Pearson Edges Rice in Closest Lucas Dirt Finish in Series History

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series

Earl Pearson, Jr. picked up his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win since last February as he won in a photo finish over Florence Speedway track regular Josh Rice on Friday Night. The win kicks off the weekend of racing at the Northern Kentucky ½ mile oval in the General Tire Summer Sizzler Nationals presented by E3 Spark Plugs.

 Pearson’s 39th career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory came by a scant .002 seconds, which was the closest finish in series history. Pearson took the lead on the white flag as he held off Rice and Zack Dohm who nearly made it a three-wide finish. Kyle Bronson finished in fourth followed by the Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race, Trevor Landrum.

 Jonathan Davenport grabbed the lead at the start of the 50-lap feature and held the point until series point leader Jimmy Owens passed him for the top spot on lap 18. Owens was holding off Davenport, Rice, and Bronson until lap 27.

 Davenport and Rice made contact on the front stretch battling for second and Davenport got into the front stretch wall forcing the first caution flag of the race. The ensuing restart saw Owens go hard into the turn one wall, ending his night.

 Rice took over the point and stretched his lead over the field by over two and half seconds. Rice was primed for his first career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory, but in the last five laps both Pearson and Dohm cut into Rice’s lead. Pearson made the winning pass with two laps to go. Rice gave it everything he had and dive-bombed Pearson at the finish line but came up short.

 In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the first time since early 2019, Pearson became the 13th different winner of the 2020 series campaign. “He [Rice] was up there on the cushion and when you are out there in the lead you don’t know where to go. We found a line through the middle of the racetrack. He [Rice] did a heck of a job and drove the wheels off that car tonight. He’s a good kid, I love racing with him. He drives everybody clean and I respect the heck out of him,” said the 4-time Series champion.

 “The track was pretty well racy. I don’t know what happened to Davenport and Jimmy up there, but when it is your turn, it’s your turn. It’s been a long-time since we won here at Florence, 10 years to be exact.  We will take the win tonight and hopefully we can keep on going tomorrow.” 

The 21-year-old Rice recorded his best career finish with his second-place run. I tried backing off the cushion in the last five or so laps. I know it was close finish. We had a hot rod tonight; we will be ready for tomorrow night. If we hadn’t got the front knocked off, I don’t think they would have had anything for us.

” Dohm had his best Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series finish of the season with his new Longhorn Chassis.  “I thought the cushion would be bigger during the race. We were set-up to run the bottom and that’s where we stayed the whole race. If that cushion would have been there we would have been in trouble. Congrats to Earl on the win, I hoped the fans enjoyed that race.” 

The winner’s Ronnie and Terri Stuckey/Black Diamond Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by Lucas Oil Products, Tegeler Wrecker and Crane, Etchberger Trucking, Ohlins Shocks, P&W Sales, and Papich Construction.

 Completing the top ten were Tim McCreadie, Mike Marlar, Tyler Bruening, Tanner English, and Kyle Strickler.


Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 
Race Summary 
General Tire Summer Sizzler Nationals – presented by E3 Spark Plugs   
Friday, July 10th, 2020
Florence Speedway – Union, KY

Lucas Oil Time Trials
Fast Time Group A: Jonathan Davenport / 15.364 seconds (overall)
Fast Time Group B:  Earl Pearson Jr. / 15.431 seconds 

Penske Race Shocks Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 49-Jonathan Davenport[1]; 2. 16-Tyler Bruening[3]; 3. 11R-Josh Rice[4]; 4. 1T-Tyler Erb[2]; 5. 50-Shanon Buckingham[5]; 6. 33J-Jesse Lay[8]; 7. 1M-Connor Meade[7]; 8. 32A-Robert Starret[9]; 9. (DNS) 1G-Devin Gilpin

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 14-Josh Richards[2]; 2. 9-Devin Moran[1]; 3. 17D-Zack Dohm[3]; 4. 71-Hudson O’Neal[4]; 5. 11H-Jared Hawkins[8]; 6. 17-Logan Roberson[5]; 7. 83-Scott James[6]; 8. 49G-Billy Green[7]

Simpson Race Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 1-Earl Pearson Jr[1]; 2. 40B-Kyle Bronson[4]; 3. 8-Kyle Strickler[2]; 4. 81E-Tanner English[6]; 5. 25-Shane Clanton[7]; 6. 2H-Nick Hoffman[3]; 7. 20C-Duane Chamberlain[8]; 8. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[5]

Ohlins Shocks Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): 1. 20-Jimmy Owens[1]; 2. 39-Tim McCreadie[2]; 3. 21-Billy Moyer Jr[3]; 4. 57-Mike Marlar[4]; 5. 18L-Trevor Landrum[8]; 6. 16J-Jason Jameson[6]; 7. 2S-Stormy Scott[5]; 8. 4G-Kody Evans[7]

