ROSSBURG, Ohio (Sept. 9) — After experiencing trouble with a $2 part on his Shane McDowell Racing Team Zero Race Car during Thursday’s opening night of preliminary action for the 52nd annual World 100 at Eldora Speedway, Dale McDowell knew Friday he needed a quality finish.

With Saturday’s World 100 heat race lineups set by points accrued through prelim time trials, heat and consolation results and feature performances during the two prelim nights, McDowell’s inability to crack the starting lineup for Thursday’s 25-lap preliminary feature left the Chickamauga, Ga., driver in a pretty deep hole.

The Hall of Fame driver got just the bounce back he needed when he turned the fastest lap of his group during time trials. He then parlayed a third-place heat race finish and ninth starting position in his feature into a $12,000 victory in Friday’s nightcap. Catching race-long leader Josh Rice of Verona, Ky., in traffic with two laps to go in the feature, McDowell slipped by on the inside to lead the final two circuits, pulling away to win by 0.815 of a second.

“It’s really huge. I think we had a decent car last night and we broke,” McDowell said. “I screwed up a little bit qualifying and you’d think I wouldn't do that as many times as I’ve come here. This place is tough. Me and Shane just talked about that earlier. The competition has tightened up so much. It’s really tough. (Just) look at the times, it’s huge.

“We had a rear-end bolt to break (Thursday). It didn’t back out, (it) broke and the driveshaft fell out of it, so for us to be able to come back tonight and qualify good, heat race pretty decent and then win, it’s awesome.”

Rice, of Verona, Ky., who started the 25-lap main event from the pole, held off seventh-starting Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., on the final lap to settle for second. Garrett Smith of Eatonton, Ga., finished fourth after starting 10th, while third-starting Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., dropped two spots to complete the top five.

Rice pulled away from fellow front-row starter Jon Henry of Ada, Ohio, on the opening lap and quickly fell into a nice rhythm around the top side to drive away. Sixth-starting Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., looking for his second preliminary feature win in as many days, was up to second when he slowed suddenly to draw the race’s only caution.

On the restart, Rice pulled away again, but by then McDowell was already riding in the fourth position. When the leaders caught lapped traffic, McDowell made a bid for the lead that Rice was able to turn back. But two laps later, as Rice was catching his brother James Rice and Henry, McDowell saw his best opportunity. Sticking to the low line he’d used throughout the race, McDowell grabbed the lead and put two lengths between himself and Rice.

“Obviously he’s a sitting duck,” McDowell said. “He was good. He was rolling around that top, but he was a sitting duck, I mean, because when they're behind you, they can go and judge off of where you need to be and that's what I did. So he did an awesome job. He rolled right around there. It just worked out in our favor and was able to keep this EZ-Go hot rod right up front.”

Rice was understandably disappointed after leading 23 of 25 laps.

“If you had told me I’d run second and be disappointed, I’d told you you’re crazy,” Rice said. “But first off, congrats to Dale. He was just so much better than me in the air. When I caught lapped cars there, I was pretty much done. I was already pretty much married to the cushion but, yeah, just just a bummer man. We led it all of them whatever, but two to go there. I gotta give s shout out to Mark Richards (of Rocket Chassis). We bounced some notes off him and we obviously got better.”

Madden’s run from seventh to third helped him finish prelims atop the point standings.

“We had a great car,” Madden said. “Just you know, it’s just inches out there. We started mid-pack there and made it to third, so I'm very pleased with the balance of our car and very pleased with the racetrack. Hopefully we can get us a good starting spot in the heat race tomorrow and get started up toward the front in the World. All-in-all, very satisfied with our weak so far.”

Notes: Following Friday’s victory lane ceremonies, Madden spun the famed Wheel of Misfortune to determine the invert for Saturday’s heat race. Spinning a No. 6, meaning the top six cars in each of the six heats will he inverted, Madden quipped that it was “the Wheel of Death.” … Ricky Weiss, apparent winner of Friday’s first preliminary feature was disqualified after his car failed the “droop” rule, which measures deck height post-race. Weiss’s DQ handed the win to Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill. … Hudson O’Neal returned to the track to finish 17th.

