One night after the closest finish in the two year history of the STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series at the Clinton County (KY) Speedway it was topped by an even closer finish on Saturday Night at the Richmond Raceway in Richmond, KY as Mike Jewell came from the ninth starting spot to pass race leader, Mike Marlar at the flagstand to win by less than a foot. Jewell was running fourth with just five laps to go and then he passed Jesse James Lay, Michael Chilton and Marlar to win his second STARS Battle of the Bluegrass main event on the year and his third career. Jewell’s win came aboard the Don Powell crew chiefed, Southern Indiana Rock Drilling/Morgan Foods/MPC Motorsports/LaFountain’s Body Shop/Jewell TV Service/KP Radio/Shelton Angus Farms/Scott County Tire/GKN SinterMetals/Pruett’s Auto Repair/Hoosier Tires/Cornett Thunder Race Engines/MasterSbilt Grand Prix. Current STARS Battle of the Bluegrass Points leader, Mike Marlar finished second for the second night in a row driving the CarCosmetics.net/Wilson’s Service Center/C.J.Rayburn Grand Prix. Michael Chilton was third in the Chilton’s Lawn Care/AMS Race Engines/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo. Fourth place went to Jesse James Lay in the Cox Outdoor Advertising/Blue Beacon Truck Washes/Rocket Monte Carlo and rounding out the top five was Aaron Hatton in the Porter Tire Center/Pro Shocks/MasterSbilt Grand Prix.
The race got underway on an ominous start as a multi car pileup in turns three and four which brought out the red flag before a single lap was scored. The third restart would see the field start single file per the lineup sheet which meant that pole sitter Michael Chilton would lead the field. When the race went green again Chilton would hold the lead with Timmy Yeager running in second followed by Mike Marlar and David Powers. Chilton and Yeager would begin to distance themselves from the rest of the pack in the first five laps of the race. Marlar would then pick up his momentum as he would close on Yeager quickly and then pass him on the ninth circuit to take over second place. Chilton meanwhile was cruising around the track using the top groove of the race track a he had his car setup to run there. A really good battle for the third position on back was taking place with at least five cars scrambling for one spot. Yeager, Powers, Jesse James Lay, Mike Jewell and Aaron Hatton were the drivers involved in a crowd pleasing duel as several times there was three wide action on the track. When the race hit the halfway mark (20 Laps in) it was still Chilton showing the way with Marlar running in second and starting to hunt him down. Marlar would close to two car lengths when a caution flag for Marty Stepp came out on the 22nd lap. On the restart it was Chilton, Marlar, Lay now running third with Yeager, Powers, Jewell and Hatton in that running order. This would set up a memorable 18 lap race to the finish.
Jewell would pass Powers on the 24th lap to grab fifth; a lap later a lead change would take place with Marlar passing Chilton for the point. Jewell continued to be on the move taking fourth from Yeager on the 28th lap. The race still looked liked it would be a two car race to the end between Marlar and Chilton. With Lay in third and Jewell in fourth those two started to run down Marlar and Chilton and were trying to make it a four way ride to the checkers. With five laps to go Marlar held a two car length lead over Chilton with Lay and Jewell coming on strong, a lap later Jewell would go by Lay for third and he the set his sights on Chilton going by him with three to go, the question was did Jewel have enough time to catch up to and pass Marlar. Jewell changed his line on the track and did indeed track down Marlar closing right on him as the two took the white flag and as they headed down the backshute Jewell would set his car up to dive to the inside of Marlar as the two raced off turn three Jewell shot underneath Marlar and the two came to the finish line neck and neck with Jewell winning the race by less than a foot. The night before a Clinton County Marlar had come up just short of a win by just one half a car length to Aaron Hatton. Chilton who led 24 laps finished third with Lay coming home in fourth as Hatton was fifth.
Completing the top ten were David Powers, Victor Lee, Tyrel Todd, Timmy Yeager and Jim Curry. In Preliminary events Timmy Yeager set fast time at 15.398 seconds over the 31 entrants on hand. Heat race winners were Yeager, Powers, Chilton and Marlar. The AFCO B-Mains were won by Tyrel Todd and Rick Corbin.
