Legit Speedway Park
Blow-by-blow action at Show-Me 100
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com chief writerWEST PLAINS, Mo. (May 23) — Blog-style recaps of the 17th annual O'Reilly Show-Me 100 at West Plains Motor Speedway:
11:12 p.m.: Birkhofer completes victory
Completing a dominating performance, Brian Birkhofer kept Jimmy Mars at bay in the final laps for a $40,000 victory. Mars got within three lengths at the finish but he never had a serious chance to overtake his fellow M-B Customs Chassis driver.
11:08 p.m.: Mars keeping up with Birkhofer this time
After falling far behind midway through the race, Jimmy Mars is staying with leader Brian Birkhofer after a lap-71 restart. With Birkhofer facing lapped traffic with 15 laps remaining, Mars is just a few lengths back. Scott Bloomquist is a quarter-lap behind the lead battle. With 10 laps remaining, Birkhofer edged back away and has a half-straightaway margin.
11:02 p.m.: Lap-71 caution for Payne
Brian Birkhofer's huge lead was finally erased by a lap-71 caution. Seven cars are on the lead lap: Brian Birkhofer, Jimmy Mars, Scott Bloomquist, Jimmy Owens, Don O'Neal, Ray Cook and Earl Pearson Jr.
11 p.m.: Birkhofer turning it into a rout
After clearing some lapped traffic, Brian Birkhofer has built his lead to nearly three-quarters of a track on Jimmy Mars, who is mired behind several lapped cars. The groove has narrowed and a rubber strip is no doubt developing as David Breazeale is holding up a huge line of single file cars. Mars is about 14th in that line of cars, while Birkhofer is only about seven cars back and on the same straightaway as the second-running Mars. It's a rout.
10:57 p.m.: Birkhofer in a thick pack
Leader Brian Birkhofer, who took control from Jimmy Owens on the 20th lap, is trying to lap several cars including the No. 44 of Chris Madden. He's nearly on the same straightaway as fifth-running Don O'Neal. At lap 55, Birkhofer has better than a straightaway lead on Jimmy Mars, while Mars is five lengths ahead of Scott Bloomquist. Jimmy Owens is a close fourth and O'Neal, untangling himself from some slower lapped cars, is making up ground in fifth.
10:53 p.m.: Still a good racetrack
The groove is narrowing a bit, but there's still plenty of two-wide racing and leader Brian Birkhofer is having no trouble with lapped traffic after 45 circuits. Birkhofer is lapping Billy Moyer and he's put all but 10 competitors a lap down. Wow.
10:52 p.m.: Birkhofer leads by straightaway
After 35 laps, Brian Birkhofer has a straightaway lead and six-lapped-car cushion over second-running Jimmy Mars. Could it be a runaway? Scott Bloomquist took third from Jimmy Owens on lap 37 while fifth is Don O'Neal. Chris Madden is sixth.
10:50 p.m.: M-B over Bloomquist (for now)
The top-four battle among M-B Customs Chassis (Brian Birkhofer and Jimmy Mars) and Bloomquist Race Cars (Jimmy Owens and Scott Bloomquist) goes to M-B after the first 30 laps. Birkhofer leads with Mars second after overtaking Owens on the 26th lap. Bloomquist runs fourth.
10:47 p.m.: Birkhofer takes lead
Brian Birkhofer went under Jimmy Owens on the 20th lap to take command. Jimmy Mars is further back in third with Scott Bloomquist fourth. Don O'Neal is further back in fifth with Chris Madden and Ray Cook giving chase. Birkhofer has grown his lead to a half-straightaway by lap 23 as he heads for lapped traffic.
10:46 p.m.: Bloomquist back to fourth
Jimmy Owens leads after the lap-10 yellow with Jimmy Mars and Brian Birkhofer chasing him while battling tightly for second. Scott Bloomquist has faded a bit in fourth and Don O'Neal is fifth. While many drivers predicted the track would lockdown, it's allowing two-wide racing for now. Birkhofer grabs second from Mars on lap 16.
10:42 p.m.: Mars up to second; another yellow
A lap-10 yellow is out for a tangle among Brian Shirley, Eric Jacobsen and Chris Wall in turn three. Just before that on a lap-nine restart, Jimmy Mars got under Scott Bloomquist and took the second spot. The running order after 10 laps: Jimmy Owens, Jimmy Mars, Scott Bloomquist, Brian Birkhofer, Jeremy Payne, Brad Neat (who started 11th), Don O'Neal, Brandon Kinzer, Chris Madden, Ray Cook, Billy Moyer, Eaerl Pearson Jr., Jeep Van Wormer, John Blankenship, Scott James and more (Wendell Wallace ducked to the pits).
