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Lightening Fast Track Puts Earl Pearson, Jr. In Victory Lane At CLS Masters
Sunday, June 18, 2006. NEW RICHMOND, WI--Defending Lucas Oil Late Model
Dirt Series National Champion Earl Pearson, Jr. of Jacksonville, FL withstood
challenges from several drivers to win the 8th Annual "Masters" on
Saturday Night at the Cedar Lake Speedway. The $10,000 to win event was
co-sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and the World Dirt
Racing League. Pearson, who won this event back in 2004, now joins
Wendell Wallace as the only two-time winner of this annual race. Pearson
drove the Carlton and Kemp Lamm owned Lucas Oil Products/Dunn-Benson
Ford/K&N Engineering/Sunoco Race Fuels/All-Star Performance/Larry Wallace
Race Engines/MasterSbilt Ford Taurus entry to the winners circle after
starting in fifth. Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, IA was second in the
J&J Steel/Pro Power Engines/Rocket Monte Carlo followed by 16th starting
Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH in the Custom Cutters/SMS Racing Engines/MasterSbilt
Monte Carlo. Completing the top five were Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, WI in
the Deppe Enterprises/T.L. Sinz Plumbing/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo and Darren
Miller of Chadwick, IL in the Ideal Ready Mix/Pro Power Engines/Rocket Ford
Taurus. A total of 48 entries were on hand for the event that was
delayed for a little over an hour by a rain shower.
The 50 lap event would get underway on a superbly manicured 3/8ths mile race
track as Darren Miller would lead the 24 car starting lineup under the green
flag rocketing to the point on the opening lap with fellow front row starter
Matt Miller taking the second spot. The first caution of the race came
for a slowing Corey Conley on lap three as Conley took his ride to the pit
area and was finished for the night. On the lap four restart Darren
Miller would vault to a six car length lead over the new second place car of
Dan Schlieper. With five laps scored it was Darren Miller showing the
way followed by Schlieper, Matt Miller, Brian Birkhofer and Earl Pearson,
Jr. Birkhofer would slide by Matt Miller on lap seven to go to fourth
and a circuit later Pearson would put Matt Miller another spot down passing
him for fourth place.
With Darren Miller holding a somewhat comfortable margin over the field a
torrid race for second place on back would continue to heat up as Pearson
would pass Birkhofer for third on lap 12 and two circuits later he went around
Schlieper for second. Pearson however was not done as by lap 15 he had
caught and passed leader, Darren Miller. Pearson then started to
encounter some lapped traffic by lap 17 as he was setting a blistering pace
out front. With 20 laps scored Pearson was well out in front stretching his
lead to a ten car length advantage over Darren Miller with Matt Miller now
back in the thick of things racing his way back up to third after falling to
sixth place. The second caution of the race would halt Pearson's runaway
as Brian Harris topped in turn number four.
On the restart the race would change its complexion as Pearson now with his
ten car length lead erased on the restart would see Darren Miller stay with
him as the duo raced side by side for four laps with Pearson just barely
holding the lead at the scoring line. Not only was the race for the lead
thrilling for the large crowd on hand, Matt Miller, Don O'Neal and Jimmy Mars
were racing three wide for third. John Anderson would bring out the
third caution as he slowed on lap 28.
With the field bunched up again for the restart Pearson would still be showing
the way with Darren Miller and Matt Miller behind him doubled up on the
restart. Mars, who started eighth put his car on the bottom of the racy
surface and was up to third by lap 30. With 20 laps to go Pearson had
built his lead over Darren Miller back up to ten full lengths and looked to be
on his way to an impressive win. Just before the fourth caution flag of
the race for Scott James on lap 35, Darren Miller, Mars, Matt Miller and
Birkhofer were putting on a show throwing sliders at each other seemingly
every lap.
Not only was the action fast and furious well behind Pearson attention was now
being turned to the white #99 entry of Donnie Moran. Moran who started
16th on the grid was hammer down using the top side of the race track and got
into the top five for the first time on lap 36. Moran then passed Mars
for third on lap 37 and two complete laps later he was up to second.
Pearson's huge lead now seemed alot less as Moran was cutting into his lead
lap and after lap. What looked like a smooth trip to victory circle for
Pearson was starting to look a little less likely as Moran closed to within
two car lengths of Pearson until a caution with five laps to go involving an
altercation on the back-straight between Justin Fegers and Kyle Berck as both
cars ended up into the wall and out of the race.
Moran's momentum was hurt after the caution because on the restart he had to
deal with Birkhofer who now had joined the race for second and would allow
Pearson to open up just enough breathing room in the race for the lead as
Moran and Birkhofer went at it door to door in the closing laps.
