Mike Marlar Wins
First Ever East Bay
Raceway Park
on Opening Night of
DART Winternationals
TAMPA, FL (February 1, 2010) –
Driving a car that had not been on the race track in
over a year, Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN led all 30
laps on the opening night of the 34th Annual DART
Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park.
Marlar’s storybook win was worth $5,000 for his
first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series victory since
2004. Trailing Marlar to the finish line was
polesitter Tim McCreadie of Watertown, NY; Ray Cook
of Brasstown ,NC; Tim Dohm of Cross Lanes, WV; and
Josh Richards of Shinnston, WV.
Marlar started alongside McCreadie on the front row
of the 30 lap main event. He got the jump on
McCreadie, beating him into the first turn to take
the lead.
While the drivers were setting a rapid
pace around the “Clay by the Bay” Jason Feger; in
his first ever appearance at East Bay; came to a
halt on the backstretch for the first caution of the
race.
On the restart, Marlar was still showing the way
followed by McCreadie, Cook, Eric Jacobsen and Chris
Wall. Marlar quickly built his lead over McCreadie,
opening up a four-car length advantage with eight
laps scored. The second caution of the new came out
for a slowing Tyler Reddick on lap nine.
After the yellow for Reddick, Marlar again opened
his lead on the restart as Josh Richards moved into
the top five for the first time on lap ten.
Richards, who won three times a year ago, was making
his way from the eighth starting spot. With 15 laps
to go, Marlar was still in front holding his line
around the track as McCreadie was slowly but surely
cutting down his lead with ten to go. With nine laps
to go the third and final caution came out for a
slowing Justin Rattliff who had a flat tire.
Rattliff headed to the pits out of the race. Along
with Rattliff, Dan Stone suffered the same fate with
a flat tire which knocked him out of contention.
On the final restart of the race, with nine laps to
go, Marlar led the field to the green flag with
McCreadie hot on his heels. McCreadie dove down low
heading into the fourth turn as he kept a close grip
on Marlar’s #34. Marlar never slipped up in the
final circuits as he held off McCreadie to the
checkers to score his first ever win at East Bay and
his first Lucas Oil Series since winning the
Hillbilly 100 at Tyler County Speedway in West
Virginia in 2004.
McCreadie; who missed last year’s Winternationals
due to his injuries at the Chili Bowl a year ago;
crossed the line in second in the Sweeteners
Plus/pro Power Engines/Rocket followed Cook in the
D&R Racing/Race Engine Design/MasterSbilt Monte
Carlo SS. Dohm took fourth in the Seymour
Motorsports/Vic Hill Racing Engines/Rocket Impala SS
with Richards taking fifth in the Ernie and Connie
Davis/Cornett Engines/Rocket Impala SS.
Completing the top ten were Eric Jacobsen of
Seacliffe Beach, CA, Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN,
Matt Miller of Waterville, OH, Dennis Erb Jr. of
Carpentersville, IL and Shannon Babb of Moweaqua,
IL.
In the Lucas Oil Victory Lane, Marlar became
emotional when talking about his former car owner
Owen Stephens, who passed away a few years ago. “I
know he was looking down on us tonight, we all miss
him and thanks to his wife Mary Lu Stephens for
letting me drive the car, we just started working on
this car a few weeks ago after it had been sitting
around for a year since the last time we raced it
here. I have to thank all the crew guys, my Crew
Chief Michael Coffey, and everybody who helped on
the car. It feels great to win here at East Bay and
thanks to C.J. Rayburn, I know he will be happy
about this and Estes Racing Engines, we had more
than enough power and when you can beat someone like
Tim McCreadie then you have to be pleased with
that,” said Marlar who will marry his long-time
girlfriend Stacy at the end of the month.
The number 34 is sponsored by Stephens Trucking/S&B
Cattle Company and VP Racing Fuels.
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt SeriesRace SummaryMonday
Night, February 1st, 2010″34th Annual DART
Winternationals”East Bay Raceway Park – Tampa, FL
Red Buck Cigars Fast Time: Chris Wall / 14.575
seconds Wiles Driveshafts First Heat (10 Laps-Top 4
Advance): Tim McCreadie,Chris Wall, Dennis Erb, Jr,
Kyle Berck, Shannon Babb, Mark Andersen, Eric Wells,
Justin Ratliff, Leon Henderson, Robert Geiger, DNS
Danny Mitchell AFCO Racing Products Second Heat (10
Laps-Top 4 Advance): Ray cook, Dillan White, Jason
Feger, Steve Shaver, Brandon Thirlby, Christain
Augspurger, Jason McBride, John Kellum, Doug Blashe,
Billy MoyerAllstar Performance Third Heat (10
Laps-Top 4 Advance): Mike Marlar, Eric Jacobsen, Tim
Dohn, Daniel Stone, Bub McCool, Dan Schlieper, James
O’Hara, Dale McDowell, Austin Hubbard, Chad
Stapleton, Chad Hollenbeck Wrisco Aluminum Fourth
Heat (10 Laps-Top 4 Advance): Matt Miller, Josh
Richards, Tyler Reddick, Steve Casebolt, Don O’Neal,
Tim Isenberg, Travis Varnadore, Ricky Weiss, Shan
Smith, Terry CaseyHawk brake First B-Main (12 Laps-
Top 3 Transfers): Shannon Babb, Mark Andersen, Eric
Wells, Jason McBride, Brandon Thirlby, Christain
Augspurger, Justin Rattliff, Danny Mitchell, Doug
Blashe, Leon Henderson, Robert Geiger, Billy Moyer,
DNS John Kellum Performance Rod and Custom (PRC)
Second B-Main (12 Laps- Top 3 Transfers): Bub
McCool, Don O’Neal, Dan Schlieper. Tim Isenberg,
Travis Varnadore, Chad Stapleton, Ricky Weiss, James
O’Hara, Chad Hollenbeck, Shan Smith, Dale McDowell,
DNS Terry Casey, DNS Austin HubbardPRC Strawberry
Dash (No Dash, Fan Drew Name From Hat): Justin
Rattliff 34th Annual DART Winternationals Monday
Night Feature Finish (30 Laps): Finish (Start) Car
Number Driver Name 1. (2) 34 Mike Marlar – Winfield,
TN2. (1) 39 Tim McCreadie – Watertown, NY3. (3) 53
Ray Cook – Brasstown, NC4. (10) 17t Tim Dohm – Cross
Lanes, WV5. (8) 25 Josh Richards – Shinnston, WV6.
