Duck River Raceway Park
Clanton cruises Duck River for $7,000 victory
By Robert Holman
DirtonDirt.com correspondent
Shane Clanton was joined by wife Jennifer and son Ryan. (Robert Holman)
WHEEL, Tenn. (June 12) — Continuing his success in a new Rocket Chassis, Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, Ga., started third, took an early lead and was never challenged en route to a $7,000 payday in a Thursday night 40-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series feature at Duck River Speedway. Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., held on to his front row starting spot to finish second, while Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., — fresh off of his record fifth victory at Eldora Speedway's Dream XIV — finished third. Justin Rattliff of Campbellsville, Ky., and a resurgent Freddy Smith of Seymour, Tenn., completed the top five. | Slideshow
"I can't thank Ronnie Dobbins enough and my crew is just tremendous," the 32-year-old Clanton said in victory lane. "We worked until midnight last night putting a new Custom motor in the car. This Rocket Chassis has been real good the last few weeks. The track was phenomenal tonight. I first raced here back in '97 and won that time, so it's great to be back here."
Clanton wasted little time working by polesitter Scott James and fellow front row starter Casebolt. Once in front, Clanton received only token pressure from Casebolt, who had his hands full trying to fend off a hard-charging Billy Drake.
While Clanton slipped away, Drake and Casebolt battled for third spot, just in front of James and series points leader Earl Pearson Jr. Clanton reached lapped traffic on Duck River’s slick, racy quarter-mile oval by the sixth lap. Drake and Casebolt, meanwhile, continued their side-by-side battle, as did Pearson and James. Bloomquist, who was trying different lines around the tiny bullring searching for traction, lurked just outside the top five.
Bloomquist cracked the top five when both James and Pearson were eliminated just before the midway point. The pair were racing hard off of turn four when they made contact and set off a grinding crash that brought out the red flag. The outside-running James climbed the frontstretch wall with his car eventually coming to a stop on his roof in turn one. Both Pearson and James were finished for the night.
On the restart, Clanton again darted away from the pack, leaving Casebolt and Drake fighting for the second spot with a fast-closing Bloomquist. Drake began to fade late in the race. Bloomquist took the third spot, but despite repeated runs at Casebolt could never climb any higher.
Bloomquist instead had to worry about Rattliff, as the Kentucky youngster peeked to the inside of the Hall of Famer in the waning laps. Another Hall of Famer, Smith came to life in the last 10 laps, overtaking Drake and motoring into the top five. Casebolt's second-place finish moved him back into the series points lead over Pearson, who entered the event atop the series.
Notes: Clanton's second career Lucas Oil victory came in a Ronnie Dobbins-owned Rocket sponsored by RSD Enterprises, SAE Parts and Stevens Plumbing and Mechanical. ... Clanton's first Lucas Oil victory came in 2006 at Rome (Ga.) Speedway. ... Shon Flanary had his heat race all but sewn up when he looped his car in turn three coming to the checkered flag. Flanary finished out of a transfer spot, didn’t make the show through the consi and had to take a provisional along with John Mason. … Series regular Dan Schlieper was reportedly en route to the track when he had hauler problems. Schlieper, sixth in series points entering the race, never made it to the track. … Traffic hindered some drivers coming from the east Tennessee and Georgia along I-24 westbound because of the annual Bonnaroo music festival, which draws as many as 90,000 to a 700-acre venue. The festival began Thursday in Manchester, Tenn., about 40 miles from the track. … Scott James won last year’s Lucas Oil race at Duck River in his first visit to Duck River and his first race on American Racer tires. His fortunes weren’t as good the second time around. Despite starting from the pole, James, who was back on Hoosiers, had a short night after contact with Earl Pearson Jr. left James upside down in turn one. … Just a few weeks after racing for the lead late in a $5,000-to-win special at Duck River, Brasstown, N.C., driver Ray Cook struggled on Thursday. Cook raced his way into the show through the consolation and eventually crept into the top 10 by night’s end. His 21st-to-eighth run earned him the PBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger honors. …� Local standouts David Gentry, Jay Brinkley and Daniel Miller didn’t fare well. Gentry was running just inside the top 10 on the final restart when he faded toward the back. Brinkley never got on track, nor did Miller. Miller, the defending track champion, had motor trouble, took a track provisional and retired early. … Gentry won the companion two-barrel Late Model/Crate feature. … Duck River takes Saturday off off and returns to action June 21. (Additional information from series reports)
Lucas Oil @ Duck River: (1) Shane Clanton, (2) Steve Casebolt, (3) Scott Bloomquist, (4) Justin Rattliff, (5) Freddy Smith, (6) Bart Hartman, (7) Billy Drake, (8) Ray Cook, (9) Dustin Neat, (10) Randy Weaver, (11) Brandon Kinzer, (12) Wayne Chinn, (13) Jay Brinkley, (14) David Gentry, (15) Jimmy Tucker, (16) Tyler Landers, (18) John Mason, (19) Terry Casey, (20) Jerry Owens, (21) Jason Fitzgerald, (22) Anthony Burroughs, (23) Scott James, (24) Earl Pearson Jr., (25) Shon Flanary, (26) Daniel Miller. Fast qualifier (among 33 cars): Drake, 12.976 seconds. Heat race winners: James, Clanton, Casebolt. Consolation winner: Owens. Provisional starters: Mason, Flanary, Miller.�
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