ROSSBURG, Ohio (June 8) — Friday afternoon’s Dream XXIV preliminary feature slipped right through Chris Madden’s fingers. Forced to retire early after leading all but four laps of the matinee, the Gray Court, S.C., driver wasn’t going to let that happen again on Friday night.

Starting on the pole of the even feature, Madden dominated all 25 laps, holding more than a straightaway lead over runner-up Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., at the checkered flag. Scoring his first-ever victory at the famed Eldora Speedway, Madden earned a $10,000 payday.

“We had that first race won and it’s nobody’s fault but my own,” Madden said. “I was driving over my head a little bit there and just got too high on the racetrack and got the nose dragging into the cushion and ripped the nose off.

“I’ve been trying to get a win here forever. It’s awesome to get a win here. I love this place.”

Pulling ahead of fellow front-row starter Ricky Weiss of Headingley, Manitoba, to take an early lead, Madden set a blistering pace over the field. As second-running Weiss attempted to fight back challenges from Clanton, Madden worked his way through lapped traffic, stretching his lead in the final laps.

“I just knew I needed to hit the lapped traffic at the right spots on the racetrack to be able to clear those guys,” Madden said. “This place you can gain a lot of ground and you can use a lot of ground. I just wanted to make sure I hit my marks right. Everything went our way.”

Moving into third in the early running, Clanton overtook Weiss just past the halfway mark, finishing second to Madden. Fifth-starting Bobby Pierce finished third, with Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., advancing from the 10th starting spot to finish fourth. Weiss slipped back to round out the top five.

Preliminary notes and results:

Bloomquist missing from action

Scott Bloomquist didn’t participate in Friday night's hot laps. Then he never appeared in line for his spot late in time trials.

When Bloomquist’s crew loaded up his machine and closed the door of the team’s trailer by the end of qualifying, it was clear the Hall of Fame driver wasn’t competing in the evening’s program after finishing third in his afternoon feature. He wasn’t around in the pits, however, to explain his absence nor did his crew shed light on the situation.

Speculation immediately ran wild about Bloomquist's status — not surprising considering his high profile that always makes him the center of attention (and especially at Eldora) — but the only immediate information was provided by his longtime sponsor Gerald Newton of Arizona Sport Shirts. Around midnight Newton provided an official statement on Bloomquist’s behalf, saying that Bloomquist had called him from the emergency room of the nearby hospital in Greenville, Ohio, where he had gone after he “fell on slick rig steps on his left side” and injured his left rotator cuff. According to Newton, Bloomquist was still being treated in the ER as of 11:48 p.m. and “should be released to possibly race Saturday.”

Feature lineup

Row 1: Chris Madden, Ricky Weiss
Row 2: Jared Landers, Alex Ferree
Row 3: Bobby Pierce, Shane Clanton
Row 4: Gregg Satterlee, Josh Richards
Row 5: Brent Larson, Hudson O’Neal
Row 6: Mike Marlar, Chase Junghans
Row 7: Matt Miller, Ryan Fenech
Row 8: Devin Gilpin, Michael Page
Row 9: Jimmy Mars, Rod Conley
Row 10: Jeep Van Wormer, Darrell Lanigan
Row 11: Jimmy Owens, Dustin Nobbe
Row 12: Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard

Consolation

Polestitter Jimmy Owens took an early lead, with Dustin Nobbe and Devin Moran battling for the second-place spot. Owens stretched his lead at the halfway mark, as Moran closed in on Nobbe after the second-running driver brushed the wall in turn four. Starting ninth, with was Brandon Sheppard rallying late-race, battling Andy Haus for the final transfer spot. Owens won the consolation, with Nobbe, Moran and Sheppard transferring to the feature.

Finish (top four transfer): Jimmy Owens, Dustin Nobbe, Devin Moran, Brandon Sheppard, Andy Haus, Timothy Culp, Steve Casebolt, Jesse Lay, Steven Roberts, Tyler Bruening, Joe Godsey, Paul Stubber, Jeff Roth, Ernie Cordier. Scratched: Lance Elson, Brandon Overton, Blake Spencer, Jackie Boggs, Vic Hill.

Consolation lineup

(12 laps; top four transfer)
Row 1: Jimmy Owens, Dustin Nobbe
Row 2: Devin Moran, Jesse Lay
Row 3: Timothy Culp, Steve Casebolt
Row 4: Andy Haus, Tyler Bruening
Row 5: Brandon Sheppard, Steven Roberts
Row 6: Jeff Roth, Vic Hill
Row 7: Joe Godsey, Paul Stubber
Row 8: Blake Spencer, Jackie Boggs
Row 9: Ernie Cordier, Lance Elson
Row 10: Brandon Overton

Fourth heat

A yellow flag waved on the opening lap when Michael Page spun in turn one. Another caution fell on the ensuing restart when Vic Hill and Jackie Boggs tangled on the frontstretch. Polesitter Gregg Satterlee led the way when the race went green, with fourth-starting Chris Madden in tow. With the top-two cars distancing themselves from the remainder of the field, Satterlee held a comfortable lead at the halfway point. Satterlee won the heat, with Madden finishing second. Chase Junghans rounded out the podium in third.