Birkhofer would slide job Moran with four to go to grab second but Pearson was
just enough ahead that it would be Pearson ending up on the victory podium
after several drivers had taken their bets shot at him during the race.
Birkhofer would come in second followed by Moran, Mars and Darren Miller.
"Everything went our way tonight," said Pearson after securing his
second Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of 2006 extending his points
leader over Don O'Neal. "We had that little shower and the guys
here plowed the track up and rolled it back in and it turned out to be a great
race track," said the 34 year old racer in the SPEED Channel TV interview
afterwards. The event was taped by SPEED and will be shown at a date and
time to be announced in the future.
Completing the top ten were Dan Schlieper, Don O'Neal, Chris Simpson, Matt
Miller and Kerry Hansen.
In preliminary action Earl Pearson, Jr. was the Comp Cams Fast Time Award
winner with a quick lap of 13.459 seconds. The PBM Performance Products
Heat Races were won by Matt Miller, Darren Miller, Dan Schlieper and Don
O'Neal. The Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main was taken by
Brady Smith and the Penske Shocks Second B-Main went to Eric Pember. The
K&N Engineering "Clean Pass of the Race" went to Brian Birkhofer
for his slide job pass on Donnie Moran with four laps to go to nab the second
position at the finish.
Race Summary
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series/World Dirt Racing League
8th Annual "Masters"
Saturday Night, June 17, 2006
Cedar Lake Speedway-New Richmond, WI
Comp Cams Fast Time: Earl Pearson, Jr. 13.459 seconds
PBM Performance Products First Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Matt
Miller, Earl Pearson, Jr., Kyle Berck, Chris Simpson, Brady Smith, Tommy
Elston, Al Humphrey, Steve Isenberg, Trent Follmer, Dave Eckrich, Nick
Anvelink, Freddy Smith
PBM Performance Products Second Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance):
Darren Miller, Brian Birkhofer, Justin Fegers, Corey Conley, Joey Jensen,
Andrew McKay, Michael England, Steve Casebolt, Steve Laursen, Scott Cramer,
Brent Laursen, Denny Eckrich
PBM Performance Products Third Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Dan
Schlieper, John Seitz, John Anderson, Scott James, Eric Pember, Rick Hanestad,
Tim Dohm, Tom Nesbitt, Bill Koons, Brian Harris, Mike Nutzmann, Damon Eller
PBM Performance Products Fourth Heat: (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Don
O'Neal, Jimmy Mars, Kerry Hansen, Donnie Moran, Darrin Meierotto, Steve
Hucovski, Jeff Provinzino, Jason Utter, Pat Doar, Paul Hipsag, Terry Anvelink,
Rob Moss
Mason Racin' Rebel Shock Dyno First B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 2
Advance): Brady Smith, Joey Jensen, Dave Eckrich, Tommy Elston, Nick
Anvelink, Al Humphrey, Andrew McKay, Scott Cramer, Michael England, Brent
Laursen, Denny Eckrich, Steve Laursen, Steve Isenberg, Trent Follmer, Steve
Casebolt, Freddy Smith
Penske Shocks Second B-Main: (12 Laps-Top 2 Advance): Eric Pember,
Darrin Meierotto, Jeff Provinzino, Tim Dohm, Pat Doar, Terry Anvelink, Damon
Eller, Mike Nutzmann, Bill Koons, Jason Utter, Rob Moss, Steve Hucovski, Rick
Hanestad, Brian Harris, Tom Nesbitt, Paul Hipsag
8th Annual "Masters' A-Main (50 Laps): Earl Pearson Jr., Brian
Birkhofer, Donnie Moran, Jimmy Mars, Darren Miller, Dan Schlieper, Don O'Neal,
Chris Simpson, Matt Miller, Kerry Hansen, Brady Smith, Scott James, Brian
Harris, Steve Casebolt, Denny Eckrich, John Seitz, Tim Dohm, Eric Pember, John
Anderson, Kyle Berck, Justin Fegers, Joey Jensen, Darrin Meierotto, Corey
Conley
Race Statistics
Entries: 48
Caution Flags: 4
Red Flags: 0
Lap Leaders: Darren Miller 1-14, Earl Pearson Jr 15-50
Allstar Performance Performer of the Race: Donnie Moran (Started 16th
and finished 3rd-advanced 13 positions)
K&N Engineering Clean Pass of the Race: Brian Birkhofer
Hawk Brake Tough Break Award: Corey Conley
Quarter Master Move of the Race: Earl Pearson Jr to take the lead on lap 15
On the Edge Graphics Fastest Non Qualifier Award: Damon Eller
Weld Wheels Award: Brady Smith
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Provisionals: Steve Casebolt and Tim
Dohm
World Dirt Racing League Provisionals: Denny Eckrich and Brian Harris
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