Scott Bllomquist Suspended for Six Months

Scott Bloomquist, the 2004 World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion, faces a six-month suspension from series events and an $11,350 fine after an independent laboratory concluded the Hall of Fame driver used a chemically-altered tire, tour director Tim Christman said Sunday.

Bloomquist’s fine is double his earnings from the Nov. 5-7 WoO World Finals weekend at the Dirt Track at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where the series impounded a left rear tire after Bloomquist topped qualifying in the second round of Nov. 5 time trials.

The 46-year-old driver from Mooresburg, Tenn., who ran infrequently with the World of Outlaws during his 2009 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship season, wasn’t paid his weekend earnings of $11,350 at Lowe’s and owes the same amount to cover the balance of the fine.

In addition to being suspended from World of Outlaws events through May 5, Bloomquist won’t be allowed to race with any series of the parent World Racing Group, which includes UMP DIRTcar Series events.

Bloomquist denied using an illegal tire and said he was “not concerned about it”; adding that he didn’t agree with WoO tire-inspection procedures and questioned the delay of a ruling officials initially announced would take a week.

“I’ve already spoken with legal counsel and we’re just going to handle it in that fashion,” Bloomquist said in a Monday telephone interview, confirming he’d appeal the series decision.

The episode occurred Nov. 5 at Lowe’s when tires from the top six qualifiers in the second round of time trials were taken to the series trailer for inspection, including the detection of chemicals that can soften tires and improve traction.

“Scott’s tire had a noticeable odor to it, and was suspicious, so we sent it off to the lab,” Christman said. “It came back that it had been altered, so his suspension and fine followed.

Bloomquist is the second driver suspended for tire violations in the 2009 season, which ended at Lowe’s. John Henderson of Aiken, S.C., was suspended 30 days after he immediately admitted to illegally treating a tire following his Aug. 29 fast qualifying time at Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, Ga.

At Lowe’s, Bloomquist was given the opportunity to admit guilt Nov. 5 and receive a shorter suspension, but he elected to allow the series to send the tire to a laboratory and face the longer suspension, Christman said.

Bloomquist was previously penalized one month by the World Racing Group for a similar violation in UMP action Jan. 28, 2008, at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga.

Bloomquist is fifth all-time on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series with 19 victories, but has just two victories in each of the past two seasons in limited starts, including his Nov. 6 victory at Lowe’s.

With Bloomquist announcing recently he plans to follow the Lucas Oil Series again in 2009, the suspension shouldn’t dramatically change the drive’s racing plans for 2010. Most significantly, Bloomquist can’t compete during the Late Model portion of Volusia Speedway Park’s 39th annual DIRTcar Winternationals on Feb. 8-13. The World Racing Group-owned Barberville, Fla., track’s Late Model action is sanctioned by UMP and WoO. Bloomquist is a two-time WoO winner at Volusia.