By Michael Despain
Bardstown, KY-May 14- Rick Combs of Cincinnati, OH held on in a wild finish to claim the Late Model feature win at Bluegrass Speedway on Saturday night. Other division winners were Josh Lucas of Bardstown, KY in Modifieds, Danny Blackwell of Taylorsville, KY in Sportsman, and James Russell of Nicholasville, KY and Willie Edelen of Bardstown, KY in Street Stocks.
The 25 lap Late Model feature saw Rick Combs jump to the race lead, with Brad Neat, Patrick Sheltra, John Gill, Timmy Yeager, and Johnny Wheeler in pursuit. Gill would slide by Sheltra in the early going for the third spot, while Wheeler and Yeager would duke in out for fifth, before Yeager rolled his entry pitside around lap 8. At this point, Combs would start the lapping process of slower traffic, while Gill slowly reeled Neat in for second. Joe Godsey would bring out the first caution on lap 12, slowing in turn four and being finished for the night. Brandon Witt and Matthew Cottongim would tangle on the restart in turn two, with Cottongim doing a complete 360 degree spin and driving on, while Witt would be finished for the night. The restart would see business pick up in the battle for second as Gill would put the pressure on Neat, while Combs still rode at the point. On lap 18, Neat would close in Combs for the top spot, and Combs would jump the cushion in turn four, allowing Neat to drive under him for the top spot. Lap 22 would see Gill challenge Combs for second, with the pair side by side under the two lap to go signal. Caution would wave as the leaders took the white flag, as race leader Neat and the slower car of Chris Stillwell would make contact at the flagstand, with Stillwell spinning wildly and coming to a rest in turn one. This would set up a green, white, checkered flag finish. On the restart, Combs would get a run under Neat off of turn two and take the top spot. As the field took the white flag, Neat, Sheltra, and Gill worked three wide off of turn four. Sheltra looked under Neat exiting turn two, with the duo making contact and Sheltra would do a complete 360 degree spin and never stop. Meanwhile, Combs rode the topside on the final circuit to take his first ever Bluegrass Speedway win aboard his Culligan Water/Simpson Race Products/Home Team Inspection Service/Griffin Graffix/EWS Motorsports sponsored #99 Swartz Race Cars, Cropper Race Engines powered mount. Neat and Gill would hang on for second and third, while Wheeler and Joey Daniel completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Billy Dever, Sheltra, Ed Behn, Jerry Rutherford, and Jeff Watson. Twenty eight Late Models saw Combs also set fast time and win the dash. Heats were picked up by Godsey and Behn, while Mike Wooldridge won the B-main.
The 20 lap Modified feature would see opening night winner Robbie Gullion lead the first 15 laps on the open wheel main event until mechanical woes sidelined his mount, handing the lead over to defending Modified track champion Josh Lucas. Lucas would hold off a hard charging David McWilliams and drive to victory in the Gerald, Rita, and Jenna Lucas owned Lucas Oil/K and N Filters/The Car Pool/Quick Fuel/National City Bank/Family Chiropractic/Riggs Electric/Betty Seng Incorporated/On Time Carrier sponsored #78 Lightning Chassis, Dale Meers Race Engines powered entry. McWilliams would go second, with Dion Benningfield, Jason Wheatley, and Mike Watson rounding out the top five. Completing the top ten were Tim Eddelman, Joey Jones, Jim Howard, Robbie Turner, and Elliott Despain. Twenty three Modifeds saw heat race wins go to Gullion and Lucas.
The 20 lap, $300 to win Sportsman feature event would Danny Blackwell stave off the hard charges of Kevin Wilson to capture the Sportsman main event behind the wheel of the Sherry Blackwell owned Noel Auto Sales/Lotsa Cars and Trucks/ D and D Towing/Powerhouse Race Cars #b1 Chevy Monte Carlo mount. Wilson would take runner-up honors, while Mike Bailey, Jimmy Bryan, and James Jones completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Johnny Cecil, Scott Cecil, Randy Riley, Jim Bowers, and Steve Rector. Blackwell was also top qualifier and won the dash, while the heat win went to Barry Chesser.
In Sunday morning action, the $200 to win Street Stock special rolled off and Willie Edelen would take the checkered flag first, but was penalized two spots for jumping a restart, so James Russell would be credited with the feature win in his unsponsored #4. Brian McCubbins, Willie Edelen, Daroyl Samples, and Joe Blair completed the top five. Garnett Eldridge, Troy Moore, Doug Estep, Brad Mattingly, and Avral Thompson rounded out the top ten. Heat wins went to Russell and Terry Bartley. Another Street Stock feature was added to the morning program and Edelen would win that event in his Edelen Tire and Graphics/ Waddy Oil/Walker Transmissions/George Mattingly/Wilson Brothers/Bud Light/ Makin's Wrecker #9 over Eldridge, Thompson, Tim Leake, and Samples.