10:40 p.m.: Caution out on lap nine for Shirley
Brian Shirley slowed on the ninth lap to draw a caution. Just before that, Brian Birkhofer was trying to fight past fellow M-B Customs Chassis driver Jimmy Mars in a battle for third. Jimmy Owens leads followed by Scott Bloomquist, Mars and Birkhofer, as Mars maintained his spot. Jeremy Payne is fifth followed by Don O'Neal, Brandon Kinzer, Brad Neat, Chris Madden and Wendell Wallace.
10:36 p.m.: Successful start
Polesitter Jimmy Owens took the early lead as the race started cleanly on the second attempt. Scott Bloomquist is close behind in the early laps with Jimmy Mars and Brian Birkhofer battling for third. Cars are mostly single file up front but running two-wide further back in the pack.
10:28 p.m.: Green flag (and back to red)
The first start didn't last long. Between turns three and four, a scramble that included a half-dozen cars erupted with Chris Wall, Dale McDowell, Terry Phillips and Jeep Van Wormer among those involved. Van Wormer's car ended up pointed toward the outside wall in turn four with the rear end on the nose of the Phillips No. 75. A red flag was dropped because the track was virtually blocked.
It appears track workers are cleaning up fluids under the Phillips car. He pulled out and it's possible he suffered radiator damage. He climbed from the car and it's being towed off the track. Van Wormer was able to pull away. Wall and McDowell both headed to the pits and, if they return, they'll have to restart on the tail. There will be a complete restart.
Brian Shirley ducked to the pits as the yellow flag returned. When Shirley finished third in 2007, he did it after making a pit stop to change tires.
10:26 p.m.: Fireworks and four wide
A flurry of fireworks are being shot from the infield while the field forms four-wide on the 3/8-mile oval. We're just a few minutes from the green flag for the 100-lapper.
10:22 p.m.: Low expectations
In touring the frontstrech, it's tough to find a driver who believes the racing surface will allow much multigroove action. Ray Cook said 50 laps before a rubber strip developed would be doing well. Series officials hope the surface will last a little longer.
Scott James, scheduled to start 18th, believes he could make some progress with a chance from the racetrack. "I wish they'd give us a racetrack," he said. "My car's pretty damn good."
Eleventh-starting Brad Neat expressed his hopes the 100-lapper would be a good one, but there is one way he wouldn't mind it locking down. "I'd be all right if we were starting up there somewhere," he joked, pointing toward the front of the field.
10:20 p.m.: Driver intros complete
The 25-car field has been introduced. There'll be a couple of four-wide parade laps and a fireworks display preceding the main event.
9:47 p.m.: Disappointment for Dacus
Dane Dacus struggled in qualifying, got better in making a ninth-to-fourth run in a Friday heat race, and then had his No. 54 feeling the best of the weekend during a Saturday consolation race. But while leading the race that would've given him a starting spot in the main event, he lost a belt that zapped his car's oil pressure, forcing him out of the race. "That's the way our luck's been," Dacus said. "If we had been that god to start within, we'd would've never been in that consolation."
9:43 p.m.: Cook's bold prediction
With his thoughts on how the track surface was holding up, Ray Cook watched the modifieds running their 30-lap feature. He said how the modified tires ran on the surface might affect it for the ensuing Late Model feature. "It'll either make it better," he said, "or make it worse." Cook said that if there are some double-file restarts early in the Late Model feature, it might help widen the groove. But he fears the track will eventually develop a rubber strip at the middle-top of the track. "It'll surprise me if it doesn't rubber up at some point," Cook said.
9:27 p.m.: Provisionals set
The Lucas Oil Series provisionals are Josh McGuire, Eric Jacobsen and David Breazeale, who used an emergency provisional.
9:09 p.m.: Track conditions under scrutiny
After less-than-stellar heat races Friday night on a tough-to-pass track, there are plenty of interested observers in how the track surface is shaping up for the 100-lap feature. Following hot laps for the 18 cars locked into the race, Bloomquist sent word to track owner Don Gibson that he believed the surface was picking up rubber, a signal of a possible one-grooved race. Gibson radioed the tower and said that Bloomquist had said the track had picked up a half-second per lap "and was latching down," Gibson related as he cruised the track in his blue pickup. Gibson was skeptical and mentioned he didn't plan to take any action. "I don't see it," he said.
8:57 p.m.: McDowell wins second consolation
Taking the lead after Dane Dacus departed with a stalled engine, polesitter Dale McDowell won the second consolation by a half-straightaway over Chris Wall, the second and final transferring car. Following them was Shanon Buckingham, Eric Turner, Mike Marlar, Eric Jacobsen, Freddy Smith and Jason Cliburn.
8:50 p.m.: Tough break for Dacus
Dane Dacus was leading the second consolation at a lap-four caution when he stalled during the yelllow-flag laps. He was pushed off the track, apparently done for the night. That moves Dale McDowell into the lead with Chris Wall second after four laps. Shanon Buckingham is third and Eric Turner is fourth.
8:42 p.m.: Melee on first lap
The second consolation got off to a rough start when polesitter Dale McDowell appeared to check up a bit entering turn one, and Eric Turner clipped him and spun sideways. Turner collected several drivers including Brad Looney, Shanon Buckingham and Jason Cliburn. It appears everyone will be able to restart, and because more than one car was involved, they'll get their original starting spots back.