Feature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Josh Rice, Jon Henry
Row 2: Brian Shirley, Zack Dohm
Row 3: Chase Junghans, Hudson O’Neal
Row 4: Chris Madden, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 5: Dale McDowell, Garrett Smith
Row 6: John Blankenship, Daulton Wilson
Row 7: Ryan Gustin, Gregg Satterlee
Row 8: Forrest Trent, Stormy Scott
Row 9: Earl Pearson Jr., Scott Bloomquist
Row 10: Duane Chamberlain, Mike Benedum
Row 11: Tyler Erb, Kye Blight
Row 12: James Rice, Victor Lee

Consolation race results

(12 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation: Tyler Erb, James Rice, Tyler Carpenter, Gordy Gundaker, Jensen Ford, Austin Kirkpatrick, John Henderson, R.J. Conley, Dean Carpenter, Chase Osterhoff, Jon Kirby, Brenden Smith, Bryant Dickinson, Brandon Moore. Scratched: Jerry Bowersock, Bob Gardner, Drew Smith.

Second consolation: Kye Blight, Victor Lee, Jason Riggs, Clint Keenan, Will Roland, Joseph Joiner, Dakotah Knuckles, Justin White, Casey Noonan, Chris Nash, Michael Chilton, Steve Sabo,. Scratched: Jeremy Creech, Chase Frohnapfel, Kody Evans, Ashton Winger.

Consolation race lineups

(12 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation
Row 1: Tyler Erb, James Rice
Row 2: Tyler Carpenter, John Henderson
Row 3: Gordy Gundaker, R.J. Conley
Row 4: Jensen Ford, Dean Carpenter
Row 5: Chase Osterhoff, Austin Kirkpatrick
Row 6: Brendon Smith, Jon Kirby
Row 7: Brandon Moore, Bryant Dickinson
Row 8: Jerry Bowersock, Bob Gardner
Row 9: Drew Smith
Second consolation
Row 1: Casey Noonan, Kye Blight
Row 2: Victor Lee, Joseph Joiner
Row 3: Dakotah Knuckles, Jason Riggs
Row 4: Will Roland, Michael Chilton
Row 5: Clint Keenan, Justin White
Row 6: Chris Nash, Steve Sabo
Row 7: Jeremy Creech, Chase Frohnapel
Row 8: Kody Evans, Ashton Winger

Heat race notes

Ohio’s Jon Henry, racing a Dirt Late Model for the first time in 2022 this week, led all the way to capture the first heat by 0.483 of a second over Chris Madden. “It feels good to be back, that’s for sure,” Henry said from the seat of his Rick DeLong-owned Rocket No. 3. “I can’t believe I’m here right now, winning this heat.” … Josh Rice scored a flag-to-flag victory in Heat 2, but he might have received a last-lap challenge from Hudson O’Neal if Thursday’s second preliminary feature winner hadn’t scraped the turn-four wall heading to the white flag. O’Neal lost ground and finished 1.524 seconds behind the Kentucky driver. … Calling his trip to Eldora “a family vacation,” Zack Dohm was a happy winner of the third heat. He beat Dennis Erb Jr. to the finish line by 0739 of a second. … Duane Chamberlain grabbed the last transfer spot in the third heat with late rally, advancing from eighth to fifth over the final four circuits. … Brian Shirley controlled the fourth heat, leading the entire distance and defeating Chase Junghans by 1.503 seconds. … Jerry Bowersock bounced between turns three and four on his qualifying lap and smacked the outside wall. His machine was towed back to the pit area and he scratched from heat action.

Heat race results

(10 laps; top five transfer)

First heat: Jon Henry, Chris Madden, Dale McDowell, Ryan Gustin, Earl Pearson Jr., Tyler Erb, Tyler Carpenter, Gordy Gundaker, Jensen Ford, Chase Osterhoff, Brenden Smith, Brandon Moore.

