TAMPA, FL (February 6, 2006)- The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series kicked off its 2006 campaign in stellar fashion on Monday night at East Bay Raceway Park in Tampa, Fl as Wisconsin’s Dan Schlieper came home with the $5,000 win amid a packed grandstands. Schlieper’s win is his 1st ever Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory that saw the fans on their feet for the action packed 30 lap event on night 1 of the 30th Annual Winternationals. Schlieper driving the S9, Miller Bros. Coal, Uncle Buck’s, Hoosier Racing Tire, Five Star Bodies, VP Racing Fuels, All Star Performance, Integra shocks sponsored Rayburn Monte Carlo powered by a Pro-Power engine. Schlieper raced fellow Wisconsin native Jimmy Mars throughout the course of the race before finally making the final pass for the lead on lap 20.
 
West Virginia’s Doug Horton took the early lead at the start of the fast and furious A-Main. On lap 4 Jimmy Mars would battle with Horton to take the point. Meanwhile Dan Schlieper who would fall as far back as the 5th position before starting to make his move to the topside of the track to work his way back to the second position to battle with Mars after the first caution of the night for Anthony White on lap 6. Schlieper would take the lead from Mars on the 7th lap. The two would swap positions several times until the S9 of Schlieper edged out the lead on lap number 9. Schlieper put several car lengths on Mars until a lap 17 caution for the car of Terry Casey spun in turn 4.
 
After the restart the battle of the Wisconsin natives would continue with Mars taking the lead again on lap 19 until Dan Schlieper made the winning pass on lap 20. Behind Schlieper and Mars at the checkered was the Lucas Oil Products, Dunn Benson Ford MasterSbilt of Earl Pearson Jr., 14th starting Rick Eckert of the Ray Vest Rocket and Dale Beitler Rocket of Davey Johnson. Rounding off the top 10 were Tim McCreadie, Doug Horton, Terry English, Eddie Carrier Jr., and Clint Smith.
 
88 cars were entered in the 1st event of the 2006 East Bay Winternationals with Donnie Moran setting fast time of the evening at 15.244 around the 3/8ths mile oval. The Lucas Oil Dirt Car Series will be in action Tuesday, February 6th for night 2 of the 30th Annual Winter Nationals for another night of side by side full throttle Dirt Late Model Action with another $5,000 to win 30 lap racing extravaganza .
 
 
 
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary 
Monday Night, February 6, 2006 
East Bay Raceway Park-Tampa, FL
 
Comp Cams Fast Qualifier:  Donnie Moran 15.244
 
PBM Performance Products First Heat:  Donnie Moran, Terry English, Matt Miller, Steve Francis, Chub Frank, Joe Morris, Roger Lucas, Freddie Carpenter, Scott Riggs, Rusty Dixon, Frank Shickel Jr
 
PBM Performance Products Second Heat:  Doug Horton, Dennis Erb Jr., Brian Birkhofer, Jimmy Owens, Brad Neat, Anthony Rushing, Michael England, Brian Shirley, Sonny Conley, Don Hammer, Mike Johnson
 
Third Heat:  Anthony White, Robbie Blair, Jackie Boggs, Terry Casey, Freddy Smith, Brady Smith, Scott James, Damon Eller, Scott Dedwylder, Kevin Cole, Wade Witherspoon
 
Fourth Heat:  Dan Schlieper, Clint Smith, Randy Korte, Dale McDowell, Ricky Elliott, Marshall Austin Jr., Ricky Arms, Jason Flory, Richard Wheelihan, Jeff Gress, Tim Fuller
 
Fifth Heat:  Davey Johnson, Tim Senic, Eddie Carrier Jr., Corey Conley, Butch McGill, Gerald Davis, Kristin Flory, Clint Coffman, Joey Tanner, Dean Carpenter, Don O’Neal
 
Sixth Heat:  Jimmy Mars, Rick Eckert, John VanDenBerg, John Mason, Steve Hillard, Billy Moyer, Charlie Duncan, Wayne Johnson, Jordan Bland, C.J. Rayburn, Christian Rayburn
 
Seventh Heat:  Earl Pearson Jr., Tim McCreadie, Steve Casebolt, Patrick Sheltra, Daniel Stone, Marshall Green, Rodney Melvin, Garrett Durrett, Larry Smith, Bob Geiger, Dave Scott
 
Eighth Heat:   Bart Hartman, Shannon Babb, Justin Rattliff, Wendell Wallace, Mike Marlar, Jason Montgomery, Tim Dohm, Bo Feathers, Bryan Collins, Brent Robinson, Lynn Chapman
 
Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main:  Brian Birkhofer, Matt Miller, Steve Francis, Jimmy Owens, Joe Morris, Chub Frank, Brian Shirley, Brad Neat, Anthony Rushing, Sonny Conley, Michael England, Frank Shickel Jr., Freddie Carpenter, Scott Riggs
 
Penske Shocks Second B-Main:  Terry Casey, Jackie Boggs, Randy Korte, Freddy Smith, Dale McDowell, Ricky Elliott, Scott James, Brady Smith, Ricky Arms, Marshall Austin Jr., Jason Flory, Kevin Cole, Jeff Gress, Scott Dedwylder, Richard Wheelihan, Wade Witherspoon, Damon Eller
 
Mason Racin’ Rebel Shock Dyno Third B-Main:  Eddie Carrier, Jr., John VanDenBerg, John Mason, Butch McGill, Gerald Davis, Steve Hillard, Billy Moyer, Don O’Neal, Corey Conley, Clint Coffman, Wayne Johnson, Jordan Bland,Kristin Flory, Joey Tanner, Christian Rayburn, C.J. Rayburn, Dean Carpenter, Charlie Duncan
 
Penske Shocks Fourth B-Main:  Justin Rattliff, Wendell Wallace, Steve Casebolt, Dave Scott, Tim Dohm, Daniel Stone, Bryan Collins, Marshall Green, Rodney Melvin, Garrett Durrett, Bo Feathers, Bob Geiger, Patrick Sheltra, Larry Smith, Lynn Chapman, Mike Marlar, Jason Montgomery, Brent Robinson
 
Gulf Coast Produce Strawberry Dash:  Steve Francis, Michael England, Steve Casebolt, Kevin Cole, Joe Morris, Jason Montgomery, Garrett Durrett, Bob Geiger, Joey Tanner, Wayne Johnson
 
Feature (30 Laps):  Dan Schlieper, Jimmy Mars, Earl Pearson Jr., Rick Eckert, Davey Johnson, Tim McCreadie, Doug Horton, Terry English, Eddie Carrier Jr., Clint Smith, Matt Miller, Bart Hartman, Dennis Erb Jr., Shannon Babb, Wendell Wallace, Donnie Moran, Brian Birkhofer, Justin Rattliff, John VanDenBerg, Robbie Blair, Terry Casey, Jackie Boggs, Anthony White, Tim Senic
 
Race Statistics:
 
Entries: 88
Cautions:  2
Red Flags:  0
Lap Leaders:  Doug Horton 1-3, Jimmy Mars 4-6, Dan Schlieper 7,  Mars 8, Schlieper 9-18, Mars 19, Schlieper 20-30
All Star Performance Performer of the Race:  Rick Eckert (started 14th and finished 4th) advanced 10 positions
Hawk Brake Tough Brake Award:  Jackie Boggs
Quarter Master Clutch Move of the Race:  Dan Schlieper