Isom, KY--In their first ever visit to the Mountain Motor Speedway in Isom, KY the STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts would see Rookie of the Year contender, Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN pick up his second Battle of the Bluegrass event win of the 2003 season as he became only the second two time winner this year joining Darrell Lanigan in the distinctive category. The 25 year old driver who is currently second in the BoB point standings and leads the R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Year standings led all 40 laps to take the $3000 win back to the Volunteer State. Marlar coming off of a year when he finished second in the UMP National Modified Points scoring 39 feature wins last year is in his first full year of dirt late model racing as he drove the Todd Truss Company/Wayne Bowen Racing Supply/Wilson's Service Center/CarCosmetics.net/Winfield Video/Roger Ogle Home Builders/Torco Fuels/Oneida Paint and Body/H&M West Enterprises/Bilstein Shocks/Marlar and Sons Auto Dismantling/Kenny's Rowboat/45 Race Shop/Hoosier Tires/Real Wheels/Performance Battery/PBM Performance Products/WFO Graphics/Adam Christopher Race Engines/C.J. Rayburn Grand Prix to victory lane. Finishing in second was the 2002 STARS Battle of the Bluegrass Series Champion, Eddie Carrier Jr of Ona, WV in the Carl Grover Motorsports/Railway Equipment/Rocket Ford Taurus. Third place went to Timmy Yeager of Harrodsburg, KY in the Clark Racing/PPM Racing Products/Spoon Auto/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo ahead of fourth place finisher Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN in the Bernheisel Race Components/Powell Motorsports/Lazer G2 Monte Carlo. Completing the top five was Jesse James Lay of Walton, KY in the Outlaw Racing/Delta Faucet Company/Cox Outdoor Advertising/ Rocket Monte Carlo.
Starting from the outside of the front row Marlar would take the lead immediately heading into the first turn with Carrier grabbing second followed by Yeager, Lay and James. Marlar would quickly start to distance himself from the rest of the pack around the 3/8 mile high banked track. The race was going along without incident until a lap 15 caution slowed the race. James would pass Lay on the 17th lap for fourth as it was the first pass in the top five until then. With Marlar holding on to his advantage second place was getting interesting with Carrier and Yeager starting to tighten things up in an attempt to catch the high flying Marlar. Marlar had built a straightaway lead over Carrier and Yeager by the 26th circuit when a caution flag came out. With the field bunched up now was the chance for Carrier and Yeager to do something with Marlar, but Marlar was just too strong as he would pull away again and go on to pick up his second Battle of the Bluegrass win of 2003 and close gap on points leader, Scott James. Yeager would try every avenue to get by Carrier but just could not do it as Carrier held him off to take the runner-up check. Yeager who after the first race this year was mired in 26th place in the point standings as made a nice comeback as he recorded yet another top finish as he is now up to third in points. James finished a close fourth with Lay behind him in fifth.
"The car worked real well tonight," said Marlar afterwards. "We're learning every race what to do to the car and what we need to change, C.J. (Rayburn) has helped us out tremendously as far as what we need to do." "I don't have the motor maybe some of these other guys have, but the way I drive the car helps because I try to be smooth lap after lap. Consistency is the key." Marlar who scored 39 wins last year in open wheel modifieds has adjusted well to the full bodied racing in dirt late models. "In Modifieds you had maybe five guys that you had to worry about each week on a weekly deal, but with the late model racing, it is more difficult it seems like to win, because everybody has a good car and is a good driver, it is very tough just to make a show every night out with this late model deal."
Completing the top ten were Carnell Parker III, Shannon Thornsberry, Jackie Boggs, Tyrel Todd and Johnny Wheeler.
In preliminary action Jackie Boggs took the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time at 14.81 seconds for the 19 entries on hand. Heat races were won by Michael Chilton, Mike Marlar and Eddie Carrier Jr.
