Hagerstown Speedway
Fuller nabs first Lucas Oil victory at Hagerstown
By James Essex
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Tim Fuller signs autographs following his victory. (pbase.com/cyberslash)
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (April 25) — Taking the lead on the 30th lap after Billy Moyer departed with a broken driveshaft, Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., led the rest of the way at Hagerstown Speedway to capture his first-ever Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory. Fuller earned $10,000 in the 28th annual Stanley Schetrompf Classic at the half-mile oval where Fuller has piloted big-block modifieds in years past. | Slideshow | Video
"Anytime you can get a win with the amount of people here, I mean you've got to feel good just to get a top five. To get a win, you've made your year," the fourth-starting Fuller said. "Billy Moyer was the class of the field, and I couldn't run with him, and I saw a puff of smoke the lap before he broke. ... it was bad for him."
Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., the previous night's series winner in Bedford, Pa., finished second in his bid for back-to-back victories while new series points leader Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., was third. Rick Eckert of York, Pa., and Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa, rounded out the top five.
Eckert and Moyer started on the front row with Moyer leading early before a lap-10 caution for Jamie Lathroum, who got into the turn-two wall. Moyer sprinted away on the restart while Fuller worked past Eckert for the second spot before seventh-running Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., spun in turn four to draw the second yellow flag.
Moyer stayed in control through the halfway point and had a five-length lead on Fuller when the series points leader's driveshaft broke exiting turn four. He coasted to a stop on the frontstretch, his chances for victory over.
Fuller inherited the point over Eckert, Mars, Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., and the 14th-starting Bloomquist. Mars worked past Eckert for second on the 31st lap and Fuller was still out front when the fourth and final caution appeared on the 41st lap for Nick Dickson's driveshaft troubles.
With clean racetrack ahead, Fuller cruised the rest of the way while Bloomquist went to the outside to overtake Francis and then Eckert. Mars fought off Bloomquist's attempts to take the second spot in the final laps.
Notes: Fuller's Custom-powered Rocket Chassis is owned by Larry Wight and sponsored by Gypsum Express, Integra Racing Shocks, Sunoco Race Fuels, G&R Auto Parts and Port City Racing. ... Fuller is the eighth series winner in 10 events in 2009. ... In a scary consolation race accident, Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., went hard into the inside guardrail entering turn three and up the track directly in front of Jeremy Miller after the steering on Frank's car broke. Frank's car was destroyed while Miller's received extensive damage. Neither driver was injured. ... Besides Frank and Miller, Among drivers failing to make the feature lineup: Jim Yoder, Andy Anderson, David Breazeale, John Blankenship, J.T. Spence, Bart Hartman, Nathan Durboraw, John Mason, Freddy Smith, Brad Neat, Ronnie DeHaven Jr., Matt Lux, Dan Schlieper, Jason Covert, Gary Stuhler and Tommy Weder Jr. ... Next up for Lucas Oil competitors is a $10,000-to-win event May 2 at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway.
Stanley Schetrompf Classic: (1) Tim Fuller, (2) Jimmy Mars, (3) Scott Bloomquist, (4) Rick Eckert, (5) Brian Birkhofer, (6) Steve Francis, (7) Josh Richards, (8) Steve Casebolt, (9) Ray Cook, (10) Earl Pearson Jr., (11) Scott James, (12) Frankie Plessinger, (13) Shane Clanton, (14) D.J. Myers, (15) Don O'Neal, (16) Eric Jacobsen, (17) Jimmy Owens, (18) Ricky Elliott, (19) Donnie Moran, (20) Jeep Van Wormer, (21) Nick Dickson, (22) Billy Moyer, (23) Dan Stone, (24) Jamie Lathroum, (25) Dale McDowell. Scratched: Josh McGuire. Fast qualifier (among 53 cars): Birkhofer, 18.918 seconds. Heat race winners: Eckert, Moyer, Mars, Fuller. Consolation race winners: Stone, Pearson. Provisional starters: Plessinger, Van Wormer, McGuire, O'Neal.