Second heat: Josh Rice, Hudson O’Neal, Garrett Smith, Gregg Satterlee, Scott Bloomquist, James Rice, John Henderson, R.J. Conley, Dean Carpenter, Austin Kirkpatrick, Jon Kirby, Bryant Dickinson, Bob Gardner.

Third heat: Zack Dohm, Dennis Erb Jr., John Blankenship, Forrest Trent, Duane Chamberlain, Casey Noonan, Victor Lee, Dakotah Knuckles, Will Roland, Clint Keenan, Chris Nash, Jeremy Creech. Scratched: Kody Evans.

Fourth heat: Brian Shirley, Chase Junghans, Daulton Wilson, Stormy Scott, Mike Benedum, Kye Blight, Joseph Joiner, Jason Riggs, Michael Chilton, Justin White, Steve Sabo. Scratched: Chase Frohnapfel, Ashton Winger.

Heat race lineups

(10 laps; top five transfer)

First heat
Row 1: Jon Henry, Ryan Gustin
Row 2: Chris Madden, Dale McDowell
Row 3: Earl Pearson Jr., Jensen Ford
Row 4: Brenden Smith, Tyler Erb
Row 5: Tyler Carpenter, Chase Osterhoff
Row 6: Gordy Gundaker, Brandon Moore
Row 7: Jerry Bowersock, Drew Smith
Second heat
Row 1: Josh Rice, Gregg Satterlee
Row 2: Hudson O’Neal, Garrett Smith
Row 3: James Rice, Austin Kirkpatrick
Row 4: R.J. Conley, Scott Bloomquist
Row 5: John Henderson, Dean Carpenter
Row 6: Jon Kirby, Bryant Dickinson
Row 7: Bob Gardner
Third heat
Row 1: Casey Noonan, Zack Dohm
Row 2: John Blankenship, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 3: Forrest Trent, Dakotah Knuckles
Row 4: Will Roland, Duane Chamberlain
Row 5: Victor Lee, Clint Keenan
Row 6: Chris Nash, Jeremy Creech
Row 7: Kody Evans
Fourth heat
Row 1: Daulton Wilson, Brian Shirley
Row 2: Chase Junghans, Mike Benedum
Row 3: Kye Blight, Stormy Scott
Row 4: Michael Chilton, Justin White
Row 5: Jason Riggs, Joseph Joiner
Row 6: Chase Frohnapfel, Steve Sabo
Row 7: Ashton Winger

Pre-race notes

Eldora’s race week continues Friday with Chamber of Commerce weather (sunny and a high temperature in the lower 80s) for a third straight day. … After Thursday’s first World 100 preliminary program, Chris Ferguson of Mt. Holly, N.C., sits atop the event points standings that will determine the starting lineups for Saturday’s six 15-lap heats. His third-place finish in the second 25-lap feature came driving his backup Team Zero car after his primary machine’s rearend and fuel cell was heavily damaged in a Dream wreck on Wednesday. … Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., who won Thursday’s first 25-lap feature, is second in the World 100 standings, two points behind Ferguson (593-591). Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C. (590) is third, followed by Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn. (578) and Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill. (573). … Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., is sixth in the standings with 570 points following his $12,000 victory in Thursday’s second 25-lapper. It was his third career win at Eldora; he previously captured a World 100 preliminary in 2019 and a Sunoco America Late Model Series event in 2021. … Buoyed by a fifth-place finish in Thursday’s second 25-lapper, teenager Garrett Smith of Eatonton, Ga., is eighth in the points standings, setting him up well to make a run at a career-first start in the World 100 finale. … Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., has some catching up to do after falling two spots short in a B-main of transferring to a Thursday feature. He dropped out of his heat due to a broken bolt that holds the yoke on the rearend. … After an 11th-place finish in Thursday’s first 25-lapper, Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, lamented about the Eldora oval’s cushion being virtually non-existent. He said he would love to see more moisture in the surface to open up the possibility of outside moves.

