Erb Overtakes Frank For World of Outlaws Late Model Series Victory At Volusia Speedway Park
Illinois Driver Wins For First Time During UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit
By Kevin Kovac, WoO LMS P.R. Director
BARBERVILLE, FL – Feb. 23, 2012 – Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, Ill., tamed a demanding track to capture Thursday night’s 50-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at Volusia Speedway Park.
The 39-year-old DIRTcar UMP veteran overtook WoO LMS standout Chub Frank of Bear Lake, Pa., for the lead on lap 28 and never looked back in the national tour’s first event of the 41st annual UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment. He pocketed $10,000 for his first-ever triumph at the half-mile oval outside Daytona Beach.
It was Erb’s third career win on the WoO LMS. Both of his previous victories came in a one-week span of May 2007.
“This is a big win for us,” said Erb, a longtime owner/operator who campaigns a Team Zero by Bloomquist car with a Vic Hill engine under the hood. “The car’s been working real good the last couple nights and to get here in Victory Lane at Volusia for the first time really makes me excited.”
Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., who swept last year’s pair of WoO LMS A-Mains run during the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit, passed Frank on lap 48 and went on to finish second. He crossed the finish line 1.935 seconds behind Erb.
Frank, who raced off the outside pole starting spot to lead laps 1-27, settled for a third-place finish in his Rocket machine. Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky., started and finished fourth in the Barry Wright house car and Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn., advanced from the 11th starting spot to place fifth.
Erb, who started from the pole position but was outgunned for the top spot by Frank at the race’s initial green flag, chased the 50-year-old WoO LMS regular through six caution flags and one red flag before finally making his winning move. He ducked underneath Frank exiting turn two and was in front for good as lap 28 was scored.
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“We were just sitting back there trying to get a run on him,” Erb said of Frank. “We were looking for the right time to get by him. We were able to get up underneath him, and then after that I knew it was gonna be pretty tough to beat us because we had a pretty good car.”
Erb, who preceded his victory with finishes of second (Monday) and fifth (Tuesday) in DIRTcar UMP-sanctioned 30-lappers at Volusia, built a straightaway-plus advantage before the field was tightened on lap 47 by the the race’s seventh and final caution flag. Frank was unable to offer a challenge on the restart and ultimately lost second to Bloomquist on lap 48.
“I couldn’t get through (turns) one and two,” said Frank, who is winless on the WoO LMS since Aug. 22, 2009 (a span of 87 races). “I was horrible unless I hit it just right. I was trying to cut across the bottom, but it would just wash out because I was too tight.
“We’re tickled though. I wanna win, but we’ll take a top three at this place for the points.”
Bloomquist, 48, spent most of the distance running in third place. He reached the spot on lap 18 after starting sixth.
“We tightened our car up – and even though it wasn’t much, it was just too much,” said Bloomquist. “I just thought the couple adjustments I made would be alright, but it was just miserable tight.
“Considering that, I’m happy for Dennis to win, and I’m happy to run second.”
With heavy, extremely fast track conditions prevailing after a rainout of Wednesday’s UMP-sanctioned program and several showers through early afternoon on Thursday, the race proved tough on equipment.
The event was just three laps old when a multi-car accident in turn four swept up Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., Tim Fuller of Watertown, N.Y., Vic Coffey of Caledonia, N.Y., and John Lobb of Frewsburg, N.Y. Fuller and Mars were eliminated from competition.
The A-Main’s most significant incident occurred on lap nine. Mid-pack jostling caused a pileup that saw defending DIRTcar UMP national champion Ryan Unzicker of El Paso, Ill., roll onto his roof. Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., Tyler Reddick of Corning, Calif., and Frankie Heckenast Jr. of Orland Park, Ill., were also involved in the tangle.
Unzicker climbed out of his car and gingerly walked to the ambulance for a check-up.
Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., moved from the 16th starting spot to sixth at the finish in a Team Dillon car. Defending WoO LMS champ Rick Eckert of York, Pa., was seventh after using a provisional to start 25th because a last-lap heat-race tangle with the lapped car driven by St. Charles, Mo.’s Mike Hammerle knocked him from a transfer spot. Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., was eighth, WoO LMS points leader Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., finished a quiet ninth and Shane Clanton of Fayetteville, Ga., faded to 10th at the finish after climbing as high as third.
