40th Annual "Hillbilly 100"

Scott Bloomquist waits his turn at qualifying in front of a full house at Tyler County Speedway during the 40th running of the prestigious Hillbilly 100 on August 31, 2008. Not since days of old has the level of competition been higher, Bloomer failing to make the cut being proof. This event provides old school dirt tracking at it's best! Even with the size of this facilty it's hard to imagine the old Tyler County Fairgrounds in overflow mode suffering from jam packed pitside and spectator parking, elbow to elbow grandstands spilling to the infield all the while gaining legenday status to call it's own. What will next year bring? You'll just have to be there to learn what the commotion is all about!

Scott James - Made the tow from Bright Indiana is without a doubt one of the most exciting drivers around. Won his heat, led opening laps and hung on for a top ten Hillbilly finish.
http://www.scottjamesmotorsports.com
Dan Schlieper - On the road from Sullivan Wisconsin there are few drivers with more muscle under the hood than this Wisconsin Wildman. Dan was one of many touring drivers that did not make the show. http://www.danschlieper.com/
Brad Neat - Stepping out from Dunnville Kentucky with a coveted UMP Summer Nationals win this young man has been making quite a name for himself. Although he did not make the big show it was awesome to finally see him in action.
http://www.bradneat41.com/

Booper Bare - Always great to see Booper at the Hillbilly over the many years and even better to see him run as well as he did at this years event. Up against some of the best in the business, Bare made the transfer with a hard fought consy win but the veteran fell just short of a top 20 in the main 100 lap event.

Donnie Moran - Second in his heat, top ten in the feature. 2008 was a very good year for "The Million Dollar Man" with wins at Muskingum, Sharon, and The Jim Dunn at Midway. Its always a great race when the 99 is in the mix, tonight in position to win. http://www.donniemoran.com
Butch McGill - He's the man to beat at Tyler County on any given night but the heavy competition during the Hillbilly forced this hot shoe to take a provisional start and finish this very important race a disappointing 24th. You can bet he will be back and a sure contender next year!
Eddie Carrier Jr. - One of the really good guys but talk about tough competition, Carrier won the 2007 edition of the Hillbilly yet failed to qualify for this years show. Of four, there is no provisional for the past winner / champion and that sent him packing. http://www.eddiecarrierjr.com
Mike Balzano - I've been to a lot of great races over the years and the E1 machine is one of the reasons why they have been great races. Mike wants to cut back, even threatens to retire but I can't imagine a Hillbilly 100 without him. Top 10 finish!

 

The "O Show" Rolls on With Win in 40th Annual Hillbilly 100

MIDDLEBOURNE, WV (August 31, 2008) – Jimmy Owens of Newport Tennessee rolled into Tyler County Speedway on Sunday Night for the first time in his racing career and it paid off handsomely as he captured the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series $40,000 to win the prestigious 40th Annual Hillbilly 100. Owens took the lead on lap 41 from Tim Dohm after a caution flag had wiped out Dohm’s huge lead. Owens then led the rest of the race holding off Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL and Dohm of Cross Lanes, WV for the victory. Ricky Williams of Beckley, WV finished fourth with Darren Miller of Chadwick, IL collecting his fifth straight LOLMDS top five finish coming across the line just behind Williams.

Scott James, last year’s Hillbilly 100 runner-up, started on the pole and led the first 11 laps until Dohm, who started fifth charged to the point racing past James to take the lead. Dohm then pulled away as he set a blistering pace as he pulled out to a healthy lead with 15 laps in the books with James running in second followed by Brian Shirley, Donnie Moran and Bart Hartman. Owens, who started 12 th was charging through the field, was up to fifth hounding Moran for position on lap 17. With 20 laps recorded Dohm was well out in front as he was lapping cars at a breathtaking clip as James was maintaining his stranglehold on second as Owens was on the move.

Owens stormed by Shirley for third on lap 22 as he closed quickly on James in the race for second. Owens and James would run side-by-side for several circuits with Owens passing him on lap 31. Owens then had an uphill battle if he was going to chase down Dohm because Dohm had put several lapped cars between himself and Owens. A caution on lap 40 for Corey Conley would be the hope that Owens was looking for because it took away Dohm’s huge lead and put all the lapped cars on the tail for the restart. Owens took full advantage of the restart as he would pass Dohm for the top spot using the high groove coming off of turn number four on the 41 st circuit.

