Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA reeled off another Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win on Sunday Night as he captured the $10,000 to win FedEx 50 at Tri-City Speedway. Birkhofer battled the weather conditions and tough competition in scoring his third consecutive LOLMDS victory after starting sixth. Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN rallied from his 12th starting spot to finish second followed by 17th starting Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL, 14th place starter Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR and 13th starting Dale McDowell of Chickamauga, GA.
Eric Jacobsen and Steve Casebolt led the stout field of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series cars to the green flag to start the event. A quick yellow on the first lap as two cars got together in turn four which relegated the field to a complete restart. On the second attempt to start the race Jacobsen grabbed the lead as he would lead the initial lap ahead of Steve Casebolt and Don O’Neal.
Casebolt then grabbed the lead on lap two as O’Neal came along with him as the two Hoosier State drivers were now first and second in the running order. They remained that way until Birkhofer got his car rolling as he moved from sixth to third as he hounded O’Neal for several laps finally clearing him on lap ten to take over second.
Birkhofer who was using the bottom groove started to close on Casebolt who was hooked upon the top groove. Casebolt and Birkhofer then battled it out side-by-side for three straight laps before Birkhofer took over the lead on the 15th circuit. Casebolt fell to second with O’Neal running in third just ahead of Jimmy Mars and Billy Moyer Jr.
Birkhofer, coming off his first Show-Me 100 victory the night before in West Plains again was on a mission. He stretched his lead out over the field as he was moving into lapped traffic by lap 17. Mars, who started eighth passed O’Neal for third and then set his sights on the second place car of Casebolt. Mars trailed Casebolt for two laps before getting by him on lap 19 to take over second.
A caution for top ten running Scott James, who blew a tire on lap 23 slowed the frenetic pace of the race. On the Delaware double-file restart, Mars did not get a good start and there was contact from behind with another car with resulted in crumpled sheet metal damage which started to rub on his tire.
Mars lasted two laps until he slowed with a left rear flat on lap 25 as he exited the race for good at the halfway mark. On the next restart Birkhofer took off again putting distance between himself and O’Neal who was now in the runner-up position. O’Neal stayed in second for a one circuit until Billy Moyer moved past him for second on lap 27.
The battle for second was hot and heavy with Moyer, Bloomquist and O’Neal dicing it out for second as Birkhofer was pulling away from them. Birkhofer then would see a caution with 14 laps to go for a slowing Brad Neat on the track, something Birkhofer did not need.
On the final restart of the race Birkhofer was out in front by himself with the two Hall of Famers Moyer and Bloomquist lined up side-by-side directly behind him. Over the final 14 laps Birkhofer would do just as he had done before the caution pull away from the field as Moyer and Bloomquist would race hard for second place.
Earl Pearson Jr. was on the hunt in the late goings in the race climbing to third with four laps remaining in the race. Meanwhile Birkhofer saw Bloomquist digging hard on the bottom part of the track as Bloomquist was looking to steal the win from Birkhofer in the closing laps, but it was not to be as Birkhofer streaked across the finish line for the win.
Bloomquist finished second in his Miller Brothers Coal/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Bloomquist Race Cars Monte Carlo SS as he maintained the points lead heading into the event at Florence on May 30th. Pearson came home third in the Bobby Labonte Racing/Lucas Oil Slick Mist/Rocket Chassis followed by Moyer in his Banner Valley Hauling/Clements Racing Engines/Moyer Victory Circle M1 Chassis as McDowell came on late in the race to grab fifth in the Clint Bowyer Racing/Chevrolet/Warrior Chassis Impala SS.