8:39 p.m.: Pearson, Blankenship transfer
Earl Pearson Jr. won the first consolation while John Blankenship finished second for the other transfer spot, surviving an onslaught from Jason Hughes and Jack Sullivan in the final laps. Blankenship appeared vulnerable as he struggled to keep his No. 23 in the low groove, but Hughes got a bit too low in turn three with two laps remaining, and Sullivan's high-side charge was halted when Blankenship swung high on the backstretch with a lap and a half remaining. Sullivan ended up third and Hughes fourth. James Ward was fifth and Jeff Floyd sixth.
8:35 p.m.: Hughes is the story again
Jason Hughes, one of the best stories of the weekend in racing his first Dirt Late Model event, is battling tightly for a transfer spot in the first consolation. Earl Pearson Jr. has led the whole way and John Blankenship has run second, but Hughes made a pass for second that was erased by a lap-16 caution for Bill Frye. There are four laps remaining and just two drivers transfer to the main event.
8:29 p.m.: Consolations rolling
The first consolation race is on the track with Earl Pearson Jr. and Jeff Floyd on the front row (scroll down for complete lineups). The top two finishers from each of two consolations transfer to the feature.
8:20 p.m.: Sad news of Olson's death
Just got word through the media horde grapevine of the death of Larry Olson, former track publicist for West Plains as well at Batesville (Ark.) Motor Speedway. Olson died March 22 in Mountain Home, Ark., according to an obituary in the Batesville newspaper. Olson gave up his racing duties several years ago after work as a track reporter, a MARS official and columnist for Dirt Late Model magazine.
I'll never forget that, upon my first visit to West Plains in 1995, Olson welcomed me with open arms, setting up a press credential (my first ever at a dirt track) and introducing me around the track. He was a generous and nice man.
8:10 p.m.: O'Neal takes dash
Don O'Neal won the Manufacturers' Dash in his MasterSbilt over Ray Cook, Billy Moyer, Michael Murphree and Wendell Wallace.
8 p.m.: Manufacturers' dash coming up
Drivers are drawing for spots in the Manufacturer's dash. The lineup: Ray Cook (MasterSbilt), Don O'Neal (MasterSbilt), Billy Moyer (Victory Circle), Michael Murphree (Shaw), Dale McDowell (Warrior), Dan Schlieper (Wild), Steve Casebolt (Rocket), Wendell Wallace (GRT), Jeremy Payne (GRT), Josh McGuire (Rayburn), Jimmy Owens (Bloomquist).
7:22 p.m.: Can't get enough Gus
For the second straight year, Adam Ward, the son of racer James Ward of Lettsworth, La., is playing the role of track mascot Gus the Cool Mule at West Plains. Of all the corny things tracks do, I've got a soft spot for Gus, who is always a part of victory lane at the Show-Me 100. The young Ward, a junior-to-be in high school, was excited about coming back to be Gus again in 2009. Jimmy "Pup" Thomas, who organizes festivities at West Plains, kept in touch with Ward about reprising his role. Moments ago, after Ward got back from a few outings as Gus, Thomas checked with him about how things were going in the top-heavy suit. "Are women asking for your number yet?" Thomas asked. Answered Ward: "I can barely see anything."
7:14 p.m.: Weather outlook
You never want to speak to soon, but after an afternoon shower at the track — and a forecast of 50 percent chance of thunderstorms — the weather looks rather promising. Weather is cycling out of the Gulf Coast, meaning weather is moving northwest across the Ozarks instead of the traditional West-to-East. There are a few spotty showers on the radar but nothing imminent. Let's hope we aren't still here Sunday.
6:55 p.m.: Action will soon get rolling
The pre-race meeting is over and action will get rolling soon. On the schedule tonight is a full modified program along with two Late Model consolation races, a Late Model Manufacturers' Dash and the 100-lap main event. The 18 drivers locked into the Show-Me feature lineup will also get a chance to hot lap (there are no hot laps for the modifieds or drivers in the Late Model consolation races).
The two Late Model consolation races will send two drivers apiece to the main event, with provisional starters filling the remainder of the starting field.
Consolation race lineups
First consolation
Row 1: Earl Pearson Jr., Jeff Floyd
Row 2: Jason Hughes, John Blankenship
Row 3: James Ward, Jack Sullivan
Row 4: Josh McGuire, Justin Wells
Row 5: Will Vaught, Bill Frye
Row 6: Mark Douglas, Matt Miller
Row 7: Billy Moyer Jr., Mitchell Byars
Row 8: Skip Arp, Howard Willis
Row 9: Michael Walker, Tony Knowles
Row 10: Ron McQuerry, Raymond Merrill
Row 11: Stacy Caldwell, Jason Utter
Row 12: Jared Landers, Chuck Laney
