Gustin seeks gold in Silver Dollar Nationals

Ryan Gustin and the Gressel Racing team returned to the I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., this past weekend to compete with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for the $32,000-to-win 5th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals. As the team continues to struggle to find success with the late model this season, 'The Reaper' was forced to use an MLRA provisional get a starting spot in the 80-lap main event. After starting 27th, Gustin exited the race just past the halfway mark and wound up 23rd on the final score sheets.

RACE RECAP:

GREENWOOD, NE (July 18, 2015) - Scott Bloomquist held off a late race charge from Jimmy Owens to win the 5th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals at I-80 Speedway on Saturday might. It was Bloomquist's second straight Silver Dollar Nationals victory. He earned $32,000 for his efforts in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and Lucas Oil MLRA sanctioned event.

Bloomquist sailed by Jonathan Davenport for the lead on lap 31. Davenport later dropped out of the race with mechanical issues. Owens was gaining rapidly on Bloomquist in the closing laps and came within inches of getting by Bloomquist coming out of turn 4 for the final time, but Bloomquist managed to cross the finish line just ahead of him. Jesse Stovall charged from 19th to finish third, followed by Gregg Satterlee, and Jared Landers.

"We had a good car all night, we were able to pass the 6 car [Davenport] and not a lot of people have done that recently. We were a little worried about the track early on. They went out and worked on it before the feature and we could run anywhere on it. I was able to move my car around pretty easily. Traffic was not too bad of a problem. I want to thank the crowd for coming out tonight and the Kosiski family, they do a heck of a good job promoting this place."

Davenport came into the race winning 11 out of his last 13 starts and bolted to the lead at the start on the 80-lap event. Davenport held the point until Bloomquist forged ahead. Bloomquist then had constant pressure from Owens and Davenport until just past the halfway mark of the race.

Davenport had just moved around Owens for second with 56 laps scored when got into the turn four wall, ending his night. On the restart Owens lost ground to Bloomquist, but then picked up the pace in the final ten laps with a late-race charge, coming within inches of Bloomquist on the final lap.

"It sure was exciting at the end," said Owens, who moved to second in the championship points standings behind Davenport. "I want to thank Bryan Rowland for all that he has done for me, along with Widow Wax, Red Line Oil, Sunoco, Ford, Cornett Racing Engines and Club 29 Race Cars. We are finally getting things in line and hopefully the wins will come."

Stovall was ecstatic over his third place finish. "To run third with these guys is like wow, I can do it. We have had such a good year and to get a podium finish here is just tremendous. From where we started, I think I probably burnt my tires up a little, but what a team effort to finish where we did. I'd really like to thank Swafford's Service, Scott Bailey Racing Engines, Rushin Towing, Malvern Bank, Black Diamond Race Cars, and everybody else who helps us out. Hopefully one day we can win one of these big races."

Completing the top ten were Brandon Sheppard, Eddie Carrier Jr., Earl Pearson Jr., Jason Utter and Billy Moyer.

In preliminary action, Tad Pospisil, Moyer, Pearson, Owens, Utter and Davenport won their respective first round heat races. Chris Brown, Davenport, Bloomquist, R.C. Whitwell, Owens and Dennis Erb Jr. won their respective second round heat races. Stovall won the Cubby's Chase to the Silver Dollar Nationals. Stovall and Pearson won their respective B-Mains. Kyle Berck won the Belt Bash Non-Qualifiers Race and elected to give up his winnings in the race to start on the tail of the main event.

For the latest breaking news on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, log onto www.lucasdirt.com and follow the series at www.facebook.com/lucasdirt, www.twitter.com/lucasdirt, and www.instagram.com/lucasdirt.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Saturday, July 18th, 2015
Silver Dollar Nationals
I-80 Speedway - Greenwood, NE

Eibach Springs FIRST ROUND Heat Race #1 Finish: Tad Pospisil, Terry Phillips, Chad Hollenbeck, Jason Feger, Dave Eckrich, Junior Coover, Jason O'Brien, Curt Drake, Robbie Andersen, Garrett Alberson

FK Rod Ends FIRST ROUND Heat Race #2 Finish: Billy Moyer, Chad Simpson, Gregg Satterlee, Matt Buller, Jesse Stovall, John Duty, Denny Eckrich, Andrew Kosiski, Randy Timms, Keegan Nordquist

