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2003 Points Champion Mike Marlar after the season finale at Florence Speeedway Oct 4, 2003
Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN is the 2003 STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts Points Champion as the series wrapped up its second season on October 4th at Florence Speedway. The 25 year old Volunteer State driver also captured the 2003 R&P Industrial Chimney sponsored Rookie of the Year Award for the series as he completed his first full season behind the wheel of a Dirt Late Model. Marlar came into the 2003 season off of a second place finish in the UMP National Open Wheel Modified Championship as he recorded 39 open wheel wins in 2002. Not only did Marlar win five STARS Battle of the Bluegrass races this year he also qualified for his first ever World 100 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH in September where he finished the race in 19th position running the entire 100 lap race. With five event wins in 2003 Marlar has tied 2002 STARS Battle of the Bluegrass champion, Eddie Carrier Jr. and 2003 Dream $100,000 winner and Dirt Track World Championship victor, Darrell Lanigan as the only five time winners in the two years that Kentucky's Premier Dirt Late Model Sanctioning Body has sanctioned events. There have been 45 events contested over the last two years the series had existed.
Marlar completed an impressive resume' on his way to the 2003 title for the Lexington, KY based series. He was the only driver who made all 25 events in 2003. Along with his five series wins Marlar finished in the top five 12 times and the top 10 a total of three times meaning he failed to finish in the top ten of 25 races only five times. His now familiar camouflaged #157 dirt car was sponsored this year by several contributors including: C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, Estes Automotive and Machine Shop, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, WFO Graphics, Todd Truss Company, Hoosier Racing Tires, Wilson's Service Center, Bilstein Shocks, CarCosmetics.net, Winfield Video, Roger Ogle Home Builders, Oneida Paint and Body, H&M West Enterprises, Marlar and Sons Auto Dismantling, Kenny's Rowboat, 45 Race Shop, Real Wheels, Performance Battery, PBM Performance Products and Renegade Race Fuels. Marlar's pit crew included his wife, Carla Marlar, his father, David Marlar, his younger brother, Skylar Marlar and other members who helped the team to the championship this year were Jordy Coffey, Doug Aytes, David Anderson, Chris Phillips and Robbie Duncan
For the second year in a row, the ever-consistent Timmy Yeager of Harrodsburg, KY finished second in the STARS Battle of the Bluegrass Series standings. Yeager competed in 23 events this year recording 12 top five finishes and six top ten finishes driving primarily for the Dale and Anita Clark owned race team out of Columbia, KY and ended the season with the Stephen Estes Team from Nicholasville, KY. Third in points this year was 21 year old Aaron Hatton of Mt. Sterling, KY who won three times in series events this year taking four top five finishes and six top 10's along the way. Hatton made 24 of the 25 races this year. In the final rundown Jesse James Lay of Walton, KY was fourth in points with one event victory to go along with seven top five finishes and seven top ten finishes. Lay competed in 24 of the 25 races and as had made more STARS Battle of the Bluegrass races than anyone in the two year history of the organization as he has made 44 of the 45 events held. Rounding out the top five in this years points standings was Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN who took one main event win. James had six top five and six top ten finishes in the 2003 campaign.
The rest of the top ten in the final point’s standings were Michael Chilton, Tyrel Todd, Johnny Wheeler, Steven Ashby and Mike Jewell.
A total of 246 drivers raced with series in 2003 with 12 different event winners at the 25 races scheduled on 14 different dirt tracks. Mike Marlar led the way with five wins followed by three event wins each for Aaron Hatton, Mike Jewell, Darrell Lanigan and Johnny Wheeler. Other drivers who scored single event wins included Eddie Carrier Jr., Clint Smith, John Gill, Jesse James Lay, Don O'Neal, Scott James and Jackie Boggs.
Marlar also was the winner of the R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Year for the series in 2003. 17 year old Michael Chilton of Harrodsburg, KY proved to be Marlar's stiffest competition this year giving Marlar all he wanted in the rookie points chase for most of the season. Steven Ashby of Cunningham, TN finished third in the rookie points followed by Carnell Parker III of Clarksville, TN and Joey Kramer of Hanover, IN.
The STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series would like to thank those that helped sponsor the series in 2003 including: Arizona Sport Shirts, R&P Industrial Chimney, PBM Performance Products, American Race Tires, AFCO Racing Products, Racing Optics, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, WFO Graphics, Trailer Parts and Sales, Bert Transmissions, Design 500 Racewear, Outlaw Race Cars, Ringers Gloves, PPM Racing Products, Smith Automotive Machine, Goodyear, James Art Design, DJ Designs Jeremey's Photos and Bullzilla Graphics.
