Dirt on Dirt - RaceWire

August 14

Batesville Motor Speedway,

Locust Grove, AR

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series (Topless 100 Friday first semifeature) - $5,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac, series and track reports (last updated August 15, 4:26 am)

Blair wins Topless semi amid flurry of flat tires

Topless 100 Friday first semifeature

Max Blair
Carson Ferguson
Charlie Cole
Brenden Smith
Dale McDowell
Terry Phillips
Clay Stuckey
Devin Moran
Brandon Sheppard
Brian Rickman
Chris Ferguson
Josh Rice
Kyle Bronson
Devon Andrews
Chance Mann
Dillon McCowan
Scott Crigler
Derrick Nichols

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Max Blair takes the checkers for the first semifeature.

What won the race: Inheriting the lead after Devin Moran's flat tire with five laps remaining, sixth-starting Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., led the rest of Friday's opening Ace Doran Topless 100 semifeature at Batesville Motor Speedway on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Blair collected $5,000 in fighting off a last-ditch bid from Carson Ferguson in a tire-punishing, caution-plagued 25-lapper.

Quotable: "It was crazy for sure. I mean, I was really worried," Blair said. "When I got to third. I was just kind of trying to pace myself and not kill my tires too bad. I was just hoping that I saved enough there for the end."

Key notes: Max Blair notched his second Lucas Oil win of the season and third of his career. ... Third-finishing Charlie Cole ran the second half of the race without power steering. ... Flat tires dropped several drivers from contention. ... Devin Moran, who led laps 3-20, was leading when a lap-21 flat tire forced him to the infield pits. ... Brandon Sheppard was running second when a lap-19 flat tire forced him into the pits for new rubber (he also had a flat during the lap-21 caution period). ... Polesitter Chris Ferguson led the first two laps and pitted with a flat tire on lap 21 before he could restart in second. ... Besides the yellow flags for Moran and Sheppard, eight other cautions slowed the race, the first on the initial lap when Scott Crigler, Clay Stuckey and Brenden Smith went around in turn two. ... Smith went around again on the next start in turn four. ... Kyle Bronson had a lap-five flat tire. ... On the lap-five restart, Dillon McCowan and Dale McDowell spun on the frontstretch; Blair made contact with McDowell to trigger the incident (and apologized in victory lane). ... On the 20th lap, 2013 race winner Terry Phillips had a flat. ... Sixth-running Josh Rice had a flat right-front on the 22nd lap (Ferguson pitted to replace a left-front tire). ... On the final lap, Kyle Bronson abruptly exited the track between turns three and four after contact with Phillips. ... The 35-minute feature concluded at 10:35 p.m. ... Jerry Andrews and Travis Ashley scratched from the 25-lapper. ... Performance from two evening semifeatures set the top 16 spots for Saturday’s $50,000-to-win Ace Doran Topless 100. ... Series regular Garrett Alberson didn't enter the event while recovering from serious injuries suffered when his helmet was struck by an object during Aug. 8's Sunoco North-South 100 at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky.

On the move: Charlie Cole of Wynne, Ark., started 11th and finished third for his best Lucas Oil Series finish.

Winner's sponsors: Blair's Centerline Motorsports Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and carries sponsorship from Riggs Fiber, C&J Dairy, Murphy’s Logging, Virgile Iron & Steel, Tavern 618, The Gable Inn Bar & Grill, Andy’s Towing, Deer Lakes Bowl, Willie’s World, Close Racing Supply, VG Performance, Presto Racing Stables and Bilstein Shocks.

Points chase: Before Batesville: 1. Brandon Sheppard (5,735); 2. Hudson O’Neal (5,650); 3. Devin Moran (5,590); 4. Brandon Overton (5,285); 5. Max Blair (5,215); 6. Ricky Thornton Jr. (5,110); 7. Garrett Alberson (4,995); T8. Josh Rice (4,945); T8. Brian Shirley (4,945); 10. Kyle Bronson (4,665).

Current weather: Clear, 90°F

Car count: 40

Fast qualifier: Chris Ferguson

Time: 13.373 seconds

Polesitter: Chris Ferguson

Heat race winners: Chris Ferguson, Brandon Sheppard

Next series race: August 15, Batesville Motor Speedway (Locust Grove, AR) $50,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

LOCUST GROVE, Ark. — Updates from Friday’s 34th annual Topless 100 preliminary night at Batesville Motor Speedway, highlighted by twin 25-lap, $5,000-to-win split-field semifeatures for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Semifeature

Inheriting the lead after Devin Moran's flat tire with five laps remaining, sixth-starting Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., led the rest of Friday's opening Ace Doran Topless 100 semifeature at Batesville Motor Speedway on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. Blair collected $5,000 in fighting off a last-ditch bid from Carson Ferguson in a tire-punishing, caution-plagued 25-lapper.

Semifeature lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Chris Ferguson, Brandon Sheppard
Row 2: Devin Moran, Carson Ferguson
Row 3: Dale McDowell, Max Blair
Row 4: Kyle Bronson, Brenden Smith
Row 5: Dillon McCowan, Josh Rice
Row 6: Charlie Cole, Scott Crigler
Row 7: Terry Phillips, Devon Andrews
Row 8: Clay Stuckey, Chance Mann
Row 9: Brian Rickman, Derrick Nichols
Row 10: Jerry Andrews, Travis Ashley

Heat race results

(Eight laps; all transfer)

First heat: Chris Ferguson, Devin Moran, Dale McDowell, Kyle Bronson, Dillon McCowan, Charlie Cole, Terry Phillips, Clay Stuckey, Chance Mann. Scratched: Jerry Andrews.

Second heat: Brandon Sheppard, Carson Ferguson, Max Blair, Brenden Smith, Josh Rice, Scott Crigler, Devon Andrews. Scratched: Brian Rickman, Derrick Nichols, Travis Ashley.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Chris Ferguson (22F), Mount Holly, N.C., 13.373
2. Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 13.409
3. Devin Moran (99), Dresden, Ohio, 13.426
4. Carson Ferguson (93F), Lincolnton, N.C., 13.502
5. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 13.670
6. Scott Crigler (12), Alton, Mo., 13.717
7. Dale McDowell (17m), Chickamauga, Ga., 13.729
8. Max Blair (111), Centerville, Pa., 13.769
9. Clay Stuckey (15), Shreveport, La., 13.829
10. Brenden Smith (17ss), Dade City, Fla., 13.843
11. Kyle Bronson (40B), Brandon, Fla., 13.897
12. Josh Rice (11), Crittenden, Ky., 13.913
13. Terry Phillips (75), Springfield, Mo., 13.940
14. Brian Rickman (90), Columbus, Miss., 14.268
15. Charlie Cole (2), Wynne, Ark., 14.334
16. Derrick Nichols (13n), Warren, Ark., 14.385
17. Chance Mann (88), Newport, Ark., 14.614
18. Devon Andrews (usa1), Wynne, Ark., 15.173
19. Jerry Andrews (007), Wynne, Ark., no time
20. Travis Ashley (997), Batesville, Ark., no time

Friday’s schedule

(All times local)
2:30 p.m. - Pits closed and cleared
3 p.m. - Pits open
3:45 p.m. - Tech and registration opens
4 p.m. - Grandstands open
6:45 p.m. - Tech and registration closes
7 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
7:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Modified hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model consolations(10 laps)
- Modified consolations (12 laps)
Intermission/track prep
- First Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Second Late Model semifeature (25 laps)
- Modified feature (20 laps)