Morgantown, KY--In his 19th career STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series feature event, 20 year old Aaron Hatton of Mt. Sterling, KY finally broke the ice capturing his first career STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series win on Saturday Night at the Soggy Bottom Speedway in Morgantown, KY. In front of a huge crowd of fans who roared their approval in seeing Hatton hold off Mike Marlar at the finish line to take home the $3000 first place money. Hatton became the seventh different winner in eight BoB races this season, he became the 15th different driver in 28 BoB races in the last year and a half to win a series event as he dedicated his win to his mother who died in an auto accident last March 26, 2002 as this was the biggest win of his racing career to date. He drove the Hatton Racing, Porter Tire Center, Russell Hatton Used Cars and Mobile Home Rentals, Jerry Hatton Used Cars, American Race Tires, Draime Race Engines, MasterSbilt Grand Prix #33 to the one car length victory over Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN behind the wheel of the Wilson's Service Center, Todd Truss Company, C.J. Rayburn Grand Prix. Point's leader Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN finished third in the Bernheisel Racing Components, Quick Concepts, and Lazer G2 Monte Carlo. Fourth place went to early race leader, Timmy Yeager of Harrodsburg, KY in the Clark Racing, Gary Spoon Excavating, and C.J. Rayburn Race Cars #C1. Rounding out the top five was James Huff of Milton, KY in his best career Battle of the Bluegrass finish piloting the Shawn Bryan, Riverside Produce, and C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo.
The race started off on a somewhat rocky notice as it took the third time to get the event going as Yeager would grab the lead with one lap scored. Fast qualifier Michael Chilton would go to second with Carnell Parker III grabbing third early on. Chilton was running right with Yeager at the beginning of the race as Hatton after starting third and falling to fourth behind Parker would pass Parker on the fourth lap to take third. Hatton then would begin to challenge Chilton taking the youngster on the seventh lap putting Chilton back to third. Chilton would then spin bringing out a caution as he would have to go to the back of the pack for the restart. Up front Yeager was still holding the lead and looking strong in his effort to win his first BoB event of the year. The final caution of the race would fly on the 10th lap for debris on the race track. The rest of the 30 laps would go caution free as Yeager would now have to contend with Hatton on his rear bumper. But Yeager looked strong on this night as he would seemingly pull away from Hatton on the restart leaving the young man looking at a second place finish on this night. But Hatton would right the ship and put on a hard charge catching up to Yeager and passing him on the 22nd lap. Yeager then would see stiff competition from Marlar coming from his 14th starting post and James who had been mid pack in the top ten all race long until heading to the front in the last half of the event.
With Hatton in front and staring down traffic and as the laps wound down quickly around the exciting 3/8ths mile banked track all eyes were on the battle for second between Yeager, Marlar and James. Marlar would drive his car deep into the turns and was finally able to overhaul Yeager for second on the 31st circuit. James would follow Marlar to third two laps later with Yeager slipping to fourth. Hatton had built an eight car length advantage over Marlar and James at this point with less than 10 laps remaining. But Marlar and James were starting to get hooked up as the track slickened up a little bit. They would cut an eight car length in half with five laps remaining as things really got interesting as the laps clicked off with a car in front of Hatton it slowed him up momentarily and that was enough for Marlar and James to close significantly. As they took the white flag the duo was right on Hatton pressuring the youngster to see if he could withstand their challenges on the final lap. Hatton would dive into three still one to two lengths up on Marlar, but Marlar would take his car deep into the fourth corner and got what looked to be quite a run on Hatton heading down the front stretch and to the checkers. Marlar pulled alongside the right rear of Hatton and looked to have the momentum to pull off the win and disappoint Hatton, but Hatton pushed the gas pedal to the floor and had enough of his own momentum to cross the line in first just one car length ahead of Marlar. James would finish right behind the pair in taking third. Yeager who led 21 of the 40 laps finished in fourth with Huff staying in the hunt to finish fifth, his best ever in Battle of the Bluegrass competition.
Chilton would recover nicely from earlier spin and continuing to impress with his skills as the 17 year old would fight his way back to sixth place at the finish. Carnell Parker III had a strong run in taking seventh with Tyrel Todd, Whitney McQueary and Jesse James Lay completing the top ten.
In preliminary events Chilton would take the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time at 14.895 seconds. Heat race winners were Dustin Neat and Timmy Yeager.
