LEXINGTON, KY - The excitement is building as the first ever Kentucky Speedweek is now less than one month away. The O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series and the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will sanction the events which are being held the week of May 29th to June 3rd.
The highly-anticipated Kentucky Speedweek will kickoff on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29th, as the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts makes their first ever visit to the Sherri Heckenast-promoted Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway. The Calvert City, KY track is a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval and is the home of several prestigious events such as The Early Bird Classic and The Commonwealth Cup. Kentucky Lake's wide racing surface and state-of-the-art facilities are sure to be the perfect combination to host this historic event.
On Tuesday, May 30th, the nation's most competitive regional racing series will start making its way back east with a stop at Bardstown, KY's Bluegrass Speedway. On tap at the Charles Hamilton-owned, David & Anita Ferrell-promoted track will be the 9th Annual Spring Sizzler. Past winners of this event include Mike Hawley, Terry English, Rick Corbin, Don O'Neal, and Shannon Babb. Bluegrass Speedway first opened in 1995 and has hosted the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series every year since the series was founded in 2002. Over that time span, Mike Jewell, Darrell Lanigan, and Don O'Neal each have two Series wins at the 1/2-mile speedplant.
After taking Wednesday night off, the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts will venture to the action track known as Richmond Raceway on Thursday, June 1st. Never short on excitement, Richmond Raceway is a 3/10 semi-banked oval that is home to the Butterball Wooldridge Memorial among other special events. Owned by James Stinnett and Bobby Reed, the track is now promoted by Shayne Puckett and Brandon Witt. Another track that has hosted the BoB Series every year since its inauguration, 2003 BoB Champion Mike Marlar leads the pack in Series wins at Richmond with three, followed by Mike Hawley, 2005 Series Co-Champion Mike Jewell, and Greg Johnson with two each.
The fourth leg of the inaugural Kentucky Speedweek will be a $5000 to win show on Friday, June 2nd as the Series slips over to Ponderosa Speedway for the first ever running of the Ponderosa 50. "The Pond" is a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval promoted by 2005 O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Promoter of the Year Larry Yantz. The home of races such as the Junebug Rowland Memorial and the Annual Fall Classic, the track is a favorite among fans and drivers alike. Johnny Wheeler leads all drivers with three Series wins at the Junction City, KY facility.
The inaugural Kentucky Speedweek comes to a close on Saturday, June 3rd at the King Family's Florence Speedway with the $10,000 to win 20th Annual Ralph Latham Memorial which will be sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The Ralph Latham Memorial always draws a stellar field of cars to the 1/2-mile high-banked clay oval and this year's event is expected to be no different. Past winners of the race include Don O'Neal, Mike Jewell, Scott James, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran, Billy Moyer, Bart Hartman, Darrell Lanigan, Jack Boggs, and Scott Bloomquist among several others. O'Neal won last year's event in thrilling fashion, passing Earl Pearson Jr. with just three laps to go.
Additional information will be release soon. For more information on the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts, please log on to www.battleofthebluegrass.com or call the series office at (859) 433-5707.
For more information on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please log on to www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.
2006 Kentucky Speedweek Schedule
Monday, May 29 – KY Lake Motor Speedway - $3000 to win/O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass
Tuesday, May 30 – Bluegrass Speedway - $3000 to win/O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass
Wednesday, May 31 – Off
Thursday, June 1 – Richmond Raceway - $3000 to win/O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass
Friday, June 2 – Ponderosa Speedway - $5000 to win/O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass
Saturday, June 3rd - Florence Speedway - $10,000 to win/Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Current O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Points
1. 9 Mike Jewell (Scottsburg, IN) - 975
2. 10 Bryan Barber (Buffalo, KY) - 930
3. 18 Tim Tungate (Campbellsville, KY) - 895
4. 47 Chris Combs (Isom, KY) - 880
5. 41 Brad Neat (Dunnville, KY) - 820
6. 16 Justin Rattliff (Campbellsville, KY) - 790
7. 11 Bobby Wolter Jr. (Lexington, KY) - 760
8. 83 Scott James (Greendale, IN) - 730
9. 33 Aaron Hatton (Mt. Sterling, KY) - 670
10. 17 Shannon Thornsberry (Martin, KY) - 560
Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Points
1. 1 Earl Pearson, Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) - 1470
2. 99 Donnie Moran (Dresden, OH) - 1445
3. 71 Don O'Neal (Martinsville, IN) - 1405
4. 7 Matt Miller (Waterville, OH) - 1240
5. 46 Doug Horton (Bruceton Mills, WV) - 1155
6. 6T Tim Dohm (Cross Lanes, WV) - 1150
7. 83 Scott James (Lawrenceburg, IN) - 1135
8. 28 Dennis Erb Jr (Carpentersville, IL) - 1075
9. C9 Steve Casebolt (Richmond, IN) - 1035
10. 00 Freddy Smith (Seymour, TN) - 990
2006 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series Sponsors
O’Reilly Auto Parts – Title Sponsor and “Official Auto Parts Retailer of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
Arizona Sport Shirts – Presenting Sponsor and “Official Souvenir Manufacturer & Vendor of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
Sunoco Race Fuels – “Official Race Fuel of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
2006 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Supporters Include: O’Reilly Auto Parts, Arizona Sport Shirts, Sunoco Race Fuels, DART Machinery, Lucas Oil Products, Hoosier Race Tires, American Race Tires, PPM Performance Products, Bazell Fuels, Cruise With the Champions, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, Racing Optics, Mason Racin', Design 500, Trailer Parts & Sales, Honda of Prestonsburg, Bullock Race Engines, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, Bert Transmissions, Rick Schwallie Photography, and Real Wheels
The highly-anticipated Kentucky Speedweek will kickoff on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29th, as the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts makes their first ever visit to the Sherri Heckenast-promoted Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway. The Calvert City, KY track is a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval and is the home of several prestigious events such as The Early Bird Classic and The Commonwealth Cup. Kentucky Lake's wide racing surface and state-of-the-art facilities are sure to be the perfect combination to host this historic event.
