12/21/2015
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series - 2015 Season Recap
WAYCROSS, GA (December 21, 2015) - The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series recently capped off the 2015 season with the annual championship gala at Lucas Estate in Carmel, IN. During the course of the 2015 season, over 550 different drivers competed at least once on the tour, while averaging 42 entries per event.
Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA claimed his first national title, finishing 55-points ahead of Scott Bloomquist in the final championship standings. Davenport reached victory lane on twelve different occasions in 2015, finished in the top 3 nineteen times, along with twenty top 5 finishes, and twenty-three top 10 performances. Davenport became the fifth different champion since the national tour began in 2005.
In addition to his $75,000 in points fund earnings, other awards claimed by the 2015 national champion include: Hot Rod Processing Most Laps Led ($2,000), Midwest Sheet Metal Points Leader Spoiler Challenge ($1,000), Simpson Most Top Five Finishes ($500), Sunoco Race for Gas ($3,000), Sunoco Show-Me 100 Bonus ($2,000), Wrisco Most Feature Wins ($1,000), and Dyer Top Rods (Set of Rods).
Two-time national champion, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN finished second in the 2015 championship standings. Bloomquist scored eight wins on the tour in 2015, finished in the top 3 seventeen times, along with twenty top 5 finishes, and twenty-four top 10 finishes. Bloomquist earned $500 for the Most Heat Race Wins - courtesy of Eibach Springs, the Miller Welders Most Time Awards ($500), and the highest finishing driver utilizing Penske Racing Shocks ($1,000).
Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN, a three-time national champion, finished third in the 2015 championship standings. Owens concluded his 2015 campaign with one win, eleven top 3 finishes, twenty top 5 finishes, and twenty-five top 10 finishes. Owens also earned a $1,000 bonus for his second place finish in the Sunoco Race for Gas standings.
Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN, the 2014 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national champion, finished fourth in the 2015 championship standings. O’Neal claimed one win on the season, ten top 3 finishes, sixteen top 5 finishes, and twenty-four top 10 finishes in 2015. O’Neal was the Allstar Performer of the year and received $500 cash and a $500 product certificate from Allstar Performance for his efforts.
Rounding out the top 5 in the 2015 championship standings was four-time national champion, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL. Piloting the Dunn Benson Ford, Lucas Oil #1 for the first time since 2006, Pearson Jr. reach victory lane on three occasions, along with nine top 3 finishes, thirteen top 5 finishes, and twenty-two top 10 finishes.
Finishing sixth through eleventh in the 2015 championship standings were: Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, IL, Jared Landers of Batesville, AR, Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, IL, Steve Francis of Ashland, KY, Eddie Carrier Jr. of Salt Rock, WV, and Chris Brown of Spring, TX.
Brandon Sheppard claimed the Lucas Oil Products Rookie of the Year over Chris Brown. Sheppard claimed one win in 2015, along with six top 3 finishes, eleven top 5 finishes and twenty-four top ten finishes. In addition to his $10,000 in prize money, Sheppard received product certificates from: AR Bodies, BRODIX, C&R Racing, FAST Shafts, JRi Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, Performance Bodies, QA1, and Wrisco Aluminum.
Other awards presented included:
ASi Racewear Crown Jewel Cup - Presented by DirtonDirt.com: Scott Bloomquist
Bad Boy Mowers TV Race Challenge - Presented by E3 Spark Plugs: Jonathan Davenport
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Year: Black Diamond Chassis
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year: Durham Racing Engines
DirtonDirt.com Cash Clip of the Week: Eddie Carrier Jr.
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Year - Presented by Georgia Boot: Kevin Rumley
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Year: Dennis Erb Jr.
Mike Swims Award of Excellence: Carl Short
Submitted By: Jeremy Shields