Richards, who started 10th, got as high as third and was still running fifth when he brought out the race’s last caution flag on lap 47. He slowed because he had used all his helmet tear-offs and could barely see through his mud-caked shield. He made a quick pit stop to change a flat right-rear tire, which was cut by a hit he absorbed as he slowed, and exchange his helmet.
Seventy-nine cars were signed in for the event – the biggest dirt Late Model field of the 2012 UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit.
Clanton registered the quickest lap in Ohlins Shocks Time Trials, blazing around the tacky surface in 15.446 seconds. It was his 15th career fast-time honor on the WoO LMS but first since 2010.
Heat winners were Erb, Moyer, Chub Frank, Bloomquist, Francis and Jason Feger of Bloomington, Ill. The B-Mains were captured by John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va., Dennis ‘Rambo’ Franklin of Gaffney, S.C., and Mars.
Three dirt Late Model events remain on the schedule of the 2012 UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit, beginning with a huge UMP-sanctioned doubleheader on Friday featuring a 30-lap, $7,000-to-win A-Main in the afternoon (start time 12:30 p.m.) and a 40-lap, $10,000 feature at night (7:30 p.m.). A 50-lap WoO LMS A-Main paying $10,000 to win will close out the week’s full-fender action on Saturday evening (Feb. 25).
The Super DIRTcar Series Big-Block Modifieds will join the dirt Late Models on the card of all three UNOH DIRTcar Nationals programs.
For more information on the WoO LMS, visit www.worldofoutlaws.com.
Results of WoO Late Model Series ‘UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment’ Night 1 at Volusia Speedway Park (Finishing Position/Start/Driver/Laps Completed/Money Won):
1. (1) Dennis Erb Jr./50 $10,000
2. (6) Scott Bloomquist/50 $5,100
3. (2) Chub Frank/50 $3,550
4. (4) Steve Francis/50 $2,600
5. (11) Jimmy Owens/50 $2,000
6. (16) Dale McDowell/50 $1,700
7. (25) Rick Eckert/50 $2,050
8. (10) Josh Richards/50 $1,950
9. (13) Darrell Lanigan/50 $1,850
10. (7) Shane Clanton/50 $1,650
11. (19) John Blankenship/50 $1,050
12. (27) Clint Smith/49 $850
13. (17) Mike Marlar/49 $1,450
14. (18) Frankie Heckenast Jr./49 $900
15. (15) Bub McCool/49 $850
16. (26) Vic Coffey/45 $1,350
17. (3) Jason Feger/31 $770
18. (14) Tim McCreadie/ $1,400
19. (22) Earl Pearson Jr./23 $730
20. (9) Steve Isenberg/17 $700
21. (12) Don O’Neal/16 $700
22. (29) Pat Doar/16 $550
23. (30) John Lobb/15 $0
24. (20) Dennis Franklin/13 $700
25. (5) Billy Moyer/8 $800
26. (8) Ryan Unzicker/8 $700
27. (24) Tyler Reddick/8 $700
28. (21) Jimmy Mars/2 $700
29. (28) Tim Fuller/2 $550
30. (23) Brady Smith/0 $700
* Earnings include Winners Circle program and cash contingency award bonuses
Margin of Victory: 1.935 Secs.
