Rob Blair - the All Star of the O’Reilly All Stars Late Model Series for 2009
January 11, 2010 Guy Webb awakened a sleeping giant this year when he resurrected the dormant O’Reilly All Star Late Model Series. In doing so, he and his staff provided drivers with a good point fund, show money, and places to race throughout the Ohio Valley. Webb has led the charge for the Sprint Car series bearing the same name for many years, and this year, he put the ground pounding Super Late Models in action, too. “I have to say the Late Model world is quite different than the Sprint car world,” admitted Webb. “It’s been an entertaining and interesting year, and I hope to grow from what we built here in 2009.” While Blair took home the top dollar and hardware for winning the series’ championship, it’s hard to talk about the All Stars without mentioning Bear Lake Pennsylvania’s Rick “Boom” Briggs. “Boom” exploded on the All Star Circuit in 2009 by winning the first two events of the year; one at Pennsylvania’s Lernerville Speedway and the other the following evening at K-C Raceway (Ohio), one of the Ohio Valley’s most famous and illustrious tracks. That gave Briggs quite a jump on everyone else, and by virtue, made him the man to beat on this year’s All Stars’ tour. “I never really raced a series of this caliber – as a driver,” added Briggs. “I’ve been almost everywhere as crew chief for Chub Frank; it was definitely a well put together series. I’d have rather lost to (Rob) Blair than anyone else; he’s a good guy and a clean driver.” While Briggs jumped into the points lead early, Blair was never too far behind. After three events were in the books, it was Briggs leading Dover, Pennsylvania’s Coleby Frye and the Titusville Terror, Rob Blair. The tour kept the haulers humming into the early hours, as May saw stops in Winchester, Virginia, a repeat performance at K-C Raceway and two different faces in victory lane. Jamie Lathroum took the checkers in Virginia, while the crowd at K-C saw West Virginia’s Eddie Carrier Jr. prevail on the last lap over local racer, R.J. Conley. When the tour headed to Central Pennsylvania Speedway, it was the younger generation who reigned at the annual ‘Grizzly’. Jared Miley, who was a tour regular, took the checkered flag along with the biggest pay check to that point - $7,000. He was followed by other budding stars chasing the All-Stars Title - Coleby Frye and Mike Knight. In late May, the tour traveled to Michigan, where ‘Hot Rod’ Conley visited victory lane, and Briggs stayed hot himself by picking up another $5,000 and a win. In June, the series made two stops; one in Franklin, Pennsylvania, where the action was dominated by Blair, and one in West Virginia, where Carrier Jr. showed the field the quickest way around Tyler County Speedway. The series was back in action on July 3 at Central Pennsylvania Speedway, where D.J. Myers took the win. Blair finished third and Briggs was fourth, which cut Brigg’s point lead to 30. The All Stars then headed to Indiana, where the crowd at Twin Cities Raceway saw Duane Chamberlain lead the pack after 50 laps, and Chub Frank did the same the next night at Lawrenceburg Speedway. That left two more races before the finale. The first of those was held once again at Lernerville, where the All Stars welcomed the touring stars of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series to come and play with them. Wisconsin’s Brady Smith took home the cardboard check, but a strong fourth place finish by Blair cut deeply into Brigg’s points lead. The two were separated by only 14 markers heading to K-C for the third time on the season, and the last race prior to the season-ender, which would be back at K-C one last time. The ‘Salt Rock Express,’ Eddie Carrier Jr. came home victorious again at K-C, and with that, the stage was set for a dramatic finish, with Blair just six points behind Briggs, the closest the gap had been all season. The final race of the season at K-C Raceway was a two-day show boasting $20,000-to-win, and would decide the point’s championship. Shane Clanton took the win, but Rob Blair made up eight points on Briggs and took the point’s title, leaving Briggs second and Rod Conley third. Behind those three veterans of racing were the “new school” of travelling drivers - Coleby Frye, Jared Hawkins, Jared MIley, and Dave Hess Jr. “I had to stay focused all season,” confessed Blair. “The title was always in the back of my mind and I just wanted to make up points each race. Boom pulled away with quite a lead in the beginning of the season and kept having good finishes. I stayed focused and made sure I finished as best I could every single race; congrats to Boom (Briggs) and Hot Rod (Conley) for a competitive season.” Congratulations to Guy Webb and his staff, led by Series Director Jason Shank, who made 2009 a great stepping stone for a great new series bound to entertain when they visit a track near you. “Overall, we had a good year,” said Shank. “We hit a few bumps along the way, but it was our inaugural season. The guys who raced with us were really dedicated to working with us and that helped make the tour a success. It’s not often to have your points championship determined by the last race of the season. Series Owner Guy Webb stated that, “2009 was a success and we are looking forward to build and grow from here.”
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