Don O'Neal Victorious in Grassy Smith Memorial at Cherokee Speedway

Don O'Neal Victorious in Grassy Smith Memorial at Cherokee Speedway

(GAFFNEY, SC - June 20, 2014) - Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Championship Point Leader, Don O'Neal wrestled the lead away from Brandon Overton with 14 laps to go to win the 16th Annual Grassy Smith Memorial on Friday Night at Cherokee Speedway.

O'Neal led the first two laps until Overton powered by him to take the point. Overton then led until lap 36 when O'Neal maneuvered around the leader for good and went on to win his fourth LOLMDS event of 2014. Overton recorded his best career LOLMDS finish with his second place run. Jonathan Davenport finished third, followed by Casey Roberts, and Jimmy Owens.

"What a night! To win for Barry and Lance Wright is great! The race shop is just down the road, so I know its special for them to be in victory lane tonight. We had a terrific night," said O'Neal, who swept the evenings events

"I kind of stumbled there in turn two on about the third lap and let those guys [Overton and Davenport] by me.   But we fought back. I went by Davenport and then followed him [Overton] for what seemed like forever. Traffic kind of held him up a little. I knew I had a car capable of getting back around him. I was patient with him. He drove a very good race. Once we caught up to him we were able to work the car better off of turn four and that's when we retook the lead."

"I have to thank Clint Bowyer for giving me this opportunity. Thanks to all of my sponsors, Peak, Crawford Supply, Traeger Grills, Ohlins, Toyota, Georgia Boot, Clements Race Engines, and of course Barry Wright Race Cars. Good to have Casey Bowyer [Clint's brother] here tonight to see us win. My crew chief Jeremy Justice was giving me hand signals, and telling me where to run, I just can't thank him enough. He may be young, but he knows what he is doing. It takes a total team effort to win this championship, and we have all the pieces in place."

Overton; piloting the Troy Baird owned, Baird Transport, Club 29 Race Cars entry; was pleased with his runner-up finish. "To run second with these guys, wow, I don't know what to say. I thought for a moment, hey I am leading this race, I might just win it. When he [O'Neal] got back around me, I knew I was in trouble. That caution with eight laps to go gave us some hope, but once we went green he [O'Neal] was gone. I have to thank Ronnie Stuckey and Darrell Lanigan for their help on the car. We are very pleased with it. We look forward to running several more Lucas Oil races the rest of the season."

Davenport came into the race as one of the local pre-race favorites and held steadily in third place at the finish. "We had a really good car tonight, those top two were just a little better than us. We will take it and head to Smoky Mountain tomorrow night, said the driver of the K&L Rumley, Longhorn Chassis #6.

Completing the top ten were Steve Francis, Chris Ferguson, Chris Madden, Dennis Franklin, and Eddie Carrier Jr.

In preliminary action, Don O'Neal set the overall Miller Welders Fast Time amongst the 28 entrants, with a lap of 15.410 seconds. Don O'Neal, Scott Bloomquist, and Brandon Overton won their respective heat races. John Blankenship won the B-Main.

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, June 20th, 2014

16th Annual Grassy Smith Memorial - Cherokee Speedway - Gaffney, SC

Miller Welders Fast Time: Don O'Neal / 15.410 seconds

Fast Shafts Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Don O'Neal, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Casey Roberts, Chris Madden, Dennis Erb, Jr., Johnny Pursley, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jared Landers, Eric Jacobsen, Kevin Wilson

 Eibach Springs Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Jonathan Davenport, Steve Francis, Chris Ferguson, Brent Dixon, Jason Hughes, John Blankenship, Ricky Weeks, Anthony Sanders

 Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 6 Transfer): Brandon Overton, Dennis Franklin, Jimmy Owens, Zack Mitchell, Ross Bailes, Dale McDowell, Jason Papich, Doug Sanders, Jason Hiett

JRi Shocks B-Main (12 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): John Blankenship, Ricky Weeks, Jared Landers, Eric Jacobsen, Doug Sanders, Jason Hiett, Kevin Wilson, Anthony Sanders, Jason Papich, Earl Pearson, Jr.-DNS

 

Feature Finish (50 Laps):

FINISH   START   CAR #    DRIVER NAME                  HOMETOWN

1             1             5             Don O'Neal                        Martinsville, IN

2             3             5e           Brandon Overton              Appling, GA

3             5             6             Jonathan Davenport        Mount Airy, NC

4             7             101        Casey Roberts                   Toccoa, GA

5             9             20           Jimmy Owens                    Newport, TN