Finish (top five transfer): Gregg Satterlee, Chris Madden, Chase Junghans, Michael Page, Darrell Lanigan, Jesse Lay, Tyler Bruening, Vic Hill, Jackie Boggs.

Third heat

Outside polesitter Bobby Pierce edged ahead of fellow front row starter Jared Landers to take an early lead. A yellow flag waved on the first lap when Blake Spencer slowed in turn one. Pierce held his lead on the restart as Devin Gilpin and Mike Marlar battled for the third-place spot. Holding a solid lead at the halfway mark, Pierce won the heat, with Landers finishing second. Marlar ran third, with Gilpin and Jeep Van Wormer taking the final two transfer spots.

Finish (top five transfer): Bobby Pierce, Jared Landers, Mike Marlar, Devin Gilpin, Jeep Van Wormer, Devin Moran, Andy Haus, Jeff Roth, Blake Spencer.

Second heat

Charging around the outside, second-starting Shane Clanton led the opening lap, with Hudson O’Neal shooting past polesitter Steven Roberts to run in second. A yellow flag waved on the first lap when Paul Stubber spun in turn four. The top-two cars started pulling away from the rest of the field at the halfway mark, with Clanton maintaining his lead over O’Neal. Stubber spun in turn two to draw another caution on lap six. Using momentum from the restart, Alex Ferree overtook O’Neal for second, setting his sights on Clanton. Clanton won the heat, with Ferree and O’Neal rounding out the podium.

Finish (top five transfer): Shane Clanton, Alex Ferree, Hudson O’Neal, Ryan Fenech, Rod Conley, Dustin Nobbe, Steve Casebolt, Steven Roberts, Paul Stubber.

First heat

Pulling ahead down the backstrech, outside pole sitter Josh Richards shot to an early lead, as fourth-starting Jimmy Owens slipped back to seventh. With the pair racing side-by-side, Ricky Weiss slipped ahead of Richards to take the lead on lap three. Stretching his lead in the final laps, Weiss won the heat, with Richards and Brent Larson rounding out the podium. Matt Miller and Jimmy Mars grabbed the final two feature transfer spots.

Finish (top five transfer): Ricky Weiss, Josh Richards, Brent Larson, Matt Miller, Jimmy Mars, Jimmy Owens, Timothy Culp, Brandon Sheppard, Joe Godsey, Ernie Cordier.

Heat race lineups

(10 laps; top five transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Ricky Weiss, Josh Richards
Row 2: Jimmy Mars, Jimmy Owens
Row 3: Brent Larson, Brandon Sheppard
Row 4: Matt Miller, Joe Godsey
Row 5: Timothy Culp, Ernie Cordier
Second heat
Row 1: Steven Roberts, Shane Clanton
Row 2: Hudson O’Neal, Dustin Nobbe
Row 3: Steve Casebolt, Rod Conley
Row 4: Ryan Fenech, Alex Ferree
Row 5: Paul Stubber, Lance Elson
Third heat
Row 1: Jared Landers, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Devin Gilpin, Mike Marlar
Row 3: Andy Haus, Devin Moran
Row 4: Jeep Van Wormer, Blake Spencer
Row 5: Jeff Roth, Brandon Overton
Fourth heat
Row 1: Gregg Satterlee, Chase Junghans
Row 2: Vic Hill, Chris Madden
Row 3: Tyler Bruening, Jesse Lay
Row 4: Jackie Boggs, Darrell Lanigan
Row 5: Michael Page

Pre-race notes

Cars began circling the half-mile oval to complete the drying and packing process following the rain shortly before 10:40 p.m. … Chris Madden was in no mood to talk immediately after the afternoon’s second 25-lap — no surprise, of course, because he was inconsolable after letting the $5,000 top prize slip through his fingers when he got into the cushion in turn one while leading on lap 21 and folded under the nose of his car. “I just can’t finish one here,” he told pit reporter Ben Shelton. “I gave that one away.” Madden has a new nose on his Barry Wright-built machine for the evening action. … Devin Moran and his crew were able to repair the heavy damage his new Tye Twarog-owned XR1 Rocket car sustained when he clipped a disabled lapped car and slammed the wall in his afternoon heat. The machine’s frame fortunately wasn’t bent, but it needed a new rearend, j-bar, driveshaft, shocks and other assorted items. … Michael Page parked the Troy Baird-owned No. 18 he ran this afternoon — a Stinger Chassis with just one race on it — because the new engine under its hood developed issues and the team didn’t want to risk bigger problems. He has switched to his backup car, which means he will have to start from the rear of a heat race. … Chris Simpson was hampered by the loss of brakes in his car halfway through his run to a 13th-place finish in the odd feature. … Brandon Sheppard’s Rocket Chassis house car team had to fix the right-side bodywork on their machine after the World of Outlaws champion’s seventh-place finish in the even A-main. … Brandon Overton and Lance Elson loaded up after being involved in incidents during the afternoon program, ending their weekends early.

