RPW Exclusive: Pearson Jr Holds Off Davenport For Lucas Oil Late Model Series Win

Column By: ROBERT SYMONDS / RPW – WAYNESVILLE, GA – More rains hit the speedway after the Make-Up AMain from Friday night, but that did not keep the track management and Lucas Oil Late Model Series officials down. After the rains subsided, the track was ran in quickly and the racing got a green flag.

Winning heat race events was Scott Bloomquist, Josh Richards, Jimmy Owens, and Tyler Erb. Those heat race events combined with the completion of BMain events, won by Hudson O’Neal and Tim McCreadie, setup the 50 Lap AMain event for Night 2 of the Super Bowl Of Racing weekend.

Off the drop of the green, Jimmy Owens took his XR1 Rocket Chassis to the top side of turns 1 and 2 to take the race lead from Scott Bloomquist. Leading the first 2 laps, Owens set a blazing pace.. until the caution flag flew for a pileup in turn 2. Kyle Bronson, Brandon Overton both involved along with Ryan King.

Back to green and Owens takes off on the restart away from Scott Bloomquist and Josh Richards. Though on lap 5, those two would catch back up with the race leader setting up a three car battle for the lead. While Owens held onto the race lead, Bloomquist was making headway on the bottom of the track.

On lap 11, Bloomquist finally makes a run to the inside of Owens to take lead at the line. Running through the middle of turns 1 and 2, Bloomquist drifts up the track and Owens made a move on the top to attempt a pass for the race lead. Owens collides with the back end of Bloomquist, spinning the Newport Nightmare around a couple of times.

Richards tried to avoid the spinning Owens but ends up making contact, putting the Clint Bowyer Racing 14 into a spin as well. At one point Owens’s front end was on top of Richards’s front end. When the cars came to a stop however, Owens’s car was back on the ground and Richards had hood damage. Owens did not at first have any damage, so he thought. Heating problems would come back to haunt the Newport Nightmare and end the night on lap 37.

Bloomquist, back on the loud pedal, led the field for the restart. As the green flag laps clicked off, the track began to take more shape and become less and less tacky from the rains earlier. Bloomquist pulled away and set his 0 car on cruise.Though as more laps clicked down, the track began to strengthen on the top groove.

Click off lap 28, Earl Pearson Jr, the Stuckey Motorsports number 1P began to close in on the race leader. Running the top side of the speedway, Pearson was able to make his move and take the race lead on lap 35 while Tyler Erb was also making some moves to try and take the 3rd spot from Jonathan Davenport.

With the only other remaining caution being Owens on lap 37, the field remained under the green flag for the duration of the Amain. Jonathan Davenport however, closed in and passed Scott Bloomquist on the white flag lap. Though for JD, it was not enough as Pearson reached the checkered flag first and win the final night of the Super Bowl Of Racing.

“There is not a better feeling than winning a race right here in front of my hometown crowd,” Earl Pearson Jr said elated in Victory Lane Saturday evening. “This win right here is for Ronnie Stuckey. He’s not feeling good but hope he gets better soon!”

The win Saturday night for the Stuckey Enterprise Racing entrant ‘The Hurricane’ Earl Pearson Jr was the third win at the Golden Isles Speedway for the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.

“Car has been good all weekend with it fast off the trailer. We (Bloomquist and I) had a heck of a race, but my car seemed to work better on the top.”

This is the first win for Pearson in his Black Diamond Chassis since Dirt Million at Mansifeld Motor Speedway last August. It was a great weekend for him as well because he takes the early point lead over Davenport who is a mere thirty points back. Could Pearson make it back in 2019 to claim his 5th Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Title?

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday, February 2nd, 2019
Rhino Ag Super Bowl of Racing presented by General Tire
Golden Isles Speedway – Waynesville, Ga.

Miller Welders Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Earl Pearson Jr. / 14.914 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B: Jonathan Davenport / 15.059 seconds

Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Earl Pearson, Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Kyle Bronson, Brandon Overton, Jason Jameson, Billy Moyer, Jr., Mark Whitener, Blair Nothdurft

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Josh Richards, Ryan King, Dennis Erb, Jr., Devin Moran, Hudson O’Neal, Allen Murray, Matt Cosner, Blake Spencer, Devin Gilpin

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Jimmy Owens, Jonathan Davenport, Don O’Neal, Morgan Bagley, Shanon Buckingham, Steven Roberts, Jason Fitzgerald, Ivedent Lloyd, Jr., Joel Callahan

Lucas Oil Products Penetrating Oil Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Tyler Erb, Chase Junghans, Jeff Mathews, Gregg Satterlee, Tim McCreadie, Justin Williams, Stormy Scott, Austin Rettig, Colton Flinner

Lucas Oil Products Red “N” Tacky Spray Grease B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Hudson, O’Neal, Brandon Overton, Jason Jameson, Billy Moyer, Jr., Allen Murray, Matt Cosner, Blake Spencer, Blair Nothdurft, Mark Whitener, Devin Gilpin-DNS

FAST Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Tim McCreadie, Shanon Buckingham, Steven Roberts, Justin Williams, Stormy Scott, Austin Rettig, Colton Flinner, Ivedent Lloyd, Jr.-DNS, Jason Fitzgerald-DNS, Joel Callahan-DNS

Lucas Oil Feature Finish (50 Laps): EARL PEARSON JR, Jonathan Davenport, Scott Bloomquist, Tyler Erb, Brandon Sheppard, Don O’Neal, Dennis Erb Jr, Gregg Satterlee, Chase Junghans, Jason Jameson, Shanon Buckingham, Devin Moran, Josh Richards, Tim McCreadie, Steven Roberts, Hudson O’Neal, Jeff Mathews, Ryan King, Morgan Bagley, Jimmy Owens, Ivedent Lloyd Jr, Kyle Bronson, Matt Cosner

Race Statistics
Entrants: 37
Lap Leaders: Jimmy Owens (Laps 1 – 9); Scott Bloomquist (Laps 10 – 32); Earl Pearson Jr. (Laps 33 – 50)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Earl Pearson Jr.
Margin of Victory: 0.526 seconds
Cautions: Ryan King, Morgan Bagley, Kyle Bronson (Lap 2); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 5); Jimmy Owens, Josh Richards (Lap 10); Jimmy Owens (Lap 37)
Miller Welders Fast Time Provisionals: Matt Cosner, Ivedent Lloyd
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Jason Jameson (Advanced 11 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Jonathan Davenport
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Earl Pearson Jr.
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: n/a
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Race Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Black Diamond Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Garrett Alberson (Earl Pearson Jr.)
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Scott Bloomquist (Lap #15 – 15.056 seconds)
Hot Rod Processing Tough Break of the Race: Jimmy Owens
STEEL-IT Most Laps Led: Scott Bloomquist (23 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Scott Bloomquist
Time of Race: 28 minutes 11 seconds