Simpson Performance Products FIRST ROUND Heat Race #3 Finish: Earl Pearson Jr.., Chris Spieker, Eddie Carrier Jr.., Chris Simpson, Ben Schaller, Jeremy Payne, Mike Wiarda, Bill Koons, Brad Perdue, John Hampel

QA1 FIRST ROUND Heat Race #4 Finish: Jared Landers, Jimmy Owens, Rodney Sanders, Scott Bloomquist, Chris Brown, Ryan Gustin, Dennis Erb Jr.., Allan Hopp, JC Wyman, Bill Leighton Jr..

Eibach Springs FIRST ROUND Heat Race #5 Finish: Jason Utter, Clay Daly, Jake O'Neil, Mike Collins, Brian Kosiski, Kyle Berck, Corey Zeitner, Ray Sveeggen, Cory Dumpert, Justin Duty

FK Rod Ends FIRST ROUND Heat Race #6 Finish: Jonathan Davenport, Don O'Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Jason Papich, Steve Francis, RC Whitwell, Jordan Grabouski, Mike Stadel, Austin Siebert, Bob Milander

Eibach Springs SECOND ROUND Heat Race #1 Finish: Chris Brown, Brandon Sheppard, Clay Daly, Ben Schaller, Jason O'Brien, Brad Perdue, Chad Hollenbeck, Bob Milander, John Duty, Keegan Nordquist-DNS

FK Rod Ends SECOND ROUND Heat Race #2 Finish: Jonathan Davenport, Gregg Satterlee, Ryan Gustin, Jason Papich, Garrett Alberson, Brian Kosiski, Cory Dumpert, Mike Wiarda, Curt Drake, Denny Eckrich

Simpson Performance Products SECOND ROUND Heat Race #3 Finish: Scott Bloomquist, Chad Simpson, Jason Feger, Rodney Sanders, Mike Stadel, Bill Koons, Junior Coover, Jake O'Neil, Justin Duty-DNS, Austin Siebert-DNS

QA1 SECOND ROUND Heat Race #4 Finish: RC Whitwell, Jeremy Payne, Jason Utter, Kyle Berck, Chris Simpson, Jordan Grabouski, Allan Hopp, Dave Eckrich, JC Wyman, Randy Timms-DNS

Eibach Springs SECOND ROUND Heat Race #5 Finish: Jimmy Owens, Jared Landers, Billy Moyer, Terry Phillips, Steve Francis, Andrew Kosiski, Chris Spieker, Corey Zeitner, John Hampel, Ray Sveeggen

FK Rod Ends SECOND ROUND Heat Race #6 Finish: Dennis Erb Jr.., Tad Pospisil, Jesse Stovall, Eddie Carrier Jr.., Don O'Neal, Earl Pearson Jr.., Mike Collins, Matt Buller, Bill Leighton Jr.., Robbie Andersen-DNS

Cubby's Chase to the Silver Dollar Nationals Finish: Jesse Stovall, Chad Simpson, RC Whitwell, Ryan Gustin, Kyle Berck, Brandon Sheppard, Terry Phillips, Bill Leighton Jr., Brian Kosiski, Jason Utter, Corey Zeitner, Dave Eckrich, Ben Schaller, Tad Pospisil, Matt Buller, Jeremy Payne, Mike Wiarda, Jake O'Neil-DNS

Fast Shafts B-Main #1 Line Up (15 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Jesse Stovall, Dennis Erb Jr.., Garrett Alberson, Jason Papich, Steve Francis, Mike Wiarda, Kyle Berck, Matt Buller, Justin Duty, Brad Perdue, Curt Drake, Andrew Kosiski, Junior Coover, JC Wyman, Ryan Gustin, Brian Kosiski, Allan Hopp, Chris Spieker-DNS, Denny Eckrich-DNS, Randy Timms-DNS, Robbie Andersen-DNS