Getting ready

A tractor hit the track to begin reconditioning the surface at 9:49 p.m. and push trucks followed a few minutes later. Officials then called the first and second groups of cars to the staging area at 10:20 p.m., signaling that action would soon be getting underway.

Officials also announced that the qualifying format for the evening program would remain the same as in the afternoon with all drivers getting one lap on the clock.

Rain delay

After some brief, light rain fell around 6 p.m., storm cells approaching from the west led officials to put the start of the evening program on hold. Heavy showers began to fall just after 7:45 p.m. and as of 8:05 p.m. the racing card was officially under a rain delay.

If the rain ceases early enough to allow the track surface to be run in for competition, officials said they will decide if the format will feature one lap of qualifying; combined hot-lap/qualifying with five cars on the track at a time; or a pill draw to determine heat lineups.

Time trial results

Driver (car no.), hometown, time
Kent Robinson (7R), Bloomington, Ind., 15.265
Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 15.432
Earl Pearson Jr. (1), Jacksonville, Fla., 15.475
Dustin Nobbe (5N), Batesville, Ind., 15.493
Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 15.528
Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 15.533
Shannon Babb (18), Moweaqua, Ill., 15.548
Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 15.552
Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.570
Jimmy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., 15.595
Jason Jameson (16), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 15.602
Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 15.613
Freddie Carpenter (K), Parkersburg, W.Va., 15.615
Devin Gilpin (1G), Columbus, Ind., 15.625
Kody Evans (4G), Camden, Ohio, 15.642
Michael Page (18), Douglasville, Ga., 15.651
Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 15.652
Josh Richards (1), Shinnston, W.Va., 15.664
Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 15.676
Shane Clanton (25), Zebulon, Ga., 15.690
Jason Feger (25), Bloomington, Ill., 15.736
Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 15.737
Frank Heckenast Jr. (99jr), Frankfort, Ill., 15.747
Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 15.761
Don O’Neal (5), Martinsville, Ind., 15.769
Ricky Weiss (7W), Headingley, Manitoba, 15.777
Jon Henry (15), Ada, Ohio, 15.780
Steven Roberts (111), Jesup, Ga., 15.804
Ryan King (1G), Seymour, Tenn., 15.818
Jared Landers (777), Batesville, Ark., 15.823
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.827
Gregg Satterlee (22), Indiana, Pa., 15.830
Austin Smith (84), Cedartown, Ga., 15.840
Brent Larson (B1), Lake Elmo, Minn., 15.855
Tim Manville (33), Highland, Ill., 15.859
Steve Casebolt (C9), Richmond, Ind., 15.861
Jonathan Rowan (56), Whiteville, Tenn., 15.862
Andy Haus (76), Hamburg, Pa., 15.863
Adam Bowman (77), Seymour, Ind., 15.870
Vic Hill (1), Mosheim, Tenn., 15.906
Chris Simpson (32), Oxford, Iowa, 15.914
Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 15.926
Aaron Ridley (81), Chatsworth, Ga., 15.928
Rod Conley (71R), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.963
Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 15.980
Devin Moran (9), Dresden, Ohio, 15.995
Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 16.003
Jesse Lay (33), Walton, Ky., 16.007
Shanon Buckingham (50), Morristown, Tenn., 16.010
Matt Miller (3), Whitehouse, Ohio, 16.034
Joey Moriarty (51), Phoenix, Ariz., 16.036
Ryan Fenech (6F), New South Wales, Australia, 16.099
Duane Chamberlain (20c), Richmond, Ind., 16.102
Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 16.119
Nick Hoffman (2), Mooresville, N.C., 16.123
Tyler Bruening (16), Decorah, Iowa, 16.166
Shad Badder (173), Oak Grove, Mo., 16.170
Joe Godsey (14G), Bentonville, Ark., 16.171
Casey Noonan (1N), Sylvania, Ohio, 16.195
Alex Ferree (4), Saxonburg, Pa., 16.196
Nick Latham (31), Winchester, Ohio, 16.244
Blake Spencer (6S), St. Augustine, Fla., 16.346
Michael Chilton (97), Salvisa, Ky., 16.355
Darrell Lanigan (14), Union, Ky., 16.401
Rob Anderzack (8a), Swanton, Ohio, 16.510
Timothy Culp (C8), Prattsville, Ark., 16.594
Jerry Bowersock (95j), Wapakoneta, Ohio, 16.683
Paul Stubber (31aus), Bunbury, Australia, 16.697
Colton Flinner (75), Allison Park, Pa., 16.706
Jeff Roth (14R), Bentonville, Ark., 16.707
Mason Zeigler (25z), Chalk Hill, Pa., 16.726
Jackie Boggs (4B), Grayson, Ky., 16.969
Bryant Dickinson (5*), Ionia, Mich., 17.509
Ernie Cordier (4c), Brodhead, Ky., 18.013
Ben Nicastri (99), Sydney, Australia, no time
Lance Elson (17), Wellsburg, W.Va., no time
Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., no time
Brandon Overton (116), Evans, Ga., no time