Yellow Flags: 7 (Laps 3, 5, 5, 13, 16, 24, 47); 1 Red Flag (Lap 9)
Lap Leaders: Frank (1-27; Erb 28-50)
Provisional Starters: Eckert, Coffey (WoO); C. Smith, Fuller, Doar, Lobb (WoO emergency)
Rookie of the Race: McCool
WoO LMS ‘Bonus Bucks’ Winner: Marlar ($500)
Ohlins Shocks Time Trial Results (Position/No./Driver/Hometown/Best Lap):
1. 25-Shane Clanton/Fayetteville, GA 15.446
2. 21-Billy Moyer/Batesville, AR 15.447
3. 1*-Chub Frank/Bear Lake, PA 15.555
4. 1-Josh Richards/Shinnston, WV 15.588
5. 15-Steve Francis/Ashland, KY 15.603
6. 99Jr-Frankie Heckenast Jr./Orland Park, IL 15.638
7. 28e-Dennis Erb Jr./Carpentersville, IL 15.651
8. 13-J.R. Hotovy/Covert, MI 15.678
9. 9i-Steve Isenberg/Marshfield, WI 15.680
10. 0-Scott Bloomquist/Mooresburg, TN 15.752
11. 22-Gregg Satterlee/Rochester Mills, PA 15.752
12. 25F-Jason Feger/Bloomington, IL 15.753
13. 29-Darrell Lanigan/Union, KY 15.785
14. 39-Tim McCreadie/Watertown, NY 15.797
15. 57J-Bub McCool/Vicksburg, MS 15.809
16. 24-Rick Eckert/York, PA 15.820
17. 91-Billy Decker/Unadilla, NY 15.854
18. 11R-Tyler Reddick/Corning, CA 15.861
19. 15d-Jonathan Davenport/Blairsville, GA 15.865
20. 24U-Ryan Unzicker/El Paso, IL 15.868
21. 2-Brady Smith/Solon Springs, WI 15.872
22. 17M-Dale McDowell/Chickamauga, GA 15.885
23. 20-Jimmy Owens/Newport, TN 15.888
24. 16R-Aaron Ridley/Chatsworth, GA 15.896
25. 23-John Blankenship/Williamson, WV 15.897
26. 14M-Morgan Bagley/Longview, TX 15.902
27. 12-Hunter Peacock/Macon, GA 15.910
28. 18b-Shannon Babb/Moweaqua, IL 15.914
29. 5b-Mike Marlar/Winfield, TN 15.918
30. 1d-Don O’Neal/Martinsville, IN 15.943
31. 5L-Jared Landers/Batesville, AR 15.957
32. 7R-Kent Robinson/Bloomington, IN 15.959
33. 1W-Dillon Wood/DaytonaBeach, FL 15.971
34. 3s-Brian Shirley/Chatham, IL 15.990
35. 11-Pat Doar/New Richmond, WI 15.999
36. 18W-Eric Wells/Hazard, KY 16.018
37. 44P-Earl Pearson Jr./Jacksonville, FL 16.030
38. 77-Jason McBride/Carbondale, IL 16.038
39. b5-Brandon Sheppard/New Berlin, IL 16.059
40. 37c-Dennis Franklin/Gaffney, SC 16.072
41. 44-Clint Smith/Senoia, GA 16.114
42. 28M-Jimmy Mars/Menomonie, WI 16.131
43. 22G-Jill George/Cedar Falls, IA 16.134
44. 4ds-Chad Hollenbeck/Kingsley, PA 16.135
45. 11H-Austin Hubbard/Seaford, DE 16.147
46. 32P-Bobby Pierce/Oakwood, IL 16.155
47. 42-Terry Casey/New London, WI 16.173
48. 99M-Donnie Moran/Dresden, OH 16.219
49. J4-John Garvin Jr./Sarver, PA 16.222
50. 21d-Dan Stone/Thompson, PA 16.269
51. 21J-Billy Moyer Jr./Batesville, AR 16.286
52. 27Y-Jim Yoder/Selinsgrove, PA 16.290
53. 5J-Eric Jacobson/Seacliff Beach, CA 16.296
54. 201-Billy Ogle Jr./Knoxville, TN 16.318
55. 8-John Lowrey/Bakersfield, CA 16.359
56. 25z-Mason Zeigler/Chalk Hill, PA 16.371
57. 18d-Danny Mitchell/Clarksburg, WV 16.373
58. 32c-Vic Coffey/Caledonia, NY 16.398
59. 90-Lance Matthees/Winona, MN 16.402
60. 49-Greg Johnson/Bedford, IN 16.410
61. 16b-Tyler Bruening/Decorah, IA 16.437
62. 81-Scott James/Bright, IN 16.480
63. 19-Tim Fuller/Watertown, NY 16.488
64. 1s-Jack Sullivan/Greenbrier, AR 16.496
65. c4-Freddie Carpenter/Parkersburg, WV 16.504
66. 72-Michael Norris/Sarver, PA 16.627
67. 15A-Phil Ausra/Dowagiac, MI 16.664
68. 87-Duane Harbaugh/Hedgesville, WV 16.771
69. 71d-Ron Davies/Warren, PA 16.808
70. 28L-John Lobb/Frewsburg, NY 16.820
71. 76-Shelby Miles/Bloomington, IN 16.858
72. 37-Jared Hawkins/Fairmont, WV 16.916
