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Contact: Kevin Kovac
DIRTcar Public Relations
704-254-7929 / kkovac@dirtcar.com
Hartman Keeps The World 100 Trophy In Ohio For First Time In 12 Years On Saturday Night At Eldora Speedway
With a convincing victory in Saturday night's 39th annual UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned World 100, Hartman not only kept the prestigious event's trophy home in the Buckeye State for the first time in 12 years but also ended his longtime run of frustration at the famed half-mile oval.
Hartman, 40, of Zanesville, Ohio, passed 2007 World 100 winner Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., for the lead on lap 20 and never looked back en route to a $42,000-plus triumph at a track that had never been kind to him over the years.
“I never disliked this place,” said Hartman, who became the first Ohio driver to capture the World 100 since Donnie Moran in 1997. “I just didn't like my luck here.”
Indeed, Hartman's previous career-high finish in one of Eldora's crown-jewel dirt Late Model shows was a sixth in the 2007 Dream – after an opening-lap spin forced him to restart at the rear of the field. He had never finished better than 12th in three career World 100 A-Main starts, all of which came consecutively from 1998-2000.
“We were up there (on stage in the spectator area) yesterday doing that (pre-race show) interview with Donnie Moran and Rick Eckert and they were making fun of me because I've never run well here,” quipped Hartman, who didn't even enter last year's World 100 activities. “Well, there you go – we did it tonight. We won the World 100! We get to put it up there with the rest of our trophies. It's a dream come true.”
In a fast-paced race slowed by just two caution flags, Hartman fought off mid- and late-race challenges from 2002 World 100 champ Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, to run the event's streak of first-time winners to eight consecutive years. Hartman steered his self-owned Rocket Chassis/Cornett Chevy engine combination under the checkered flag several car lengths ahead of Birkhofer's MB Customs mount.
Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., who won the World 100 in 2005, moved forward from the seventh starting spot to finish third in NASCAR star Clint Bowyer's Warrior mount but never threatened the top-two finishers.
World 100 rookie Jared Landers of Batesville, Ark. – racing as a teammate to McDowell – placed fourth after starting from the pole position in a Warrior car, and Owens, who surged off the outside pole to lead laps 1-19, settled for fifth place in his backup Team Zero by Bloomquist machine after his primary car was sidelined by engine problems during Friday night's hot laps.
Hartman, who started fourth, was understandably surprised by the superiority he demonstrated over the talent-laden field.
“I didn't think our car was as good as it was until we got out there,” said Hartman, who grabbed second from Landers on lap 15 and then rapidly ran down Owens. “This car was awesome. We were good right around the middle to bottom (grooves), and we just ran our line and we got by (Owens).”
During a long green-flag run that stretched from lap 21 to 83, Hartman built a lead of nearly a straightaway before lapped traffic slowed his pace and allowed Birkhofer to close in.
Birkhofer, who started fifth, pulled up to Hartman's rear bumper on lap 62, but Hartman drove away when he broke into open track a few circuits later. Birkhofer got within a car length when Hartman approached lapped traffic again with five laps remaining, but Hartman calmly maintained command.
“Austin (Hargrove) was giving me hand signals getting into (turn) one so I knew Birkhofer was getting closer at the end,” Hartman said of his chief mechanic. “I was getting a little tight down into turn one, but I protected the bottom enough so it was gonna have to be something real special for him to roll me on the outside.”
Birkhofer, who registered his first World 100 top-five finish since a fifth in 2005, conceded that a $15,000 runner-up payoff was the best he could do: “We got beat by a better car.”
And one tough driver. Hartman made his march to victory while fighting a wicked headache that developed during his heat race and left him uncertain whether he could go the 100-lap distance.
“All of a sudden, on about the third lap of my heat, I started feeling a headache,” said Hartman. “It got to where it was blurring my vision, but I was able to finish the heat (as a winner). I took some pills and went and laid down in the truck and didn't get out of it until right before the driver introductions.
“I was determined to run as many laps as I could (in the A-Main), but I didn't know how long I could go. Then I thought, Man, I'm leading the World 100! So we stayed out there and did the best we could.”
Hartman's head was still pounding during the post-race press conference in the Eldora tower, but he wasn't about to let the pain damper his memorable moment.
