Brian McLeod photo World of Outlaws: Bloomquist Earns Outlaw Sweep With Second Volusia Victory Kevin Kovac BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 19. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., completed an unprecedented sweep of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series events during the 40th DIRTcar Nationals by University of Northwestern Ohio, holding off Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wis., to capture Saturday's 50-lap A-Main at Volusia Speedway Park. Duplicating his triumphant performance in the tour's season opener on Thursday, Bloomquist advanced from the fourth starting spot to pass Billy Moyer for the lead on lap 31 and was never headed. He spent the final 15 circuits repelling intense pressure from Smith to become the first driver to win both WoO LMS features that are annually part of the mid-winter racing extravaganza at the half-mile oval outside Daytona Beach. "This is a tough field,"”Bloomquist said after pocketing $10,000 for his 21st WoO LMS victory since 2004. "This is a tough place this week - very demanding on the car, drivers, engines. It feels good to do what we've done this week.” Smith, 33, settled for his second consecutive runner-up WoO LMS finish to the builder of his Team Zero car. The winner of last year's World of Outlaws finale during the DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH was just 0.637 of a second behind Bloomquist at the checkered. The 53-year-old Moyer slipped to third in the final rundown after surging forward from the third starting spot to lead laps 1-30. Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, Wis., who started 13th, scored a DCN-best placing of fourth.
Gary Shrey photo Of the top six finishers, only Moyer was not behind the wheel of a Team Zero chassis constructed by Bloomquist. That fact added even more significance to Bloomquist's victory. "It makes me feel good,"”said Bloomquist, who owns four career WoO LMS wins at Volusia. "If I would've gotten beat by one of my own cars - hey, so be it. I really like the group of guys that I've got and enjoy working with them, and I enjoy the respect that they give me back. Bloomquist, 47, had to withstand an especially strong assault from Smith, who started sixth, overtook Moyer for second on lap 33, and two circuits later, began bidding for the lead. Smith made repeated attempts to pass Bloomquist over the late stages of a race that ran caution-free from lap seven to the finish. He drew to the outside of Bloomquist at least twice and even got close enough to bump the rear bumper of the 2004 series champion's car rounding turn four on lap 37, but Bloomquist stuck to the inside groove and didn't make a mistake. "I think I was faster on that end (turns three and four) but on this end (one and two) he was a little bit better than I was,"”said Smith. "The bottom had more traction than the middle or the top. I drove as hard as I could - that's how I race," he added. "I felt like we had a car that could do it, but at the same time I feel like I did everything I could do, so maybe we were the second-place car".” Four caution flags and one red flag slowed the race - all by lap seven. The most significant crash was a multi-car incident on lap seven in which Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier, Ark., rolled once in turn four, but wasn't injured. Series regular Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., tour Rookie of the Year contender Pat Doar of New Richmond, Wis., Dan Stone of Thompson, Pa., and Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., were also involved in the tangle.
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Big Gains for Hubbard, Pearson, Ogle - The A-Team Has Been Updated 05-15-12
Scott James battles #13 Barry Doss in heat race action at Florence (Ky.) Speedway, but in the $2,000-to-win feature, the only thing anyone saw was the tail end of James' #81 car. (Roy Walker)
After plenty of trash-talking via the electronic media between Jeff Matthews and Ivedent Lloyd last week, it was #21 Lloyd who got the final word as he reeled in #33 Matthews to win Friday's LM feature at Oclala, Fla.'s Bubba Raceway Park. (R.E. Wing)
Fans at Markleysburg, Pa.'s Roaring Knob Motorsports Comlex were treated to dual LM features Saturday - one a makeup from a May 5th rainout. (Above) Tim Senic challenges eventual regular feature winner Chuck Harper, while Jared Hawkins (below) claimed the makeup race. (Tommy Micheals)
Henley, Missouri's Jason Russell leads the way to Victory Lane in the ULMS Late Model feature at Lucas Oil Speedway Saturday. (Chris Bork)
Some fierce racing action at Lucas Oil speedway. (Chris Bork)
Dalton, Ga.'s Craig Reece returned to Dixie Speedway Saturday and led all the way to win the Crate LM victory. (Steve Hixson)
Ray Guss Jr. races last week's Quad City Speedway winner, Mike Murphy, Jr. This time, it was advantage Guss. (Chris Damitz)
With a strong motor back into his mount, Veteran Lamar Scoggins claimed last Friday's Crate LM victory at Boyd's Speedway. (Steve Hixson)
Veteran racer Lance Matthees navigates Spring Lake, Minnesota's Deer Creek Speedway before taking Saturday's WISSOTA Late Model checkers. (Jason Durst)
Racing hard at mid-pack, it's the dueling 55s of Cory Mahder (inside) and Greg Nippoldt at Deer Creek. (Jason Durst)
Ryan King (above and below) swept both the Ltd. Late Model and Crate Late Model features Saturday at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn. (Chad Wells)
Still riding his wave in Iowa, Mike Murphy, Jr. in early action before taking the main event win at Davenport last Friday. (Chris Damitz)
Jason Jameson ran a gauntlet to finally capture another win Friday night at Moler
Raceway Park (see main page). (Roy
Walker)
After holding back a charge from Alex Ferree, Chub Frank drove home with a Friday night win at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. (John Stivason)
Bobby Pierce, Brett Sievert, and Mike Glynn race in a tight pack in Kankakee (Ill.) Speedway's "Crosstown Cup", but (below) it was ultimately Shawn Toczek (42) here racing the high side of Mike Provenzano, who sailed to the win. (Dan Simpson)
NALMS Suspends Remaining Season
In a statement released to the racing media Monday, Northern All All Stars Late Model Series (NALMS) owners Shawn Hall and Bob Mooney relased the following statement:
To all NALMS drivers and fans,
Northern Allstars Late Model Series regrets to inform all of our drivers and fans that as of today (May 14, 2012) we will suspend all series races for the remaining 2012 season. The primary reason for the decision to discontinue the series was mainly economics. Tracks, teams and fans are having a hard time these days with the cost of living in general. With the cost of fuel, parts, tires, tickets and lodging, many people just cannot afford to travel to our shows, so we feel it's best to stop for now and try to regroup for the 2013 season.
Our series needs to be able to have at least 18 to 20 shows to cover our cost of putting on these shows and our drivers point funds. With many tracks cutting back on their special events and other tracks just choosing not to have specials at all, it's has really cut our options for race tracks down to a very few unless you are willing to travel several hours away from the Central Illinois area, and that is not cost effective for the racing teams or fans.
In closing we would like to thank all of the drivers and fans whom have supported the series over the years and we hope to be able to come back with a bigger and better season for everyone in 2013.
A-Team Leaders from 1997-2011 (Click on link for complete rundown)
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