Jimmy Owens
*Interview provided by Kris Krug
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is contesting one of its more lucrative events this weekend as drivers and teams have made their way to the I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Nebraska for the Silver Dollar Nationals. The winner of Saturday night’s feature will collect $32,000 for his efforts.
Among the drivers always counted as a favorite when the LOLMDS ventures to the ‘Cornhusker State’ is Newport, Tenn. resident Jimmy Owens. ‘The Newport Nightmare’ won this race in 2013 and has a best overall average finish of third in the brief history of the event.
So what makes him so good on a track located far away from his home?
“It’s got high banks and it has a lot in common with the tracks back home that I grew up racing on,” Owens said of the Midwestern facility. “The dirt is good, and the groove is real racy. We’ve just been real fortunate to have good runs.”
Things have changed for Owens since his last visit to I-80. During the most recent off season, he switched teams after he and longtime car owner Mike Reece parted ways. While the cars, shop location and crew members remain the same as before, the No. 20 Club 29 machine is now owned by Oklahoma based Rowland Racing.
Jimmy Owens in his Rowland Racing Club 29 ride
Owens currently ranks second in the LOLMDS standings but has just one series win at the Macon(IL) Speedway back in April to his credit thus far in 2015. He also scored two wins in his earliest outings with his new owner in unsanctioned races in Arizona held back in January.
“The team structure and everything has been real good,” the driver declared. “Our performance hasn’t been as good as we’d like but we’re hopefully coming back around. We’ve been working on a lot of stuff this summer and it will hopefully start coming around for us by the end of the year.”
The Silver Dollar Nationals is a relatively new addition to Dirt Late Model competition. The 2015 version of the event will be the fifth annual edition of the race. Still, the $32,000 payout ranks among the best on the LOLMDS schedule.
Are drivers ready to consider the race a crown jewel just yet?
“It’s still a growing deal,” Owens explained. “We’ve had good races here and they work hard to keep the track in good shape. The only thing is that it’s a long way out here, but good racing will bring the cars and the fans out.”
Owens primary obstacle to winning a fourth LOLMDS championship will obviously be Jonathan Davenport. The Georgia native leads the series standings and has pieced together a remarkable season that has seen him win major races all over the country.
Does Owens believe he can track the series leader down before the end of the 2015 campaign?
“He’s having an awesome year and if he continues to do what he’s doing, it will be tough. But he’s definitely not out of reach in the points, so we’re going to keep digging and see what we can do.”
