Francis Tops Lucas Field at Tri City

Given an opportunity to leave work early on Friday, Darryl and I decided to head to Tri City Speedway in Pontoon Beach,Il for the $10,000 to win Lucas Oil late model series " Battle at the Beach." We knew the car count would likely suffer a bit, with weekly shows at Bellville and Farmer City, and the UMP Summernationals in Kankakee, but the 32 cars sihned in made for a nice, quality field. The support classes were down a bit, as well, with 19 UMP modifieds and 21 UMP Pro Crate late models, still decent size fields.
 Late model qualifying started things off, and track regular Billy Laycock shocked everyone, including himself by setting quick time at 15.506 seconds on the 3/8 mile oval. Laycock was in a three week ols Pierce car, and was as excited in his post time trial interview as he could be, much to the delight of the big crowd. He also lead the first ten lap heat until the field was coming to the white flag, when first John Blankenship and then Don Oneal slipped past on the tacky track. Tyler Reddick ran fourth.  Heat two saw polesitter Jason Feger take the early lead, while Jerry Lierly lost the top of his air cleaner in turn one. Track officials either did not see the parts on the track or chose to ignore then until Feger slowed with a flat tire, possibly the result of running over the metal pieces. Even in a heat race, Lucas Oil allows two courtesy laps for hot pit repairs, and Feger rejoined the field in sixth, racing his way back to a qualifying spot in fourth in two laps. Third starting Steve Francis posted the win over fifth starting Billy Moyer and surprise entrant Billy Drake. Iowan Chris Simpson, who captured the Summernationals race here two weeks prior picked up the win in heat three over his car builder Brian Birkhofer, local Michael Kloos, and Eddie Carrier Jr.  The final ten lapper was an easy win for series points leader Jimmy Owens over Earl Pearson, Jr and Randy Korte, but the battle was for the final transfer spot, as youngsters Billy Moyer Jr, and Louisiana native Timothy Culp ran side by side for much of the race, never touching. Moyer Jr. pulled away on the final lap. After two modified heats, the first of two intermissions were take, with a driver autograph session behind the grandstands. Following the break, the late models ran two 12 lap B-mains. In the first, Jared Landers, who was locked into the main event with a points provisional, started behind the other seven starters and appeared to be using the race as a hot lap session. After the field sorted itself out, he got serious, eventually taking the third and final qualifying spot behind local driver Craig Smith, and Lierly. Another local, Tim Manville took the second consy ahead of Culp and local ace Scott Weber. It was now time for intermission number two. The MAV TV channel was on hand to tape the event, and they apparently wanted the late model 50 lap headliner to run first, thus the need for another break. A drawing was held for youngsters, with 28 chosen, who were matched up with each starting driver, and they had pictures taken during driver introductions. Four provisionals were added to the lineup, Dennis Erb, Jr received a points transfer, while Jeff Herzog picked up a fastest timer not qualified spot. Chris and Derek Fetter then received track provisionals, giving us a 26 car starting grid. No, I don't know who the other two youngsters lined up with! As the cars took their pace laps, fourth starting Owens stopped on the backstretch. He was pushed to the hot pit in the infield, were his crew went to work frantically on the # 20. It was to no avail, as he had transmission issues that could not be resolved, ending his night. This would be a huge break for Blankenship, second in the points chase, and setting on the pole. He charged to the lead at the drop of the green over outside row one starter Simpson. By lap eight, Francis had moved to second and was challenging, and on lap nine, the # 15 moved to the front for good. The first yellow did not come until lap 29, by which time the leaders were deep into lapped traffic. the stoppage came as eighth running Kloos smacked the turn two wall. On the restart, the top two pulled away, as 15th starting Feger entered the top ten. The second caution came on lap 37, as Smith slowed in turn four. Again, Francis and Blankenship pulled away as we went back to green. The final yellow flew on lap 46 for Landers, setting up a five lap dash to the checkers. With the lineup now single file instead of Delaware style, Blankenship had his best shot to reclaim the lead, but Francis ran a perfect line to take his first Lucas win of 2013. Blankenship unofficially took the points lead, with Simpson, Oneal, and Moyer completing the top five. Sixth through tenth were Birkhofer, 16th  starting Moyer Jr, Korte, Feger, and Reddick. 
 Both Darryl and I had been up early, and he had to be back in Columbia,Mo Saturday morning, so we headed out with two features still to run. We were on the road at 10:30. Based on heat race action, it looked like no one had anything for Michael Long in the modifieds or Aaron Heck in the crates, and the posted results show they both took home checkers.
 The Lucas series heads to Wheatland,Mo for Saturday action, staying in the midwest all next week. As for me, I will be heading out shortly with a car load for the UMP Summernationals event at 34 Raceway in West Burlington, Ia, then back to Quincy Raceways for Sunday night racing, another three race weekend. Say "Hi" if you see me "Racin' Down the Road."