By Spencer Wilson
LEXINGTON, KY--The 17th Annual Paul "Butterball" Wooldridge Memorial Race will take place this Saturday Night, July 17 at the Richmond Raceway in Richmond, KY. For the first time the event will be sanctioned by the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Presented by Arizona Sport Shirts. The race named in honor of the former Kentucky dirt track great from Frankfort, KY will pay $5000 to the winner of the Late Model feature race. There will be a complete show for the BoB Late Models with Racing Optics Time Trials, Crown Spray Power Heat Races and O'Reilly Auto Parts B-Mains which will take place before the Lucas Oil A-Main "Butterball" Wooldridge Memorial Feature Race. It will be the 14th points race of the 2004 racing season for Kentucky's Premier Dirt Late Model Sanctioning Body.
Paul "Butterball" Wooldridge is a legendary dirt track racer who passed away on Christmas Day of 1987 at the age of 57. "Butterball" as he was known by everyone raced from 1950 until 1982 accumalating numerous feature wins, track championships and track records in his day. His widow, Betty passed away four years ago and the couple had four sons, named Paul, Terry, Scottie and Steven. The Wooldridge Racing Family continues the tradition in 2004 with Michael Wooldridge piloting the Kentucky National Guard #1 Late Model and T.J. who drives the Harrod Farms #59 Dirt Late Model car.
Butterball Wooldridge had a incredible racing career that included making the very first World 100 in 1971 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH where he finished in fourth place. The year 1971 would be his most sucessful season, a year after hooking up with the famous #59 "Duncan's Delight" the R.L. Duncan Machinery Movers Chevelle out of Lexington, KY and wrenched by Charles and Logan Grider the team would win an amazing 50 feature events during the 1971 season. They followed that up in 1972 by winning 34 times. The Wooldridge name became synonomous with winning starting in 1950 and lasting 32 years. His last car owner was Dale Napper in 1982. But it was Butterball who got the ball rolling driving one of the most famous cars ever out of the state of Kentucky putting it on the map and in racing history as the #59 car would see such driving greats as Floyd Gilbert, Billy Teegarden and David Speer sit behind the wheel of the red machine, but none could equal the 84 wins Butterball had with the team in 1971 and 1972. In the mid 1970's Butterball drove for legendary chassis builder Ray Callahan and Jack Wagoner both from Pekin, IN. Butterball then made famous the #77 ride which he drove to several feature wins, set several track records and won track titles with the car. One of his earlier car numbers from the 60's that he was known by was the "ZZ" ride.
For the 17th time Richmond Raceway will honor one of Kentucky's all-time greats with the running of the Paul "Butterball" Wooldridge Memorial Race. In the previous 16 races one driver has dominated the win column. Scottsburg, IN veteran, Mike Jewell has won exactly half of the previous 16 events held. In fact five drivers from the Hoosier State of Indiana have been victorious in the race. Brian Asbury of Mitchell, IN won the very first "Butterball" Memorial in 1988 and that led to wins by Hall of Famers, Jim Curry of Norman, IN and Ray Godsey of Bedford, IN. Kevin Claycomb of Vincennes, IN won the race in 1991. Three racers from the Bluegrass State have won including the late Hall of Famer, Jack Boggs of Grayson, KY, Johnny Wheeler of Campbellsville, KY and Delane Browning of East Bernstadt, KY. Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN the 2002 winner is the only driver from outside the borders of Indiana and Kentucky to win the race.
Action will get underway at Richmond Raceway this Saturday Night, July 17 with pit gates opening at 3 pm (EDT) with main grandstand gates at 5 pm (EDT). Practice will take place at 6:30 pm (EDT followed by Late Model Time Trials. For directions to Richmond Raceway please log on to their website at www.richmondraceways.net.
Richmond Raceway
Richmond, KY
Saturday Night, July 17, 2004
17th Annual Paul "Butterball" Wooldridge Memorial Race
O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
$5000 to Win!
Event Payoff:
1. $5000.00
2. 3000.00
3. 2000.00
4. 1500.00
5. 1000.00
6. 800.00
7. 750.00
8. 700.00
9. 650.00
10. 600.00
11. 550.00
12. 500.00
13. 450.00
14. 450.00
15. 400.00
16. 400.00
17. 350.00
18. 350.00
19. 300.00
20. 300.00
21. 300.00
22. 300.00
Tire Rule
Hoosier LM20, D20, D21,LM40, D55
American Racer SD44, MD56
Goodyear X300, X400
Previous Butterball Wooldridge Memorial Race Winners
1988--Brian Asbury
1989--Jim Curry
1990--Ray Godsey
1991--Kevin Claycomb
1992--Mike Jewell
1993--Jack Boggs
1994--Mike Jewell
1995--Johnny Wheeler
1996--Mike Jewell
1997--Mike Jewell
1998--Delane Browning
1999--Mike Jewell
2000--Mike Jewell
2001--Mike Jewell
2002--Jimmy Owens
2003--Mike Jewell
2004 Season in Review Battle of the Bluegrass Main Event Winners
Florence Speedway-Steve Francis
Bluegrass Speedway-Don O'Neal
Ponderosa Speedway-Greg Johnson
201 Speedway-Tyrel Todd
Richmond Raceway-Greg Johnson
Barren County Speedway-Greg Johnson
Tennessee Motor Speedway-Jeff Smith
Florence Speedway-Mike Jewell
Clinton County Speedway-Tyrel Todd
Barren County Speedway-Tyrel Todd
Soggy Bottom Speedway-Victor Lee
201 Speedway-Paul Harris
Bluegrass Speedway-Tim Tungate
LEXINGTON, KY--The 17th Annual Paul "Butterball" Wooldridge Memorial Race will take place this Saturday Night, July 17 at the Richmond Raceway in Richmond, KY. For the first time the event will be sanctioned by the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Presented by Arizona Sport Shirts. The race named in honor of the former Kentucky dirt track great from Frankfort, KY will pay $5000 to the winner of the Late Model feature race. There will be a complete show for the BoB Late Models with Racing Optics Time Trials, Crown Spray Power Heat Races and O'Reilly Auto Parts B-Mains which will take place before the Lucas Oil A-Main "Butterball" Wooldridge Memorial Feature Race. It will be the 14th points race of the 2004 racing season for Kentucky's Premier Dirt Late Model Sanctioning Body.