“I'm gonna go ‘medicate' it in a little bit,” he said with a smile, thinking of his family, friends and fans waiting to celebrate with him in the pit area.
Finishing in positions 6-10 was Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va.; 20th-starter Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., who used a fast-time provisional (he qualified second on Friday) to start the A-Main after missing a transfer spot in his heat; 21st-starter Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn.; Matt Miller of Waterville, Ohio; and two-time defending UMP DIRTcar national champion Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill.
Among the pre-race favorites who retired early were Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., who pitted during a lap-21 caution period and did not return; red-hot World of Outlaws Late Model Series star Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., who climbed as high as third from the eighth starting spot before a skipping engine caused him to drop out on lap 52 while running seventh; and WoO LMS points leader Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., who went down a lap early and pulled off the track midway through the 100.
Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, Wis., who set fast time during Friday night's 172-car qualifying session with a lap of 16.853 seconds, saw his weekend go sour on Saturday. Terminal engine problems on the final lap of his heat forced him to make a motor change and use his fast-time provisional to get in the A-Main – and then more woes under the hood caused him to slow and bring out a caution flag on lap 21.
The race's other caution period was necessitated when Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky., backed into the outside wall between turns three and four on lap 83. He wasn't injured.
The winners of Saturday night's 15-lap heats were Wells, Birkhofer, Hartman, Erb, Owens and Landers. The 20-lap B-Mains were captured by Bloomquist and Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa.
For more information on UMP DIRTcar Racing, visit www.dirtcar.com.
39th Annual World 100 Official Finish (Finish/Starting Position/Driver/Earnings):
1. (4) Bart Hartman $42,000
2. (5) Brian Birkhofer $15,000
3. (7) Dale McDowell $10,000
4. (1) Jared Landers $7,500
5. (2) Jimmy Owens $6,000
6. (10) Josh Richards $5,000
7. (20) Earl Pearson Jr. $4,000
8. (21) Scott Bloomquist $3,500
9. (14) Matt Miller $3,000
10. (3) Dennis Erb Jr. $2,500
11. (15) Don O'Neal $2,250
12. (13) Brad Neat $2,000
13. (12) Brady Smith $1,900
14. (11) Darrell Lanigan $1,800
15. (22) Chub Frank $1,750
16. (25) Eddie Carrier Jr. $1,725
17. (28) Rick Eckert $1,700
18. (26) Ray Cook $1,675
19. (17) Austin Hubbard $1,650
20. (6) Eric Wells $1,645
21. (16) John Blankenship $1,640
22. (23) Tim McCreadie $1,635
23. (24) Chris Madden $1,630
24. (27) Steve Francis $1,625
25. (8) Tim Fuller $1,620
26. (18) Terry Casey $1,615
27. (9) Jimmy Mars $1,610
28. (19) Dan Schlieper $1,605
Lap Leaders: Owens (1-19); Hartman (20-100)
Note: Dan Schlieper was penalized to the rear of the field for the start after reporting late to the staging area
Heat 1 Finish (15 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Eric Wells, Dale McDowell, Brad Neat, Scott Bloomquist, Wayne Chinn, Shanon Buckingham, Brent Kreke, Dona Marcoullier, Jamie Lathroum, Matt Lux, Rich Neiser, Robby Hensley, Dan Schlieper, Tim Manville, Jeep VanWormer, Vic Hill, Shawn Toczek, Mike Marlar, Chris Ferguson, Justin Rattliff
Heat 2 Finish (15 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Brian Birkhofer, Tim Fuller, Matt Miller, Earl Pearson Jr., Steve Francis, Randy Korte, Bub McCool, Eddie Carrier Jr., John Mason, Steve Shaver, Randy Weaver, Frank Heckenast Jr., Kevin Weaver, Casey Roberts, Tim Lance, Aaron Scott, Wayne Maffett Jr., D.J. Wells, Steve Sheppard Jr., Tim Tungate
