Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN roared from the 14th starting spot taking the lead on lap 32 from Don O’Neal and then pulled away for his second career Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series on Saturday Night at the Hagerstown Speedway. The “Silver Shark” earned $10,000 for the win in the 26th Annual Stanley Schetrompf Memorial Race becoming the eighth different winner in eight Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series events this season.
The 35-year-old second generation racer drove the Powell Motorsports/Baylor Trucking/Welsh Excavation and Development/Design Elements/Indiana Decal Company/Allstar Performance/Jay Dickens Racing Engines/Rocket GTO to victory lane over fellow Hoosier State driver Steve Casebolt of Richmond, IN who finished second in the Dale Beitler/Reliable Painting/Rocket GTO. Third place went to 18th starting Jason Covert of York Haven, PA in the Barry Klinedinst/Red Wing Shoes/Rocket with 24th place starter Donnie Moran grabbing fourth in the Custom Cutters/Vic Hill Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo and Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN was fifth in the Jerry Jones/Jones Core/C. J. Rayburn Monte Carlo. A total of 58 cars were on hand for the event that was delayed for two and half hours due to light rain.
Dan Schlieper and Billy Decker would make up the front row for the start of the 50 lap A-Main as those two drivers would earn the most passing points after the six heat races were completed. The passing points format was used with more weather threatening in the area as time trials were scrapped. Schlieper would quickly bolt to the lead of the race with Ricky Elliott and Steve Shaver grabbing the first three spots with a lap scored. Don O’Neal, who started seventh, roared by Shaver on the second lap taking third from him.
Schlieper would keep the lead until Elliott went around him on lap five with Schlieper then having to deal with O’Neal as those two would go door to door for two laps until O’Neal was finally able to clear Schlieper for second on lap six.
Elliott then held a two to three car length advantage over O’Neal until O’Neal closed the gap and took over the point from Elliott on lap 15. Meanwhile Shaver was back up to third with Schlieper and Decker in the top five with 15 laps scored.
The top five would stay that way until 14th place starter and former Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series “Rookie of the Year” Scott James made his presence known entering the top five on lap 18. A lap later James would take over the fourth slot from Schlieper as he was making his way to the front.
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