chase Junghans, 5. Tim McCreadie, 6. Mike Marlar, 7. Chris Ferguson, 8. Kent Robinson, 9. Earl Pearson, Jr., 10. Devin Moran, 11. Chris Madden, 12. Casey Roberts, 13. David Breazeale, 14. Shane Clanton, 15. Dennis Erb, Jr., 16. Donny Schatz, 17. Jimmy Owens, 18. Rick Eckert, 19. Steven Roberts, 20. Justin Williams, 21. Benji Hicks, 22. Brandon Overton, 23. Dale McDowell, 24. Pat Doar, 25. Don O’Neal, 26. Jackie Boggs, 27. Tyler Erb