Paul "Butterball" Wooldridge is a legendary dirt track racer who passed away on Christmas Day of 1987 at the age of 57. "Butterball" as he was known by everyone raced from 1950 until 1982 accumalating numerous feature wins, track championships and track records in his day. His widow, Betty passed away four years ago and the couple had four sons, named Paul, Terry, Scottie and Steven. The Wooldridge Racing Family continues the tradition in 2004 with Michael Wooldridge piloting the Kentucky National Guard #1 Late Model and T.J. who drives the Harrod Farms #59 Dirt Late Model car.
Butterball Wooldridge had a incredible racing career that included making the very first World 100 in 1971 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH where he finished in fourth place. The year 1971 would be his most sucessful season, a year after hooking up with the famous #59 "Duncan's Delight" the R.L. Duncan Machinery Movers Chevelle out of Lexington, KY and wrenched by Charles and Logan Grider the team would win an amazing 50 feature events during the 1971 season. They followed that up in 1972 by winning 34 times. The Wooldridge name became synonomous with winning starting in 1950 and lasting 32 years. His last car owner was Dale Napper in 1982. But it was Butterball who got the ball rolling driving one of the most famous cars ever out of the state of Kentucky putting it on the map and in racing history as the #59 car would see such driving greats as Floyd Gilbert, Billy Teegarden and David Speer sit behind the wheel of the red machine, but none could equal the 84 wins Butterball had with the team in 1971 and 1972. In the mid 1970's Butterball drove for legendary chassis builder Ray Callahan and Jack Wagoner both from Pekin, IN. Butterball then made famous the #77 ride which he drove to several feature wins, set several track records and won track titles with the car. One of his earlier car numbers from the 60's that he was known by was the "ZZ" ride.
For the 17th time Richmond Raceway will honor one of Kentucky's all-time greats with the running of the Paul "Butterball" Wooldridge Memorial Race. In the previous 16 races one driver has dominated the win column. Scottsburg, IN veteran, Mike Jewell has won exactly half of the previous 16 events held. In fact five drivers from the Hoosier State of Indiana have been victorious in the race. Brian Asbury of Mitchell, IN won the very first "Butterball" Memorial in 1988 and that led to wins by Hall of Famers, Jim Curry of Norman, IN and Ray Godsey of Bedford, IN. Kevin Claycomb of Vincennes, IN won the race in 1991. Three racers from the Bluegrass State have won including the late Hall of Famer, Jack Boggs of Grayson, KY, Johnny Wheeler of Campbellsville, KY and Delane Browning of East Bernstadt, KY. Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN the 2002 winner is the only driver from outside the borders of Indiana and Kentucky to win the race.
Action will get underway at Richmond Raceway this Saturday Night, July 17 with pit gates opening at 3 pm (EDT) with main grandstand gates at 5 pm (EDT). Practice will take place at 6:30 pm (EDT followed by Late Model Time Trials. For directions to Richmond Raceway please log on to their website at www.richmondraceways.net.
Richmond Raceway
Richmond, KY
Saturday Night, July 17, 2004
17th Annual Paul "Butterball" Wooldridge Memorial Race
O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
$5000 to Win!
Event Payoff:
1. $5000.00
2. 3000.00
3. 2000.00
4. 1500.00
5. 1000.00
6. 800.00
7. 750.00
8. 700.00
9. 650.00
10. 600.00
11. 550.00
12. 500.00
13. 450.00
14. 450.00
15. 400.00
16. 400.00
17. 350.00
18. 350.00
19. 300.00
20. 300.00
21. 300.00
22. 300.00
Tire Rule
Hoosier LM20, D20, D21,LM40, D55
American Racer SD44, MD56
Goodyear X300, X400
Previous Butterball Wooldridge Memorial Race Winners
1988--Brian Asbury
1989--Jim Curry
1990--Ray Godsey
1991--Kevin Claycomb
1992--Mike Jewell
1993--Jack Boggs
1994--Mike Jewell
1995--Johnny Wheeler
1996--Mike Jewell
1997--Mike Jewell
1998--Delane Browning
1999--Mike Jewell
2000--Mike Jewell
2001--Mike Jewell
2002--Jimmy Owens
2003--Mike Jewell
2004 Season in Review Battle of the Bluegrass Main Event Winners
Florence Speedway-Steve Francis
Bluegrass Speedway-Don O'Neal
Ponderosa Speedway-Greg Johnson
201 Speedway-Tyrel Todd
Richmond Raceway-Greg Johnson
Barren County Speedway-Greg Johnson
Tennessee Motor Speedway-Jeff Smith
Florence Speedway-Mike Jewell
Clinton County Speedway-Tyrel Todd
Barren County Speedway-Tyrel Todd
Soggy Bottom Speedway-Victor Lee
201 Speedway-Paul Harris
Bluegrass Speedway-Tim Tungate
