Eldora Speedway | 13929
St Route 118 | New Weston | OH | 45348
For immediate news release e-mail: mail@eldoraspeedway.com
PEARSON
JR REMAINS ON TOP OF ELDORA'S WORLD
ROSSBURG,
Ohio -- Earl Pearson, Jr. remains on top of the World at Eldora
Speedway.
Nicknamed
the Hurricane, Pearson swept the World 100 last September and
then Friday night blew away with one of the most competitive
victories in Eldora history as the World of Outlaw Late Models
made their debut appearance on the famed one-half mile clay
oval. Scott Orr ruled the companion UMP (United Midwestern Promoters)
Modified finale.
Two-time
NASCAR champion and Eldora Speedway owner, Tony Stewart, came
into time trials straight from Indianapolis and the Brickyard
400 festivities only to miss the scheduled hot lap session.
Unfazed, he went into the time trial session for the 49 cars
competing within the Subway 50 action and turned in the quickest
lap at 15.254 seconds, just a tick off the all-time track record.
He relegated
that into a convincing heat race victory, but with the traditional
World of Outlaw redraw, he started fourth in the wild 50-lap
main event.
As the
green flag dropped, it was former World 100 winner Chub Frank
taking the early lead, with Josh Richards, Darrell Lanigan and
Stewart in pursuit. Several caution flags within the early stages
slowed the pace somewhat, and kept the pack tightly bunched.
However,
once the field sorted themselves out, the heat was definitely
on.
Richards
was the first to mount a serious challenge and got by Frank
on lap 5, after the two ran side by side for two consecutive
laps.
Richards’
teammate, Stewart, followed the pattern and one lap later moved
into second, with Frank dropping to third, while Lanigan maintained
fourth.
The extremely
fast and tacky track, caused by a heavy rain shower that delayed
the start of the event by two hours, took its toll on several
cars, with the down force simply shredding tires.
That kept
the front runners tight, and with the Outlaw mandated double
file restarts, produced some incredible action.
Frank regained
his composure and on lap 11, shot by Stewart to take back second,
with his sights focused on Richards and the coveted lead. Six
laps later, he was back in the lead. By this point, Pearson
was up to fourth, with quick moving Tim Fuller and Scott Bloomquist
in pursuit, as well.
It was
at this point that the crowd was sensing they were in for a
barn-burner.
The half-way
mark began to change the complexion drastically. Under a yellow
flag, Richards dove into the pit area with apparent mechanical
woes, leaving Stewart in second, Pearson third, Fuller fourth
and Clint Smith fifth.
When the
green flag re-appeared, Frank was out and sailing, leaving the
balance of the field to fend for themselves. Within five laps,
Stewart had other plans, and began to reel in the leader.
Lap by
lap he got closer and on lap 38 he began his move for the lead.
Watching Frank’s tendency to run the high line, Stewart
tried a bonzai slide job coming off of turn four on lap 40.
Side by side the duo came off of the turn, with neither giving
an inch. Running out of room, the front running pair collided
and spun wildly down the front stretch. Stewart’s damage
was enough to eliminate him from the race, while Frank restarted
from the rear.
This gave
Pearson the lead, but right behind him was multi-time World
100 champion Scott Bloomquist, who is well known around the
Eldora circle for saving his car until the closing laps. Behind
them were Fuller, Brady Smith and Shannon Babb, who had woven
his way from a provisional 24th starting position to fifth.
With the
final ten laps going green, the race took on a new dimension.
Pearson maintained his top spot on the restart, with Bloomquist
and Fuller entertaining their own battle. It took Babb only
two laps to dispose of Smith for third and then within another
fourth laps overtook a surprised Bloomquist.
At this
point, the crowd was focused on Babb, and he didn’t disappoint
them. With the white flag high in the air, Babb pulled along
side Pearson and the twosome did a drag race down the backstretch.
The inevitable slide job by Babb came about in turn three and
exiting turn four, he was in the lead, but Pearson’s momentum
carried him across the line first, with Babb only inches behind
in second. Bloomquist took third, followed by Fuller and Scott
James.
With Orr
starting on the pole of the 17-lap Modified finale, it left
little doubt in any fan’s mind as to the eventual outcome.
The four-time Eldora champion didn’t disappoint anyone,
as he cruised to a strong win, despite a strong late race challenge
from Shaun Smith.
Like the
Late Models, the quick track created some early attrition, but
the waning laps provided plenty of intense competition. Mike
Dirksen drove a steady race to come home third, while Mike Hohlbein
and Steve King competed the top five.
