Pearson Powers to Cowboy Classic Victory

Pearson Powers to Cowboy Classic Victory

 

(WHEATLAND, MO - May 25, 2017) - Earl Pearson Jr. gained the lead on lap 15 from Jesse Stovall and then held off Scott Bloomquist in the final laps to win the Cowboy Classic - presented by Hot Rod Processing on Thursday night at Lucas Oil Speedway. The event was co-sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and Lucas Oil Midwest Late Model Racing Association (MLRA).

Pearson kicked off the 25th Annual Show-Me 100 weekend with his second LOLMDS win of the season over Bloomquist, Jimmy Owens, Tim McCreadie, and Mike Marlar.

It was a very competitive race from start to finish as Pearson withstood a lap 39 restart challenge from Bloomquist, who had pulled even with Pearson several times in the final six laps but could never clear him.

"That was a heck of a race," said Pearson in Lucas Oil Victory Lane. "Stovall was good early on the top. We were trying to find a spot on the track to be consistent at. The car kept moving around. The traffic was tough, but everybody gave each other plenty of room to pass. I didn't want to see that last caution. I saw on the scoreboard that Scott [Bloomquist] was behind us. I knew he wouldn't try a slide job and take both of us out. He drove us clean. He got beside me there several times, but my car was better into three and four than his."

"I knew Jimmy [Owens] was back there as well. They went out before the race and tilled the top and that made for some good racing. I don't know if it would have held up for 100 laps, but it was good enough for 45 tonight. I want to thank my crew and all my sponsors. Thanks to Carlton and Kemp Lamm and the whole Dunn-Benson Ford Team - it's always good to win here at Lucas Oil Speedway."

The four-time LOLMDS National Champion's Longhorn Ford is powered by a Wallace Racing Engine and sponsored by Dunn-Benson Ford, Lucas Oil Racing TV, MAVTV, Penske Racing Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels and Freeport Recycling.

Bloomquist who started on the pole, finished second in his Crop Production Services, Reece Monument Company, and Mark Martin Automotive-sponsored Sweet-Bloomquist entry.

Owens was in the hunt coming on to finish in third place. "This Ramirez Motorsports car was really good tonight. It took us a while to get going. We caught those guys up front after [Tim] McCreadie and I had a good race going on there. We just have the right set-up for this track that is why we have been so successful here in the past. We will come back tomorrow night and get better and then get ready for 100 laps on Saturday Night."

Completing the top ten were Darrell Lanigan, Bobby Pierce, Gregg Satterlee, Mason Zeigler, and Billy Moyer Jr.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Race Summary, Thursday, May 25th, 2017

4th Annual Cowboy Classic @ 25th Annual Show-Me 100 - Lucas Oil Speedway - Wheatland, MO

Feature Finish (45 Laps):

FIN   ST  CAR #         DRIVER NAME  HOMETOWN   EARNINGS

1             4             1             Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL  $6,000

2             1             0             S. Bloomquist     Mooresburg, TN  $3,000

3             6             20           Jimmy Owens     Newport, TN      $2,000

4             10           39           Tim McCreadie   Watertown, NY  $1,500

5             8             157        Mike Marlar        Winfield, TN       $1,250

6             3             14           Darrell Lanigan   Union, KY            $1,000

7             13           32           Bobby Pierce      Oakwood, IL       $950

8             14           22           G. Satterlee         Rochester Mills, PA  $900

9             7             25Z         Mason Zeigler    Chalk Hill, PA      $850

10           17           21JR       Billy Moyer, Jr.   Batesville, AR     $800

11           5             15P        Payton Looney   Republic, MO      $700

12           11           36           Logan Martin      W Plains, MO      $600

13           12           58           Dave Eckrich       Oxford, IA           $600

14           22           20x         Rodney Sanders Happy, TX            $600

15           18           21           Billy Moyer          Batesville, AR     $600

16           9             15           Steve Francis      Bowling Green, KY  $600

17           20           32C        Chris Simpson     Oxford, IA           $600

18           24           56           Tony Jackson, Jr.  Lebanon, MO   $600

19           19           18J         Chase Junghans Manhattan, KS   $600

20           23           5             Don O'Neal         Martinsville, IN  $600

21           21           33T        Tim Manville       St. Jacob, IL        $600

22           16           28E        Dennis Erb, Jr.    Carpentersville, IL  $600

23           2             00           Jesse Stovall       Billings, MO        $600

24           15           98           Jason Rauen       Farley, IA             $600

 

Race Statistics  

Entrants: 67 - Lap Leaders: Jesse Stovall (Laps 1 - 14); Earl Pearson Jr. (Laps 15 - 45) - Fastest Lap of the Race: Jimmy Owens (Lap #6 - 16.3828 seconds) - Safecraft Most Laps Led: Earl Pearson Jr. (31) - Time of Race: 16 minutes 54 seconds