The race would go 11 more laps under green until Steve Casebolt stopped in the middle of the backstretch on lap 52. Owens would get a good restart as Dohm would put the pressure on him as Pearson was now in the thick of things after he took a provisional where he started 23 rd. With 40 laps remaining in the event Owens, Dohm and Pearson were putting on quite a show for the record crowd that had gathered to watch the race. The trio raced sliced and diced through traffic lap after lap and with 30to go Owens was hanging on.

Dohm moved to within two car lengths of Owens and with 25 laps to go with Pearson hugging the bottom part of the race track. James was still in fourth as Bart Hartman and Ricky Williams were going three-wide for fourth. Dohm then would do a slidejob on Owens passing him for the lead briefly on lap 76, but Owens did the same to Dohm and re-passed him heading into turn number three to retake the lead. The top three continued their journey through race traffic and with the help of no caution flags the rest of the way the race would be settled amongst those three participants.

Pearson picked up the pace and swept past Dohm to take second away from him on lap 84. Pearson then appeared to have the car to get by Owens in the late stages of the event as the laps wound down. Pearson pulled to the rear decklid of Owens and with ten laps to go he was right there in contention for the win. Pearson would pull even on lap 92 with Owens, but Owens fought him off as he went on to take his third Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season by a narrow margin over Pearson at the finish line to score the $40,000 victory.

In Lucas Oil victory lane Owens was complementary of his crew after the disappointment of not making the LOLMDS event the night before at Portsmouth, OH. “I can’t thank my car owner Mike Reece enough and my crew chief and Cousin Chris Fox, the car was set up beautifully here tonight, its first time we’ve ever seen this place and I really like it, I know now why they call it the bullring.”

“That caution flag obviously helped us out tremendously because Dohm had a big lead and it brought him back to us and our car fired great on the restart and we were fortunate enough to get by him and then we had a really good race for the lead there, but traffic was a little crazy out there but we are thankful to get this win and it was a safe race.”

Owens drove his Bloomquist Race Cars Ford Fusion powered by a Cornett Racing Engine and sponsored by Reece Monument Company, Gantte Appraisals, PRC, VP Racing Fuels, Hoosier Tires, Red Line, Wear Development, Mike’s Mini Late Models and Alwee Trucking Company.

Pearson continued to lead the series point’s standings with his second place finish in the Bobby Labonte Racing/LifeLong Locks/MasterSbilt Dodge Charger. Dohm came home third in his Dohm Cycle Sales/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Rocket Monte Carlo SS with Ricky Williams having his best ever LOLMDS finish in fourth driving his Axis Custom Decals/Pro Power Performance Racing Engines/Rocket Monte Carlo SS who finished just ahead of Miller in his NAPA/Pro Power Engines/Moyer Victory Circle Ford.

Completing the rest of the top ten were Bart Hartman, Scott James, Brian Shirley, Mike Balzano and Donnie Moran. (From Series Reports)

 
 

 

Drop of the green and Tim Dohm shoots four wide toward the lead ahead of Terry Casey, Bart Hartman, and Brian Shirley. Dohm appeared to be a runaway during the first quarter but an untimely caution cooled his wheels.

Freddy Smith on the gas and inside, Darren "The Thriller" Miller on the outside with second generation driver Richard Frazier being schooled down the middle. Now that's just plain good racing!
Ricky Williams is no stranger to the WV dirt scene having won numerous events throughout the state but turned a lot of heads with a fourth place finish during the Steel Block Hillbilly 50 before claiming a last chance race over Scott Bloomquist to make the big show on Sunday. Shown three wide with Steve Shaver and Corey Conley, Williams also placed an amazing fourth in the 100.
Scott James stayed in the game all race long up to the closing laps and put heavy pressure on Owens for the lead. Owens turned the "Shark" away this time but would soon face greater challenge before race end.
Where did this cat come from?
Earl Pearson Jr. got in with a provisional starting 23rd and with ten laps remaining goes for the gold.

Jimmy Owens earned his trip to victory lane and is congratulated by Carl Short as he is presented a handshake, the trophy, and that oversized check worth a whopping $40,000.