Heat 3 Finish (15 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Bart Hartman, Jimmy Mars, Don O'Neal, Jonathan Davenport, Clint Smith, Tim McCreadie, Tim Dohm, Jon Henry, Lee DeVasier, Bill Frye, Chris Ross, Tony Knowles, Tommy Kerr, Aaron Ridley, Dustin Hapka, Jason Feger, R.J. Conley, Brian Rickman, Brandon Kinzer, Chris Wilson
Heat 4 Finish (15 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Dennis Erb Jr., Josh Richards, John Blankenship, Ray Cook, Gregg Satterlee, Ben Adkins, Randle Chupp, Austin Dillon, Dustin Neat, David Webb, Donnie Moran, Dennis Roberson, Tim Isenberg, Jay Johnson, Doug Drown, Ryan Vanderveen, Dillon White, Rick Rickman, Jared Hawkins, Billy Moyer
Heat 5 Finish (15 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Jimmy Owens, Darrell Lanigan, Austin Hubbard, Chub Frank, Rick Eckert, Shane Clanton, Steve Casebolt, Scott James, Freddy Smith, Will Vaught, Duane Chamberlain, Josh McGuire, Shon Flanary, Terry English, Brett Wyatt, Al Purkey, Michael Collins, Steve Lance Jr., April Farmer, Gregg Hill
Heat 6 Finish (15 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Jared Landers, Brady Smith, Terry Casey, Chris Madden, Shannon Babb, Chad Simpson, Jordan Bland, Casey Noonan, Chad Ruhlman, Vic Coffey, Mike Hill, Mike Mataragas, Dusty Moore, Curt Spalding, Josh Williams, Chris Wall, Brian Ruhlman, Jerry Bowersock, Jason Hughes, Jerry Rice
B-Main No. 1 Finish (20 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Tim McCreadie, Eddie Carrier Jr., Steve Francis, Bub McCool, Tim Dohm, Bill Frye, Jonathan Davenport, Brent Kreke, Chris Ross, Dona Marcoullier, Jon Henry, Matt Lux, Lee DeVasier, Rich Neiser, John Mason, Wayne Chinn, Jamie Lauthrom, Randy Korte, Shanon Buckingham (DNS) Clint Smith, Steve Shaver, Randy Weaver, Frank Heckenast
B-Main No. 2 Finish (20 laps – Top 4 Transfer): Chub Frank, Chris Madden, Ray Cook, Rick Eckert, Shannon Babb, Shane Clanton, Scott James, Chad Simpson, Jordan Bland, Austin Dillon, Jamie Lathroum, Duane Chamberlain, Ben Adkins, Will Vaught, Freddy Smith, Mike Mataragas, Dustin Neat, Vic Coffey, Chad Ruhlman, David Webb, Casey Noonan, Donnie Moran, Gregg Satterlee, Steve Casebolt
Non-Qualifiers Race No. 1 (15 laps): 1. Shawn Negangard; 2. Jason Rauen; 3. Steve Dimmick; 4. Jason Riggs; 5. Shannon Thornsberry; 6. Adam Thrush; 7. Scott Schmitt; 8. Brad Blake; 9. Andrew Reaume; 10. Brett Reaume; 11. Cody Huston; 12. Jill George; 13. Cody Watters; 14. Corey Bevard; 15. Shane Allen (DNS) Johnny Parsley; Don Gordon
Non-Qualifiers Race No. 2 (15 laps): 1. Brad Eitniear; 2. Terry Wolfenbarger; 3. Kyle Logue; 4. Mike Smith; 5. Scott Koskovich; 6. Eric Spangler; 7. Bill Koons; 8. Brandon Thirlby; 9. Steve Thorsten; 10. Joey Pomeroy; 11. Zach Calkins; 12. Jeff Wolfenbarger; 13. Justin McNeill; 14. Kerry Mathew; 15. Eric Haynes (DNS) Cody Mahone; Darryl Hills; Dale Dillon
Non-Qualifiers Race No. 3 (15 laps): 1. Alan Vochaska; 2. Guy Volk; 3. Jeff Beyers; 4. Jeff Franklin; 5. Jeff Watson; 6. Dale Sheehy; 7. Michael Stiltner; 8. Gary Schalmo; 9. Bryant Dickinson; 10. Dylan Treston; 11. Greg Haskell; 12. Randy Boggs; 13. Ed Pursell; 14. John Lawhorn (DNS) Rodney Combs; 16. Derek Ellis; 17. Jeff Raisor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben Shelton (901) 335-3037
September 12th, 2009
Jamie Dacus Conquers The Cushion in O’Reilly MSRA Championship Event
West Memphis, Arkansas (9/12/09) – Local favorite, Jamie Dacus from Lakeland, Tennessee blasted through the cushion for 40 laps to win the 3rd Annual Bartlett Hardwood Floor Service Midsouth Dirt Track Championship Presented By Advanced Maintenance & Sheet Metal, which was sanctioned by the O’Reilly MSRA Super Late Model Series on Saturday night, September 12th at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Arkansas.
