By Michael Despain
Junction City, KY- The STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series invaded The Legendary Ponderosa Speedway for the 4th Annual Hugh "Junebug" Rowland Memorial and when the checkered flag fell, current series points leader Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN had scored a series record-tying fifth win and grabbed the $3,000 first place money that went along with the win.
Marlar and fellow open wheel standout Victor Lee would bring the field to the green flag, Marlar jumping to the lead, while Lee gave chase, followed by Eddie Carrier, Jr., Scott James, and Mike Jewell. James would go to third early on and Jewell would slide by Eddie, Jr. as well, leaving Lanigan to duke it out with the defending series champion for fifth. Meanwhile, Marlar and Lee were putting some distance on the field, with Marlar pulling out to almost a full straightaway lead before the midpoint of the race. With all this going on, James and Jewell would battle for the third spot, with Lanigan finally winning the battle for the fifth spot. The only caution of the 40 lap event would wave on lap 26 as Tyrel Todd looped his mount in turn four. During this caution period, second place Lee would pull pitside with motor woes as smoke and liquid trailed his entry. The final 15 rounds would see Marlar get much heat from James, who inherited second when Lee dropped out. James could get close, but could not muster enough strength to take the lead from Marlar who drove to victory in his Wayne Bowen Racing Supply/Car Cosmetics/Wilson's Service Center/Todd Truss/Estes Automotive and Machine/Kenny's Rowboat/Marlar and Sons Auto Dismantling #157 C.J. Rayburn Race Car, Estes Automotive powered, Hoosier Tire shod mount. The remainder of the top five would be James, Jewell, Lanigan, and Jesse James Lay. Steve Barnett would head up the second five followed by Bobby Carrier, Jr., Eddie Carrier, Jr., Duayne Hommel, and Steve Casebolt. Eddie Carrier, Jr. was the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics fast qualifier at 13.322 seconds, while heats went to Eddie, Jr., Lee, Marlar, and James. The tow AFCO Racing Products B-mains were won by Casebolt and Michael Chilton. Series provisionals went to Timmy Yeager and Todd, while Dustin Neat got the track provisional. A total of 29 entries from four states were on hand.
In Modified action, Tom Curtsinger of Harrodsburg, KY took the 20 lap feature race win aboard the Jimmy Cundiff owned Kentucky Clutch/B and R Speed Shop sponsored #3 Cundiff Chassis entry. Track champion Jerry Rutherford would settle for runner-up honors on this evening, with Don Fleetwood, Adam Gootee, and Doug Tarter completing the top five. The rest of the top ten would be Scott Anderson, David Webb, Jake Henry, Gary Yeager, and Shane Back. Tarter would be fast qualifier, with Rutherford winning the dash, while Ricky Fields won the heat.
Rick King of Junction City, KY became the Sportsman track champion by winning his second straight 15 lap feature in his 3D Trucking/The Muffler Shop/Case's Auto Repair/Kidd Glass/Shelton's Body Shop/Kirby's Race Car Lettering #3D entry. Darrell Gaddis would take runner-up honors, with Donald Rayburn, Brian Elder, and Wilson Prather completing the top five. Rounding out the rest of the field were Jeff Johnson, C.W. Murphy, Charlie Clark. Gaddis was the heat race winner.
Berea, KY native Larry Foley, Jr. won the feature in the Chevette division to secure the track championship in this division in his Yanders Auto Sales #15 entry. Ronnie Cooper would go second, with Dusty Maybrier, Brandon Clark, and Mike Collett the rest of the top five. Completing the top ten were Billy Jewell, David Murphy, Jordan Whitaker, Steve Rector, and Joseph Lyons. Foley, Jr. won the heat.