On Tuesday, May 30th, the nation's most competitive regional racing series will start making its way back east with a stop at Bardstown, KY's Bluegrass Speedway. On tap at the Charles Hamilton-owned, David & Anita Ferrell-promoted track will be the 9th Annual Spring Sizzler. Past winners of this event include Mike Hawley, Terry English, Rick Corbin, Don O'Neal, and Shannon Babb. Bluegrass Speedway first opened in 1995 and has hosted the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series every year since the series was founded in 2002. Over that time span, Mike Jewell, Darrell Lanigan, and Don O'Neal each have two Series wins at the 1/2-mile speedplant.
After taking Wednesday night off, the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts will venture to the action track known as Richmond Raceway on Thursday, June 1st. Never short on excitement, Richmond Raceway is a 3/10 semi-banked oval that is home to the Butterball Wooldridge Memorial among other special events. Owned by James Stinnett and Bobby Reed, the track is now promoted by Shayne Puckett and Brandon Witt. Another track that has hosted the BoB Series every year since its inauguration, 2003 BoB Champion Mike Marlar leads the pack in Series wins at Richmond with three, followed by Mike Hawley, 2005 Series Co-Champion Mike Jewell, and Greg Johnson with two each.
The fourth leg of the inaugural Kentucky Speedweek will be a $5000 to win show on Friday, June 2nd as the Series slips over to Ponderosa Speedway for the first ever running of the Ponderosa 50. "The Pond" is a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval promoted by 2005 O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Promoter of the Year Larry Yantz. The home of races such as the Junebug Rowland Memorial and the Annual Fall Classic, the track is a favorite among fans and drivers alike. Johnny Wheeler leads all drivers with three Series wins at the Junction City, KY facility.
The inaugural Kentucky Speedweek comes to a close on Saturday, June 3rd at the King Family's Florence Speedway with the $10,000 to win 20th Annual Ralph Latham Memorial which will be sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. The Ralph Latham Memorial always draws a stellar field of cars to the 1/2-mile high-banked clay oval and this year's event is expected to be no different. Past winners of the race include Don O'Neal, Mike Jewell, Scott James, Steve Francis, Donnie Moran, Billy Moyer, Bart Hartman, Darrell Lanigan, Jack Boggs, and Scott Bloomquist among several others. O'Neal won last year's event in thrilling fashion, passing Earl Pearson Jr. with just three laps to go.
Additional information will be release soon. For more information on the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts, please log on to www.battleofthebluegrass.com or call the series office at (859) 433-5707.
For more information on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, please log on to www.lucasdirt.com or call the series office at (951) 532-2503.
2006 Kentucky Speedweek Schedule
Monday, May 29 – KY Lake Motor Speedway - $3000 to win/O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass
Tuesday, May 30 – Bluegrass Speedway - $3000 to win/O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass
Wednesday, May 31 – Off
Thursday, June 1 – Richmond Raceway - $3000 to win/O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass
Friday, June 2 – Ponderosa Speedway - $5000 to win/O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass
Saturday, June 3rd - Florence Speedway - $10,000 to win/Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Current O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Points
1. 9 Mike Jewell (Scottsburg, IN) - 975
2. 10 Bryan Barber (Buffalo, KY) - 930
3. 18 Tim Tungate (Campbellsville, KY) - 895
4. 47 Chris Combs (Isom, KY) - 880
5. 41 Brad Neat (Dunnville, KY) - 820
6. 16 Justin Rattliff (Campbellsville, KY) - 790
7. 11 Bobby Wolter Jr. (Lexington, KY) - 760
8. 83 Scott James (Greendale, IN) - 730
9. 33 Aaron Hatton (Mt. Sterling, KY) - 670
10. 17 Shannon Thornsberry (Martin, KY) - 560
Current Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Points
1. 1 Earl Pearson, Jr. (Jacksonville, FL) - 1470
2. 99 Donnie Moran (Dresden, OH) - 1445
3. 71 Don O'Neal (Martinsville, IN) - 1405
4. 7 Matt Miller (Waterville, OH) - 1240
5. 46 Doug Horton (Bruceton Mills, WV) - 1155
6. 6T Tim Dohm (Cross Lanes, WV) - 1150
7. 83 Scott James (Lawrenceburg, IN) - 1135
8. 28 Dennis Erb Jr (Carpentersville, IL) - 1075
9. C9 Steve Casebolt (Richmond, IN) - 1035
10. 00 Freddy Smith (Seymour, TN) - 990
2006 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series Sponsors
O’Reilly Auto Parts – Title Sponsor and “Official Auto Parts Retailer of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
Arizona Sport Shirts – Presenting Sponsor and “Official Souvenir Manufacturer & Vendor of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
Sunoco Race Fuels – “Official Race Fuel of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
2006 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Supporters Include: O’Reilly Auto Parts, Arizona Sport Shirts, Sunoco Race Fuels, DART Machinery, Lucas Oil Products, Hoosier Race Tires, American Race Tires, PPM Performance Products, Bazell Fuels, Cruise With the Champions, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, Racing Optics, Mason Racin', Design 500, Trailer Parts & Sales, Honda of Prestonsburg, Bullock Race Engines, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, Bert Transmissions, Rick Schwallie Photography, and Real Wheels