Race Summary
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass
Event # 8
Soggy Bottom Speedway
Morgantown, KY
Saturday Night, June 21, 2003
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time: Michael Chilton 14.895
First Heat: Dustin Neat, Aaron Hatton, Michael Chilton, Scott James
Second Heat: Timmy Yeager, Carnell Parker III, Johnny Wheeler, Tyrel Todd
PBM Performance Products A-Main: Aaron Hatton, Mike Marlar, Scott James, Timmy Yeager, James Huff,, Michael Chilton, Carnell Parker III, Tyrel Todd, Whitney McQueary, Jesse James Lay, Shawn Negangard, Chuck Proctor, Johnny Wheeler, Dustin Neat, Randle Sweeney, Steven Ashby, Jonathan Durrett
Race Statistics
Entries: 17
Lead Changes: 2 among 2 drivers
Lap Leaders: Yeager 1-21 Hatton 22-40
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Race: Marlar
PPM Racing Products/Outlaw Race Cars Hard Charger: Marlar
Cautions: 4
Current Points Standings
After 8 events
As of June 22, 2003
1. Scott James 1670
2. Mike Marlar 1520
3. Michael Chilton 1385
4. Jesse James Lay 1365
5. Tyrel Todd 1360
6. Aaron Hatton 1335
7. Timmy Yeager 1255
8. Johnny Wheeler 1245
9. Darrell Lanigan 1090
10. Mike Jewell 950
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Year
1. Mike Marlar 1520
2. Michael Chilton 1385
3. Joey Kramer 825
4. Steven Ashby 780
5. Carnell Parker III 725
Next Events:
Friday Night, June 27
Clinton County Speedway-Alpha, KY
Saturday Night, June 28
Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY
Both events pay $3000 to win/$250 to start
The race started off on a somewhat rocky notice as it took the third time to get the event going as Yeager would grab the lead with one lap scored. Fast qualifier Michael Chilton would go to second with Carnell Parker III grabbing third early on. Chilton was running right with Yeager at the beginning of the race as Hatton after starting third and falling to fourth behind Parker would pass Parker on the fourth lap to take third. Hatton then would begin to challenge Chilton taking the youngster on the seventh lap putting Chilton back to third. Chilton would then spin bringing out a caution as he would have to go to the back of the pack for the restart. Up front Yeager was still holding the lead and looking strong in his effort to win his first BoB event of the year. The final caution of the race would fly on the 10th lap for debris on the race track. The rest of the 30 laps would go caution free as Yeager would now have to contend with Hatton on his rear bumper. But Yeager looked strong on this night as he would seemingly pull away from Hatton on the restart leaving the young man looking at a second place finish on this night. But Hatton would right the ship and put on a hard charge catching up to Yeager and passing him on the 22nd lap. Yeager then would see stiff competition from Marlar coming from his 14th starting post and James who had been mid pack in the top ten all race long until heading to the front in the last half of the event.
With Hatton in front and staring down traffic and as the laps wound down quickly around the exciting 3/8ths mile banked track all eyes were on the battle for second between Yeager, Marlar and James. Marlar would drive his car deep into the turns and was finally able to overhaul Yeager for second on the 31st circuit. James would follow Marlar to third two laps later with Yeager slipping to fourth. Hatton had built an eight car length advantage over Marlar and James at this point with less than 10 laps remaining. But Marlar and James were starting to get hooked up as the track slickened up a little bit. They would cut an eight car length in half with five laps remaining as things really got interesting as the laps clicked off with a car in front of Hatton it slowed him up momentarily and that was enough for Marlar and James to close significantly. As they took the white flag the duo was right on Hatton pressuring the youngster to see if he could withstand their challenges on the final lap. Hatton would dive into three still one to two lengths up on Marlar, but Marlar would take his car deep into the fourth corner and got what looked to be quite a run on Hatton heading down the front stretch and to the checkers. Marlar pulled alongside the right rear of Hatton and looked to have the momentum to pull off the win and disappoint Hatton, but Hatton pushed the gas pedal to the floor and had enough of his own momentum to cross the line in first just one car length ahead of Marlar. James would finish right behind the pair in taking third. Yeager who led 21 of the 40 laps finished in fourth with Huff staying in the hunt to finish fifth, his best ever in Battle of the Bluegrass competition.
Chilton would recover nicely from earlier spin and continuing to impress with his skills as the 17 year old would fight his way back to sixth place at the finish. Carnell Parker III had a strong run in taking seventh with Tyrel Todd, Whitney McQueary and Jesse James Lay completing the top ten.
In preliminary events Chilton would take the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time at 14.895 seconds. Heat race winners were Dustin Neat and Timmy Yeager.
Race Summary
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass
Event # 8
Soggy Bottom Speedway
Morgantown, KY
Saturday Night, June 21, 2003
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time: Michael Chilton 14.895
First Heat: Dustin Neat, Aaron Hatton, Michael Chilton, Scott James
Second Heat: Timmy Yeager, Carnell Parker III, Johnny Wheeler, Tyrel Todd
PBM Performance Products A-Main: Aaron Hatton, Mike Marlar, Scott James, Timmy Yeager, James Huff,, Michael Chilton, Carnell Parker III, Tyrel Todd, Whitney McQueary, Jesse James Lay, Shawn Negangard, Chuck Proctor, Johnny Wheeler, Dustin Neat, Randle Sweeney, Steven Ashby, Jonathan Durrett
Race Statistics
Entries: 17
Lead Changes: 2 among 2 drivers
Lap Leaders: Yeager 1-21 Hatton 22-40
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Race: Marlar
PPM Racing Products/Outlaw Race Cars Hard Charger: Marlar
Cautions: 4
Current Points Standings
After 8 events
As of June 22, 2003
1. Scott James 1670
2. Mike Marlar 1520
3. Michael Chilton 1385
4. Jesse James Lay 1365
5. Tyrel Todd 1360
6. Aaron Hatton 1335
7. Timmy Yeager 1255
8. Johnny Wheeler 1245
9. Darrell Lanigan 1090
10. Mike Jewell 950
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Year
1. Mike Marlar 1520
2. Michael Chilton 1385
3. Joey Kramer 825
4. Steven Ashby 780
5. Carnell Parker III 725
Next Events:
Friday Night, June 27
Clinton County Speedway-Alpha, KY
Saturday Night, June 28
Lake Cumberland Speedway-Burnside, KY
Both events pay $3000 to win/$250 to start