Race Summary:
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass
Friday, July 4, 2003
Mountain Motor Speedway
Isom, KY
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time: Jackie Boggs 14.81
First Heat: Michael Chilton, Timmy Yeager, Steven Ashby, Jackie Boggs
Second Heat: Mike Marlar, Jesse James Lay, Shannon Thornsberry, Tyrel Todd
Third Heat: Eddie Carrier Jr., Scott James, Carnell Parker III, Chuckie May
PBM Performance Products A-Main: Mike Marlar, Eddie Carrier Jr., Timmy Yeager, Scott James, Jesse James Lay, Carnell Parker III, Shannon Thornsberry, Jackie Boggs, Tyrel Todd, Johnny Wheeler, Raymond Nichols, Mike Morris, Steven Ashby, Benny Feltner, Chuckie May, Michael Chilton, Aaron Hatton, Marty Stepp
Race Statistics:
Entries: 19
Provisionals Used: None
Lap Leaders: Mike Marlar 1-40
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Race: Marlar
PPM Racing Products/Outlaw Race Cars Hard Charger of the Race: Johnny Wheeler
Starting from the outside of the front row Marlar would take the lead immediately heading into the first turn with Carrier grabbing second followed by Yeager, Lay and James. Marlar would quickly start to distance himself from the rest of the pack around the 3/8 mile high banked track. The race was going along without incident until a lap 15 caution slowed the race. James would pass Lay on the 17th lap for fourth as it was the first pass in the top five until then. With Marlar holding on to his advantage second place was getting interesting with Carrier and Yeager starting to tighten things up in an attempt to catch the high flying Marlar. Marlar had built a straightaway lead over Carrier and Yeager by the 26th circuit when a caution flag came out. With the field bunched up now was the chance for Carrier and Yeager to do something with Marlar, but Marlar was just too strong as he would pull away again and go on to pick up his second Battle of the Bluegrass win of 2003 and close gap on points leader, Scott James. Yeager would try every avenue to get by Carrier but just could not do it as Carrier held him off to take the runner-up check. Yeager who after the first race this year was mired in 26th place in the point standings as made a nice comeback as he recorded yet another top finish as he is now up to third in points. James finished a close fourth with Lay behind him in fifth.
"The car worked real well tonight," said Marlar afterwards. "We're learning every race what to do to the car and what we need to change, C.J. (Rayburn) has helped us out tremendously as far as what we need to do." "I don't have the motor maybe some of these other guys have, but the way I drive the car helps because I try to be smooth lap after lap. Consistency is the key." Marlar who scored 39 wins last year in open wheel modifieds has adjusted well to the full bodied racing in dirt late models. "In Modifieds you had maybe five guys that you had to worry about each week on a weekly deal, but with the late model racing, it is more difficult it seems like to win, because everybody has a good car and is a good driver, it is very tough just to make a show every night out with this late model deal."
Completing the top ten were Carnell Parker III, Shannon Thornsberry, Jackie Boggs, Tyrel Todd and Johnny Wheeler.
In preliminary action Jackie Boggs took the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time at 14.81 seconds for the 19 entries on hand. Heat races were won by Michael Chilton, Mike Marlar and Eddie Carrier Jr.
Race Summary:
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass
Friday, July 4, 2003
Mountain Motor Speedway
Isom, KY
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time: Jackie Boggs 14.81
First Heat: Michael Chilton, Timmy Yeager, Steven Ashby, Jackie Boggs
Second Heat: Mike Marlar, Jesse James Lay, Shannon Thornsberry, Tyrel Todd
Third Heat: Eddie Carrier Jr., Scott James, Carnell Parker III, Chuckie May
PBM Performance Products A-Main: Mike Marlar, Eddie Carrier Jr., Timmy Yeager, Scott James, Jesse James Lay, Carnell Parker III, Shannon Thornsberry, Jackie Boggs, Tyrel Todd, Johnny Wheeler, Raymond Nichols, Mike Morris, Steven Ashby, Benny Feltner, Chuckie May, Michael Chilton, Aaron Hatton, Marty Stepp
Race Statistics:
Entries: 19
Provisionals Used: None
Lap Leaders: Mike Marlar 1-40
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Race: Marlar
PPM Racing Products/Outlaw Race Cars Hard Charger of the Race: Johnny Wheeler