 

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Sunday Night, August 31, 2008 / Race Summary
Tyler County Speedway – Middlebourne, WV

Fast Time: Tim Dohm/12.713 seconds

First Heat (10 Laps-Top 3 Advance): Tim Dohm, Donnie Moran, Paul Wilmoth,
Joe Loudin, Rick Williams, Jeep VanWormer, Scott Bloomquist, Brad Neat,
Chuck Harper, Butch McGill, Jackie Boggs, Paul Baker, Mark Banal,
Lance Elson, Dan Morrison

Second Heat: Richard Frazier, Jared Hawkins, Josh McGuire, Scott Irvin,
Dan Shrigley, Larry Kingseed, Dan Schlieper, Roy Roush, Jeff Burdette,
Denver Gibson, Chad Todd, Dave Hackathorn, Greg Buckland, Gary Knollinger

Third Heat: Brian Shirley, Darren Miller, Doug Horton, Booper Bare, Steve Lucas, Billy Drake, Dusty Hamrick, John Mason, Nick Corbitt, Freddie Carpenter,
Tyler Carpenter, Marshall Wiblin, Kris Southern, Joe Ramey

Fourth Heat: Scott James, Freddy Smith, Corey Conley, Keith Barbara,
Jason Fitzgerald, Bobby Hill, Sonny Conley, Donnie Dotson, Jason Witherite,
Rod Gibson, Robbie Bostic, Dwight Henry, Glynn Booth, Brad Hutson – DNS

Fifth Heat: Bart Hartman, Steve Shaver, Steve Wilmoth, Earl Pearson Jr.,
Davey Johnson, Chris Garnes, Steve Casebolt, Wayne Chinn, Justin Rattliff,
Zach Dohm, Doug Eaton, Ronald Clevenger, Jim Quaigg, Michael England – DNS

Sixth Heat: Terry Casey, Jimmy Owens, Mike Balzano, Rick Aukland,
Eddie Carrier Jr., Tim Senic, Charlie George, Joel Prosser, Steve Weigle,
Greggie Oliver, Rickey Conley, Anthony Huber, Josh Coffman, Don Conley

First B-Main (12 Laps-Winner Advances): Rick Williams, Scott Bloomquist,
Jeep VanWormer, Dan Schlieper, Dan Shrigley, Chuck Harper, Roy Roush,
Greg Buckland, Jeff Burdette, Larry Kingseed, Butch McGill, Scott Irvin, Joe Loudin, Dave Hackathorn, Paul Baker, Brad Neat, Chad Todd, Denver Gibson,
DNS - Jackie Boggs, Mark Banal, Lance Elson, Gary Knollinger, Dan Morrison

Second B-Main: Booper Bare, Keith Barbara, Jason Fitzgerald, Billy Drake,
Steve Lucas, Sonny Conley, Dusty Hamrick, Bobby Hill, John Mason,
Freddie Carpenter, Jason Witherite, Nick Corbitt, Marshall Wiblin, Dwight Henry, Glynn Booth, Tyler Carpenter, Robbie Bostic, Donnie Dotson, Rod Gibson,
Kris Southern DNS - Joe Ramey, Brad Hutson

Third B-Main: Rick Aukland, Earl Pearson Jr., Eddie Carrier Jr., Davey Johnson, Steve Casebolt, Chris Garnes, Tim Senic, Charlie George, Joel Prosser, Wayne Chinn, Greggie Oliver, Zach Dohm, Justin Rattliff, Josh Coffman, Steve Weigle, Don Conley, Ronald Clevenger, Jim Quaigg, Doug Eaton, Rickey Conley,
DNS - Anthony Huber, Michael England

40 th Annual “Hillbilly Hundred” Feature Finish (100 Laps): Jimmy Owens,
Earl Pearson Jr., Tim Dohm, Rick Williams, Darren Miller, Bart Hartman,
Scott James, Brian Shirley, Mike Balzano, Donnie Moran, Steve Shaver,
Steve Wilmoth, Joe Loudin, Paul Wilmoth Jr., Doug Horton, Terry Casey,
Rick Aukland, Steve Casebolt, Corey Conley, Freddy Smith, Booper Bare,
Sonny Conley, Josh McGuire, Butch McGill, Richard Frazier, Jared Hawkins

Race Statistics
Entries: 85
Caution Flags: 4
Lap Leaders: Scott James 1-11, Tim Dohm 12-40, Jimmy Owens 41-100

Fast Time Provisional: Joe Loudin
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Earl Pearson Jr., Steve Casebolt
Tyler County Speedway Track Provisional (Hillbilly Qualifier): Butch McGill
Tyler County Speedway Track Provisional (Steel Block): Sonny Conley

Hard Charger: Earl Pearson Jr. (Started 23rd, finished 2nd – advanced 21 positions) Performer of the Race: Rick Williams
Pass of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr.
Rookie of the Race: Terry Casey
Lucky 7 Award: Scott James
Crew Chief of the Race: Chris Fox
Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines

Time of the Race: 40 minutes

 

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