By James Essex / Ronald L. Jerger, Jr.
Davenport Dominates Sunoco Race Fuels North/South 100 Presented by Lucas Oil at Florence Speedway
UNION, KY (August 8, 2015) – Jonathan Davenport continued his record-setting season on Saturday Night by winning the 33rd Annual Sunoco North/South 100 – Presented by Lucas Oil at Florence Speedway. In front of a record-breaking crowd, Davenport took home the $50,000 payday. Davenport helmed the K&L Rumley Enterprises, Longhorn Chassis, and has recorded over $358,000 in winnings alone so far this season.
Trailing Davenport to the finish line was Scott Bloomquist, a 2-time winner of the event who was looking for his first win in the crown-jewel race since 2000. Mike Marlar charged from 12th to third at the finish followed by Dale McDowell who came from 16th to place fourth. Pole-sitter Jared Landers was fifth.
“It’s been a lot of hard work to get here, a lot of tough times, and it’s paying off. Wow what a trophy! This has been a dream season, and I hope it continues. This is a new motor; we didn’t even put it on the Dyno. Lee Roy Rumley; I just can’t say enough about the horsepower we have. Of course Kevin Rumley is just an incredibly talented person. This is just great!”
The race saw three different leaders in the first three laps as Davenport, Jimmy Owens, and Jason Jameson swapped the top spot. Owens took command on lap 5 and built his lead over Davenport. Owens continued to lead as he approached lapped traffic. Owens then got tangled up with a lap-car as he spun in turn two to bring out the caution.
Davenport picked up the lead on lap 17. Bloomquist moved up to second and tried to chase down Davenport through the end of the race. Bloomquist closed to within two car lengths at certain points near the end of the race, but was never close enough to pass Davenport in the waning laps.
The 31-year-old Davenport took the checkers first to become the 21st different winner of the event.
“I would like to thank TS Crane Service, Sundance Services, Sundance Flowback well testing, Bryson Motorsports, JRi Shocks, Mega Plumbing of the Carolinas, and everybody else who helps with the team.”
Bloomquist was seeking his first North/South 100 win in 15 years. “We have to do some more homework. He [Davenport] is the guy to beat now. We will work hard again this week and come to Batesville looking to win. I want to thank Crop Production Services, Dyna Gro, Mark Martin, and Horton Coal.”
Marlar had a stirring run in his new Capital Race Cars entry.
“It was good run for us. I wish we would have started closer to the front. I don’t know if I had enough for Jonathan and Scott tonight. We are happy with this finish. I’d really like to thank Ronnie Delk, Delk Equipment Sales, and RS Trading Company.”
Completing the top ten were Chris Brown, Steve Francis, Dustin Linville, Steve Casebolt, and Eddie Carrier Jr.
In preliminary action, Dustin Linville, Jason Jameson, Steve Francis, Jared Landers, Randy Weaver, and Chris Ferguson won their respective first round heat races. Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Justin Rattliff, Dale McDowell, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Casebolt, and Jonathan Davenport won their respective second round heat races. Randy Weaver, Dustin Linville, and Chris Brown won their respective B-Mains. Kent Robinson won the Non-Qualifiers Race.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday, August 8th, 2015
33rd Annual Sunoco North/South 100-presented by Lucas Oil
Florence Speedway – Union, KY
Eibach Springs FIRST ROUND Heat Race #1 Finish: Dustin Linville, John Gill, Chris Simpson, Scott James, Justin Rattliff, Jimmy Mars, James Rice, Skylar Marlar, Ted Nobbe, Kenneth Howell, and Dennis Erb, Jr.
