LEXINGTON, KY -- On Saturday, October 1st, at Union, KY's Florence Speedway, all eyes will be on O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts as the final event of the 2005 season has three drivers vying for the right to be crowned Champion for 2005. The top three drivers -- Tim Tungate, Whitney McQueary, and Mike Jewell -- are separated by a mere 80 points heading into this season-ending showdown.
Campbellsville, KY native Tim Tungate's consistent finishes have landed him atop the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series standings with 3565 points. After a win on July 23rd at Richmond Raceway's Butterball Wooldridge Memorial, a 7th place nod on August 6th at Soggy Bottom, and a runner-up finish on September 2nd at Mountain Motor, Tungate was able to pull ahead of Whitney McQueary in the standings and into the lead. Tungate held on to the top spot after a pair of top five finishes at 201 and Bluegrass in the month of September. "Stone Cold", as he's dubbed, drives the Guardian Mortgage/Ancil Reynolds RV/J&L Title/ABC Child Care/Cox Properties/Children's Palace/MDW Transport/Price's Grocery/White Construction/Shelly's Hot Styles/Mulch Madness/James Medical Equipment/Phillips Lanes & Restaurant sponsored, AMS powered, CJ Rayburn Monte Carlo for J&L Motorsports.
Currently sitting second in the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series standings is 41-year-old Whitney McQueary of Dunnville, KY. McQueary led the series point standings through much of the 2005 season, thanks in part to a string of five straight top six finishes from May to June as well as a pair of wins at the 201 Speedway. In picking up those two wins, McQueary is one of just two drivers this season to win more than one O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series event. With 3490 points, "Whitrock" sits just 75 points out of first place. McQueary's Estes powered Rocket Monte Carlo is sponsored by Bigg Dawg Motorsports, Tarter Gate, Tarter Tube, Kelco Metals, Modern Systems, American Farmland, Dog Walk Market, Miami Valley Steel Service, and Coca-Cola.
Veteran driver Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, IN led the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series standings early in the season and now finds himself in position to leap from third to first as his 3485 points nets him just 80 points out of the lead. Jewell has been the hottest driver on the tour in recent weeks with four straight finishes of fourth or better. Jewell has one O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series win on the season and that win came on June 18th at the Richmond Raceway. Jewell, known as "The Scottsburg Express", drives a MasterSbilt Grand Prix with a Bullock Racing Engine under the hood. The MPC Motorsports #9 is sponsored by Southern Indiana Drilling, Morgan Foods, Stephens Oil, K.P. Radio Sales & Service, Shelton Angus Farms, Scott Co Tire, Remax, Pruett's Auto Repair, Advanced Racing Suspensions, and PBM Performance Products.
Just as entertaining as the fight for the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Championship is the battle for fourth place in which 2004 Series Champion Aaron Hatton, current Rookie of the Year leader Chris Combs, Michael England, and Tyrel Todd are separated by just 180 points. Wayne Chinn, Frankie Coomer, and Shannon Thornsberry round out the top ten in the current series point standings.
The Saturday, October 1st season finale at the Florence Speedway will feature a full night of racing for the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts with Racing Optics Time Trials, VP Fuels Makin' Power Heat Races, B-Mains, and the O'Reilly Auto Parts A-Main paying $5000 to win.
For more information on this event please contact Florence Speedway at www.florencespeedway.com or call (859) 485-7591. For more info on the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series go to www.naradirtcar.com and click on the Battle of the Bluegrass icon or call (859) 271-4501.
Current O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Points Standings
1. 3565 Tim Tungate (Campbellsville, KY)
2. 3490 Whitney McQueary (Dunnville, KY)
3. 3485 Mike Jewell (Scottsburg, IN)
4. 3250 Aaron Hatton (Mt. Sterling, KY)
5. 3210 Chris Combs (Isom, KY)
6. 3135 Michael England (Glasgow, KY)
7. 3070 Tyrel Todd (Eubank, KY)
8. 2905 Wayne Chinn (Tipp City, OH)
9. 2570 Frankie Coomer (Austin, IN)
10. 2420 Shannon Thornsberry (Martin, IN)
2005 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Sponsors
O’Reilly Auto Parts – Title Sponsor and “Official Auto Parts Store of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series”
Arizona Sport Shirts – Presenting Sponsor and “Official Apparel Supplier of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series”
Lucas Oil- “Official Oil Products of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series”
VP Racing Fuels- “Official Race Fuel of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series”
2005 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Sponsors include: O’Reilly Auto Parts, Lucas Oil Products, Arizona Sports Shirts, VP Racing Fuels, Oval Craft, Hoosier Racing Tires, PPM, BERT, Rayburn Chassis, Ratliff Motors, American Race Tire, Real Wheels, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, Trailer Parts & Sales, Bullock Racing Engines, DJ Designs, Racing Optics, Smith Automotive and Machine, Cruise With The Champions and All-Star Performance
Campbellsville, KY native Tim Tungate's consistent finishes have landed him atop the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series standings with 3565 points. After a win on July 23rd at Richmond Raceway's Butterball Wooldridge Memorial, a 7th place nod on August 6th at Soggy Bottom, and a runner-up finish on September 2nd at Mountain Motor, Tungate was able to pull ahead of Whitney McQueary in the standings and into the lead. Tungate held on to the top spot after a pair of top five finishes at 201 and Bluegrass in the month of September. "Stone Cold", as he's dubbed, drives the Guardian Mortgage/Ancil Reynolds RV/J&L Title/ABC Child Care/Cox Properties/Children's Palace/MDW Transport/Price's Grocery/White Construction/Shelly's Hot Styles/Mulch Madness/James Medical Equipment/Phillips Lanes & Restaurant sponsored, AMS powered, CJ Rayburn Monte Carlo for J&L Motorsports.
