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Don O'Neal makes the biggest single pass of his racing career as he shuffles #21 Billy Moyer to second in the closing laps of Saturday's Late Model Dream at Eldora. (Drew England)

UMP: O'Neal Breaks Out With Biggest Win Ever

ROSSBURG, Oh. - June 11. A race track that once seemed too tough to tame for Don O'Neal was finally beaten into submission Saturday as the Martinsville, Indiana veteran reeled in the front runners, took a late lead, and raced to a $100,000 win in Dirt Late Model Racing's most lucrative show, the Eldora Speedway "Dream".

With O'Neal tucked into the 12th starting slot, 2010 race winner Billy Moyer launched into the lead from the outside pole with pole winner Darrell Lanigan in tow and Will Vaught, Eddie Carrier, Jr., and Shannon Babb in the top five. Moyer raced away easily, but as slower traffic loomed ahead, Lanigan was able to close the gap and chellenge the Arkansas veteran by lap 15.

12th starting Don O'Neal races around the outside of Will Vaught en route to a stunning victory in the Eldora Speedway Late Model Dream on June 11th. Will Vaught raced to an impressive fourth. (Mike Ruefer)

Lanigan's challenges up front continued as the field roared toward the halfway mark, with Vaught maintaining third and O'Neal having advanced to the fourth spot, but on lap 45, an uncharacteristic spin by Jimmy Owens all but eliminated one driver who had begun to get the attention of race fans at the Ohio facility. Owens had started 20th on the grid and had already blasted to the eighth position in the running order when he looped his mount.

With an inversion of six, heat winners Darrell Lanigan and #21 Billy Moyer earned the front row for the start of the Late Model Dream. Moyer parlayed that into an 86-lap lead in the 100-lap race. (Mike Ruefer)

Jimmy Owens (left) races Josh Richards after rumbling from his 20th starting spot to eighth place at Eldora, only to spin his race car out of contention. (Mike Ruefer)

With Lanigan continuing to apply the heat to Moyer, the top five raced in place for the next several laps before O'Neal turned up the wick and challenged Vaught for third, and took that position on lap 63. O'Neal's #71 continued to rumble until he had taken second from Lanigan on lap 80, then got by Moyer for the lead on lap 86. Moyer kept the new leader in site for the remainder, but couldn't put the toothpaste back in the tube and would have to settle for second at the finish. Lanigan maintained third while Vaught completed an impressive fourth place run ahead of Carrier in the top five.

Eddie Carrier, Jr. started his #28 in fourth and kept up a head of steam to complete the Late Model Dream in fifth, while #18 Shannon Babb raced inside the top five during the early laps before slipping back to mid-pack. (Mike Ruefer) 

	June 11 - Eldora Late Model Dream 1) Don O'Neal, 2) Billy Moyer, 3) Darrell Lanigan, 4) Will Vaught, 5) Eddie Carrier Jr., 6) Jeep Van Wormer, 7) Chris Madden, 8) Bart Hartman, 9) Josh Richards, 10) Steve Shaver, 11) Shannon Babb, 12) Scott Bloomquist, 13) Kent Robinson, 14) Matt Miller, 15) Brian Shirley, 16) Jonathan Davenport, 17) Jared Landers (prov.), 18) Jimmy Owens (prov.), 19) Dale McDowell, 20) Clint Smith, 21) Chris Brown, 22) Bub McCool, 23) Jacob Hawkins, 24) Doug Drown, 25) Frank Heckenast, Jr., 26) Dustin Neat Fast Time (91 entries): Landers (14.922 - NTR) ; Heat winners: Van Wormer, Hartman, Carrier, Vaught, Moyer, Lanigan; B-Main winner: Smith
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