Florence Speedway

R.J. Conley fastest of 67 qualifiers at North-South

August 9, 2013, 5:30 pm

By Todd Turner

DirtonDirt.com managing editor

R.J. Conley sets fast time at Florence. (thesportswire.net)

UNION, Ky. (Aug. 9) — R.J. Conley of Wheelersburg, Ohio, topped 67 qualifiers Friday at Florence Speedway for the 31st annual Sunoco North-South 100. Conley turned a lap of 17.033 seconds at the undersized half-mile oval in preparation for Saturday’s $50,000-to-win event on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. | Complete North-South coverage

Besides Conley, the next fastest qualifiers in the second qualifying group were Dale McDowell of Chicakamauga, Ga., and Dustin Linville of Bryantsville, Ky. Those drivers, along with the three fastest drivers in the first qualifying group — Greg Johnson of Bedford, Ind., Steve Casebolt of Richmond, Ind., and Lucas Oil Series points leader Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn. — battled it out in the Red Buck Fast Dash to conclude Friday’s action, with Owens leading all the way for a $500 victory.

Saturday’s action will resume with six heat races after a three-car inversion. Heat race polesitters: Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y.; Eric Wells of Hazard, Ky.; Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky.; Duane Chamberlain of Richmond, Wis.; Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, W.Va.; and Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky.

The top three finishers from each of Saturday’s heats will transfer to the 100-lap main event, along with the top finishers of consolation races and provisional starters.

Pre-qualifying notes

Lucas Oil Series points leader Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., is attempting to become the event’s first four-time winner. ... Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., is the only driver to be fast-timer more than once over the last nine years at the North-South; he was a late arrival to Florence after spending time at the motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D., . ... Bloomquist also won his last visit to the undersized half-mile oval, a $5,000 victory July 9 on the UMP DIRTcar Summernationals. ... Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., last year’s winner, topped 64 qualifiers in last year’s event. ... The highest recent car count was 95 cars in 2008. ... Tim Prince of Heltonville, Ind., and Nick Latham of Winchester, Ohio, are tied atop Florence’s weekly points. ... Forty modifieds and 17 pure stocks are in action.

Friday dash lineup

Row 1: Greg Johnson, Jimmy Owens
Row 2: Dustin Linville, Dale McDowell
Row 3: Steve Casebolt, R.J. Conley

Saturday's heat race lineups

First heat
Row 1: Tim McCreadie, John Blankenship
Row 2: Greg Johnson, Michael Chilton
Row 3: Kent Robinson, Earl Pearson Jr.
Row 4: Tyler Reddick, Dennis Erb Jr.
Row 5: Wayne Chinn, Tommy Weder Jr.
Row 6: Kyle Bronson
Second heat
Row 1: Eric Wells, Brad Neat
Row 2: Steve Casebolt, Jeremy Hines
Row 3: Davey Johnson, James Rice
Row 4: Gregg Satterlee, Chad Stapleton
Row 5: Jeff Babcock, Brett Wyatt
Row 6: Jeff Raisor
Third heat
Row 1: Darrell Lanigan, Mike Jewell
Row 2: Jimmy Owens, Randy Weaver
Row 3: Justin Rattliff, Scott James
Row 4: Walker Arthur, D.J. Wells
Row 5: Tim Prince, Bill Blair Jr.
Row 6: Dylan Ames
Fourth heat
Row 1: Duane Chamberlain, Don O'Neal
Row 2: R.J. Conley, Chad Smith
Row 3: Jared Landers, Michael Asberry
Row 4: Tommy Bailey, Brady Smith
Row 5: Jimmy Mars, John Gill
Row 6: Dennis Roberson, Brian Gray
Fifth heat
Row 1: Eddie Carrier Jr., Steve Shaver
Row 2: Dale McDowell, Billy Moyer Jr.
Row 3: Jesse Lay, Stephen Breeding
Row 4: Mason Zeigler, Skylar Marlar
Row 5: Steve Landrum, Josh Williams
Row 6: Victor Lee
Sixth heat
Row 1: Steve Francis, Mike Marlar
Row 2: Dustin Linville, Cody Mahoney
Row 3: Dustin Neat, Robby Hensley
Row 4: Scott Bloomquist, Chris Combs
Row 5: Chris Stotts, Nick Latham
Row 6: Mick Sansom

Time trials (unofficial)

