ROSSBURG, Ohio — Jimmy Owens has officially arrived as a national dirt-late-model star.
The four-time UMP modified champion dispelled any lingering questions Sunday by winning the division’s toughest and most prestigious event, the 37th annual World 100 at Eldora Speedway.
“The best in the country are here, so it’s always a boost any time you win this race,” said the modest, unassuming Owens, a 35-year-old from Newport, Tenn., who has been driving dirt late models for four years. “I don’t know where it’s gonna put us, but I guess we’re gonna find out.”
Owens’s $40,000-plus triumph in the UMP DIRTcar Racing-sanctioned event, which was postponed one day by rain, came on the heels of his $50,000 score in last month’s North-South 100 at Florence Speedway in Union, Ky.
It’s been a true breakout season for Owens, who has won 12 features in 34 starts, including six worth $10,000 or more.
None could be more important than the World 100, which he earned by combining the speed of his Reece Monuments Bloomquist Chassis No. 20 with a healthy dose of patience.
Owens, who set fast time Friday night with a lap of 15.690 seconds around the high-banked, half-mile oval, started 13th in the A main but grabbed the lead from his car builder, Scott Bloomquist, on lap 10. He surrendered the top spot to World of Outlaws Late Model Series point-leader Steve Francis on lap 18, but he calmly ran in second until regaining command from Francis on the 87th circuit.
“Francis did that little slide job on me and got the lead, and I didn’t think I had anything for him for awhile,” Owens said. “But I just kept my head on my shoulders and kept my car smooth, and toward the end I started reeling him back in.”
Francis, who won the World 100 in 1999, steadily lost ground to Owens over the final laps but held on to finish second in his Valvoline Rocket car — nearly a straightaway behind at the checkered flag.
Darrell Lanigan came from the 14th to finish third, followed by first-time World 100 qualifier Wayne Chinn and 23rd-starter Jeep VanWormer.
Owens won the World 100 in just his fourth start in the prestigious race.
“This is a dream come true,” said Owens. “We’ve been coming here to Eldora and qualifying good, and we had some decent finishes. But who would have expected this to happen?”
Heavy rain struck the track Saturday at 5:40 p.m. and flooded a portion of the pit area. Officials were forced to postpone the program to Sunday.
The summary:
Fast Time: Jimmy Owens, 15.690 seconds (203 cars).
Non-Qualifier 1: Scott James, Jared Landers, Andrew Reaume, Rick Rickman, James Felker, Jason Dunn, David Hilliker, Joseph Pomeroy, Bill Hahn, Donnie Roberts, Randy Woodling, Dennis Potridge, Jake Henry, Adam Thrush, Steve Lance, Dennis Roberson, Scott Ford, Bryan Elder, Chris Dick, David Hatfield, Justin McCree, Nick Marolff.
Non-Qualifier 2: Jesse Lay, D.J. Wells, Jeff Beyers, Jeff Alsip, Mike Amell, Donald Beyers, Jeff Watson, Jason Jameson, Justin Shaw, Chuck Hummer, Keith Gentz, Dean Boyd, Doug Zartler, Kevin Mack, Ryan VanderVeen, Dereck Chandler, Shaun Smith, Clint Jamison.
Non-Qualifier 3: David Webb, Rohn Moon, Justin Robinson, Lee Devesier, Wayne Maffett, Dona Marcoullier, Chris Wilson, Mike Walker, John Jackson, Brad Eitinear, Bill Williams, Devin Shiels, Steve Kempt, Hillard Miller, Brian Claudnic, Mike Stacy, Larry Kingseed, Michael Stiltner.
First Heat: Matt Miller, Mike Marlar, Jimmy Owens, Freddy Smith, Ivedent Lloyd, Billy Moyer, Terry Phillips, Tim Dohm, Brandon Kinzer, Scott James, Rod Conley, Brian Ruhlman, Shawn Toczek, Curt Spalding, Josh Bocook, Jackie Boggs, Dustin Moore, Greg Johnson, Dave Hilliker, Ben Adkins.
Second Heat: Randy Korte, Donnie Moran, Darrell Lanigan, Brady Smith, Jeep VanWormer, Michael, England, Jason Keltner, Jay Johnson, Chuckie May, Andrew Reaume, Casey Noonan, Bill Hahn, Chub Frank, Chris Madden, Doug Drown, Jordan Bland, David Webb, Earl Pearson, Jr., George Lee, Dustin Neat.
Third Heat: Randy Weaver, Dan Schleiper, Brian Birkhofer, John Mason, Dale McDowell, Chris Wall, Josh Richards, Chad Simpson, Justin Ratliff, D. J. Wells, Jared Hawkins, Steve Casebolt, Bobby Kitchen, Steve Barnett, Kris Patterson, John Blankenship, Jason Dunn, G.R. Smith, Steve Shaver, Jerry Rice.
Fourth Heat: Wayne Chinn, Steve Francis, Dennis Erb, Billy Drake, Rick Eckert, Bart Harman, Tim Hitt, Jerry Bowersock, Frank Heckenast, Eric Wells, Tim Manville, Josh Williams, Jared Landers, Bryan Barber, Mark Douglas, Aaron Scott, Chad Hina, Dave Davasier, Clint Smith, Ky Harper.
Fifth Heat: Scott Bloomquist, Ray Cook, Jason Feger, Brad Neat, Don O’Neal, Chad Ruhlman, Steve Smith, Brian Shirley, Garrett Durrett, Anthony White, Brett Wyatt, Brian Dauber, Rick Corbin, Rusty Seaver, Booper Bare, Jeff Kohn, Tony Knowles, Terrance Nowell, Duane Chamberlin, Don Hammer.
Sixth Heat: Shannon Buckingham, Wendell Wallace, Shannon Babb, Vic Hill, Eddie Carrier, Shane Clanton, Eric Smith, Matt Lux, Josh McGuire, Chris Combs, John Gill, Shannon Thornsberry, Whitney McQueary, Tyler Boggs, Eric Wells, Rick DeLong, Michael Kloos, Ray Bradford.
First B Main: B. Smith, VanWormer, England, Richards, James, Wall, Moyer, Phillips, Dohm, Lloyd, Conley, Simpson, Noonan, J. Johnson, Ratliff, May, F. Smith, Mason, Kinzer, Keltner, Reaume, Hawkins, Wells, McDowell.
Second B Main: Neat, Drake, Eckert, Hill, Ruhlman, Lux, Hartman, Shirley, Carrier, Gill, E. Smith, O’Neal, S. Smith, McGuire, Wells, Bowersock, Combs, Durrett, White, Heckenhast, Thornsberry, Wyatt, Manville, Clanton.
Feature: Owens, Francis, Lanigan, Chinn, VanWormer, Babb, Bloomquist, Wallace, Moran, Korte, Madden, Drake, Erb, England, B. Smith, Buckingham, Feger, Marlar, Richards, Eckert, M. Miller, Schlieper, Cook, Neat, Weaver, Birkhofer, Shaver, Hill.