73. 27-Jeff Beyers/Pana, IL 16.978
74. 21F-Todd Frank/Green Bay, WI 16.981
75. 57s-Charlie Sandercock/Belleville, ONT 17.228
76. 16H-Mike Hammerle/St. Charles, MO 17.935
77. 15F-Alan Fink/Brewerton, NY 17.965
78. 54-Chris Nash/Kalamazoo, MI 18.187
79. 81K-Randy Korte/Highland, IL N/T
Heat No. 1 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Erb, Clanton, Lanigan, Davenport, Blankenship, Landers, Pearson, George, Lowery, Garvin, Bruening, J. Beyers, Ausra (DNS) Korte
Heat No. 2 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Moyer, Unzicker, McCreadie, Robinson, Bagley, Hotovy, Stone, McBride, Zeigler, Harbaugh, James, Hollenbeck, T. Frank
Heat No. 3 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): C. Frank, Isenberg, McCool, B. Smith, Peacock, Wood, Mitchell, Sheppard, Fuller, Hubbard, Moyer Jr., Sandercock, Davies,
Heat No. 4 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Bloomquist, Richards, McDowell, Franklin, Babb, Yoder, Coffey, Lobb, Eckert, Pierce, Hammerle, Sullivan, Shirley
Heat No. 5 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Francis, Owens, Marlar, Decker, C. Smith, Miles, Satterlee, Doar, Carpenter, Casey, Fink (DNS) Jacobsen, Matthees
Heat No. 6 (10 laps – Top 3 Transfer): Feger, O’Neal, Heckenast, Mars, Reddick, Ridley, Moran, Wells, Hawkins, Johnson, Norris, Nash, Ogle
B-Main No. 1 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Blankenship, Pearson, Robinson, Bagley, Bruening, Hotovy, George, Ausra, McBride, Lowery, Hollenbeck, Davenport, Landers, J. Beyers (DNS) Stone, Zeigler, Garvin, Harbaugh, James, T. Frank, Korte
B-Main No. 2 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Franklin, B. Smith, Fuller, Sullivan, Yoder, Coffey, Sheppard, Sandercock, Lobb, Moyer Jr., Peacock, Hammerle, Pierce, Eckert, Babb (DNS) Wood, Mitchell, Hubbard, Davies, Shirley
B-Main No. 3 (12 laps – Top 2 Transfer): Mars, Reddick, Decker, C. Smith, Moran, Wells, Hawkins, Miles, Doar, Ridley, Carpenter, Johnson, Ogle, Norris, Matthees, Satterlee (DNS) Casey, Fink, Jacobsen, Nash
2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of Feb. 23 – 5 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader):
1. Darrell Lanigan 722
2. Josh Richards 718 (-4)
3. Rick Eckert 688 (-34)
4. Shane Clanton 678 (-44)
5. Chub Frank 666 (-56)
6. Bub McCool 646 (-76)
7. Vic Coffey 624 (-98)
8. Mike Marlar 620 (-102)
9. Clint Smith 610 (-112)
10. Tim McCreadie 598 (-124)
11. Pat Doar 594 (-128)
12. Brandon Sheppard 568 (-154)
13. Jared Hawkins 564 (-158)
14. John Lobb 546 (-176)
15. Kent Robinson 542 (-180)
16. Ron Davies 530 (-192)
17. Tim Fuller 528 (-194)
18. Jason Feger 510 (-212)
19. Billy Moyer 506 (-216)
20. Gregg Satterlee 504 (-218)
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including Arizona Sport Shirts (Official Apparel Company), Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), Vicci (Official Uniform), VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel), DirtonDirt.com (Hard Charger Award), McCarthy’s One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (Raye Vest Memorial Pill Draw Award), Chizmark Larson Insurance, Factory Value Parts and RacingJunk.com; in addition to contingency sponsors Comp Cams, Eibach Springs, JE Pistons, MSD Ignition, Ohlins Shocks, Pro Power Engines, Quartermaster, Rocket Chassis, R2C Performance, Superflow Dynos, Wix Filters and Wrisco Aluminum.
