LOCUST GROVE, Ark. (Aug. 14) — Former race winner Jared Landers of Batesville, Ark., and Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year contender Chris Brown of Spring, Texas, will make up the front row of Saturday’s 23rd annual Comp Cams Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway.
Landers and Brown joined Friday’s other heat race winners in a redraw to lineup the first three rows of Saturday’s 100-lap feature. Landers, the 2010 Topless 100 winner, drew the pole for the $40,000-to-win crown jewel event.
Picking up a win in Friday’s first preliminary event, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., will start third in Saturday’s feature lineup, with last year’s Topless 100 winner Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., redrawing the fourth starting position.
Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., led every lap of the second heat race and will start outside the third row in Saturday’s 100-lapper. Garrett Alberson of Las Cruces, New Mexico, winner of Friday’s sixth and final heat race, will line up sixth.
The top three cars from each of Friday’s heat races transferred to the main event. Saturday’s program will include consolation races to set the remainder of the field.
Topless 100 lineup
Row 1: Jared Landers, Chris Brown
Row 2: Earl Pearson Jr., Jimmy Owens
Row 3: Dale McDowell, Garrett Alberson
Row 4: Jonathan Davenport, Terry Phillips
Row 5: Mike Marlar, Scott Bloomquist
Row 6: Eddie Carrier Jr., Don O'Neal
Row 7: Shannon Babb, Hunter Rasdon
Row 8: Brandon Sheppard, Wendell Wallace
Row 9: Billy Moyer Jr., Jesse Stovall
Row 10: Consolation race transfers
Row 11: Consolation race transfers
Row 12: Provisionals
Sixth heat
Polesitter Garrett Alberson edged Jesse Stovall at the start to lead the first lap. Third-starting Don O’Neal began closing in on the race leader in the early running, but was unable to seriously challenge for the lead. Alberson picked up a win in the sixth and final heat, with O’Neal finishing second. Stovall held on to grab the third and final transfer spot.
Finish: Garrett Alberson, Don O’Neal, Jesse Stovall, Tyler Erb, Kyle Beard, Clay Fisher, Gavin Landers, Jack Sullivan, Cole Farmer
Fifth heat
Polesitter Billy Moyer Jr. charged to the front of the field, as Allen Tippen spun in turns one and two to draw a caution on the opening lap. Second-starting Jared Landers edged Moyer to lead lap-one as the race took the green flag. A yellow flag flew on the 11th lap when Timothy Culp slowed down the backstretch. Landers led all 15 laps to win the fifth heat, with Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., slipping past Moyer to finish second. Moyer finished third to transfer to the feature.
Finish: Jared Landers, Scott Bloomquist, Billy Moyer Jr., Stacy Taylor, Allen Tippen, Robert Baker, Raymond Merrill, Jamie Elam, Timothy Culp
Fourth heat
Polesitter Terry Phillips jumped to an early lead, with third-starting Jimmy Owens reeling in the race leader. Using the bottom line, Owens charged past Phillips to lead the eighth lap, dominating the remaining distance to win the fourth heat. Phillips held on to the runner-up spot, with fourth-starting Brandon Sheppard finishing third to transfer to the feature.
Finish: Jimmy Owens, Terry Phillips, Brandon Sheppard, Jeremy Payne, Chandler Petty, Dennis Erb Jr., Justin Asplin, Ryan Gustin, Austin Rettig, Shane Harris
Third heat
A yellow flag waved on the opening lap when David Payne spun coming out of turn two. Shannon Scott was taken pit side under caution. Polesitter Chris Brown charged to a dominating lead as the race went green. Dwight Falcon drew a second caution on lap nine when he jumped the turn-four berm, leaving the racing surface. Another yellow waved on lap 11 as third-running Robbie Stuart slowed with a flat tire. Simultaneously, Falcon and Payne tangled on the frontstretch. Brown led the remaining circuits to win the third heat, with fifth-starting Eddie Carrier Jr. improving three spots to finish runner-up. Hunter Rasdon grabbed the third and final transfer spot.
