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Race number two of the 2013 season at West Virginia Motor Speedway looked as if it may not go off as scheduled due to all the rain that fell in the area all week.  However, the weather forecast turned for the better on Saturday, and despite cloudy, windy and cool conditions, track personnel got the facility ready and the track itself was the best it’s been for a race on the new configuration.

The FASTRAK Series had 33 crate late models (with drivers representing seven states) sign in for the $5000 to win Wild and Wonderful 50.  Four heats and one B-Main set the lineup for The Wild and Wonderful 50.  24 cars rode around the track 4-wide while the drivers and fireworks saluted the hardy fans who came out to cheer them on.  The caution flag flew early when West Virginia’s own Tim Dohm spun in between turns one and two on the first lap.  Dohm’s car wasn’t hurt, and the complete restart had Dohm on the tail of the field.  Racing was tight and the 111 of Max Blair (PA) and the 8P of Ron Parker (NC) traded a little paint before Parker spun in turn one.  Another West Virginian, Jacob Hawkins was charging hard through the field and had taken over 5^th position (from his 12^th starting spot) when a another caution came out for 77P Joel Prosser (WV).  About the same time Prosser spun, the 2^nd place car of fast qualifier Ryan Montgomery (WV) went into the front stretch wall.  The field was slowed by a couple more cautions, the most serious involving four cars on the front stretch, but all drivers were alright.  The 93 of Donald Bradsher (NC) looked like he had the field well in hand, but with 2 ½ laps left, Max Blair passed Bradsher and held off the field to take the checkers.

Fast Qualifier:  Ryan Montgomery (Fairmont, WV) at 18.633

Heat 1 Results:                                                Heat 2 Results:

25 –       Matt Long                                         93 -        Donald Bradsher

4H –       Taylor Hicks                                      11 -        David Smith

44 –       Brandon Umberger                         1C -        Mike Pegher, Jr.

28 –       Aaron Barley                                    A1 -        Tim Dohm

11R –     Robert Rohrer                                 22D -     Jordan Dill

00 –       Josh Holtgraver                                32 -        Kyle Thomas

75F –     Colton Flinner                                  88 -        Trent Ivey

101 -      Jesse Wisecarver

22 -        Boz Daugherty

Heat 3 Results:                                                Heat 4 Results:

12 -        Ryan Montgomery                          111 -      Max Blair

33 -        Chris Meadows                                8P -        Ron Parker

1J -         George Kowatic                               21JT -    Jacob Hawkins

16 -        John Wyer                                         2B -        Frankie Beard

18 -        Chris Carpenter                                11H -     Rick Lucas

32B -      Brian Baumberger                           13 -        Brandon McGrady

4 -          Melvin Ferguson, Jr.                        41 -        Joe Cox

77P -      Joel Prosser

B-Main Results:

88 -        Ivey

32B -      Baumberger

77P -      Prosser

22 -        Daugherty

41 -        Cox

13 -        McGrady

101 -      Wisecarver

4 -          Ferguson

00 -        Holtgraver

75F -      Flinner

A-Main Results:

111 -      Blair

93 -        Bradsher

21JT -    Hawkins

33 -        Meadows

1C -        Pegher

A1 -        Dohm

8P -        Parker

22D -     Dill

25 -        Long

2B -        Beard

32B -      Baumberger

11R -      Rohrer

4H -        Hicks

77P -      Prosser

11 -        Smith

88 -        Ivey

28 -        Barley

16 -        Wyer

22 -        Daugherty

44 -        Umberger

12 -        Montgomery

11H -     Lucas

18 -        Carpenter

1J -         Kowatic

Late Model Feature:

Drown

Hughes

Dohm

KC Burdette

Freddie Carpenter

“It feels pretty good to finally win here, so close to Rocket Chassis. West Virginia has been my home-state since I moved from Kentucky back in ’02,” said Carrier in Lucas Oil Victory Lane. “To win on this stage, with the caliber of drivers here, they are the best of the best no doubt about it, that’s why this is so special, the car was excellent today from the time we unloaded it out of the trailer.”

Birkhofer took the lead at the start of the 50-lap main event and was in control for most of the first-half of the race until Carrier started to apply pressure. Carrier’s car was better in the long runs as he eventually tracked down Birkhofer. On lap 33, Carrier was able to make the pass on Birkhofer coming off of turn number four.

“I have to thank Carl Grover, he gave me an opportunity to drive his car several years ago, and we have had a great relationship through the years. I want to run this Lucas Oil Series to become a better driver,” said the 42-year-old pilot of the Engines Inc, Integra, VP Fuels, and Grover Racing Engines Ford-powered, Rocket Chassis.

Richards commented in Lucas Oil Victory Lane: “Hats off to Eddie, he drove a great race. We were catching him at the end, but just ran out of laps. I am glad to see a Rocket win here in West Virginia. The track was really good, but on the first lap I just slid there into the guardrail. I thought our night was over, but the crew checked the car out and we came back with a strong finish.”

