Batesville Motor Speedway
Topless 100 feature postponed to Sunday
By Joshua Joiner
DirtonDirt.com staff writerLOCUST GROVE, Ark. (Aug. 20) – Saturday’s action for the 19th annual Comp Cams Topless 100 is set to get under way at Batesville Motor Speedway with a $40,000-to-win, 100-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series feature highlighting then evening’s events. Eighteen Late Models have already earned starting spots in the main event through Friday’s preliminary action. Two 15-lap consolation races tonight will each transfer two more cars with provisional starters filling the final row of the 24-car starting field.
Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., is scheduled to lead the field to the green flag for the main event after drawing the pole starting position in a redraw among Friday’s heat race winners. Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Ill., will join O’Neal on the front row.
9:44 p.m.: Feature postponed to Sunday
The Topless 100 feature has been postponed to Sunday afternoon at 2. The race will pick up from lap 12 with Scott Bloomquist out front. Jimmy Owens, Jared Landers, Shannon Babb and Dale McDowell will be the rest of the top five.
9:34 p.m.: Rain picking up
The rain has picked up considerably and the cars have been pulled off the racetrack. Power was also just knocked out at the racetrack. The race hasn't been officially postponed as of yet.
9:22 p.m.: Rain beginning to fall
Light rain began to fall as track crews worked to remove Ray Cook's car from the racetrack. The field is back rolling, but it appears we'll go under a rain delay, at least briefly. Scott Bloomquist continued to lead Jimmy Owens before Cook's wreck. Jared Landers had worked his way to third with Shannon Babb fourth and Dale McDowell fifth.
9:17 p.m.: Cook goes upside-down
Ray Cook went for a wild ride in turn one and brought out the red flag on lap 12. Cook, who ended up on his roll cage, was uninjured. With Cook sitting in the middle of the racetrack, front-runners had to take immediate action to avoid hitting him. Shannon Babb was unable to miss the upside-down car and made slight contact with Cook after spinning sideways. His car doesn't appear to be damaged too heavily.
9:13 p.m.: Bloomquist, Owens up front
In a development that is less than surprising, Scott Blooqmusit and Jiimmy Owens have found their way to the front. Bloomquist moved by Shannon Babb for the lead on lap five, bringing Owens along with him into the second position. Don O'Neal brought out another caution when he slowed on lap seven. He appears to be done for the night. Behind Bloomquist and Owens, Babb runs third with Dale McDowell fourth and 10th-starting Jared Landers fifth.
9:11 p.m.: O'Neal in trouble early
Polsitter Don O'Neal slid high entering turn one on the opening lap of the race and fell back to fifth. He later slowed on lap two bringing out the race's first caution. Shannon Babb leads Scott Bloomquist and Eric Wells for the restart. O'Neal has rejoined the tail of the field after pitting.
9:05 p.m.: Bloomquist pits
The field is rolling and Scott Bloomquist has become the first driver to make a pit stop. Bloomquist didn't appear to change any tires and has rejoined the field. He'll still roll off fourth. Jack Sullivan will have to start from the tail after he went to the infield pit area immediately after pulling on to the racetrack. Series rules don't allow drivers to pit until after the field begins to roll. If drivers do pit before the race goes green, they can reclaim their starting spot as long as they rejoin the field prior to the one-to-go signal being given.
9:00 p.m.: Provisionals
Teammates Earl Pearson Jr. and Brad Neat will use Lucas Oil Series provisionals to star the main event. Frank Heckenast Jr. will also start the main event thanks to a Lucas Oil emergency provisional. The field is lining up on the front straightaway now.
8:55 p.m.: Weather update
The program is being rushed along considerably as periodic ligthning has started streaking across the sky to the north of the racetrack. The third modified heat was just completed, and the 10-minute call has be given for the Late Model feature.
8:45 p.m.: Davenport wins second consy
Fourth-starting Jonathan Davenport worked his way to the second position early in the second consolation race and took over the point when race-long leader Jeff Floyd slowed with a flat tire with five laps remaining. R.C. Whitwell moved by Dane Dacus for the second and final transfer position on lap 11, but slowed with a flat of his own on the final lap, handing the transfer finish to Robbie Stuart.