After passing four cars in his heat race, Jamie Elam from Senatobia, Mississippi earned the JFR Graphics Pole Award for the $3,000 to win feature event at the ¼ mile, gumbo oval. Jamie Dacus earned the outside front row starting spot. As the green flag waved on the feature, Dacus used the outside line to shoot to the top spot with Elam, Gary Christian, and Billy Moyer Jr. in tow. Lap 2 would see Moyer Jr. battle past Christian for the third spot as two and some three wide racing reigned supreme through the field.
The chaos would temporarily be halted just as the leaders began to approach lap traffic on the fourth circuit as Terry Henson rolled to a stop with a flat tire. Henson would head pitside for fresh rubber and would rejoin the pack. At the time of the caution Dacus, Elam, Moyer Jr., Christian, and Nathan Brown made up the top five running order.
On the ensuing restart, Dacus once again headed to the cushion as he maintained a two car length advantage over Elam for the lead as Jon Mitchell raced past Nathan Brown for the fifth position. Once again, the action would be slowed on lap nine as Robert Lovette was spun to the infield causing the caution flag to wave. During the caution period, Dewaine Hottinger and Jon Mitchell both headed to the pits before rejoining the pack prior to green flag conditions returning.
On the restart, Dacus jumped out to a comfortable lead again and would maintain as much as a five car length advantage before he began to enter heavy lapped traffic on the 12th lap. The traffic would allow the top five runners to close in on Dacus as things began to heat up at the front of the pack. By lap 16, Elam was on Dacus’ bumper when the caution flag flew as Austin Rettig spun after contact with third running Billy Moyer Jr.
At the time of the caution flag the top five running order consisted of Jamie Dacus, Jamie Elam, Billy Moyer Jr., Jeff Floyd, and Clay Fisher. On the ensuing restart, the leaders began to dice it up as cars from deep in the field started to make some noise with 16th starting Jon Kirby up to the seventh position, and Terry Henson, who went pitside early in the event up to the ninth position.
The next several lap would go caution free, and by lap 25 the leaders were once again in lapped traffic, and on the twenty-sixth circuit Jamie Elam pulled even with Jamie Dacus as the crowd came to their feet to cheer on their favorite. The pair would battle side-by-side for the next two laps before disaster struck for Elam on lap 27 when he looped his mount in turn one as he attempted to seal the pass on Dacus.
With Elam tailback, the top five running order consisted of Dacus, Moyer Jr., Floyd, Kirby, and Fisher. As the race went green for the final time, Dacus and Moyer Jr. began battling for the lead with Dacus on the cushion and Moyer Jr. on the hub. The pair would battle for the next several laps with Dacus slowly inching away from the field. Lap 32 would see Terry Henson overtake Jon Kirby for the fourth position.
Dacus would stretch his lead to three car lengths over the closing laps and looked to be on his way to a comfortable win. However, exiting turn four on the final lap, Dacus jumped the cushion and Moyer Jr. pulled even with him as they drag raced to the checkered flag. Dacus would manage to beat Moyer Jr. to the checkered flag by half a car length as the crowd went crazy!
Following Dacus and Moyer Jr. across the finish line were Jeff Floyd (started 11th), Terry Henson (started 17th), and Jon Kirby (started 16th).
Dacus received over $3,500 in cash and contingencies, which included $250 product certificates from COMP Cams and Quartermaster, for his win.
Kyle Beard was the Quartermaster/O.H. Hendricks Sheet Metal Hard Luck Award recipient as a broken axle sidelined him early in the feature.
