Tri-City Speedway
Bloomquist up front again in Tri-City prelims
Scott Bloomquist will start among the top four in the Battle at the Beach main event. (stlracingphotos.com)
GRANITE CITY, Ill. (July 14) – Fresh off a $20,000 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, Miss., two-time and defending series champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., put himself in position to pick up another $20,000 payday Thursday night at Tri-City Speedway. | Video | Slideshow
Bloomquist, who dominated Saturday’s Clash at the Mag for his third consecutive Lucas Oil Series victory, posted a lap of 16.132 seconds to top 37 qualifiers during Thursday’s Battle at the Beach time trials at Tri-City and won the first of four heat races. He’ll start among the top four in Friday’s 100-lap main event at the 3/8-mile racetrack.
Thursday’s other heat race winners at the St. Louis-area racetrack were: Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa; four-time series champ Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla.; and Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind.
The four heat winners will redraw to determine the first two rows in Friday night's $20,000-to-win feature, which will mark the richest race in the track's history. Friday’s action will begin with two consolation races and will be capped off by the inaugural Battle at the Beach main event.
Heat race results
(15 laps; top four transfer to main event)
First heat: Scott Bloomquist, Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, John Blankenship, Jared Landers, Wendell Wallace, Jason Feger, Jeffrey Sloan, Billy Laycock. Scratched: Jason McBride.
Second heat: Brian Birkhofer, Randy Korte, Dale McDowell, Tim Isenberg, Brad Neat, Ray Cook, Chris Brown, Rusty Griffaw, John Mason.
Third heat: Earl Pearson Jr., Brian Shirley, Billy Moyer, Tyler Reddick, Chad Zobrist, Billy Moyer Jr., Rodney Melvin, Mike Hammerle, Tommy Seets Jr.
Fourth heat: Don O'Neal, Steve Casebolt, Eric Wells, Chris Simpson, Bub McCool, Michael Kloos, Frank Heckenast Jr., Dewayne Kiefer, Steve Leach.
Qualifying results
First group
- Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 16.132
- Brian Birkhofer (15b), Muscatine, Iowa, 16.235
- John Blankenship (23), Williamson, W.Va., 16.275
- Randy Korte (00), Highland, Ill., 16.584
- Steve Francis (15), Ashland, Ky., 16.609
- Dale McDowell (17m), Rossville, Ga., 16.691
- Wendell Wallace (88), Batesville, Ark., 16.752
- Brad Neat (41), Dunnville, Ky., 16.753
- Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 16.786
- Tim Isenberg (9t), Marshfield, Wis., 16.816
- Jason McBride (77m), Carbondale, Ill., 16.871
- Ray Cook (53), Brasstown, N.C., 16.880
- Jared Landers (777), Batesville, Ark., 16.938
- Chris Brown (21), Houston, Texas, 17.089
- Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 17.112
- John Mason (72), Millersburg, Ohio, 17.174
- Billy Laycock (82), Marine, Ill., 17.240
- Rusty Griffaw (16), Fetus, Mo., 17.255
- Jeffrey Sloan (7), West Frankfort, Ill., 17.512
Second group
- Tyler Reddick (11), Corning, Calif., 16.340
- Don O'Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 16.546
- Earl Pearson, Jr. (44), Jacksonville, Fla., 16.763
- Chris Simpson (32), Oxford, Iowa, 16.782
- Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 16.785
- Steve Casebolt (c9), Richmond, Ind., 16.905
- Billy Moyer, Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 16.953
- Eric Wells (18), Hazard, Ky., 16.973
- Chad Zobrist (78), Highland, Ill., 17.022
- Bub McCool (57j), Vicksburg, Miss., 17.064
- Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 17.099
- Frank Heckenast, Jr. (99jr) Frankfort, Ill., 17.105
- Rodney Melvin (27), Benton, Ill., 17.228
- Michael Kloos (6k), Trenton, Ill., 17.237
- Mike Hammerle (16h), St. Charles, Mo., 17.273
- Dewayne Kiefer (0), St. Geneviene, Mo., 17.290
- Tommy Seets Jr. (16), Alton, Ill., 17.540
- Steve Leach (49), Staunton, Ill., 18.157