SUMMARY-The Legendary Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-Sept. 19, 2003
LATE MODELS (29 entries)
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Optics Fast Time- Eddie Carrier, Jr. 13.322
1st Heat- Eddie Carrier, Jr., Darrell Lanigan, Bobby Carrier, Jr., Steve Casebolt
2nd Heat- Victor Lee, Mike Jewell, Steve Barnett, Jason Setser
3rd Heat- Mike Marlar, Steve Cornelius, Duayne Hommel, Michael Chilton
4th Heat- Scott James, Jesse James Lay, Aaron Hatton, Duane Chamberlain
1st AFCO B Main- Casebolt, Bobby Wolter, Jr., Setser, Timmy Yeager, Tyrel Todd
2nd AFCO B Main- Chilton, Duane Chamberlain, John Blankenship, Dustin Neat, Billy Wooldridge
STARS BoB Provs.- Yeager and Todd
Track Prov.- Neat
4th Annual Hugh "Junebug" Rowland Memorial- Marlar, James, Jewell, Lanigan, Lay, Barnett, Bobby Carrier, Jr., Eddie Carrier, Jr., Hommel, Casebolt, Yeager, Hatton, Cornelius, Todd, Chilton, Wolter, Jr., Blankenship, Lee. Chamberlain, Setser, Neat
MODIFIEDS (15 entries)
Top Qualifier- Doug Tarter 15.401
Dash- Jerry Rutherford, Tarter, Don Fleetwood, Tom Curtsinger, Gary Yeager, John Sparks
Heat- Ricky Fields, Robbie Bennett, Scott Anderson, Adam Gootee
Feature- Curtsinger, Rutherford, Fleetwood, Gootee, Tarter, Anderson, David Webb, Jake Henry, Yeager, Shane Back, Fields, Sparks, Bennett
SPORTSMAN (10 entries)
Heat- Darrell Gaddis, Jeff Johnson, Donald Rayburn, Rick King
Feature- King, Gaddis, Rayburn, Brian Elder, Wilson Prather, Jeff Johnson, C.W. Murphy, Charlie Clark
CHEVETTES (13 entries)
Heat- Mike Collett, Randy Maybrier, Ronnie Cooper, Dusty Maybrier
Feature- Larry Foley, Jr., Cooper, Dusty Maybrier, Brandon Clark, Collett, Billy Jewell, David Murphy, Jordan Whitaker, Steve Rector, Joseph Lyons, Craig Carrier, Randy Maybrier, Ryan Durham
Junction City, KY- The STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series invaded The Legendary Ponderosa Speedway for the 4th Annual Hugh "Junebug" Rowland Memorial and when the checkered flag fell, current series points leader Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN had scored a series record-tying fifth win and grabbed the $3,000 first place money that went along with the win.
Marlar and fellow open wheel standout Victor Lee would bring the field to the green flag, Marlar jumping to the lead, while Lee gave chase, followed by Eddie Carrier, Jr., Scott James, and Mike Jewell. James would go to third early on and Jewell would slide by Eddie, Jr. as well, leaving Lanigan to duke it out with the defending series champion for fifth. Meanwhile, Marlar and Lee were putting some distance on the field, with Marlar pulling out to almost a full straightaway lead before the midpoint of the race. With all this going on, James and Jewell would battle for the third spot, with Lanigan finally winning the battle for the fifth spot. The only caution of the 40 lap event would wave on lap 26 as Tyrel Todd looped his mount in turn four. During this caution period, second place Lee would pull pitside with motor woes as smoke and liquid trailed his entry. The final 15 rounds would see Marlar get much heat from James, who inherited second when Lee dropped out. James could get close, but could not muster enough strength to take the lead from Marlar who drove to victory in his Wayne Bowen Racing Supply/Car Cosmetics/Wilson's Service Center/Todd Truss/Estes Automotive and Machine/Kenny's Rowboat/Marlar and Sons Auto Dismantling #157 C.J. Rayburn Race Car, Estes Automotive powered, Hoosier Tire shod mount. The remainder of the top five would be James, Jewell, Lanigan, and Jesse James Lay. Steve Barnett would head up the second five followed by Bobby Carrier, Jr., Eddie Carrier, Jr., Duayne Hommel, and Steve Casebolt. Eddie Carrier, Jr. was the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics fast qualifier at 13.322 seconds, while heats went to Eddie, Jr., Lee, Marlar, and James. The tow AFCO Racing Products B-mains were won by Casebolt and Michael Chilton. Series provisionals went to Timmy Yeager and Todd, while Dustin Neat got the track provisional. A total of 29 entries from four states were on hand.