First group

Greg Johnson (15j), Bedford, Ind., 17.134
Steve Casebolt (c9), Richmond, Ind., 17.199
Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 17.204
John Blankenship (23), Williamson, W.Va., 17.218
Brad Neat (11), Dunnville, Ky., 17.252
Mike Jewell (9), Scottsburg, Ind., 17.261
Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 17.271
Eric Wells (18), Hazard, Ky., 17.295
Darrell Lanigan (29), Union, Ky., 17.326
Michael Chilton (97), Salvisa, Ky., 17.337
Jeremy Hines (5H), Seymour, Ind., 17.352
Kent Robinson (7r), Bloomington, Ind., 17.39
Randy Weaver (116), Crossville, Tenn., 17.39
Davey Johnson (1j), Latrobe, Pa., 17.407
Justin Rattliff (16), Campbellsville, Ky., 17.409
Earl Pearson Jr. (44), Jacksonville, Fla., 17.428
James Rice (11r), Verona, Ky., 17.452
Scott James (83), Lawrenceburg, Ind., 17.46
Tyler Reddick (11), Corning, Calif., 17.474
Gregg Satterlee (22), Rochester Mills, Pa., 17.582
Walker Arthur (87), Forest, Va., 17.622
Dennis Erb Jr. (28), Carpentersville, Ill., 17.658
Chad Stapleton (32), Edinburgh, Ind., 17.674
D.J. Wells (11), Hazard, Ky., 17.697
Wayne Chinn (49), Bradford, Ohio, 17.724
Jeff Babcock (1), Wayne, Ohio, 17.773
Tim Prince (P1), Heltonville, Ind., 17.791
Tommy Weder Jr. (02), Woodward, Okla., 17.826
Brett Wyatt (17), Crossville, Tenn., 17.869
Bill Blair Jr. (84), Amelia, Ohio, 17.905
Kyle Bronson (40B), Tampa, Fla., 18.264
Jeff Raisor (55), Cincinnati, Ohio, 18.288
Dylan Ames (77a), Harvest, Ala., no time

Second group

R.J. Conley (71c), Wheelersburg, Ohio, 17.033
Dale McDowell (41), Chickamauga, Ga., 17.097
Dustin Linville (D8), Bryantsville, Ky., 17.271
Don O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 17.29
Steve Shaver (6), Vienna, W.Va., 17.301
Mike Marlar (5B), Winfield, Tenn., 17.317
Duane Chamberlain (20c), Richmond, Ind., 17.352
Eddie Carrier Jr. (28), Salt Rock, W.Va., 17.371
Steve Francis (15), Ashland, Ky., 17.382
Chad Smith (19), Middletown, Ohio, 17.387
Billy Moyer Jr. (21jr), Batesville, Ark., 17.436
Cody Mahoney (4), Madison, Ind., 17.515
Jared Landers (5), Batesville, Ark., 17.560
Jesse Lay (33), Walton, Ky., 17.567
Dustin Neat (6), Dunnville, Ky., 17.604
Michael Asberry (360), Crossville, Tenn., 17.627
Stephen Breeding (5), Isom, Ky., 17.640
Robby Hensley (21), Walton, Ky., 17.671
Tommy Bailey (88), Corbin, Ky., 17.694
Mason Zeigler (25z), Chalk Hill, Pa., 17.732
Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 17.742
Brady Smith (2), Solon Springs, Wis., 17.748
Skylar Marlar (257), Winfield, Tenn., 17.773
Chris Combs (47), Isom, Ky., 17.789
Jimmy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., 17.819
Steve Landrum (18), Erlanger, Ky., 17.865
Chris Stotts (s8), Shade, Ohio, 17.883
John Gill (75), Mitchell, Ind., 17.899
Josh Williams (JJ2), West Harrison, Ind., 17.955
Dennis Roberson (25), Lexington, Ky., 18.083
Nick Latham (31), Winchester, Ohio, 18.089
Victor Lee (4), Danville, Ky., 18.133
Mick Sansom (20m), Salt Rock, W.Va, 18.638
Brian Gray (3), Hamilton, Ohio, 19.002

Friday's schedule of events

• 6:30 p.m.: Hot laps (Late Models, modifieds, pure stocks)
• Pre-race ceremonies
• Modified heat races (four heats, eight laps apiece)
• Pure stock heat races (two heats, eight laps apiece)
• Late Model time trials (two groups, two laps apiece)
• Modified consolation races
• Pure stock feature
• Red Buck fast dash (top six qualifiers; six laps)