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Dale McDowell greets Florence fans. (thesportswire.net)

UNION, Ky. (Aug. 13) — Dale McDowell of Rossville, Ga., topped 71 qualifiers on Friday at Florence Speedway in time trials for the 28th annual Sunoco Race Fuels North-South 100. McDowell earned $1,000 from Red Buck Cigars for his 17.335-second lap on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at the half-mile northern Kentucky oval. | Complete North-South 100 coverage

With a three-car inversion for Saturday's heat races, McDowell will start inside the second row in the first heat race. Six heat races are scheduled for Saturday night followed by consolation races and the 100-lap main event, which pays $50,000 to the winner. Saturday's racing is scheduled for 8 p.m.

"I should've know we'd have these dadgum inverts when I'm fast," McDowell joked, making light of the series dropping heat-race inversions at most shows but using one at Florence. It's going to be a good show for the race fans. Inverts are a lot of fun (but) it's a lot more fun for you guys than it is us."

"Maybe we can get up through there tomorrow in the heat race. The car was really good, and I think Red Buck for putting the pole award up, and I'm glad to receive it."

Saturday's heat race polesitters are Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C.; Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, Wis.; Chris Wall of Springfield, La.; Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa; and Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky. Behind McDowell among the top qualifiers were Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., and Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., who nearly went to the top of the heap despite being the final qualifier of the night in his new Longhorn Chassis.

McDowell, who drives a car owned by NASCAR standout Clint Bowyer, is still looking for his first victory of the season on the Lucas Oil Series.

"We've been in position to win a couple of races, and we just haven't capitalized," he said. "We've just broken something or whatever. We've really been struggling. ... we've had some good runs that make us think things are going the right direction, then we'll go somewhere and really just not have anything go our way. Hopefully this will be a good race."

Pre-qualifying notes

Drivers from the first qualifying group earned starting spots in the first three heats, while drivers in the second qualifying group were sent to heats 4-6. ... David Spille is driving the No. 118D owned by Randy Sebree, a car he's driven the last few weeks at Florence. ... Lucas Oil Series regular Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., has split with car owner Bob Harris of Shelbyville, Tenn. ... Greg Johnson of Bedford, Ind., is piloting the Jack Rainey-owned No. 49 formerly driven by Jeremy Hines. ... Wayne Chinn of Bradford, Ohio, is driving the Gary Engle-owned No. 15 formerly piloted by Johnson. .... Hall of Famer Freddy Smith is piloting the Warrior Race Cars house car. The Knoxville, Tenn.-based chassis builder hasn't fielded the No. G1 since the fall of 2008. ... Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, Tenn., is running his first race on the series since being hit with a $1,500 fine for running an illegal tire at a June race at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn.; Ogle's car dumped water on the track during his hot-lap session. ... The modified heats were briefly held up when a car got into the turn-three wall and knocked down the concrete; it was quickly repaired. ... Other excitement arose during modified heats when driver Rick Corbin, a formerly Late Model piloted, retaliated during a caution period and was disqualified for the night.

Heat race lineups

1. Dale McDowell (17m), Rossville, Ga., 17.335
2. Mike Marlar (36), Winfield, Tenn., 17.367
3. Greg Johnson (49), Bedford, Ind., 17.422
4. Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 17.506
5. Freddy Smith (G1), Seymour, Tenn., 17.521
6. Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 17.552
7. Chris Madden (44), Gray Court, S.C., 17.571
8. Dan Schlieper (9), Sullivan, Wis., 17.612
9. Brady Smith (2), Solon Springs, Wis., 17.613
10. Jason Jameson (29j), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 17.683
11. Brett Wyatt (17), Crossville, Tenn., 17.689
12. Jimmy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., 17.733
13. David Spille (118D), West Harrison, Ind., 17.738
14. Zack Dohm (17), Cross Lanes, W.Va., 17.778
15. Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 17.812
16. Chris Brown (21), Cleveland, Texas., 17.814
17. Bub McCool (57j), Vicksburg, Miss., 17.825
18. Darrell Lanigan (29), Union, Ky., 17.838
19. Chris Wilson (17), Louisa, Ky., 17.840
20. Matt Miller (7), Waterville, Ohio, 17.844
21. Jerry Rice (11), Verona, Ky., 17.920
22. Wayne Chinn (15), Bradford, Ohio, 18.005
23. Steve Shaver (6), Vienna, W.Va., 18.040
24. Stacy Taylor (27), Jacksonville, Ark., 18.068
25. Tim Isenberg (9T), Marshfield, Wis., 18.069
26. Wendell Wallace (88), Batesville, Ark., 18.116
27. Skip Arp (31), Georgetown, Tenn., 18.147
28. Josh McGuire (41), Grayson, Ky., 18.191
29. John Blankenship (23), Williamson, W.Va., 18.227
30. Tim Prince (P1), Heltonville, Ind., 18.231
31. James Rice (11r), Verona, Ky., 18.236
32. Steve Landrum (18), Erlanger, Ky., 18.242
33. Tim Rivers (46), Salem, Ind., 18.382
34. John Mason (72), Millersburg, Ohio, 18.471
35. Roger Williams (49), Walton, Ky., 18.780
36. Jason Whitaker (13), Cincinnati, Ohio, 18.908

1. Earl Pearson Jr. (44), Jacksonville, Fla., 17.393
2. Bart Hartman (75), Zanesville, Ohio, 17.443
3. Billy Ogle Jr. (201), Knoxville, Tenn., 17.446
4. Eddie Carrier Jr. (28), Salt Rock, W.Va., 17.461
5. Don O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 17.490
6. Brad Neat (41), Dunnville, Ky., 17.492
7. Chris Wall (71), Springfield, La., 17.505
8. Brian Birkhofer (15B), Muscatine, Iowa, 17.557
9. Steve Francis (15), Ashland, Ky., 17.577
10. Ray Cook (53), Brasstown, N.C., 17.588
11. Justin Rattliff (16), Campbellsville, Ky., 17.72
12. Eric Wells (18), Hazard, Ky., 17.774
13. Jesse Lay (63), Verona, Ky., 17.776
14. Jordan Bland (12), Campbellsville, Ky., 17.825
15. Audie McWilliams (10), Walton, Ky., 17.842
16. Rod Conley (71r), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 17.875
17. Billy Moyer (21), Batesville, Ark., 17.882
18. Mike Jewell (9), Scottsburg, Ind., 17.951
19. Billy Moyer Jr. (21), Batesville, Ark., 17.961
20. Steve Casebolt (c9), Richmond, Ind., 18.012
21. Josh Williams (jj2), West Harrison, Ind., 18.055
22. Jack Sullivan (1), Greenbrier, Ark., 18.065
23. Dustin Neat (25), Dunnville, Ky., 18.132
24. Scott James (44), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 18.135
25. Tyler Reddick (11), Corning, Calif., 18.199
26. Robby Hensley (21), Richwood, Ky., 18.203
27. Jeep Van Wormer (55), Pinconning, Mich., 18.214
28. Duane Chamberlain (1c), Richmond, Ind., 18.300
29. Mark Vineyard (4), Knoxville, Tenn., 18.375
30. D.J. Wells (11), Wooton, Ky., 18.425
31. Bob Lanter (17), Cincinnati, Ohio, 18.499
32. Adam Dixon (D11), Hebron, Ky., 18.519
33. Chad Smith (19c), Centerville, Ohio, 18.771
34. Mick Sansom (20m), Salt Rock, W.Va., 19.412
35. Brandon Green (21), Walton, Ky., no time

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