Finish: Chris Brown, Eddie Carrier Jr., Hunter Rasdon, David Payne, Robbie Stuart, Dwight Falcon, Brad Looney, Tommy Surrett, Shannon Scott
Second heat
Polesitter Dale McDowell jumped to a commanding lead, with a yellow flag waving on the 12th lap as Robby Moore slowed on the backstretch. McDowell led the remaining distance, with third-starting Mike Marlar grabbing the second-place spot on the restart. Wendell Wallace finished third to transfer to the feature.
Finish: Dale McDowell, Mike Marlar, Wendell Wallace, Chris Simpson, Austin Siebert, Billy Moyer, Tony Jackson Jr., Ray Moore, Larry Campbell, Robby Moore
First heat
Second-starting Earl Pearson Jr. charged to the front of the field on the opening lap to take an early lead. A yellow flag waved on the ninth lap when Brandon Smith slowed in turn two. Despite contact with a lapped car, Pearson led all 15 laps to win the first heat race. Jonathan Davenport finished runner-up, with fourth-starting Shannon Babb improving one position to grab the third and final transfer spot.
Finish: Earl Pearson Jr., Jonathan Davenport, Shannon Babb, Steve Francis, Jon Mitchell, B.J. Robinson, Travis Ashley, Charlie LaPlant, Payton Looney, Brandon Smith
Heat race lineups
(15 laps; top three transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Steve Francis, Earl Pearson Jr.
Row 2: Jonathan Davenport, Shannon Babb
Row 3: Jon Mitchell, Brandon Smith
Row 4: B.J. Robinson, Travis Ashley
Row 5: Payton Looney, Charlie LaPlant
Second heat
Row 1: Dale McDowell, Wendell Wallace
Row 2: Mike Marlar, Chris Simpson
Row 3: Larry Campbell, Tony Jackson Jr.
Row 4: Ray Moore, Austin Siebert
Row 5: Billy Moyer, Robby Moore
Third heat
Row 1: Dwight Falcon, Chris Brown
Row 2: Hunter Rasdon, Robbie Stuart
Row 3: Eddie Carrier Jr., Brad Looney
Row 4: Shannon Scott, Tommy Surrett
Row 5: David Payne
Fourth heat
Row 1: Terry Phillips, Jeremy Payne
Row 2: Jimmy Owens, Brandon Sheppard
Row 3: Justin Asplin, Chandler Petty
Row 4: Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Gustin
Row 5: Shane Harris, Austin Rettig
Fifth heat
Row 1: Billy Moyer Jr., Jared Landers
Row 2: Scott Bloomquist, Allen Tippen
Row 3: Robert Baker, Timothy Culp
Row 4: Stacy Taylor, Raymond Merrill
Row 5: Jamie Elam
Sixth heat
Row 1: Garrett Alberson, Jesse Stovall
Row 2: Don O’Neal, Tyler Erb
Row 3: Kyle Beard, Gavin Landers
Row 4: Clay Fisher, Jack Sullivan
Row 5: Cole Farmer
Pre-race setup
Following last weekend’s Sunoco North-South 100 at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky., the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series travels to Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, Ark., for the 23rd annual Comp Cams Topless 100. The unique event requires cars race roofless, allowing spectators a better view of the drivers in the cockpit.
With wet weather forcing the cancellation of April’s Bad Boy 98, the Lucas Oil Series makes it’s lone 2015 visit to the Arkansas oval. For the second straight year, the Comp Cams Super Dirt Series will co-sanction the $40,000-to-win event.
Friday’s preliminary action will include time trials and heat races that will set a portion of the field for Saturday’s main event. With 57 cars on hand, qualifying will be split into two groups, with six 15-lap heat races to follow. The fastest qualifier will be inverted to the third-place starting spot in each heat.
Saturday’s program will include consolation races and the 100-lap feature event.