Keyser MFG B-Main #2 Finish (15 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Earl Pearson Jr.., Jeremy Payne, Jordan Grabouski, Chad Hollenbeck, Mike Stadel, Bill Leighton Jr.., Ben Schaller, Corey Zeitner, Dave Eckrich, Bill Koons, Kyle Dumpert, John Hampel, Bob Milander, Ray Sveeggen, Chris Simpson, John Duty, Mike Collins, Jason O'Brien, Jake O'Neil, Cory Dumpert, Keegan Nordquist-DNS, Austin Siebert-DNS

Belt Bash Non-Qualifiers Race Finish (20 Laps): Kyle Berck, Chad Hollenbeck, Corey Zeitner, Bill Leighton Jr., Dave Eckrich, Mike Stadel, Justin Duty, Kyle Dumpert, John Hampel, Bill Koons, Bob Milander, Brad Perdue, Curt Drake, Ray Sveeggen, Andrew Kosiski, Brian Kosiski, Mike Wiarda, Junior Coover, JC Wyman, John Duty-DNS

Feature Finish (80 Laps):
FINISH START CAR # DRIVER NAME HOMETOWN
1 9 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN
2 3 20 Jimmy Owens Newport, TN
3 19 00 Jesse Stovall Billings, MO
4 7 22 Gregg Satterlee Rochester Mills, PA
5 4 777 Jared Landers Batesville, AR
6 11 B5 Brandon Sheppard New Berlin, IL
7 14 28 Eddie Carrier Jr.. Salt Rock, WV
8 20 1 Earl Pearson Jr.. Jacksonville, FL
9 6 31U Jason Utter Columbus Junction, IA
10 8 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR
11 21 28e Dennis Erb Jr.. Carpentersville, IL
12 2 04 Tad Pospisil Norfolk, NE
13 10 32B Clay Daly Salinas, CA
14 13 21b Chris Brown Spring, TX
15 25 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY
16 26 91p Jason Papich Nipomo, CA
17 17 25F Jason Feger Bloomington, IL
18 23 F5 Garrett Alberson Las Cruces, NM
19 1 6 Jonathan Davenport Mount Airy, NC
20 31 14B Kyle Berck Marquette, NE
21 5 25 Chad Simpson Mt. Vernon, IA
22 24 7K Jordan Grabouski Beatrice, NE
23 27 19R Ryan Gustin Marshalltown, IA
24 30 98 Ben Schaller Omaha, NE
25 12 75 Terry Phillips Springfield, MO
26 22 186 Jeremy Payne Springfield, MO
27 28 J0 Jake O'Neil Tucson, AZ
28 29 1B Matt Buller Henderson, NE
29 16 5 Don O'Neal Martinsville, IN
30 15 20s Rodney Sanders Happy, TX
31 18 6w RC Whitwell Tucson, AZ

Race Statistics
Entrants: 80
Lap Leaders: Jonathan Davenport (Laps 1 - 30); Scott Bloomquist (Laps 31 - 80)
Cautions: Rodney Sanders, RC Whitwell, Don O'Neal (Lap 8); Jake O'Neil, Ben Schaller, Matt Buller, Ryan Gustin (Lap 10); Clay Daly (50); Jonathan Davenport (Lap 56)
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Steve Francis;
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Highest in Passing Points Provisional: Jason Papich
Lucas Oil Midwest Latemodel Racing Association Provisionals: Ryan Gustin; Jake O'Neil
Miller Welders Fast Time Provisionals: n/a
I-80 Speedway Track Provisionals: Matt Buller; Ben Schaller
Belt Bash Non-Qualifiers Race Provisional: Kyle Berck
Wrisco Feature Winner: Jonathan Davenport
Optima Batteries Hard Charger of the Race: Jesse Stovall (Started: 19th; Finished: 3rd; Advanced 16 Positions)
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Jonathan Davenport
Allstar Performer of the Race: Jimmy Owens
Sunoco Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Jimmy Owens
Rookie of the Race: Brandon Sheppard
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Durham Racing Engines
Ohlins Shocks Chassis Builder of the Race: Sweet-Bloomquist Race Cars
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Brian Imler (Scott Bloomquist)
CV Products Fastest Lap of the Race: Jonathan Davenport (Lap #2 - 18.143 seconds)
Hot Rod Processing Most Laps Led: Scott Bloomquist (50 Laps)
PFC Brakes Tough Break Award: Matt Buller
Time of Race: 54 minutes 05 seconds