Magnolia Motor Speedway
Bloomquist lands the pole for Clash at the Mag
Scott Bloomquist starts with Jimmy Owens in the first heat. (photobyconnie.com)
COLUMBUS, Miss. (July 8) — Two-time and reigning series champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., and regional standout Ronny Lee Hollingsworth of Northport, Ala., won heat races Friday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway to land front-row starting spots for Saturday's 100-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series feature. | Video | Slideshow
The Clash at the Mag, sponsored by the Columbus-Lowndes County Convention and Visitors Bureau, will pay $20,000 to win and $1,000 to start at the 3/8-mile oval west of town.
Bloomquist was the fastest qualifier among 57 entrants on Friday with a lap of 14.909 seconds. Besides Bloomquist and Hollingsworth, other heat race winners were: Chris Brown of Spring, Texas; Chris Wall of Springfield, La.; Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga.; and Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn.
Saturday's activities get under way at 4:30 p.m. with a Dirt Racing Outreach program followed by theApplianceZone.com driver autograph session at 5:30. On-track action follows with consolation races and the 100-lap main event.
Notes: Scott Bloomquist will be gunning for his third straight series victory following his sweep of last weekend's Ohio doubleheader. ... Series points leader Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., finished second behind Bloomquist in the first heat, just as he did in both of the Ohio features. ... Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., came from his sixth starting spot to win the final heat race. ... Will Vaught of Crane, Mo., is making his first start on the Lucas Oil tour since his one-year suspension ended in late May. ... Three home-state drivers are among the 18 cars locked into the main event: Eric Cooley of Fulton along with Meridian drivers Rodney Wing and Chad Thrash.
Heat race results
(10 laps; top three transfer to main event)
First heat: Scott Bloomquist, Jimmy Owens, Ray Cook, Earl Pearson Jr., Brad Neat, Frank Heckenast Jr., Eric Wells, Dean Carpenter, Jamie Tollison. Scratched: Jason Brock.
Second heat: Chris Brown, Tyler Reddick, Eric Cooley, Dale McDowell, Don O'Neal, Scott Creel, Jimmy Cliburn, Jason McBride, Clint Logan. Scratched: Dylan Ames.
Third heat: Chris Wall, Steve Francis, Stacy Taylor, Steve Casebolt, Brian Rickman, Bub McCool, Billy Ogle, Leon Henderson, Randy Polk.
Fourth heat: Ronny Lee Hollingsworth, Billy Moyer, Rodney Wing, Klint Byars, Scott Dedwylder, Chase Washington, David Breazeale, Wendell Wallace, Morgan Bagley, Eddie Rickman
Fifth heat: Shane Clanton, Chad Thrash, Will Vaught, Shep Lucas, Anthony Burroughs, Rick Rickman, Josh Putnam, Steve Bryan, Chris Hoomes.
Sixth heat: Mike Marlar, Billy Moyer Jr., Clint Smith, Jared Landers, John Blankenship, Jason Cliburn, Timothy Culp, Bo Gordon, Mark Green.