Terry Henson received the Larry Shaw Race Cars/O.H. Hendricks Sheet Metal Hard Charger Award after advancing from his 17th starting position to a solid 4th place finish.
Jamie Dacus was the recipient of the COMP Cams Top Performer Award.
Jamie Elam received the $250 Goodridge/R.E. Technologies Product Certificate for his eighth place run.
Nathan Brown was the recipient of the Ray’s Auto Collision 10th place bonus and also received the Tennison Brothers Sheet Metal Award for the highest finishing Crate Late Model in the feature.
Ritchie Kirkman received the A-1 Racing Fuels $100 15th place bonus.
Heat races for the twenty-eight car field were won by Jamie Dacus, Billy Moyer Jr., Gary Christian, and Jon Mitchell.
The twin b-mains were won by Michael Murphree and Jon Kirby.
Austin Rettig and Jeff Wells Jr. utilized provisions to start the feature event.
Mike Carr from Lake Cormorant, Mississippi made hard contact with the turn two wall in his heat race when the throttle hung on his #74 GRT. He was transported to the hospital for observation and was later released with no serious injuries.
The O’Reilly MSRA Super Late Model tour will wrap up their 2009 campaign next weekend as they travel to Missouri for a pair of challenge races with the O’Reilly MARS Super Late Models. On Saturday, September 19th the two tours will go head-to-head at Springfield Raceway in Springfield, Missouri before heading to Monett Speedway in Monett, Missouri on Sunday, September 20th for the series’ finale.
The O'Reilly MSRA is sponsored by and would like to thank primary sponsor O'Reilly Auto Parts, their Associate Sponsors- GRT Race Cars, Hoosier Racing Tires, COMP Cams, Larry Shaw Race Cars, Quarter Master, Kuntz & Company, Mark Martin Auto Group, JFR Graphics, RiceTec, ASI Racewear, ROCKHARD Powdercoat, Inc., Boomland, NEA Supergas, and MSR Mafia.com Marketing Services; and their contingency sponsors - Suspension Spring Specialists, BSB Manufacturing, Boston's Restaurant and Sports Bar Pizza, Five Star Bodies, Joe Gibbs Racing Oil, Schaeffer Oil, & FSR Products.
For the latest information on the O'Reilly MSRA Super Late Model Series, please visit www.MSRADirt.com
O’Reilly MSRA Super Late Models – September 12th, 2009
Riverside International Speedway (West Memphis, AR)
Feature Results
1. Jamie Dacus (Lakeland, TN)
2. Billy Moyer Jr. (Batesville, AR)
3. Jeff Floyd (Walnut Ridge, AR)
4. Terry Henson (North Little Rock, AR)
5. Jon Kirby (Russellville, AR)
6. Michael Murphree (Little Rock, AR)
7. Clay Fisher (Dewitt, AR)
8. Jamie Elam (Senatobia,MS)
9. Gary Christian (Broken Bow, Oklahoma)
10. Nathan Brown (Marion, AR)
11. Jon Mitchell (Texarkana, TX)
12. Mike Bilbro (Southhaven, MS)
13. Dewaine Hottinger (Russellville, AR)
14. Austin Rettig (Sikeston, MO)
15. Ritchie Kirkman (Southaven, MS)
16. Wesley Crutchfield (Prattsville, AR)
17. Ray Moore (Shreveport, LA)
18. Kyle Beard (Trumann, AR)
19. Jeff Wells Jr. (Trumann, AR)
20. Robert Lovette (Drummonds, TN)
DNS: Dean Carpenter, Michael Leal, Justin Asplin, Greg Alexander, Mike Carr, Jerome Roberson, Jason Hood, Ricky Vandergriff
Entries: 28 (Representing Five States)
Heat Winners: Jamie Dacus, Billy Moyer Jr., Gary Christian, Jon Mitchell
JFR Graphics Pole Sitter: Jamie Elam
Quarter Master Hard Luck Award: Kyle Beard
MSRA Provisionals: Jeff Wells Jr., Austin Rettig
Larry Shaw Race Cars Hard Charger: Terry Henson (17th-4th)
COMP Cams Top Performer: Jamie Dacus
Cautions: 4
Red Flag: 0
Leaders: Jamie Dacus (1-40)
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