(6) 5 Eric Jacobsen – Sea Cliff Beach, CA7. (20) 71
Don O’Neal – Martinsville, IN8. (4) 7 Matt Miller,
Waterville, OH9. (9) 28e Dennis Erb, Jr. –
Carpentersville, IL10. (17) 18 Shannon Babb,
Moweaqua, IL11. (16) c9 Steve Casebolt – Richmond,
IN12. (13) 14 Kyle Berck – Marquette, NE13. (18) 57j
Bub McCool – Vicksburg, MS 14. (7) 54w Dillan White
– Crofton, Ky15. (24) 9t Tim Isenberg – Marshfield,
WI16. (12) 11t Tyler Reddick – Corning, CA17. (14)
21d Daniel Stone – Thompson, PA18. (22) s9 Dan
Schlieper – Sullivan, WI19. (26) 16 Justin Rattliff
– Campbellsville, KY20. (23) 77m Jason McBride –
Carbondale, IL21. (5) 71w Chris Wall – Holden, LA22.
(15) 30 Steve Shaver – Vienna, WV23. (21) 18e Eric
Wells – Hazard, KY24. (25) 21 Billy Moyer –
Batesville, AR25. (19) 85 Mark Andersen – Blanchard,
MI26. (11) 25 Jason Feger – Bloomington, IL Race
StatisticsEntrants: 42Lap Leaders: 1-30 Mike Marlar
Caution Flags: (Lap 3) Jason Feger, (Lap 9) Tyler
Reddick, (Lap 21) Justin Ratliff Lucas Oil Late
Model Dirt Series Provisionals: noneDART Fast Pass
Provisional: Billy MoyerPBM/Erson Cams Hard Charger
of the Race: Don O’Neal (Started 20th , Finished 7th
, Advanced 13 positions)Ohlins Shocks Performer of
the Race: Mike MarlarK&N Filters Clean Pass of the
Race: Tim DohmQuarter Master Rookie of the Race:
NoneComp Cams Engine Builder of the Race: Estes
Racing EnginesDominator Race Products Hard Luck
Award: Terry CaseyDirtonDirt.com Crew Chief of the
Race: Michael Coffey (Mike Marlar)Time of Race: 16
minutes, 29 seconds 34th Annual DART Winternationals
Championship Points: 1. 34 Mike Marlar 2502. 39 Tim
McCreadie 2303. 53 Ray Cook 2204. 17t Tim Dohm 2105.
25 Josh Richards 2056. 5 Eric Jacobsen 2007. 71 Don
O’Neal 1958. 7 Matt Miller 1909. 28eDennis Erb, Jr.
18510. 18 Shannon Babb 180
2010 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Sponsors ASI
Racewear – “The Official Merchandise Vendor” of the
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Canidae Pet Foods –
“The Official Pet Foods” of the Lucas Oil Late Model
Dirt SeriesDART Machinery – “The Official Engine
Components” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
E3 Spark Plugs – “The Official Spark Plug” of the
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt SeriesGeico Power Sports –
“The Official Insurance” of the Lucas Oil Late Model
Dirt Series General Tire – “The Official Tire” of
the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Hoosier Tire –
“The Official Race Tire” of the Lucas Oil Late Model
Dirt Series K&N Filters – “The Official Filter” of
the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Lucas Oil
Products – “The Official Oil” of the Lucas Oil Late
Model Dirt SeriesMavTV – “The Official Men’s
Network” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series R&L
Carrier – “The Official Carrier” of the Lucas Oil
Late Model Dirt SeriesRockstar Energy Drink – “The
Official Drink” of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series Sunoco Race Fuels – “The Official Fuel” of
the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 2010 Lucas Oil
Late Model Dirt Series Supporters Include: AFCO,
Allstar, American Racer, Banshee Graphics,
Bloomquist Race Cars, COMP Cams, Cornett Racing
Engines, Cruise with the Champions, Custom Race
Engines, DirtonDirt.com, Dominator Race Products,
Dyers Rods, ECR Race Engines, FAST Shafts, GRT Race
Cars, HAWK Brake, Hyperco, Jay Dickens Race Engines,
JRI Shocks, Malcuit Race Engines, Mastersbilt
Chassis, Ohlins, Penske Shocks, PBM/Erson Cams,
Performance Bodies, PRC, Pro Power, Quarter Master,
Red Buck Cigars, Rhyne Race Engines, Rick Schwallie
Photography, Rocket Chassis, Safety Solutions, Vic
Hill Race Engines, Warrior Race Cars, Wrisco, Wiles
Drive Shafts, WD Enterprises, 5150 Race Trailers.
James Essex, Public Relations Coordinator,
jessex@lucasdirt.com
