Lanigan Passes O’Neal On Final Lap To Win Lucas Oil LM Main At Atomic

Story By: JAMES ESSEX / LUCAS OIL LATE MODEL DIRT SERIES – WAVERLY, OH – Darrell Lanigan made a thrilling last-lap pass on his Clint Bowyer Racing teammate, Don O’Neal to win the Buckeye Spring 50 on Thursday night at Atomic Speedway.

Lanigan becomes the eighth different winner on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series tour in 2017. He pilots the I-Racing.com, Peak Antifreeze and Coolant, Cometic Gasket, Clements Racing Engines, Club 29 entry. O’Neal, who led the first 49-laps, fell just short as Lanigan made the winning pass off turn-two on the final lap.

Defending series champion, Scott Bloomquist finished third – while Devin Moran, who ran second for most of the race, finished fourth. Tim McCreadie charged from 11th to complete the top-five.

In Lucas Oil Victory Lane for the first time this season, Lanigan told the crowd: “When you race a teammate, you have to race him differently. Donnie [O’Neal] had a great car. We have had a good car the last few weeks and had some bad luck. It feels good to win here tonight and close to home.”

“We were a little better there in one and two than him [O’Neal]. I kind of used the 71 [Hudson O’Neal] as a little bit of a pick on Donnie. I got through there clean and got the checkered. This is why we do this every week, because we enjoy it. To get a win makes the next night a little bit easier. The track was in good shape tonight, the top finally died out and you could race all over it.”

O’Neal continued his streak of solid performances with his second-place finish. “He [Lanigan] was better in one or two, it’s always better to be running second in lapped traffic because you can see up front better. Congratulations to Darrell on the win. If you are going to lose on the final lap I guess it’s better to lose to your teammate. I never saw him [Lanigan] until I took the white flag. I wish now I had done something different on that last lap. Everybody on this crew is doing a great job and we now have the finishes to show for it.”

Bloomquist crossed the line in third after colliding with Rod Conley at the finish line. “I didn’t even see him [Conley]. I tried to react. I think most of the damage is cosmetic, at least we didn’t destroy a car. It looked like it got the body panels and it didn’t knock the front end out. I didn’t know how the traffic was going to work out on that last lap. I just needed a longer race, but we will take this and head to Sharon.”

Completing the top ten were Jackie Boggs, Earl Pearson Jr., Steve Casebolt, Brandon Sheppard and Gregg Satterlee.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
Thursday, April 20th, 2017
Buckeye Spring 50
Atomic Speedway – Chillicothe, OHMiller Welders Fast Time Group A: Hudson O’Neal / 13.281 seconds
Miller Welders Fast Time Group B: Devin Moran / 13.574 seconds

Eibach Springs Heat Race #1 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Don O’Neal, RJ Conley, Scott Bloomquist, Dennis Erb, Jr., Hudson O’Neal, Steve Casebolt , Steve Francis, Shannon Thornsberry, Derek Chaney

FK Rod Ends Heat Race #2 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Brandon Sheppard, Gregg Satterlee, Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, Earl Pearson, Jr., Boom Briggs, Tyler Carpenter, Colton Flinner

Simpson Performance Products Heat Race #3 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Devin Moran, Darrell Lanigan, Josh Richards, Rod Conley, Mark Frazier, Tim Dohm , Devin Gilpin, Harrison Hall, Billy Staker

QA1 Heat Race #4 Finish (10 Laps, Top 4 Transfer): Timothy Culp, Jackie Boggs, Eddie Carrier, Jr., Bobby Pierce, Kody Evans, Colten Burdette, Billy Gullion, Chris Shannon

Penske Racing Shocks B-Main #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Hudson O’Neal, Steve Casebolt , Earl Pearson, Jr., Tyler Carpenter, Steve Francis, Boom Briggs, Shannon Thornsberry, Derek Chaney, Colton Flinner

Fast Shafts B-Main #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 3 Transfer): Kody Evans, Mark Frazier, Devin Gilpin, Colten Burdette, Tim Dohm , Billy Gullion, Billy Staker, Harrison Hall, Chris Shannon

Feature Finish (50 Laps):

Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Brian Leonberg (Darrell Lanigan)
Fastest Lap of the Race: Don O’Neal (Lap # 2 – 15.633 seconds)
Safecraft Most Laps Led: Don O’Neal (49 Laps)
PFC Brakes Pole Award: Don O’Neal
Time of Race: 33 minutes 49 seconds