Jimmy Owens Earns Crenos 50 Victory at Muskingum County Speedway

Jimmy Owens Earns Crenos 50 Victory at Muskingum County Speedway

(ZANESVILLE, OH - July 3, 2014) - Jimmy Owens sped away for his fourth Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season on Thursday Night at Muskingum County Speedway after taking the lead for good on lap 18. Owens withstood a caution with nine laps to go and motored away from the field to take the win in the Creno's 50 in front the standing room only crowd.

Owens becomes the 10th different driver in ten appearances by the LOLMDS to win at Muskingum County since 2005. Rick Eckert had his best LOLMDS finish of the season, taking second, followed by series point's leader, Don O'Neal, Eddie Carrier, Jr., and the previous night's winner at Roaring Knob, Earl Pearson, Jr.

"It feels great to be back in victory lane. We have had some tough luck lately. We had a good finish last night [at Roaring Knob], but before that, we didn't have the finishes we wanted for a few weeks. The crew did a great job getting the car ready tonight. I could run anywhere on the track tonight, high, low, in the middle, it didn't matter."

"When they went out and watered the track before the fireworks, I think it helped the track a lot. We have been coming here long enough to know what they are going to do to the track. It smoothed out enough from the heat races, so hopefully we put on a good show for these fans. Don and I had a pretty good battle for the lead; we got close a couple of times, but once we were out in front, the car handled so well. I have to thank Darrell Lanigan and everybody else with the Club 29 Cars, Cornett Racing Engines, Reece Monument Company, Edge Services, Sunoco, Red Line Oil, FORD, and everybody associated with the race team."

O'Neal led the first 17 circuits of the race after starting from the pole. O'Neal and Owens ran many laps side-by-side. Owens was finally able to clear O'Neal in traffic on lap 18 and from then on he went unchallenged for the win. Eckert moved past O'Neal on lap 23, but could never get close enough to seriously challenge Owens for the win.

"He had the best car tonight," said Eckert of the winner Owens. "We worked on our car all day after last night's run. Right from the start tonight the car was so much better. I felt real comfortable with it tonight. It's great to be back here in front of this big crowd. That last restart the only chance I had was that he (Owens) would make a mistake, but he's too good to do that. We are happy to run second and we will be at Portsmouth tomorrow night hoping to gain one more spot," said the driver of the Valvoline, Seubert Calf Ranches, Rocket House Car for Mark Richards Racing.

After the race O'Neal still sits atop the points standings summed up his third place finish. "We got off to a good start in the feature. I was setting a pretty good pace out there. But then here comes Jimmy, and once he got past me it was pretty much over. Then Eckert got a run on me and I couldn't hold him off. Overall it was a good point's night for us. I have to thank Clint Bowyer, Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil, Crawford Supply, Traeger Grills and all my crew."

Completing the top ten were Davey Johnson, Devin Moran, Tim Dohm, Mike Benedum, and Jared Landers.

In preliminary action, Don O'Neal set the overall Miller Welders Fast Time (Group A) amongst the 33 entrants, with a lap of 15.593 seconds. Jimmy Owens set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 15.879 seconds. Don O'Neal, Eddie Carrier Jr., Jimmy Owens, and Rick Eckert won their respective heat races. Scott Bloomquist and Jared Hawkins won their respective B-Mains.

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 - Wednesday Night, July 3, 2014

"Crenos 50" - Muskingum County Speedway - Zanesville, OH

Feature Finish (50 Laps):

FINISH   START   CAR #    DRIVER NAME   HOMETOWN

1             2             20           Jimmy Owens     Newport, TN

2             4             1             Rick Eckert          York, PA

3             1             5             Don O'Neal         Martinsville, IN

4             3             28           Eddie Carrier, Jr Salt Rock, WV

5             6             44           Earl Pearson, Jr  Jacksonville, FL

6             7             1J           Davey Johnson   Greensburg, PA

7             11           99m       Devin Moran       Dresden, OH

8             5             6T           Tim Dohm            Charleston, WV

9             9             25x         Mike Benedum   Salem, WV

10           14           777        Jared Landers     Batesville, AR

11           16           28e        Dennis Erb, Jr.    Carpentersville, IL

12           15           23           John Blankenship  Williamson, WV

13           12           9m         Shane McLoughlin  Nashport, OH

14           26           7m         Michael Davis     Rayland, OH

15           20           91p        Jason Papich       Nipomo, CA

16           8             20d        Doug Drown       Wooster, OH

17           13           5m         Ryan Markham   Ashland, OH

18           25           30           Todd Brennan     Zanesville, OH

19           22           36           Matt Irey             Mansfield, OH

20           10           15           Steve Francis      Ashland, KY

21           19           12           Jason Hughes     Watts, OK

22           18           37           Jared Hawkins    Fairmont, WV

23           17           0             Scott Bloomquist  Mooresburg, TN

24           21           29           Rocky Owens      Mansfield, OH

25           23           83           Steve Prince        Newark, OH

26           24           50           Ronnie Mayle     Chester Hill, OH

 

Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:

POS       CAR #    DRIVER NAME   HOMETOWN     POINTS

1             5             Don O'Neal         Martinsville, IN       3960

2             20           Jimmy Owens     Newport, TN           3885

3             0             Scott Bloomquist  Mooresburg, TN    3545

4             44           Earl Pearson, Jr  Jacksonville, FL      3540

5             28           Eddie Carrier, Jr  Salt Rock, WV        3465

6             15           Steve Francis        Ashland, KY          3440

7             23           John Blankenship  Williamson, WV     3135

8             777        Jared Landers       Batesville, AR         3120

9             28e        Dennis Erb, Jr.      Carpentersville, IL    2945

10           12           Jason Hughes       Watts, OK               2770

11           91p        Jason Papich         Nipomo, CA             2605

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