Few late model drivers have turned more lapsat Batesville Motor Speedway than Terry Phillips.

Between racing in the Mid-America Racing Series and Comp Cams Super Dirt Series events at the track, as well as qualifying for every Topless 100 between 1995 and 2011, his Batesville lap count figures to be in the thousands.

But the track’s signature event had always eluded him until Sunday.

Phillips, of Springfield, Mo., charged from third to first on a lap-79 restart and held off a late charge from Jimmy Owens to win the 21st annual Comp Cams Topless 100 on Sunday.

Over the years, he had been in contention to win the Topless on several occasions, only to fall short and be struck by mechanical problems.

“I’ve run second here and led with two to go one time,” Phillips, who collected $40,000 with the victory, tolddirtondirt.com. “This is the biggest one of my career, and I finally go it done. I just love this place.”

It was the second late model crown jewel victory for Phillips. He also won the Show Me 100 at West Plains (Mo.) Speedway in 1999.

Polesitter Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., took the lead at the green flag and maintained the top spot for the first 30 laps. Owens, the 2009 Topless winner who started third, stormed past Marlar on the backstretch of lap 31 to take the lead.

Phillips started seventh and was in the top five by lap 12, but he drifted back to the seventh by the 50th lap. But he soon began climbing his way up the order and passed four-time Topless winner Billy Moyer of Batesville for third on lap 68.

Following a caution on lap 77, Phillips started behind Owens and beside second-place Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga. At the green, Phillips charged by McDowell and passed Owens for the lead on the next lap.

Phillips hit heavy traffic in the final laps, allowing Owens to close in with two laps remaining. Owens dove under Phillips on the final lap but couldn’t make the pass stick.

“I didn’t want to take a chance on tearing anything up and bumping [the lapped car],” Phillips said. “It was really just one-laned there at the end, so I just took a chance and stayed in it and tried to finish at the end.”

McDowell, the 2004 winner, took third, Chris Madden of Gray Court, S.C., was fourth and Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., finished fifth. 2007 winner Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., was sixth.

Rounding out the top 10 were Don O’Neal of Martinsville, Ind., Marlar, four-time winner Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., and defending champion Steve Francis of Ashland, Ky.

Topless 100LOCUST GROVE - Sunday’s results from the 21st annual Comp Cams Topless 100 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series event at Batesville Motor Speedway with finishing position, driver, hometown, starting position in parentheses and earnings: 1. Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo. (7), $40,000 2. Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn. (3), $20,000 3. Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, Ga. (2), $10,000 4. Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C. (9), $6,000 5. Earl Pearson Jr., Jacksonville, Fla. (11), $5,000 6. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis. (10), $4,500 7. Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind. (19), $4,000 8. Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn. (1), $3,500 9. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn. (5), $3,000 10. Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky. (20), $2,800 11. John Blankenship, Williamson, W.Va. (12), $2,60012. Robbie Stuart, DeRidder, La. (22), $2,500 13. Jesse Stovall, Galena, Mo. (4), $2,450 14. Dennis Erb Jr., Carpentersville, Ill. (14), $2,400 15. Chris Wall, Springfield, La. (17), $2,350 16. Billy Moyer Jr., Batesville (13), $2,300 17. Brandon Smith, Floral (23), $2,250 18. Eddie Carrier Jr., Salt Rock, W.Va. (25), $2,200 19. Kyle Beard, Trumann (18), $2,175 20. Wendell Wallace, Batesville (15), $2,150 21. Tyler Reddick, Corning, Calif. (6), $2,100 22. Billy Moyer, Batesville (8), $2,075 23. David Breazeale, Four Corners, Miss. (21), $2,050 24. Jared Landers, Batesville (24), $2,000 25. Stacy Taylor, Jacksonville (26), $2,000 26. Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill. (16), $2,000 LAP LEADERS Marlar 1-30, Owens 31-78, Phillips 79-100. B-MAIN WINNERS O’Neal, Francis, Breazeale.

Sports, Pages 13 on 08/19/2013