FK Rod Ends FIRST ROUND Heat Race #2 Finish: Jason Jameson, Jimmy Owens, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Josh Rice, Cody Mahoney, Kent Robinson, Brandon Sheppard, Brad Neat, Kolby Vandenbergh, Daniel Dial, Jay Shell
Simpson Performance Products FIRST ROUND Heat Race #3 Finish: Steve Francis, Tim McCreadie, Skip Arp, RJ Conley, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jesse Lay, Steve Landrum, Joe Janowski, James Lay, Austin Mills
QA1 FIRST ROUND Heat Race #4 Finish: Jared Landers, Michael Chilton, Nick Latham, Mike Marlar, Chad Stapleton, Gregg Satterlee, Garrett Alberson, Matt Westfall, Ethan Burgess, Joe Brewer
Eibach Springs FIRST ROUND Heat Race #5 Finish: Randy Weaver, Chris Brown, Bobby Pierce, Don O’Neal, Steve Casebolt, Greg Johnson, Chad Smith, Mason Zeigler, Zak Blackwood, and Michael Hensley
FK Rod Ends FIRST ROUND Heat Race #6 Finish: Chris Ferguson, Jonathan Davenport, Scott Bloomquist, Dale McDowell, Duane Chamberlain, Jackie Boggs, Dustin Nobbe, Mason Combs, Robby Hensley, and Curt Addison
Eibach Springs SECOND ROUND Heat Race #1 Finish: Tim McCreadie, Don O’Neal, Garrett Alberson, Jason Jameson, Chris Simpson, Jackie Boggs, Nick Latham, Joe Janowski, Daniel Dial, and Michael Hensley
FK Rod Ends SECOND ROUND Heat Race #2 Finish: Jimmy Owens, Steve Francis, Earl Pearson, Jr., Jimmy Mars, Brandon Sheppard, Chris Brown, Michael Chilton, Joe Brewer, Kenneth Howell, and Duane Chamberlain
Simpson Performance Products SECOND ROUND Heat Race #3 Finish: Justin Rattliff, Cody Mahoney, Chad Smith, Chad Stapleton, Brad Neat, Skylar Marlar, Dustin Nobbe, Skip Arp, James Lay, and Robby Hensley
QA1 SECOND ROUND Heat Race #4 Finish: Scott Bloomquist, Dale McDowell, Kent Robinson, Mason Zeigler, Scott James, Ethan Burgess, Kolby Vandenbergh, Jesse Lay, Zak Blackwood, James Rice
Eibach Springs SECOND ROUND Heat Race #5 Finish: Steve Casebolt, Matt Westfall, Jared Landers, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Dennis Erb, Jr., Randy Weaver, Dustin Linville, RJ Conley, Jay Shell, Mason Combs, and Curt Addison
FK Rod Ends SECOND ROUND Heat Race #6 Finish: Jonathan Davenport, Josh Rice, Mike Marlar, Chris Ferguson, Gregg Satterlee, Greg Johnson, Bobby Pierce, John Gill, Ted Nobbe, Steve Landrum, and Austin Mills
Fast Shafts B-Main #1 Finish (20 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Randy Weaver, Earl Pearson, Jr., Kent Robinson, Jimmy Mars, Gregg Satterlee, Skip Arp, RJ Conley, Garrett Alberson, Joe Janowski, Kolby Vandenbergh, Daniel Dial, Steve Landrum, Dustin Nobbe, Joe Brewer, Jay Shell, James Lay-DNS
Keyser MFG B-Main #2 Finish (20 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Dustin Linville, Chris Simpson, Nick Latham, Chad Smith, Dennis Erb, Jr., Skylar Marlar, Bobby Pierce, Mason Zeigler, Michael Hensley, Michael Chilton, Ted Nobbe, Robby Hensley, Mason Combs, Ethan Burgess, Jackie Boggs
Sunoco Race Fuels B-Main #3 Finish (20 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): Chris Brown, John Gill, Greg Johnson, Jesse Lay, Zak Blackwood, Scott James , Austin Mills, Curt Addison, Duane Chamberlain, Chad Stapleton, Matt Westfall, Brandon Sheppard, Brad Neat-DNS, James Rice-DNS, Kenneth Howell-DNS
Inside Pole Dash Finish (6 Laps): Jared Landers, Jimmy Owens, Jason Jameson, Don O’Neal, Justin Rattliff, Josh Rice, Eddie Carrier Jr., and Tim McCreadie
Outside Pole Dash Finish (6 Laps): Jonathan Davenport, Steve Francis, Chris Ferguson, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Casebolt, Mike Marlar, Cody Mahoney, and Dale McDowell
Feature Finish (100 Laps):
FIN START CAR # DRIVER NAME HOMETOWN
1 2 6 Jonathan Davenport Mount Airy, NC
2 8 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
3 12 157 Mike Marlar Winfield, TN
4 16 17m Dale McDowell Chickamauga, GA
