Don O’Neal Takes $40,000 Victory in Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals

| Oct 01, 2011 | Comments 0

KNOXVILLE, IA (October 1, 2011) – Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN took over the lead from a faltering Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN on lap 96 as he went on to capture the $40,000 to win 8th Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals Presented by Casey’s General Stores on Saturday Night at Knoxville Raceway. O’Neal took the win over Steve Francis of Ashland, KY; Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA; Tyler Reddick of Corning, CA; and Owens, who slipped to fifth at the finish.
 
Austin Hubbard started off the first of the 100 laps of racing by leading the first 23 circuits. O’Neal then charged from his eighth starting spot to grab the lead on the 24th lap. O’Neal and Hubbard ran first and second until lap 56 when Owens made his presence known and moved into second around Hubbard.
 
Owens shot by O’Neal for the lead on the 60th lap as O’Neal dropped to second followed by Hubbard, Jimmy Mars, and Birkhofer. Owens built a huge lead over the field as he began lapping cars at a rapid pace. One of the cars that Owens lapped was Scott Bloomquist, who had pitted.
 
With 25 laps to go, it was all Owens leading O’Neal, Mars, Hubbard, and Birkhofer. Hubbard then caught up to O’Neal and passed him for second on lap 79. O’Neal charged back by Hubbard to regain the position with 15 laps remaining.
 
Mars then came to a halt in turn number two with 88 laps complete. The restart turned out to be wild and crazy with Owens holding the lead with pressure from O’Neal. O’Neal made the move into turn number three to take the lead, but the caution came out for a metal wheel cover that was stuck in the track in turn number two.
 
The final restart of race proved to be exciting as Owens once again shut the door on O’Neal down the front stretch. But O’Neal was not done yet. Owens started to slow as he hooked the berm, which affected the handling on his car. O’Neal then took the lead off of turn number four passing Owens, who had lost his momentum.
 
O’Neal powered away from the field to score the victory in his first visit to Knoxville in seven years. The cars of Francis, Birkhofer and Reddick all got by Owens in the final laps. “That cushion bit me a couple of times,” said the 47-year-old in Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the fourth time in 2011. “I was lucky to hang on for second as long as I did. There at the end, it finally got him (Owens), he raced me clean on those restarts, I would have done the same thing to him, and it was a great race.”
 
“I have to thank Magnaflow Exhaust for being on the car and MasterSbilt Race Cars, Larry Moring and Ronnie Stuckey for all of their help. Also, thanks to my regular car owner, Tader Masters and everybody else. We’ve had a good year in this car as well as our regular ride. It feels great to come back here and win after what happened to us the last time here when I got hurt,” said O’Neal.
 
The MasterSbilt Chevrolet is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Freeport Recycling Center, MDI Environmental Systems, Graphic Arts Express, Hoosier Tires, and Ohlins.
 
Francis charged from his 12th starting spot to finish second at the line. “We had a real good car, after the year we have had it feels good to be here on the podium with these guys. We had a pretty wild finish there, Jimmy had a great car, he was long gone it looked like it. I don’t know if he hit the cushion or what, but we will definitely take this second place and go from here,” said the driver of the Valvoline, Roush-Yates, MasterSbilt Ford. Birkhofer, who won on Friday Night placed third in the J&J Steel, Pro Power Racing Engines, MB Customs entry. Reddick in his best ever run at Knoxville came home fourth in the Broken Bow Records, Gaerte Racing Engines, Bloomquist Race Cars Chevrolet. Owens limped across the finish line for fifth in the Reece Monument Company, Cornett Racing Engines, Bloomquist Race Cars Ford.
 
The remainder of the top ten were Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR; Austin Hubbard of Seaford, DE; Brady Smith of Solon Springs, WI; Bub McCool of Vicksburg, MS; and Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN.
 
The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be in action next weekend with events on Saturday Night, October 8th at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, GA and Sunday Night, October 9th at Rome Speedway in Rome, GA. Both events will pay $10,000 to win.
 
For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com or call the series’ office at (951) 532-2503.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday Night, October 1st, 2011
8th Annual Lucas Oil Knoxville Nationals
Knoxville Raceway – Knoxville, IA
 
Wrisco Aluminum C-Main (15 Laps- Top 4 Advance): Kevin Sather, Matt Furman, Tim Lance, Jay Johnson, Tyler Bruening, Chris Spieker, Darrell DeFrance, Jill George, Al Humphrey, Mike Wallace, Scott Lewis, Curt Schroeder, Chad Chenoweth, Alonzo Grosse, Paul Glendenning, Junior Coover, Steve Casebolt-DNS, Jeremiah Hurst-DNS, Jason Utter-DNS
 
JRi Shocks B-Main (20 Laps- Top 6 Advance): John Blankenship, Brady Smith, Eric Wells, Brian Harris, Denny Eckrich, Frank Heckenast Jr., Kent Robinson, Ray Cook, Kevin Sather, Rich Bell, Matt Furman, Mike Fryer, Kerry Hansen, Billy Moyer Jr., Jay Johnson, Brad Neat, Nick Marolf, Jack Sullivan, John Duty, Charlie McKenna, Tim Lance, Earl Pearson Jr., Dave Eckrich, Dan Schlieper