6             8             15           Steve Francis                     Ashland, KY

7             11           22           Chris Ferguson                  Mount Holly, NC

8             10           44m       Chris Madden                    Gaffney, SC

9             6             2F           Dennis Franklin                  Gaffney, SC

10           4             28           Eddie Carrier, Jr.               Salt Rock, WV

11           14           1d           Brent Dixon                        Elberton, GA

12           13           28e        Dennis Erb, Jr.                   Carpentersville, IL

13           23           44           Earl Pearson, Jr.                Jacksonville, FL

14           19           23           John Blankenship              Williamson, WV

15           18           17m       Dale McDowell                 Chickamauga, GA

16           21           777        Jared Landers                    Batesville, AR

17           15           87           Ross Bailes                         Blacksburg, SC

18           17           12           Jason Hughes                    Watts, OK

19           22           5J           Eric Jacobsen                     Watsonville, CA

20           24           91p        Jason Papich                      Nipomo, CA

21           16           09           Johnny Pursley                  Clover, SC

22           12           57           Zack Mitchell                     Enoree, SC

23           2             0             Scott Bloomquist              Mooresburg, TN

24           20           1w          Ricky Weeks                      Rutherfordton, NC

 

Race Statistics

Entrants: 28

Lap Leaders: Don O'Neal (Laps 1 - 2); Brandon Overton (Laps 3 - 35); Don O'Neal (Laps 36 - 50)

Caution Flags: Ross Bailes (Lap 42)

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Earl Pearson Jr.; Jason Papich

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a

Wrisco Feature Winner: Don O'Neal

Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr. (Started: 23rd; Finished: 13th; Advanced 10 Positions)

Keyser Mfg Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Don O'Neal

Allstar Performer of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr.

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Don O'Neal

Dunn Benson Ford Rookie of the Race: Jason Hughes

Midwest Sheet Metal Highest Finishing Rookie: Jason Hughes

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Race Engines

Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Barry Wright Race Cars

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Jeremy Justice (Don O'Neal)

HAWK Performance Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap #5 - 15.859 seconds)

Time of Race: 17 minutes 02 seconds

 

Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:

POS   CAR #  DRIVER NAME              HOMETOWN                  POINTS

1          5           Don O'Neal                    Martinsville, IN                3320

2          20         Jimmy Owens                Newport, TN                    3235

3          0           Scott Bloomquist           Mooresburg, TN                2970

4          44         Earl Pearson, Jr.            Jacksonville, FL               2960

5          15         Steve Francis                 Ashland, KY                     2935

6          28         Eddie Carrier, Jr.           Salt Rock, WV                  2875

7          23         John Blankenship          Williamson, WV               2645

8          777      Jared Landers                Batesville, AR                   2630

9          28e      Dennis Erb, Jr.               Carpentersville, IL            2490

10        12         Jason Hughes                Watts, OK                        2300

11        91p      Jason Papich                  Nipomo, CA                     2170

*Points are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*

 

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Marketing Partners Include: Allstar Performance, AR Bodies, ASi Racewear, Bad Boy Mowers, Barry Wright Race Cars, Club 29 Race Cars, Bloomquist Race Cars, Brodix, Clements Race Engines, COMP Cams, Cornett Racing Engines, C&R Racing Inc., Crawford Supply, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, CV Products, DirtonDirt.com, Dunn-Benson Ford, Dyers Top Rods, E3 Spark Plugs,Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Fast Orange, Fuel Safe Fuel Cells, FK Rod Ends, GEICO, General Tire, Georgia Boot, Grover Race Engines, Hawk Performance, Hedman Hedders, Hoosier Tire, Hot Rod Processing, Hot Rod Tracker, Industrial Pressure Washers (IPW), iON Cameras, Jay Dickens Racing Engines, JRi Shocks, Keyser MFG, Kuntz Race Engines, Lucas Oil Products, Longhorn Chassis, MasterSbilt Chassis, MAVTV, Midwest Sheet Metal, Miller Welders, Öhlins Shocks, Ole Smoky Moonshine, Optima Batteries, Outerwears, Performance Bodies, Pierce Racecars, Pro Power Racing Engines, Protect The Harvest, RaceTec Pistons, Revelution Race Cars, Rick Schwallie Photography, Rocket Chassis, Roush Yates Parts, Simpson Race Products, Sunoco Race Fuels, Super Clean, Total Seal, Traeger Grills, Vic Hill Race Engines, Weld Racing, Wrisco, 5150 Race Trailers