SUMMARY-Bluegrass Speedway-Bardstown, KY-May 14, 2004
LATE MODELS (28 entries)
Top Qualifier- Rick Combs
Dash- Combs, Brad Neat, Patrick Sheltra, John Gill, Timmy Yeager, Johnny Wheeler
1st Heat- Joe Godsey, Lee Devasier, Jerry Rutherford, P.J. Feistritzer
2nd Heat- Ed Behn, Jeff Watson, Joey Daniel, Rick Sowders
B-Main- Mike Wooldridge, Matthew Cottongim, Leo Brady, T.J. Wooldridge, Michael Coontz
Feature- Combs, Neat, Gill, Wheeler, Daniel, Billy Dever, Sheltra, Behn, Rutherford, Watson, Feistritzer, Chris Stillwell, Devasier, Brandon Witt, Cottongim, Godsey, Yeager, Sowders, Cody Mahoney, Mike Wooldridge
MODIFIEDS (23 entries)
1st Heat- Robbie Gullion, Joey Jones, Dion Benningfield, Tim Eddelman
2nd Heat- Josh Lucas, David McWilliams, Jason Wheatley, Michael Watson
Feature- Lucas, McWilliams, Benningfield, Wheatley, Watson, Eddelman, Jones, Jim Howard, Robbie Turner, Elliott Despain, Robert Burdette, Gullion, Bill Wagner, Josh Turpin, Steve Pyles, Randall Basham, J.T. Ayers, Rocky Wilson
SPORTSMAN (21 entries)
Top Qualifier- Danny Blackwell
Dash- Blackwell, Johnny Lee, Pat Hagan, Roger Cecil, Jimmy Bryan, Todd Coffman
Heat- Barry Chesser, Kevin Wilson, Steve Rector, Johnny Cecil
Feature- Blackwell, Wilson, Mike Bailey, Bryan, James Jones, Johnny Cecil, Randy Riley, Jim Bower, Rector, Roger Cecil, Derek Bottoms, Pat Hagan, Timmy Glazer, Billy Benningfield, Chesser, Sam Huffer, Lee
STREET STOCKS (21 entries)
1st Heat- James Russell, Brian McCubbins, Daroyl Samples, Avral Thompson
2nd Heat- Terry Bartley, Doug Estep, Willie Edelen, Garnett Eldridge
Feature- Russell, McCubbins, Edelen, Samples, Joe Blair, Eldridge, Troy Moore, Estep, Brad Mattingly, Thompson, Tim Leake, Robbie Settles, Jenna Chesser, Bartley, Chad Chaney, Shane Litton, Dan Bryan
Sunday Morning Special Feature- Edelen, Eldridge, Thompson, Leake, Samples, Lee Gray, Russell, Estep, Blair, Litton, Bryan, Moore, Settles, McCubbins, Chaney, Chesser
Bardstown, KY-May 14- Rick Combs of Cincinnati, OH held on in a wild finish to claim the Late Model feature win at Bluegrass Speedway on Saturday night. Other division winners were Josh Lucas of Bardstown, KY in Modifieds, Danny Blackwell of Taylorsville, KY in Sportsman, and James Russell of Nicholasville, KY and Willie Edelen of Bardstown, KY in Street Stocks.
The 25 lap Late Model feature saw Rick Combs jump to the race lead, with Brad Neat, Patrick Sheltra, John Gill, Timmy Yeager, and Johnny Wheeler in pursuit. Gill would slide by Sheltra in the early going for the third spot, while Wheeler and Yeager would duke in out for fifth, before Yeager rolled his entry pitside around lap 8. At this point, Combs would start the lapping process of slower traffic, while Gill slowly reeled Neat in for second. Joe Godsey would bring out the first caution on lap 12, slowing in turn four and being finished for the night. Brandon Witt and Matthew Cottongim would tangle on the restart in turn two, with Cottongim doing a complete 360 degree spin and driving on, while Witt would be finished for the night. The restart would see business pick up in the battle for second as Gill would put the pressure on Neat, while Combs still rode at the point. On lap 18, Neat would close in Combs for the top spot, and Combs would jump the cushion in turn four, allowing Neat to drive under him for the top spot. Lap 22 would see Gill challenge Combs for second, with the pair side by side under the two lap to go signal. Caution would wave as the leaders took the white flag, as race leader Neat and the slower car of Chris Stillwell would make contact at the flagstand, with Stillwell spinning wildly and coming to a rest in turn one. This would set up a green, white, checkered flag finish. On the restart, Combs would get a run under Neat off of turn two and take the top spot. As the field took the white flag, Neat, Sheltra, and Gill worked three wide off of turn four. Sheltra looked under Neat exiting turn two, with the duo making contact and Sheltra would do a complete 360 degree spin and never stop. Meanwhile, Combs rode the topside on the final circuit to take his first ever Bluegrass Speedway win aboard his Culligan Water/Simpson Race Products/Home Team Inspection Service/Griffin Graffix/EWS Motorsports sponsored #99 Swartz Race Cars, Cropper Race Engines powered mount. Neat and Gill would hang on for second and third, while Wheeler and Joey Daniel completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Billy Dever, Sheltra, Ed Behn, Jerry Rutherford, and Jeff Watson. Twenty eight Late Models saw Combs also set fast time and win the dash. Heats were picked up by Godsey and Behn, while Mike Wooldridge won the B-main.
