Article Courtesy Of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series - Photo By Johnny B.
ROME, GA (October 11, 2009) - Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN clinched the 2009 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Championship in grand fashion by winning the final series race of the year on Sunday Night at Rome Speedway. Bloomquist led all 50 laps to take the $10,000 first place money, but more importantly will take home the $75,000 first place check for winning his first ever Lucas Oil Series title. The boss of Team Zero led a clean sweep of his chassis' as Dan Schlieper of Sullivan, WI finished second followed by Chris Madden of Gaffney, SC in third. Completing the top five were Shane Clanton of Locust Grove, GA and Casey Roberts of Toccoa, GA.

Dale McDowell and Bloomquist started on the front row of the 40th and final Lucas Oil Series race of 2009 the Rome Showdown which was sponsored by Coal America's Energy. Bloomquist started off quick grabbing the lead from the onset followed by Jimmy Owens, McDowell, Roberts and Clanton. Clanton moved to fourth on lap two passing Roberts, who fell to fifth.

Bloomquist continued to hold a steady pace early on, expanding his lead lap after lap as he started to enter traffic only ten laps into the race. Owens began to close on Bloomquist as he lapped his first car, 12 laps in. As Owens set his sights on Bloomquist, McDowell got back into things as the polesitter passed Owens for second on the 14th circuit.

With laps complete the running order was Bloomquist, McDowell, Owens, a fast moving Ray Cook and Clanton. Cook, who won the Dixie Shootout the night before at Dixie Speedway, looked to be the fastest car on the track until he slowed on lap 19 with a broken torque arm which put him out of competition.

On the restart Bloomquist still held the point as Clanton would become the new second place car by lap 23 as he passed McDowell. At the halfway mark of the race Bloomquist still held a three-car length advantage over Clanton with Dan Schlieper up to third followed by McDowell and Chris Madden.

The top five remained that way until Schlieper powered past Clanton on lap 34 to take over second place. Schlieper then started to chop into Bloomquist' lead and with ten laps to go Schlieper closed to within two car lengths of Bloomquist. With Schlieper closing he would see his momentum halted when the fourth place running McDowell slowed on the track with a flat tire.

The restart would this time be a single file one as Bloomquist was still keeping Schlieper at bay and five to go Schlieper was still within striking distance of Bloomquist. The race stayed green until there were two laps to go when fifth place running Steve Casebolt slowed with a flat tire.

The final restart of the race saw Bloomquist hold off Schlieper to score his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series win of the season and the 17th of his career. Bloomquist held a 190-point lead over Jimmy Owens before the night began and with the win by Bloomquist and Owens' 15th place finish the final margin was 285 points in favor of Bloomquist.

In the Lucas Oil Victory Lane the 45-year -old racer breathed a sigh of relief that the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series which began in February at East Bay ended with the win and championship on the same night. "You know it's been a long season and I don't think anybody remembers the first winner of the year, but just the last one, everybody kept saying you can't make it through this Lucas season without winning a race and we proved them wrong, Dan had a good car, he drives similar to me, so I didn't know how close he was at the end, a couple of times I felt the car got a little loose there at the end, but the Vic Hill engine performed well," said Bloomquist who's victory was the 483rd of his illustrious career.

"Bob and Barb Miller couldn't be here this weekend, but they have been sponsors and friends for years and I know they would have enjoyed this, I have to thank my family for their support all of these years, we slowed down there a little bit towards the end to make sure we didn't have a flat like some of the cars were having, I felt really strong in my heat race and it carried over to the feature, it's so hard to win a title in any series, we had a lot of seconds and thirds and finally got that win here tonight," said Bloomquist.

"I have to thank my crew chief Tommy Hicks and everybody on the crew they worked their tails off all year, all my sponsors I want to thank them, the track was good, it's probably the best I have seen, it feels great to win the Lucas Oil Series Championship the competition level this year was unreal and congrats to John Blankenship for winning the Rookie of the Year in one of our cars."

Bloomquist drives his own Bloomquist Race Cars with a Vic Hill Racing Engine and is sponsored by Miller Brothers Coal, Hawkeye Trucking, Sweet Mfg, Hoosier Tires, VP Racing Fuels and Allstar Performance.