Pre-race notes
There were 53 cars on hand for Thursday’s practice. … Saturday’s main event boasts a purse of more than $130,000. … Besides Late Models, Friday’s program includes a full modified show. … Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., was the winner of last year’s event. He has two career Topless 100 victories. … Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., enters the event atop the Lucas Oil Series points standings. He has a series-leading 10 victories on the 2015 season, including last weekend’s North-South 100. … Hometown driver Billy Moyer is among the weekend’s entrants. The four-time Topless 100 winner recently notched his 800th career victory. … Fellow Batesville natives Jared Landers and Wendell Wallace join Moyer in the pit area. Landers was the winner of the 2010 Topless 100, while Wallace made his way to victory lane in 1998. … The Comp Cams Super Dirt Series is co-sanctioning the event; Jack Sullivan of Greenbriar, Ark., tops that tour’s points standings.
Time trials
Group A
Jonathan Davenport (6), Blairsville, Ga., 13.434
Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 13.435
Hunter Rasdon (R5x), Jonesboro, Ark., 13.447
Earl Pearson Jr. (1), Jacksonville, Fla., 13.486
Wendell Wallace (6m), Batesville, Ark., 13.560
Chris Brown (21B), Spring, Texas, 13.595
Steve Francis (15), Ashland, Ky., 13.713
Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 13.722
Dwight Falcon (F4), Walker, La., 13.741
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 13.906
Chris Simpson (R5), Oxford, Iowa, 13.972
Robbie Stuart (6r), DeRidder, La., 13.973
Jon Mitchell (5m), Texarkana, Texas, 13.981
Larry Campbell (15x), Van Buren, Ark., 13.988
Eddie Carrier Jr. (28), Salt Rock, W.Va., 14.010
Brandon Smith (115), Batesville, Ark., 14.038
Tony Jackson Jr. (1R), Lebanon, Mo., 14.105
Brad Looney (14L), Republic, Mo., 14.167
Ray Moore (93m), Haughton, La., 14.245
B.J. Robinson (1R), Shreveport, La., 14.379
Shannon Scott (4F), Henryetta, Okla., 14.399
Travis Ashley (997), Cabot, Ark., 14.414
Austin Siebert (16A), Grandview, Mo., 14.457
Tommy Surrett (27s), Little Rock, Ark., 14.462
Payton Looney (15L), Republic, Mo., 14.494
Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 14.640
David Payne (7d), Cabot, Ark., 14.737
Charlie LaPlant (3c), East Prairie, Mo., 14.940
Robby Moore (66), Paragould, Ark., 15.027
Group B
Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 13.448
Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 13.473
Don O’Neal (5), Martinsville, Ind., 13.656
Jeremy Payne (186), Springfield, Mo., 13.661
Jared Landers (777), Batesville, Ark., 13.686
Jesse Stovall (00), Billings, Mo., 13.720
Terry Phillips (75), Springfield, Mo., 13.790
Billy Moyer Jr. (21JR), Batesville, Ark., 13.804
Garrett Alberson (F5), Las Cruces, N.M., 13.866
Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 13.889
Allen Tippen (71A), Minden, La., 14.008
Tyler Erb (91), Magnolia, Texas, 14.071
Robert Baker (17m), Bryant, Ark., 14.093
Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 14.113
Chandler Petty (47), Cabot, Ark., 14.219
Timothy Culp (C8), West Monroe, La., 14.227
Gavin Landers (77), Batesville, Ark., 14.251
Justin Asplin (77A), Birch Tree, Mo., 14.251
Dennis Erb Jr. (28e), Carpentersville, Ill., 14.317
Stacy Taylor (27T), Jacksonville, Ark., 14.321
Clay Fisher (99), De Witt, Ark., 14.348
Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 14.378
Raymond Merrill (56M), Sallisaw, Okla., 14.406
Jack Sullivan (18s), Greenbriar, Ark., 14.422
Shane Harris (0H), Sheridan, Ark., 14.554
Jamie Elam (1X), Senatobia, Miss., 14.645
Cole Farmer (26F), Glenwood, Ark., 14.680
Austin Rettig (94), Sikeston, Mo., 14.867
