The veterans in the NASCAR Nextel Cup world are looking over their shoulders at the young talent gaining on them. In the world of dirt Late Model racing, there's an over-40 driver who's looking over his shoulder, but no one is gaining on him. He has become the best of the class. Age has not slowed Scott Bloomquist.
For the second time in four weeks, Bloomquist bagged a race that paid $100,000. He snared the Alltel 100 Modified race in Batesville, Arkansas, on Mother's Day weekend. On a wet weekend in June in Ohio, he picked up another 100-grand at the Dream at Eldora.
Friday's rain forced the two-day program into a one-day show. The field of 144 cars got its one lap of qualifications and set the lineups for the ultra-competitive heat races. Through the process of elimination by virtue of heats, C-main and B-main events, the 24-car field was set.
The field provided starts for newcomers as well as top names. Eldora past winners included Bloomquist, Dan Schlieper, Jimmy Mars, Donnie Moran, and Steve Francis. New- comers included Tim McCreadie, Jimmy Owens, and Brad Hall.
Shane Clanton's heat race win put him in position to be the early race leader. Clanton's luck turned sour, however, on Lap 33 when he hit a piece of lead on the track that had dropped off a car, throwing him into the wall. Bloomquist, who also hit the lead and cracked a crossmember on the car, inherited the lead that he would never vacate.
For Bloomquist, it was his third Dream victory, leader in the class.
Official Finish: 2004 Dream at Eldora Speedway Scott Bloomquist, Rick Eckert, R.J. Conley, Dan Schlieper, Chub Frank, Chris Madden, Tim McCreadie, Bart Hartman, Jimmy Owens, Randall Chupp, Clint Smith, Wendell Wallace, Jackie Boggs, Donnie Moran, Brad Hall, Jeep VanWormer, Billy Moyer, Steve Francis, Dale McDowell, Darren Miller, Shane Clanton, Shannon Babb, Jimmy Mars, Delmas Conley.