O’Neal posted a solid third place finish to put himself in a tie with Jimmy Owens for the points lead. “Tonight went way better for us than last night did,” joked O’Neal in Lucas Oil Victory Lane. “The track was really smooth, I was surprised after they reworked it. It was still fast, but our car had the right set-up for a strong run. Congratulations to Eddie on his win!”

Completing the top ten were John Blankenship, Scott Bloomquist, Jared Landers, Jared Hawkins, and Jonathan Davenport.

In preliminary action, John Blankenship set the overall Time (Group A) amongst the 32 entrants, with a lap of 17.021 seconds. Vic Coffey set the fastest time in Group B with a time of 17.361 seconds. John Blankenship, Steve Shaver, Brian Birkhofer, and Eddie Carrier Jr. won their respective heat races. Scott Bloomquist and Bobby Pierce won their respective B-Mains.

After taking the next weekend off, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will kick-off a busy month of May with events at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, IL on Friday, May 3rd and Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, KY on Saturday, May 4th. Both events will pay $10,000-to-win, and will include RED BUCK Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and 50-Lap main events. For more information, log onto www.tricityspeedway.net and www.paducahracing.com.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and follow the series on www.facebook.com/lucasdirt and www.twitter.com/#!/lucasdirt.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Race Summary

Sunday Night, April 21st, 2013
West Virginia Motor Speedway – Mineral Wells, WV

Red Buck Fast Time Group A: John Blankenship / 17.021 seconds

Red Buck Fast Time Group B: Vic Coffey / 17.361 seconds

Wiles Drive Shafts Heat Race #1 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): John Blankenship, Steve Francis, Gregg Satterlee, Jimmy Owens, Scott Bloomquist, Bob Adams, Wayne Hughes, Chris Garnes
Eibach Springs Heat Race #2 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Steve Shaver, Don O’Neal, Jared Hawkins, Jonathan Davenport, Dennis Erb Jr., Chuck Harper, Zack Dohm-DNS, David Gibson, Jr.-DNS

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Brian Birkhofer, Vic Coffey, Tim McCreadie, Earl Pearson Jr., Jason McBride, DJ Myers, Ross Nicastri, Jacob Hawkins

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #4 (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Eddie Carrier Jr., Josh Richards, Jared Landers, Donnie Moran, Bobby Pierce, Jerry Lierly, Billy Moyer Jr., Austin Hubbard
CV Products B-Main #1 (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Scott Bloomquist, Dennis Erb Jr., Wayne Hughes, Bob Adams, Chuck Harper-DNS, Chris Garnes-DNS, Zack Dohm-DNS, David Gibson, Jr.-DNS

Wrisco Aluminum B-Main #2 (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Bobby Pierce, Jason McBride, DJ Myers, Austin Hubbard, Billy Moyer Jr., Ross Nicastri, Jerry Lierly, Bob Adams, Jacob Hawkins-NR

Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Race Statistics

Entrants: 32

Lap Leaders: Brian Birkhofer (Laps 1 – 32); Eddie Carrier Jr. (Laps 33 – 50)

Caution Flags: Josh Richards (Lap 1); Tim McCreadie (Lap 2); Dennis Erb Jr. (Lap 24); Wayne Hughes (Lap 33); Jonathan Davenport (Lap 33)

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Billy Moyer Jr., Jerry Lierly

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Emergency Provisionals: Austin Hubbard
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Austin Hubbard (Started: 25th, Finished: 12th, Advanced:13 positions)

Allstar Performer of the Race: Josh Richards

Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Josh Richards

JRi Shocks/Dunn Benson Ford Rookie of the Race: Bobby Pierce

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Grover Racing Engines

Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Rocket Chassis

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Eddie Carrier Sr. (Eddie Carrier Jr.)
HAWK Performance Fastest Lap of the Race: Brian Birkhofer (Lap# 2; 18.448 seconds)

Time of Race: 33 minutes 40 seconds

To order tickets, click click on the link below and you will be directed to WVMS’ Pivotal online ticketing page! The “4-pack” promotion ends on 4/18!

The structured practice will run from 6-9pm.

Pit admission is $12.00, general admission is FREE! Limited concessions will be available for spectators.

This is a great opportunity to get some track time in before our first event featuring the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, The Renegades of Dirt Traveling Modified Series and EDGE HotMods.

The back stretch bleachers will be open this year, and a concession stand will be available to fans wishing to sit along the back stretch. To gain access to the back stretch bleachers, you will have to enter via the ticket booth in the turn three area or have a pit pass.

To purchase advance tickets to the event, please visit our Pivotal online ticket portal for more information. To save an additional $20 off your tickets for the 4/21 event, pre-order the “4-pack”! Offer ends on 4/18.