The 20 lap Modified feature would see opening night winner Robbie Gullion lead the first 15 laps on the open wheel main event until mechanical woes sidelined his mount, handing the lead over to defending Modified track champion Josh Lucas. Lucas would hold off a hard charging David McWilliams and drive to victory in the Gerald, Rita, and Jenna Lucas owned Lucas Oil/K and N Filters/The Car Pool/Quick Fuel/National City Bank/Family Chiropractic/Riggs Electric/Betty Seng Incorporated/On Time Carrier sponsored #78 Lightning Chassis, Dale Meers Race Engines powered entry. McWilliams would go second, with Dion Benningfield, Jason Wheatley, and Mike Watson rounding out the top five. Completing the top ten were Tim Eddelman, Joey Jones, Jim Howard, Robbie Turner, and Elliott Despain. Twenty three Modifeds saw heat race wins go to Gullion and Lucas.
The 20 lap, $300 to win Sportsman feature event would Danny Blackwell stave off the hard charges of Kevin Wilson to capture the Sportsman main event behind the wheel of the Sherry Blackwell owned Noel Auto Sales/Lotsa Cars and Trucks/ D and D Towing/Powerhouse Race Cars #b1 Chevy Monte Carlo mount. Wilson would take runner-up honors, while Mike Bailey, Jimmy Bryan, and James Jones completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Johnny Cecil, Scott Cecil, Randy Riley, Jim Bowers, and Steve Rector. Blackwell was also top qualifier and won the dash, while the heat win went to Barry Chesser.
In Sunday morning action, the $200 to win Street Stock special rolled off and Willie Edelen would take the checkered flag first, but was penalized two spots for jumping a restart, so James Russell would be credited with the feature win in his unsponsored #4. Brian McCubbins, Willie Edelen, Daroyl Samples, and Joe Blair completed the top five. Garnett Eldridge, Troy Moore, Doug Estep, Brad Mattingly, and Avral Thompson rounded out the top ten. Heat wins went to Russell and Terry Bartley. Another Street Stock feature was added to the morning program and Edelen would win that event in his Edelen Tire and Graphics/ Waddy Oil/Walker Transmissions/George Mattingly/Wilson Brothers/Bud Light/ Makin's Wrecker #9 over Eldridge, Thompson, Tim Leake, and Samples.
SUMMARY-Bluegrass Speedway-Bardstown, KY-May 14, 2004
LATE MODELS (28 entries)
Top Qualifier- Rick Combs
Dash- Combs, Brad Neat, Patrick Sheltra, John Gill, Timmy Yeager, Johnny Wheeler
1st Heat- Joe Godsey, Lee Devasier, Jerry Rutherford, P.J. Feistritzer
2nd Heat- Ed Behn, Jeff Watson, Joey Daniel, Rick Sowders
B-Main- Mike Wooldridge, Matthew Cottongim, Leo Brady, T.J. Wooldridge, Michael Coontz
Feature- Combs, Neat, Gill, Wheeler, Daniel, Billy Dever, Sheltra, Behn, Rutherford, Watson, Feistritzer, Chris Stillwell, Devasier, Brandon Witt, Cottongim, Godsey, Yeager, Sowders, Cody Mahoney, Mike Wooldridge
MODIFIEDS (23 entries)
1st Heat- Robbie Gullion, Joey Jones, Dion Benningfield, Tim Eddelman
2nd Heat- Josh Lucas, David McWilliams, Jason Wheatley, Michael Watson
Feature- Lucas, McWilliams, Benningfield, Wheatley, Watson, Eddelman, Jones, Jim Howard, Robbie Turner, Elliott Despain, Robert Burdette, Gullion, Bill Wagner, Josh Turpin, Steve Pyles, Randall Basham, J.T. Ayers, Rocky Wilson
SPORTSMAN (21 entries)
Top Qualifier- Danny Blackwell
Dash- Blackwell, Johnny Lee, Pat Hagan, Roger Cecil, Jimmy Bryan, Todd Coffman
Heat- Barry Chesser, Kevin Wilson, Steve Rector, Johnny Cecil
Feature- Blackwell, Wilson, Mike Bailey, Bryan, James Jones, Johnny Cecil, Randy Riley, Jim Bower, Rector, Roger Cecil, Derek Bottoms, Pat Hagan, Timmy Glazer, Billy Benningfield, Chesser, Sam Huffer, Lee
STREET STOCKS (21 entries)
1st Heat- James Russell, Brian McCubbins, Daroyl Samples, Avral Thompson
2nd Heat- Terry Bartley, Doug Estep, Willie Edelen, Garnett Eldridge
Feature- Russell, McCubbins, Edelen, Samples, Joe Blair, Eldridge, Troy Moore, Estep, Brad Mattingly, Thompson, Tim Leake, Robbie Settles, Jenna Chesser, Bartley, Chad Chaney, Shane Litton, Dan Bryan
Sunday Morning Special Feature- Edelen, Eldridge, Thompson, Leake, Samples, Lee Gray, Russell, Estep, Blair, Litton, Bryan, Moore, Settles, McCubbins, Chaney, Chesser