In Modified action, Tom Curtsinger of Harrodsburg, KY took the 20 lap feature race win aboard the Jimmy Cundiff owned Kentucky Clutch/B and R Speed Shop sponsored #3 Cundiff Chassis entry. Track champion Jerry Rutherford would settle for runner-up honors on this evening, with Don Fleetwood, Adam Gootee, and Doug Tarter completing the top five. The rest of the top ten would be Scott Anderson, David Webb, Jake Henry, Gary Yeager, and Shane Back. Tarter would be fast qualifier, with Rutherford winning the dash, while Ricky Fields won the heat.
Rick King of Junction City, KY became the Sportsman track champion by winning his second straight 15 lap feature in his 3D Trucking/The Muffler Shop/Case's Auto Repair/Kidd Glass/Shelton's Body Shop/Kirby's Race Car Lettering #3D entry. Darrell Gaddis would take runner-up honors, with Donald Rayburn, Brian Elder, and Wilson Prather completing the top five. Rounding out the rest of the field were Jeff Johnson, C.W. Murphy, Charlie Clark. Gaddis was the heat race winner.
Berea, KY native Larry Foley, Jr. won the feature in the Chevette division to secure the track championship in this division in his Yanders Auto Sales #15 entry. Ronnie Cooper would go second, with Dusty Maybrier, Brandon Clark, and Mike Collett the rest of the top five. Completing the top ten were Billy Jewell, David Murphy, Jordan Whitaker, Steve Rector, and Joseph Lyons. Foley, Jr. won the heat.
SUMMARY-The Legendary Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-Sept. 19, 2003
LATE MODELS (29 entries)
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Optics Fast Time- Eddie Carrier, Jr. 13.322
1st Heat- Eddie Carrier, Jr., Darrell Lanigan, Bobby Carrier, Jr., Steve Casebolt
2nd Heat- Victor Lee, Mike Jewell, Steve Barnett, Jason Setser
3rd Heat- Mike Marlar, Steve Cornelius, Duayne Hommel, Michael Chilton
4th Heat- Scott James, Jesse James Lay, Aaron Hatton, Duane Chamberlain
1st AFCO B Main- Casebolt, Bobby Wolter, Jr., Setser, Timmy Yeager, Tyrel Todd
2nd AFCO B Main- Chilton, Duane Chamberlain, John Blankenship, Dustin Neat, Billy Wooldridge
STARS BoB Provs.- Yeager and Todd
Track Prov.- Neat
4th Annual Hugh "Junebug" Rowland Memorial- Marlar, James, Jewell, Lanigan, Lay, Barnett, Bobby Carrier, Jr., Eddie Carrier, Jr., Hommel, Casebolt, Yeager, Hatton, Cornelius, Todd, Chilton, Wolter, Jr., Blankenship, Lee. Chamberlain, Setser, Neat
MODIFIEDS (15 entries)
Top Qualifier- Doug Tarter 15.401
Dash- Jerry Rutherford, Tarter, Don Fleetwood, Tom Curtsinger, Gary Yeager, John Sparks
Heat- Ricky Fields, Robbie Bennett, Scott Anderson, Adam Gootee
Feature- Curtsinger, Rutherford, Fleetwood, Gootee, Tarter, Anderson, David Webb, Jake Henry, Yeager, Shane Back, Fields, Sparks, Bennett
SPORTSMAN (10 entries)
Heat- Darrell Gaddis, Jeff Johnson, Donald Rayburn, Rick King
Feature- King, Gaddis, Rayburn, Brian Elder, Wilson Prather, Jeff Johnson, C.W. Murphy, Charlie Clark
CHEVETTES (13 entries)
Heat- Mike Collett, Randy Maybrier, Ronnie Cooper, Dusty Maybrier
Feature- Larry Foley, Jr., Cooper, Dusty Maybrier, Brandon Clark, Collett, Billy Jewell, David Murphy, Jordan Whitaker, Steve Rector, Joseph Lyons, Craig Carrier, Randy Maybrier, Ryan Durham
