LOCUST GROVE -- Jimmy Owens knew right away he had a car that could win Saturday night's Comp Cams Topless 100 at Batesville Motor Speedway. But he also knew he could blow the opportunity by not exercising patience.
But Owens, 42, passed Don O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., on the 81st lap and pulled away to take his second career Topless victory.
"It's pretty awesome," Owens, of Newport, Tenn. told DirtonDirt.com. "As soon as they throwed the green, I was able to maneuver and turn the car real good. You just had to kind of bide your time and take care of your tires and all that stuff to be there at the end."
Owens, the three-time defending Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national champion and current series points leader, was able to close in on O'Neal in lapped traffic. But several mid-race cautions allowed O'Neal to maintain lead until the closing laps.
"I could close in on him and I figured I was going to get him in lapped traffic," said Owens, who also won the 2009 Topless. "I know we were a little better than him, but I didn't think I was going to be able to pass him unless I was in traffic. ... He just got to pushing a little worse and a little worse, and he came to me. It worked out for the best.
Jacksonville's Stacy Taylor, the surprise pole-sitter, took the lead at the opening green flag and stayed at the point for the first 10 laps before surrendering the advantage to O'Neal. Owens passed four-time winner Billy Moyer of Batesville for second place on the 27th lap. He gave up the spot to Batesville's Wendell Wallace, the 1998 winner, on a lap-44 restart, but he regained the position 10 laps later, setting the final shootout with O'Neal.
Owens won for the seventh time in the Lucas Oil Series this season, and he collected $40,000. Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, Ga., the 2004 winner, charged past several contenders in the closing laps and finished second. Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., took third.
Four-time winner Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn., had to take series provisional and started 23rd for the main event after breaking a shock absorber while leading his heat race Friday night. He moved into the top five shortly after the midway point in the main event and finished fourth. O'Neal faded in the closing laps and wound up fifth.
John Blankenship of Williamson, W.Va., was sixth and Taylor earned his best Topless showing, finishing seventh. Rounding out the top 10 were 2007 winner Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., Chris Brown of Spring, Texas, and 2010 winner Jared Landers of Batesville.
Sports on 08/18/2014