2003 Points Champion Mike Marlar after the season finale at Florence Speeedway Oct 4, 2003
Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN is the 2003 STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts Points Champion as the series wrapped up its second season on October 4th at Florence Speedway. The 25 year old Volunteer State driver also captured the 2003 R&P Industrial Chimney sponsored Rookie of the Year Award for the series as he completed his first full season behind the wheel of a Dirt Late Model. Marlar came into the 2003 season off of a second place finish in the UMP National Open Wheel Modified Championship as he recorded 39 open wheel wins in 2002. Not only did Marlar win five STARS Battle of the Bluegrass races this year he also qualified for his first ever World 100 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH in September where he finished the race in 19th position running the entire 100 lap race. With five event wins in 2003 Marlar has tied 2002 STARS Battle of the Bluegrass champion, Eddie Carrier Jr. and 2003 Dream $100,000 winner and Dirt Track World Championship victor, Darrell Lanigan as the only five time winners in the two years that Kentucky's Premier Dirt Late Model Sanctioning Body has sanctioned events. There have been 45 events contested over the last two years the series had existed.
Marlar completed an impressive resume' on his way to the 2003 title for the Lexington, KY based series. He was the only driver who made all 25 events in 2003. Along with his five series wins Marlar finished in the top five 12 times and the top 10 a total of three times meaning he failed to finish in the top ten of 25 races only five times. His now familiar camouflaged #157 dirt car was sponsored this year by several contributors including: C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, Estes Automotive and Machine Shop, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, WFO Graphics, Todd Truss Company, Hoosier Racing Tires, Wilson's Service Center, Bilstein Shocks, CarCosmetics.net, Winfield Video, Roger Ogle Home Builders, Oneida Paint and Body, H&M West Enterprises, Marlar and Sons Auto Dismantling, Kenny's Rowboat, 45 Race Shop, Real Wheels, Performance Battery, PBM Performance Products and Renegade Race Fuels. Marlar's pit crew included his wife, Carla Marlar, his father, David Marlar, his younger brother, Skylar Marlar and other members who helped the team to the championship this year were Jordy Coffey, Doug Aytes, David Anderson, Chris Phillips and Robbie Duncan
For the second year in a row, the ever-consistent Timmy Yeager of Harrodsburg, KY finished second in the STARS Battle of the Bluegrass Series standings. Yeager competed in 23 events this year recording 12 top five finishes and six top ten finishes driving primarily for the Dale and Anita Clark owned race team out of Columbia, KY and ended the season with the Stephen Estes Team from Nicholasville, KY. Third in points this year was 21 year old Aaron Hatton of Mt. Sterling, KY who won three times in series events this year taking four top five finishes and six top 10's along the way. Hatton made 24 of the 25 races this year. In the final rundown Jesse James Lay of Walton, KY was fourth in points with one event victory to go along with seven top five finishes and seven top ten finishes. Lay competed in 24 of the 25 races and as had made more STARS Battle of the Bluegrass races than anyone in the two year history of the organization as he has made 44 of the 45 events held. Rounding out the top five in this years points standings was Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN who took one main event win. James had six top five and six top ten finishes in the 2003 campaign.
The rest of the top ten in the final point’s standings were Michael Chilton, Tyrel Todd, Johnny Wheeler, Steven Ashby and Mike Jewell.
A total of 246 drivers raced with series in 2003 with 12 different event winners at the 25 races scheduled on 14 different dirt tracks. Mike Marlar led the way with five wins followed by three event wins each for Aaron Hatton, Mike Jewell, Darrell Lanigan and Johnny Wheeler. Other drivers who scored single event wins included Eddie Carrier Jr., Clint Smith, John Gill, Jesse James Lay, Don O'Neal, Scott James and Jackie Boggs.
Marlar also was the winner of the R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Year for the series in 2003. 17 year old Michael Chilton of Harrodsburg, KY proved to be Marlar's stiffest competition this year giving Marlar all he wanted in the rookie points chase for most of the season. Steven Ashby of Cunningham, TN finished third in the rookie points followed by Carnell Parker III of Clarksville, TN and Joey Kramer of Hanover, IN.
The STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series would like to thank those that helped sponsor the series in 2003 including: Arizona Sport Shirts, R&P Industrial Chimney, PBM Performance Products, American Race Tires, AFCO Racing Products, Racing Optics, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, WFO Graphics, Trailer Parts and Sales, Bert Transmissions, Design 500 Racewear, Outlaw Race Cars, Ringers Gloves, PPM Racing Products, Smith Automotive Machine, Goodyear, James Art Design, DJ Designs Jeremey's Photos and Bullzilla Graphics.