Time trials

Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)

1. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 15.362
2. Garrett Smith (10), Eatonton, Ga., 15.366
3. Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 15.433
4. Mike Benedum (25), Salem, W.Va., 15.433
5. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 15.530
6. Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 15.544
7. John Blankenship (23), Williamson, W.Va., 15.557
8. Chase Junghans (18c), Manhattan, Kan., 15.557
9. Ryan Gustin (19r), Marshalltown, Iowa, 15.563
10. Gregg Satterlee (22), Indiana, Pa., 15.614
11. Zack Dohm (17), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 15.625
12. Brian Shirley (3s), Chatham, Ill., 15.625
13. Jon Henry (3), Ada, Ohio, 15.656
14. Josh Rice (11), Verona, Ky., 15.663
15. Casey Noonan (1N), Sylvania, Ohio, 15.679
16. Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.682
17. Earl Pearson Jr. (46), Jacksonville, Fla., 15.743
18. James Rice (15), Verona, Ky., 15.766
19. Forrest Trent (101), Morristown, Tenn., 15.791
20. Kye Blight (31k), Katanning, Australia, 15.798
21. Jensen Ford (83), Johnson City, Tenn., 15.815
22. Austin Kirkpatrick (11), Harrisburg, N.C., 15.851
23. Dakotah Knuckles (21k), Ewing, Va., 15.889
24. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.906
25. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 15.928
26. R.J. Conley (71C), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 15.929
27. Will Roland (22R), Jasper, Ga., 15.939
28. Michael Chilton (97), Salvisa, Ky., 15.948
29. Tyler Erb (1T), New Waverly, Texas, 15.960
30. Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 15.968
31. Duane Chamberlain (20c), Richmond, Ind., 16.039
32. Justin White (20w), Stevensville, Mich., 16.049
33. Tyler Carpenter (42), Parkersburg, W.Va., 16.080
34. John Henderson (2x), North Augusta, S.C., 16.301
35. Victor Lee (6), Danville, Ky., 16.351
36. Jason Riggs (81), College Grove, Tenn., 16.424
37. Chase Osterhoff (130), Kankakee, Ill., 16.426
38. Dean Carpenter (51), Coldwater, Miss., 16.442
39. Clint Keenan (29k), Pataskala, Ohio, 16.466
40. Joseph Joiner (10), Milton, Fla., 16.510
41. Gordy Gundaker (11), St. Charles, Mo., 16.512
42. Jon Kirby (11J), Russellville, Ark., 16.688
43. Chris Nash (354), Vicksburg, Mich., 16.810
44. Chase Frohnapfel (145), Canal Winchester, Ohio, 16.986
45. Brandon Moore (39m), Montgomery, Texas, 17.033
46. Bryant Dickinson (5x), Ionia, Mich., 17.284
47. Jeremy Creech (17c), Richmond, Ind., 17.411
48. Bob Gardner (4G), East Peoria, Ill., no time
49. Steve Sabo (16s), Freemont, Ohio, no time
50. Drew Smith (71DS), Sylvania, Ohio, no time
51. Kody Evans (4G), Camden, Ohio, no time
52. Jerry Bowersock (95j), Wapakoneta, Ohio, no time
53. Ashton Winger (58W), Hampton, Ga., no time

Friday's schedule

(All times local)

10 a.m.: Turn-three race registration opens (pit passes and media credential sign-in)
10 a.m.: Main gate ticket office opens (tickets, pit passes and will call)
10 a.m.: Turn-four ticket office opens (tickets and pit passes)
11 a.m.: All ADA parking opens (permit required)
11 a.m.: Grandstand cleared and secured for grand opening
11 a.m.-noon: Cornhole tournament registration (Gate 3)
Noon: Cornhole tournament registration (Fan Zone Barn)
Noon: Turn-three pit gate opens
Noon: All admission gates/suites/concessions open
Noon-4:30 p.m.: Technical inspection for Late Models
1 p.m.: Cornhole tournament (Fan Zone Barn)
5 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m.: Hot laps
- Time trials
8 p.m.: Opening ceremonies followed by on-track competition
- Eight heat races (10 laps)
- Four consolation races (12 laps)
- Two feature events (25 laps)