Bobby Labonte Racing > Home > Pearson Remains Unstoppable In Winning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Event at Tri-City Speedway

Pearson Remains Unstoppable In Winning Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Event at Tri-City Speedway

PONTOON BEACH, IL (July 16th, 2010)- Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL won a series record, fourth straight Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event, tonight at Tri-City Speedway. He took home the $10,000 payday in winning the "Budweiser 50". Pearson withstood a mid-race challenge from several drivers as he went on to lead all 50 laps of the event. It was his seventh series win of the year.

Finishing second was Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR; followed by series point's leader, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN. Completing the top five were Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA and Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN. Birkhofer managed to get by Owens as the duo approached the finish line on the final lap.

"I want to thank all the fans for coming out tonight," exclaimed Pearson in Lucas Oil Victory Lane, "I would like to give credit to my crew for all of their hard work, and the guys back at the race shop. I also want to thank Bobby Labonte, Lucas Oil Products, Red Buck Cigars, Larry Wallace Racing Engines, and MasterSbilt Race Cars."

In the early stages of the race, the top five set a blistering pace with Pearson breaking away from the rest of the field. Pearson held a comfortable lead over Bloomquist, Moyer, Chris Wall, and Don O'Neal. It wasn't until a lap 21 caution for Tyler Reddick, that the dynamics of the race changed for the remainder of the event.

After the restart, Pearson maintained his patented bottom shelf around the track. Bloomquist and Owens found traction on the top groove of the racing surface, allowing them to close in on Pearson by the halfway mark. Moyer made it a three-car battle for second, using the same line as Pearson. After starting tenth, Birkhofer made a mid-race surge into the top five as he went around O'Neal on lap 31. In the waning laps of the event, Pearson managed to distance himself from Moyer, who had passed Bloomquist with four laps to go to take over the second spot.

Coming home in sixth was O'Neal of Martinsville, IN. Twenty-third starting, Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA finished seventh. During time trials, McDowell got into the wall coming off of turn four and flipped his primary car. He went to a back-up car and was involved in a wreck during his heat race. His crew managed to repair the damage in time for him to take a series provisional for the main event. John Blankenship of Williamson, WV finished eighth, followed by Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, WI; and Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC.

In preliminary action, Earl Pearson Jr. set the Red Buck Cigars Fast Time among the 42 entrants. Heat race winners were Pearson, Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN; Billy Moyer, and Don O'Neal. The B-Mains were won by Bub McCool and Brad Neat.

Tonight's event will be featured as an hour-long broadcast on SPEED at 1 PM (Eastern) on Saturday, August 7th.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will be back in action tomorrow night, July 17th at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, MO for the Fourth Annual "CMH Diamond Nationals". The event will pay $10,000 to win and will feature a full racing program with Red Buck Cigars Time Trials, Heat Races, B-Mains, and the 50-lap main event.