Currently sitting second in the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series standings is 41-year-old Whitney McQueary of Dunnville, KY. McQueary led the series point standings through much of the 2005 season, thanks in part to a string of five straight top six finishes from May to June as well as a pair of wins at the 201 Speedway. In picking up those two wins, McQueary is one of just two drivers this season to win more than one O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series event. With 3490 points, "Whitrock" sits just 75 points out of first place. McQueary's Estes powered Rocket Monte Carlo is sponsored by Bigg Dawg Motorsports, Tarter Gate, Tarter Tube, Kelco Metals, Modern Systems, American Farmland, Dog Walk Market, Miami Valley Steel Service, and Coca-Cola.
Veteran driver Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, IN led the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series standings early in the season and now finds himself in position to leap from third to first as his 3485 points nets him just 80 points out of the lead. Jewell has been the hottest driver on the tour in recent weeks with four straight finishes of fourth or better. Jewell has one O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series win on the season and that win came on June 18th at the Richmond Raceway. Jewell, known as "The Scottsburg Express", drives a MasterSbilt Grand Prix with a Bullock Racing Engine under the hood. The MPC Motorsports #9 is sponsored by Southern Indiana Drilling, Morgan Foods, Stephens Oil, K.P. Radio Sales & Service, Shelton Angus Farms, Scott Co Tire, Remax, Pruett's Auto Repair, Advanced Racing Suspensions, and PBM Performance Products.
Just as entertaining as the fight for the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Championship is the battle for fourth place in which 2004 Series Champion Aaron Hatton, current Rookie of the Year leader Chris Combs, Michael England, and Tyrel Todd are separated by just 180 points. Wayne Chinn, Frankie Coomer, and Shannon Thornsberry round out the top ten in the current series point standings.
The Saturday, October 1st season finale at the Florence Speedway will feature a full night of racing for the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts with Racing Optics Time Trials, VP Fuels Makin' Power Heat Races, B-Mains, and the O'Reilly Auto Parts A-Main paying $5000 to win.
For more information on this event please contact Florence Speedway at www.florencespeedway.com or call (859) 485-7591. For more info on the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series go to www.naradirtcar.com and click on the Battle of the Bluegrass icon or call (859) 271-4501.
Current O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Points Standings
1. 3565 Tim Tungate (Campbellsville, KY)
2. 3490 Whitney McQueary (Dunnville, KY)
3. 3485 Mike Jewell (Scottsburg, IN)
4. 3250 Aaron Hatton (Mt. Sterling, KY)
5. 3210 Chris Combs (Isom, KY)
6. 3135 Michael England (Glasgow, KY)
7. 3070 Tyrel Todd (Eubank, KY)
8. 2905 Wayne Chinn (Tipp City, OH)
9. 2570 Frankie Coomer (Austin, IN)
10. 2420 Shannon Thornsberry (Martin, IN)
2005 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Sponsors
O’Reilly Auto Parts – Title Sponsor and “Official Auto Parts Store of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series”
Arizona Sport Shirts – Presenting Sponsor and “Official Apparel Supplier of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series”
Lucas Oil- “Official Oil Products of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series”
VP Racing Fuels- “Official Race Fuel of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series”
2005 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Sponsors include: O’Reilly Auto Parts, Lucas Oil Products, Arizona Sports Shirts, VP Racing Fuels, Oval Craft, Hoosier Racing Tires, PPM, BERT, Rayburn Chassis, Ratliff Motors, American Race Tire, Real Wheels, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, Trailer Parts & Sales, Bullock Racing Engines, DJ Designs, Racing Optics, Smith Automotive and Machine, Cruise With The Champions and All-Star Performance
