|
 TUNICA,
MS (October 29-31) -- The World of Outlaws Late Model Series ended its
inaugural season in Tunica, MS with Scott Bloomquist capturing the
first-ever championship in the series. Bloomquist sealed the deal
winning both Friday's 30-lap preliminary and Saturday's 50-lapper. The
champion wasn't determined, however, until the final race of the
season with Bloomquist leading all 50 laps in the season ending race
at Delta Bowl Speedway. The World of Outlaws Late Model Series boasts
a core group of the nation's best dirt late model drivers known as the
"Dirty Dozen." The top 12 finishing drivers in the series,
which employs an open tire-rule, all compete using the Hoosier brand.
The series held 40 events through the year with total payouts of over
two million dollars. Hoosier Late Model Dirt Product Manager Shanon
Rush attended the final event of the season and the banquet that
followed.
PRELIMINARY
TUNICA, MS (October 29) -- Forty-six cars filled the Delta Bowl
Speedway pits Friday for qualifying with 44 teams opting to run the
Hoosier brand as their tire-of-choice. Steve Francis set fast time of
the night with a lap of 15.216 seconds around the 1/3-mile high-banked
clay oval. Francis, who was second in the driver standings entering
the final two races, was followed by John Blankenship, Jimmy Owens,
Rick Eckert, Ray Cook and Chub Frank atop the qualifying leader board.
All six drivers rode on Hoosier tires.
Heat race winners included Steve Francis, Chub Frank,
Shannon Babb and Rick Eckert, while the Dash was won by Francis.
In the 30-lap feature, Steve Francis and Rick Eckert
were on the front row leading the 26-car field to the starting line.
Francis got the jump on Eckert as the green flag waved. Francis led
through lap 20, when sixth starting Scott Bloomquist motored into the
lead with ten laps to go.
Bloomquist fought off the challenges of Francis, who
retook the lead momentarily, before capturing the win. Rick Eckert
finished in second place with Steve Francis settling for third place.
Francis commented, "We went a little softer on tires then the
other guys and it kind of bit us in the end, the guys worked real hard
and gave me a good car all night."
Dan Schlieper finished in fourth place followed by
Bill Frye, Ray Cook, Shannon Babb, Dale McDowell, Clint Smith and Chub
Frank as Hoosier-shod drivers claimed the top 20 spots in the night's
feature race.
FINALE
TUNICA, MS (October 30) -- Forty cars were entered in qualifying on
Saturday with 39 of them posting times. Billy Moyer set fast time with
a lap of 14.180 seconds followed by Friday's fast qualifier Steve
Francis. Clint Smith was third followed by Josh Richards, Mike
Balzano, Rick Eckert, Dale McDowell, Scott Bloomquist, Darrell Lanigan
and Bart Hartman. All compete on Hoosier tires.
Heat race winners included Mike Balzano, Rick Eckert,
Dale McDowell and Scott Bloomquist. All four won their respective heat
races using the Hoosier brand.
In the 50-lap feature, all 26 starters rode atop the
Hoosier brand. Scott Bloomquist took the lead from the start with
championship hopes on his mind. Those hopes became a reality with
Bloomquist leading all 50 laps en route pocketing $15,000 for the win.
Even more important was the top finish gave the veteran driver a lock
on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series championship by 13 markers
over Steve Francis who, despite nursing a damaged race car after a
crash in hot laps, finished runner-up in the season-ending race.
Following Bloomquist and Francis to the line was Rick
Eckert, Chub Frank, Dale McDowell, Shannon Babb, Josh Richards, Billy
Moyer, Bart Hartman and Scott James.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series held its
banquet on Sunday where Scott Bloomquist collected the lion's share of
the $325,000 point fund. Bloomquist was given a $75,000 check as the
series' top driver.
The top 12 drivers in the final rankings earned
"Dirty Dozen" status for the 2005 season. Steve Francis finished
the season in second place behind Bloomquist followed by Rick Eckert,
Dale McDowell, Bart Hartman, Chub Frank, Dan Schlieper, Billy Moyer,
Mike Balzano, Clint Smith, Darrell Lanigan and Tim McCreadie. All 12
drivers competed during the season on the Hoosier brand.
Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. would like to congratulate
Scott Bloomquist for winning the inaugural World of Outlaws Late
Models Series championship and extends its appreciation to all the
teams that kept Hoosier in the lead during the 2004
season.
|
