Scott Bloomquist
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series descended on Wheatland, Missouri on Saturday night for the final race of its three-night weekend and to stage what many consider to be the first crown jewel of the Dirt Late Model racing season. At the end of the day, it was Scott Bloomquist who came away as a six-time Show-me 100 winner and collector of the $30,000 first prize.
This was, however, the first Show-me 100 victory for Bloomquist at Lucas Oil Speedway with the others having come at West Plains Speedway.
Much of the starting grid for the main event had already been determined by the two features held on Thursday and Friday. Scott Bloomquist and Jimmy Owens would share the front row with Brian Shirley, Hudson O’Neal, Mike Marlar, Mason Zeigler, Bobby Pierce, Austin Rettig, Jonathan Davenport, Kyle Bronson, Chad Simpson, Chris Simpson, Tim McCreadie, Jared Landers, Shanon Buckingham, BJ Robinson, Dennis Erb, Jr. and Billy Moyer following them to the green flag.
Gregg Satterlee and Jesse Stovall transferred to the feature out of the first B-main while Earl Pearson, Jr. and Shannon Babb punched their tickets out of B-main #2. And finally, Josh Richards and Mason Oberkramer made their way into the main event as a result of their efforts in the third B-main of the night.
At the start of the 100-lap feature it was Owens who took the early lead with Bloomquist, Shirley, Hudson O’Neal and Zeigler trailer. It didn’t take long for Owens and Bloomquist to break away from the rest of the field as Shirley, O’Neal, Zeigler, Marlar and Pierce engaged in a battle for positions 3-7.
In the early laps it was Owens who ran the high line around the track while Bloomquist hugged the bottom lane. Those two drivers found themselves in heavy traffic as the battle intensified. The No. 0 machine finally was able to make the move for the lead as he moved around the No. 20 on lap 16.
However, Bloomquist’s lead would prove to be short-lived as Owens took the top spot back on lap 23.
The first caution flag of the night waved on lap 24 when Zeigler stopped on the track.
On the restart, Owens and Bloomquist again broke away from their pursuers while Shirley, Marlar and Pierce fought over the remaining spots within the top-5. Just behind that fight, Davenport and Jared Landers wnet at it for the sixth spot.
After a lap 45 caution for the spinning car of Landers, the top-5 of Owens, Bloomquist, Shirley, Marlar and Pierce spaced out a bit and logged some laps through the middle stages of the race.
The complexion of the race changed entirely on lap 70 when the car of Owens got hooked onto the car of Pearson as he was lapping by. The contact resulted in damage to the rear of Owens’ car as he was sent spinning to bring out a caution. The No. 20 had to go to the tail of the field while the lead was passed to Bloomquist.
When green flag action resumed, Shirley and Pierce not only kept pace but looked to challenge for the lead. But just a few laps later, Bloomquist began to pull away from those who fought for position behind him. Over the closing laps there were no serious challengers for the lead as the No. 0 drove on to the checkered flag.
Feature Finish: 1. Scott Bloomquist, 2. Brian Shirley, 3. Mike Marlar, 4. Bobby Pierce, 5. Chris Simpson, 6. Tim McCreadie, 7. Dennis Erb, Jr., 8. Jonathan Davenport, 9. Hudson O’Neal, 10. Gregg Satterlee, 11. Josh Richards, 12. Chad Simpson, 13. Earl Pearson, Jr., 14. Shanon Buckingham, 15. Don O’Neal, 16. BJ Robinson, 17. Kyle Bronson, 18. Will Vaught, 19. Darrell Lanigan, 20. Mason Oberkramer, 21. Shannon Babb, 22. Jared Landers, 23. Jimmy Owens, 24. Billy Moyer, 25. Jesse Stovall, 26. Austin Rettig, 27. Mason Zeigler, 28. Jimmy Mars, 29. Tony Jackson, Jr.