Second consolation race (cars running at finish): Jonathan Davenort, Robbie Stuart, R.C. Whitwell, Dane Dacus, Brandon Smith.
8:39 p.m.: Pileup slows second consy
After a couple of early cautions in the second consolation race, second-running Dan Schlieper spun in front of the field on a lap-two restart, causing an eight-car pileup. Jeff Floyd leads Jonathan Davenport and Dane Dacus for the restart. Among those involved in the wreck: Frank Heckenast Jr., Robbie Stuart, Brad Neat, Chase Washington, Andrew McKay, Henry Cooper, R.C. Whitwell.
8:32 p.m.: Cook,Stovall transfer
Ray Cook took the lead on the start of the first consolation race and led every lap for the victory. Jesse Stovall faded early in the 15-lapper, but used a lap-eight restart to move by B.J. Robinson and Jon Kirby to take over the final transfer position and followed Cook to the finish. Earl Pearson Jr. started on the tail of the race after switching to a backup car for Saturday's action. He pulled in midway through the race and will use a provisional to start the main event.
First consolation finish: Ray Cook, Jesse Stovall, B.J. Robinson, Jon Mitchell, Austin Rettig, Jon Kirby, Chad Dupont, Kelly Hanvey, Curtis Cook, Earl Pearson Jr., Kent Robinson, Shane Harris, Eric Turner.
8:25 p.m.: Robinson falls from transfer spot
Kent Robinson moved from sixth to second early in the first consolation race and was running down leader Ray Cook before steering issues caused him to spin down the back straightaway on lap eight. Cook leads B.J. Robinson and Jon Kirby for the restart.
8:15 p.m.: Schedule change
As the second modified heat race wrapped up, race officials announced a schedule change and rolled directly into the first Late Model consolation race. The third modified heat will be ran after the two Late Model consolation races. The Late Model feature will run directly after the third modified heat.
8:00 p.m.: Tire concerns
Tire wear has been a popular topic of conversation at the track this weekend. After most of last night's heat winners reported heavy tire wear in the 12-lap prelims, there's talk of a number of drivers planning to make pit stops in tonight's main event. For more on that story line, check out this story. Catch up on all of this weekend's action by visiting the Comp Cams Topless 100 index page.
7:55 p.m.: Consolation race lineups
Below are the original lineups for consolation races. The actual lineups will likely look a bit different due to a number of scratches by drivers who did not return for Saturday’s action.
First consolation
Row 1: Jon Kirby, Ray Cook
Row 2: B.J. Robinson, Stacy Taylor
Row 3: Eric Turner, Kent Robinson
Row 4: Earl Pearson Jr., Dewaine Hottinger
Row 5: Jesse Stovall, Curtis Cook
Row 6: Austin Rettig, Shane Harris
Row 7: Chad Dupont, Jon Mitchell
Row 8: Kelly Hanvey
Second consolation
Row 1: Dan Schlieper, Jeff Floyd
Row 2: Dane Dacus, Jonathan Davenport
Row 3: Robbie Stuart, Frank Heckenast Jr.
Row 4: Chase Washington, Andrew McKay
Row 5: R.C. Whitwell, Brad Neat
Row 6: Henry Cooper, Kyle Beard
Row 7: Brandon Smith, Jay Brunson
7:35 p.m.: Dodging the rain
There’s scattered rain in the area around the racetrack and skies have been overcast for most of the afternoon. All the rain has missed the racetrack so far, but there’s a possibility of more showers moving into the area later tonight. Rain forced last year's race to be postponed to Sunday afternoon. The hot daytime temperatures produced an abrasive racing surface around the 3/8-mile racetrack, causing drivers to have to make pit stops to replace right-rear tires. Hometown driver Jared Landers scored a surprise victory in that event.
7:20 p.m.: Action coming up at Batesville
Tonight’s drivers meeting is scheduled for 7:30 with on-track action slated for 8. Modified heat races will kick off the night’s action, followed by the two Late Model consolation races. The 18 Late Models already locked into the main event will then have a hot lap session, followed by the Modified feature. The Comp Cams Topless 100 main event will round out the night’s events.