Tiger Rear Ends B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 11H-Jared Hawkins[2]; 2. 50-Shanon Buckingham[1]; 3. 83-Scott James[6]; 4. 49G-Billy Green[8]; 5. 1M-Connor Meade[5]; 6. 33J-Jesse Lay[3]; 7. 17-Logan Roberson[4]; 8. 32A-Robert Starret[7]; 9. (DNS) 1G-Devin Gilpin

FAST Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): 1. 25-Shane Clanton[1]; 2. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[7]; 3. 18L-Trevor Landrum[2]; 4. 16J-Jason Jameson[4]; 5. 2S-Stormy Scott[6]; 6. 2H-Nick Hoffman[3]; 7. 20C-Duane Chamberlain[5]; 8. (DNS) 4G-Kody Evans

Lucas Oil Feature Finish (50 Laps): 

PosStartCar #CompetitorHometownPay
121Earl Pearson JrJacksonville, FL$12,000
2911RJosh RiceVerona, KY$5,500
31117DZack DohmCross Lanes, WV$3,500
4640BKyle BronsonBrandon, FL$2,750
52218LTrevor LandrumErlanger, KY$2,250
6839Tim McCreadieWatertown, NY$1,800
71657Mike MarlarWinfield, TN$1,500
8516Tyler BrueningDecorah, IA$1,300
91481ETanner EnglishBenton, KY$1,200
10108Kyle StricklerMooresville, NC$1,100
11314Josh RichardsShinnston, WV$1,075
121221Billy Moyer JrBatesville, AR$1,050
131950Shanon BuckinghamMorristown, TN$1,025
141711HJared HawkinsFairmont, WV$1,000
151571Hudson O’NealMartinsville, IN$1,000
161825Shane ClantonZebulon, GA$1,000
17242HNick HoffmanMooresville, NC$1,000
18232SStormy ScottLas Cruces, NM$1,000
1979Devin MoranDresden, OH$1,000
20131TTyler ErbNew Waverly, TX$1,000
21149Jonathan DavenportBlairsville, GA$1,000
22420Jimmy OwensNewport, TN$1,000
232183Scott JamesLawrenceburg, IN$1,000
242025ZMason ZeiglerChalk Hill, PA$1,000

Race Statistics
Entrants
: 33
Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1 – 17); Jimmy Owens (Laps 18 – 27); Josh Rice (Laps 28 – 48); Earl Pearson Jr. (Laps 49 – 50)
Wrisco Feature Winner: Earl Pearson Jr.
Margin of Victory: 0.002 seconds
Cautions: Jonathan Davenport (Lap 27); Jimmy Owens (Lap 27)
Series Provisionals: Stormy Scott
Fast Time Provisional: Nick Hoffman
Series Emergency Provisionals: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Earl Pearson Jr., Josh Rice, Zack Dohm
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race
: Trevor Landrum (Advanced 17 Positions) 
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jimmy Owens
Allstar Performance Most Laps Led: Josh Rice (21 Laps)
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Earl Pearson Jr.
Eibach Springs Rookie of the Race: Tyler Bruening
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Clements Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Black Diamond Chassis
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Anthony Burroughs (Earl Pearson Jr.)
Dirty Girl Racewear Fastest Lap of the Race: Josh Rice (Lap #9 – 16.869 seconds)
STEEL-IT Tough Break of the Race: Jimmy Owens
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Jonathan Davenport
Time of Race: 28 minutes 18 seconds

Lucas Oil Point Standings:

PosCar #CompetitorHometownPointsPay
120Jimmy OwensNewport, TN4140$115,900
249Jonathan DavenportBlairsville, GA3730$75,300
339Tim McCreadieWatertown, NY3675$64,800
41TTyler ErbNew Waverly, TX3665$62,500
514Josh RichardsShinnston, WV3610$58,225
69Devin MoranDresden, OH3600$52,907
740BKyle BronsonBrandon, FL3575$52,900
825Shane ClantonZebulon, GA3425$50,100
921Billy Moyer JrBatesville, AR3300$37,175
1081ETanner EnglishBenton, KY3185$29,525
111Earl Pearson JrJacksonville, FL3080$37,850
1250Shanon BuckinghamMorristown, TN3030$28,100
1371Hudson O’NealMartinsville, IN2970$28,900
1416Tyler BrueningDecorah, IA2805$17,175
152sStormy ScottLas Cruces, NM2595$15,975

*Results are unofficial until Close of Business on the Tuesday following Race Day*

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series PR

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