IT'S TIME TO RACE!!

February 5, 2004 FSCR HARTMAN CHARGES TO WoO LATE MODEL SERIES VICTORY AT VOLUSIA BARBERVILLE, FL -T he World of Outlaws Late Model Series returned to action at Volusia Speedway Park for a second straight night and it was second-generation standout Bart Hartman returning to familiar form to register the 30-lap victory. Hartman improved one position from his runner-up finish in the WoO LM tour opener and that was all he needed to post his first win of Raceweek 2004 on Wednesday at Dick Murphy's spacious half-mile clay oval in Barberville. "I think the fans really got a taste of what this new series has to offer," said Hartman, 35, after outlasting five-time national champion Scott Bloomquist to score the win in dramatic fashion. The 2001 Dirt Track World champion pocketed $5,000 and emerged as the new Winter Tour points leader through two events. "There's a good combination of locals and travelers out here, something fans can expect wherever the tour runs. And getting all the top teams together on a regular basis will certainly bring out some of the best in late model racing today," said Hartman, whose father Butch was a full-fender champion in the 1970s. Hartman moved to the point on a lap 21 restart as race-long leader Dale McDowell drifted high in an attempt to keep up his momentum as the duo rounded turn four. Bloomquist pulled into the runner-up slot with five laps to go yet a last-lap sprint fell a car-length shy when the checkered flag waved. McDowell, opening night winner Steve Francis and local pilot Robbie Blair filled out the top-five. Only three caution periods slowed the 15-mile main and it was the charge by Hartman during the first 20 laps run straight through under green flag conditions that caught everyone's attention. And with Bloomquist moving to the high side for the final third, the entire grandstand throng remained on edge until the last lap heroics. On the heels of his victory in the five-lap dash that determined the starting order of the top-eight cars, Francis was a solid bet to capture his second A-Main in as many nights. Yet it was third-place starter McDowell hugging the inside rail to slip under both Francis and front row partner Bloomquist and grab the early advantage. Hartman mirrored McDowell's success down low and after only five laps his no. 75 Seubert Calf Ranches-Imler's Poultry/Rocket house car was already challenging among the top-five. Starting 11th on the 24-car grid, it took the Zanesville, Ohioan just a handful of laps more to pull into the runner-up slot and set his sights on McDowell as the leaders reached early race traffic. The first yellow flag finally flew on lap 21 when a shredded left rear tire temporarily sidelined Billy Moyer's Rayburn mount. Just one more lap could be scored before Chuck Harper backed around his own Rayburn entry in turn one to force a second slowdown. Back underway Hartman easily outdistanced himself from McDowell yet a suddenly reenergized Bloomquist found the high side to his liking aboard the familiar no. 0 Miller Bros. Coal-Hawkeye Trucking ride. Francis and Blair diced back and forth in their own battle as the top-five order remained uncertain in the closing stages. The yellow lights flashed for the last time with three laps left when DIRT Modified star Tim McCreadie glanced off the turn four wall before his no. 39 Sweeteners Plus machine came to a stop high in turn one. Actually pulling alongside Hartman for a brief moment, Bloomquist offered a last bid up high as the leaders dove into turn three, but when the checkered flag flew it was Hartman making his first trip to victory lane. "We didn't start out too good early on and really struggled in our heat," said Hartman, who time trialed seventh fastest before finishing third in his preliminary heat race qualifier. "But we tried something different and it really worked at the end. "I had run consistent down low all race long and that was a good place to be with a clean track ahead. I also knew I was getting off better down low than Scott was coming off up high in turn four. Fortunately, that's just the way it finished," Hartman added. Through two of four races run, Francis (1175) tops the Florida Tour point standings ahead of Hartman (1165), McDowell (1151), Bloomquist (1140) and Rick Eckert (1122). The 'Kentucky Colonel' (77) trails Hartman (79) atop the overall WoO Late Model Series points chart followed by McDowell (75) and Bloomquist (74). Full-fender action continues Friday at Volusia with a 40-lap World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main headlining round number three in the 33rd Annual Winter Nationals program. SUMMARY EVENT NO. 2 FEATURE(30‑LAPS): BART HARTMAN, Scott Bloomquist, Dale McDowell, Steve Francis, Robbie Blair, Rick Eckert, Chub Frank, Rick Aukland, Terry English, Dan Schlieper, Greg Johnson, Wendell Wallace, R.J. Conley, Clint Smith, Mike Balzano, Billy Moyer, Chuck Harper, Kenny Schrader, Jackie Boggs, Anthony Rushing, Darrell Lanigan, Shannon Babb, Tim McCreadie, Kenny Pettyjohn FAST TIME TRIAL: Rick Eckert (16.253 sec./110.749 mph). HEAT 1: Eckert, Johnson, Blair, Schrader. HEAT 2: Conley, Smith, Balzano, Lanigan. HEAT 3: Bloomquist, Babb, Hartman, English. HEAT 4: McDowell, Francis, Pettyjohn, Schlieper. LAST CHANCE 1: Boggs, Frank, Wallace. LAST CHANCE 2: Moyer, Rushing, Harper. DASH: Francis, Bloomquist, McDowell, Conley, Smith, Eckert, Johnson, Babb. PROVISIONALS: Aukland, McCreadie. TOP-10 FLORIDA TOUR POINT STANDINGS: 1175-Steve Francis, 1165-Bart Hartman, 1151-Dale McDowell, 1140-Scott Bloomquist, 1122-Rick Eckert, 1081-Wendell Wallace, 1073-Shannon Babb, 1056-R.J. Conley, 1045-Billy Moyer, 1042-Dan Schlieper. TOP-10 WoO LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS: 79-Bart Hartman, 77-Steve Francis, 75-Dale McDowell, 74-Scott Bloomquist, 65-Wendall Wallace, 63-Dan Schlieper, 61-Rick Eckert and Rick Aukland, 59-Billy Moyer, 58-Robbie Blair. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! news@karnac.org or send a letter to the editor!