Marlar Takes Lucas Oil LM Dirt ‘Clash At The Mag’ At Magnolia

Story By: JAMES ESSEX / LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – COLUMBUS, MS – Mike Marlar made a clean sweep of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series racing action on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway. The Tennessee native set Miller Welders overall fast time, won his heat race, and took the top spot in the Country Pleasin’ “Clash at the Mag.” With the win, he became the thirteenth different winner this season on the LOLMDS tour.

Dennis Erb Jr. charged from his ninth starting spot to finish second, followed closely by Brandon Overton, who led the first 13 laps of the 60-lap main event. Defending race winner Darrell Lanigan took fourth and Florida driver, Kyle Bronson came from the outside of row number eight to finish fifth.

Marlar made it to Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the seventh time in his career. His last series victory came in 2016 at the Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals last September. Marlar was elated with his win before the large crowd on hand for the event. “It takes a lot of hard work to do this. I work a full-time job; and these guys that work on the car, they are like family to me. We always enjoy coming down here to race. Johnny Stokes does a great job with the track. It is always raceable. We love racing at such racy tracks like this one,” said the 39-year-old, second generation driver.

“I would like to thank Ronnie Delk for giving me this chance to drive his equipment. This Rocket Chassis has been good all year. We set fast time and won our heat to start on the pole. Overton was good early on. This is such a momentum track, right before that last caution, I thought I had messed up and let him [Overton] back by me, but we held on.”

A caution with three laps to go bunched the field up for a single file restart. Overton took one last shot at Marlar, but brushed the wall, which ended his hopes for the win. Erb got by Overton to take the second spot, but Marlar had pulled away for the win.

“After that last restart, I tried to make the car as wide as I could. You must keep the speed up here. They went out and worked the track on the bottom and on the top before the feature. I think it paid off because the fans got to see a heck of race,” said the driver of the Delk Equipment Sales, RS Trading Company, Sunoco Race Fuels, Modern Images, GW Performance, Cornett Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis.

Erb started on the inside of row number five and was pleased with his podium finish. “The car was good all night. From where we started, we are pleased. The car was better on the bottom, there were some anxious moments at the end though. Everybody wanted that second spot. I saw him [Overton] get out of the groove. I just stayed on the bottom and brought it home in second.

Overton; who won the first LOLMDS event of the season at Golden Isles Speedway; brought the Chip Stone, Randy Weaver-owned, Longhorn Chassis home in third. “I have to thank all the guys with the team. I made it exciting at the end, I was going for it, no doubt about that! I just got into the wall and that ended our chances. Mikey [Marlar] gave me plenty of room. He drove a good race, so congratulations to him and his team.”

Completing the top ten Josh Richards, Earl Pearson Jr., Don O’Neal, Jack Sullivan, and Scott Bloomquist.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Clash at the Mag
Magnolia Motor Speedway – Columbus, MSMiller Welders Fast Time Group A: Mike Marlar / 13.923 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Scott Bloomquist / 14.188 seconds

Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Mike Marlar, Brian Rickman, Dennis Erb, Jr., Garrett Alberson, Nick Thrash, Ross Camponovo, Michael Arnold, Austin Arnold, Timothy Culp, Jake O’Neil

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Brandon Overton, Jimmy Owens, Darrell Lanigan, Steve Francis, Chad Thrash, Robbie Stuart, Shay Knight, Dane Dacus, Justin McRee, Kayne Hickman

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Gregg Satterlee, Josh Richards, Hudson O’Neal, Earl Pearson, Jr., Joey Moriarty, Rick Rickman, Chandler Petty, BJ Robinson, Billy Franklin, Scott Bloomquist

QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, Tim McCreadie, Jack Sullivan, Kyle Bronson, David Breazeale, Eric Cooley, Boom Briggs, Zachary McMillan, Blake Spencer, Jeff Young

Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Chad Thrash, Ross Camponovo, Dane Dacus, Nick Thrash, Shay Knight, Kayne Hickman, Austin Arnold, Timothy Culp, Robbie Stuart, Michael Arnold, Justin McRee

Fast Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Joey Moriarty, David Breazeale, Eric Cooley, Rick Rickman, Chandler Petty, Scott Bloomquist, Zachary McMillan, BJ Robinson, Jake O’Neil, Blake Spencer, Billy Franklin, Boom Briggs-DNS, Jeff Young-DNS

Feature Finish (60 Laps):

Entrants: 42
Lap Leaders: Mike Marlar (Laps 1 – 13); Mike Marlar (Laps 14 – 60)
Cautions: Boom Briggs (Lap 4); Jimmy Owens (Lap 19); Brian Rickman (Lap 25); Eric Cooley (Lap 26); Gregg Satterlee (Lap 30); Ross Camponovo, David Breazeale (Lap 38); Joey Moriarty (Lap 57)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Scott Bloomquist, Boom Briggs
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Wrisco Feature Winner: Mike Marlar
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Scott Bloomquist (Started: 23rd; Finished: 10th; Advanced 13 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Scott Bloomquist
Allstar Performance Power Move of the Race: Dennis Erb Jr.
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Mike Marlar
Hot Rod Processing Rookie of the Race: Hudson O’Neal
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Heather Lyne (Dennis Erb Jr.)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Mike Marlar (Lap #3 – 14.9983 seconds)
Safecraft Most Laps Led: Mike Marlar
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Mike Marlar
Time of Race: 34 minutes 27 seconds