5 1 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
6 19 21B Chris Brown Spring, TX
7 4 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
8 18 D8 Dustin Linville Lancaster, KY
9 10 c9 Steve Casebolt Richmond, IN
10 13 28 Eddie Carrier, Jr. Salt Rock, WV
11 24 28e Dennis Erb, Jr. Carpentersville, IL
12 17 116 Randy Weaver Crossville, TN
13 3 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
14 7 5 Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN
15 23 B5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
16 25 21X Robby Hensley Walton, KY
17 21 R5 Chris Simpson Oxford, IA
18 9 16 Justin Rattliff Campbellsville, KY
19 6 22F Chris Ferguson Mount Holly, NC
20 22 75 John Gill Mitchell, IN
21 5 12J Jason Jameson Lawrenceburg, IN
22 15 39 Tim McCreadie Watertown, NY
23 14 4 Cody Mahoney Hanover, IN
24 20 1 Earl Pearson, Jr. Jacksonville, FL
25 11 11 Josh Rice Verona, KY
Non-Qualifiers Race Finish (30 Laps): Kent Robinson, Nick Latham, Bobby Pierce, Chad Smith, Greg Johnson, Scott James, Garrett Alberson, Skylar Marlar, Kolby Vandenbergh, RJ Conley, Jesse Lay, Joe Janowski, Michael Hensley, Zak Blackwood, Daniel Dial, Curt Addison, Michael Chilton, Austin Mills
Race Statistics
Entrants: 62
Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 1)
Jimmy Owens (Lap 2)
Jason Jameson (Laps 3 – 4)
Jimmy Owens (Laps 5 – 16)
Jonathan Davenport (Laps 17 – 100)
Cautions: Jimmy Owens, Josh Rice (Lap 16)
Tim McCreadie (Lap 31)
John Gill (Lap 61)
Debris (Lap 70)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Brandon Sheppard; Dennis Erb Jr.
Florence Speedway Track Provisional: Robby Hensley
Time of Race: 45 minutes 30 seconds
In the Modified 20 lap feature “The Rocketman” Joey Kramer while making his 4th appearance in 2015 notched his 2nd feature win here at Florence Speedway in 2015. Kramer would start from the inside pole position next to Derek Groomer and Groomer would bolt out to the lead entering turn two. Lap (1) would have Groomer showing the way with Kramer, Kent Robinson, Kyle Schornick and Pete Holt in tow. Lap (2) Kramer would get by Groomer coming off turn four for the lead. The top five would hold their own as the action was heating up mid pack. Lap (12) 5th running Holt would spin for the first caution of the event. The restart had Kramer leading with Groomer, Schornick, Robinson and Dennis Roberson chasing him. Lap (16) would provide the scare of the evening as #11 of Jeff Watson of Campbellsville, KY after slight contact with the #97 of Shawn Brown would then make hard contact with the outside wall about 25 feet from the flag stand and continued along the wall passing the flag stand, barrel rolled hit the wall barrel rolled again in the opposite direction and spun around and came to a stop on his side/top. Track personnel were quick to the scene and assisted Jeff out of the mangled machine. He exited and walked away, a little shook up but ok. The lap (17) restart had Kramer out front with Groomer, Robinson, Schornick and Roberson looking for a mistake by Kramer to advance their position. The final (4) circuits would go caution free with Groomer chasing Kramer. But once again “The Rocketman” lived up to his name as he held on for his 13th career feature win here at the speedway.
The 39 year old Kramer piloted the Claudette Kramer owned Lightning chassis powered by a Williams Precision power plant, and sponsored by Lucas Oil, Untamed Off road, Fox Shox, Landrum Springs, Fragola Performance Systems, AllStar Performance, Hill Historic Paintings, MPC Motorsports and Poske’s Performance Parts.
Finishing 2nd was Groomer, 3rd Robinson, 4th Schornick and 5th Roberson.
The “Hard Charger” of the race was #m1 of Ryan Morton of Middletown, OH who used his only provisional of 2015 started 25th and sliced and diced his way to 13th.