8th Annual Lucas Oil Knoxville Nationals Feature Finish – 100 Laps: Don O'Neal, Steve Francis, Brian Birkhofer, Tyler Reddick, Jimmy Owens, Billy Moyer, Austin Hubbard, Brady Smith, Bub McCool, Scott Bloomquist, Brian Shirley, Jared Landers, Mike Marlar, Jason Feger, Ray Cook, John Blankenship, Brian Harris, Frank Heckenast, Jr., Jimmy Mars, Eric Wells, Denny Eckrich, Darrell Lanigan, Will Vaught, Earl Pearson, Jr., Tim McCreadie, Shannon Babb, Jason Rauen, Scott James, Chad Simpson, Chris Simpson, Brad Neat, Andy Eckrich, Rob Moss, Dale McDowell

 
8th Annual Lucas Oil Knoxville Nationals Feature Finish – 100 Laps:

FINISH
START
CAR #
DRIVER NAME
HOMETOWN
1
8
71
Don O'Neal
Martinsville, IN
2
12
15
Steve Francis
Ashland, KY
3
1
15b
Brian Birkhofer
Muscatine, IA
4
16
11t
Tyler Reddick
Corning, CA
5
5
20
Jimmy Owens
Newport, TN
6
14
21
Billy Moyer
Batesville, AR
7
2
19
Austin Hubbard
Seaford, DE
8
26
2
Brady Smith
Solon Springs, WI
9
23
57J
Bub McCool
Vicksburg, MS
10
3
0
Scott Bloomquist
Mooresburg, TN
11
21
3s
Brian Shirley
Chatham, IL
12
15
777
Jared Landers
Batesville, AR
13
10
5b
Mike Marlar
Winfield, TN
14
17
25f
Jason Feger
Bloomington, IL
15
33
53
Ray Cook
Brasstown, NC
16
25
23
John Blankenship
Williamson, WV
17
28
27h
Brian Harris
Davenport, IA
18
30
99jr
Frank Heckenast, Jr.
Frankfort, IL
19
22
28m
Jimmy Mars
Menomonie, WI
20
27
18e
Eric Wells
Hazard, KY
21
29
50
Denny Eckrich
Tiffan, IA
22
4
1
Darrell Lanigan
Union, KY
23
6
1v
Will Vaught
Crane, MO
24
31
44
Earl Pearson, Jr.
Jacksonville, FL
25
18
39
Tim McCreadie
Watertown, NY
26
7
18
Shannon Babb
Mowequa, IL
27
11
98
Jason Rauen
Farley, IA
28
9
81
Scott James
Lawrenceburg, IN
29
13
25c
Chad Simpson
Mt. Vernon, IA
30
19
32x
Chris Simpson
Oxford, IA
31
32
41N
Brad Neat
Dunnville, KY
32
24
56
Andy Eckrich
Iowa City, IA
33
20
1m
Rob Moss
Iowa City, IA
DNS
DNS
17m
Dale McDowell
Chickamauga, GA
 
Race Statistics
 
Entrants: 62

Lap Leaders: Austin Hubbard (Laps 1 – 23); Don O’Neal (Laps 24 – 59); Jimmy Owens (Laps 60 – 95); Don O’Neal (Laps 96 – 100)

Caution Flags: Chris Simpson (Lap 24); Chad Simpson (Lap 29); Scott James (Lap 31); Brian Shirley (Lap 35); Darrell Lanigan (Lap 36); Mike Marlar (Lap 41); Scott Bloomquist (Lap 45); Jimmy Mars (Lap 88); Brian Harris (Lap 91); Debris (Lap 93)

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Earl Pearson Jr., Brad Neat

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisional: Ray Cook

Red Buck Cigars Fast Time Provisionals: none

PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger of the Race: Tyler Reddick (Started 16th; Finished 4th; Advanced 12 positions)

Allstar Performer of the Race: Don O’Neal

K&N Filters Clean Pass of the Race: Steve Francis

Quarter Master Rookie of the Race: Tyler Reddick

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines

Janowski Insurance Feature Winner: Don O’Neal

Outerwears Challenger of the Race: Brady Smith

Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award: Jimmy Owens

DirtonDirt.com Crew Chief of the Race: Mike Price (Steve Francis)

Time of Race: 58 minutes 35 seconds
 
Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings:
 
POS
CAR #
DRIVER NAME
HOMETOWN
POINTS
1
0
Scott Bloomquist
Mooresburg, TN
6530
2
20
Jimmy Owens
Newport, TN
6515
3
71
Don O'Neal
Martinsville, IN
5945
4
15
Steve Francis
Ashland, KY
5585
5
777
Jared Landers
Batesville, AR
5240
6
44
Earl Pearson, Jr.
Jacksonville, FL
5090
7
23
John Blankenship
Williamson, WV
5060
8
41n
Brad Neat
Dunnville, KY
5050
9
11t
Tyler Reddick
Corning, CA
4890
10
53
Ray Cook
Brasstown, NC
4870
11
17m
Dale McDowell
Chickamauga, GA
4715
12
18e
Eric Wells
Hazard, KY
4385
13
57J
Bub McCool
Vicksburg, MS
4175
14
99jr
Frank Heckenast, Jr.
Frankfort, IL
3765
15
c9
Steve Casebolt
Richmond, IN
3625
 

Filed Under: 2011 News • 2011 Results