Race Summary
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
Event #20
Richmond Raceway-Richmond, KY
Saturday Night, September 13, 2003
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time: Timmy Yeager 15.398
First Heat: Timmy Yeager, John Rhoades, Mike Jewell, Bobby Carrier Jr
Second Heat: David Powers, Jesse James Lay, Steve Cornelius, Marty Stepp
Third Heat: Michael Chilton, Aaron Hatton, Victor Lee, Dennis Roberson
Fourth Heat: Mike Marlar, Jeff Wilson, Herbie Barnett, Rick Corbin
1st AFCO B-Main: Tyrel Todd, Bobby Carrier Jr., David Freeman, Scott Douglas
2nd AFCO B-Main: Rick Corbin, Jim Curry, Jim LeMaster, Dennis Roberson
PBM Performace Products Main Event: Mike Jewell, Mike Marlar, Michael Chilton, Jesse James Lay, Aaron Hatton, David Powers, Victor Lee, Tyrel Todd, Timmy Yeager, Jim Curry, Rick Corbin, Scott Douglas, Bobby Carrier Jr., Herbie Barnett, Jim LeMaster, John Rhoades, Jeff Wilson, Marty Stepp, Scott James, Steve Cornelius, David Freeman, Ed Behn
Race Statistics
Entries: 31
STARS BoB Provisionals: Scott James and Ed Behn
Track Provisionals: Scott Douglas and Marty Stepp
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Race: Mike Marlar
PPM Racing Products/Outlaw Race Cars Hard Charger of the Race: Mike Jewell
Lead Changes: 3 among three drivers
Lap Leaders: Chilton 1-24, Marlar 25-39, Jewell 40
The race got underway on an ominous start as a multi car pileup in turns three and four which brought out the red flag before a single lap was scored. The third restart would see the field start single file per the lineup sheet which meant that pole sitter Michael Chilton would lead the field. When the race went green again Chilton would hold the lead with Timmy Yeager running in second followed by Mike Marlar and David Powers. Chilton and Yeager would begin to distance themselves from the rest of the pack in the first five laps of the race. Marlar would then pick up his momentum as he would close on Yeager quickly and then pass him on the ninth circuit to take over second place. Chilton meanwhile was cruising around the track using the top groove of the race track a he had his car setup to run there. A really good battle for the third position on back was taking place with at least five cars scrambling for one spot. Yeager, Powers, Jesse James Lay, Mike Jewell and Aaron Hatton were the drivers involved in a crowd pleasing duel as several times there was three wide action on the track. When the race hit the halfway mark (20 Laps in) it was still Chilton showing the way with Marlar running in second and starting to hunt him down. Marlar would close to two car lengths when a caution flag for Marty Stepp came out on the 22nd lap. On the restart it was Chilton, Marlar, Lay now running third with Yeager, Powers, Jewell and Hatton in that running order. This would set up a memorable 18 lap race to the finish.
Jewell would pass Powers on the 24th lap to grab fifth; a lap later a lead change would take place with Marlar passing Chilton for the point. Jewell continued to be on the move taking fourth from Yeager on the 28th lap. The race still looked liked it would be a two car race to the end between Marlar and Chilton. With Lay in third and Jewell in fourth those two started to run down Marlar and Chilton and were trying to make it a four way ride to the checkers. With five laps to go Marlar held a two car length lead over Chilton with Lay and Jewell coming on strong, a lap later Jewell would go by Lay for third and he the set his sights on Chilton going by him with three to go, the question was did Jewel have enough time to catch up to and pass Marlar. Jewell changed his line on the track and did indeed track down Marlar closing right on him as the two took the white flag and as they headed down the backshute Jewell would set his car up to dive to the inside of Marlar as the two raced off turn three Jewell shot underneath Marlar and the two came to the finish line neck and neck with Jewell winning the race by less than a foot. The night before a Clinton County Marlar had come up just short of a win by just one half a car length to Aaron Hatton. Chilton who led 24 laps finished third with Lay coming home in fourth as Hatton was fifth.
Completing the top ten were David Powers, Victor Lee, Tyrel Todd, Timmy Yeager and Jim Curry. In Preliminary events Timmy Yeager set fast time at 15.398 seconds over the 31 entrants on hand. Heat race winners were Yeager, Powers, Chilton and Marlar. The AFCO B-Mains were won by Tyrel Todd and Rick Corbin.
Race Summary
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
Event #20
Richmond Raceway-Richmond, KY
Saturday Night, September 13, 2003
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time: Timmy Yeager 15.398
First Heat: Timmy Yeager, John Rhoades, Mike Jewell, Bobby Carrier Jr
Second Heat: David Powers, Jesse James Lay, Steve Cornelius, Marty Stepp
Third Heat: Michael Chilton, Aaron Hatton, Victor Lee, Dennis Roberson
Fourth Heat: Mike Marlar, Jeff Wilson, Herbie Barnett, Rick Corbin
1st AFCO B-Main: Tyrel Todd, Bobby Carrier Jr., David Freeman, Scott Douglas
2nd AFCO B-Main: Rick Corbin, Jim Curry, Jim LeMaster, Dennis Roberson
PBM Performace Products Main Event: Mike Jewell, Mike Marlar, Michael Chilton, Jesse James Lay, Aaron Hatton, David Powers, Victor Lee, Tyrel Todd, Timmy Yeager, Jim Curry, Rick Corbin, Scott Douglas, Bobby Carrier Jr., Herbie Barnett, Jim LeMaster, John Rhoades, Jeff Wilson, Marty Stepp, Scott James, Steve Cornelius, David Freeman, Ed Behn
Race Statistics
Entries: 31
STARS BoB Provisionals: Scott James and Ed Behn
Track Provisionals: Scott Douglas and Marty Stepp
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Race: Mike Marlar
PPM Racing Products/Outlaw Race Cars Hard Charger of the Race: Mike Jewell
Lead Changes: 3 among three drivers
Lap Leaders: Chilton 1-24, Marlar 25-39, Jewell 40
