Richmond, KY-May 21- The NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Modified Series rolled into James Stinnett and Bobby Reed's Richmond Raceway on Saturday night and a Hoosier native held off an Eastern Kentucky up and comer and another fellow Hoosier to take $1,500 back to Seymour, IN as Matt Boknecht parked his HMF/Wetzel's sponsored #22 in victory lane. The win was the second career win for the second generation driver with the second year "BoB Mod Squad" is just three starts, with Boknecht also winning the June event at Richmond in 2004.
The drop of the green flag saw Clint Shutts and Joey Kramer battle for the early lead, with Shutts jumping out to the lead only to be null and void for a multi-car accident in turns one and two. The next attempted start was also voided as Jimmy Crabtree rolled to a stop on the track with a flat tire. The third time would be the charm and action got underway with Shutts jumping out to the lead, with Joey Kramer, Joey Funk, Matt Boknecht running close behind, Lap 3 would see caution out again to slow the pace for David Freeman, who had rolled to a stop in turn two with a flat tire. Back underway, Shutts continues to set the pace, with Kramer getting pressure from Funk and Boknecht and on lap 9 Kramer would slip and allow Funk and Boknecht to pass. Kramer would sit up in the seat and bring the heat back to Funk, with Kramer getting the third spot with a turn four pass on lap 14. But Funk would squeeze right back by Kramer down the backstretch one circuit later. A caution would fly a couple of laps later for Jason Perry, Justin Ratliff, and David Freeman with getting another flat and Perry taking his mount pitside for the evening. Leader Clint Shutts would bring the field back to the green flag with the field in the Delaware double-file restart formation, Boknecht would pressure Shutts for the point. Lap 18 would see Boknecht get under Shutts coming off of turn 2. with the duo side by side before Boknecht snatched the top spot away. Attention would then focus on a battle for fourth when Hank Bradley worked by Joey Funk, as the field saw the five lap to go signal. The caution flag would wave three time in course of attempting to complete the final 5 laps, but Boknecht would survive each restart and hold on to get the $1,500 payday. Shutts would take runner-up honors, with series points leader Kramer finishing third. Bradley and Funk would complete the top five.
Thirty-one entries would see former Richmond Raceway track champion Jimmy Crabtree be the Racing Optics top qualifier with a 16.667 second lap. Four VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power heat events were scored by David Adams, Joey Funk, Clint Shutts, and Joey Kramer. A pair of PBM Performance Products/Dale Meers Race Engines B-main were contested and won by Mike Harris and Jim Robinson.
RACE SUMMARY-Richmond Raceway-Richmond, KY-May 21, 2005
NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Modifieds (31 entries)
Racing Optics Fast Time- Jimmy Crabtree 16.667
VP Racing Fuels Makin' Power Heat #1-David Adams, Hank Bradley, David Freeman, Jimmy Crabtree
VP Racing Fuels Makin' Power Heat #2-Joey Funk, Matt Boknecht, Victor Lee, Michael Ward
VP Racing Fuels Makin' Power Heat #3-Clint Shutts, Joe Turner, Walt Neal, Adam Cole
VP Racing Fuels Makin' Power Heat #4-Joey Kramer, Daryl Herbert, Kelly Warren, Bill Friend
PBM Performance Product/Dale Meers Racing Engine B-Main #1-Mike Harris, Russ Gabbert
PBM Performance Products/Dale Meers Racing Engine B-Main #2-Jim Robinson, Greg Payne
Rattliff Motors A-Main: Matt Boknecht, Clint Shutts, Joey Kramer, Hank Bradley, Joey Funk, Joe Turner, Russ Gabbert, David Adams, Walt Neal, Daryl Herbert, John Cloyd, Mike Harris, Michael Ward, Kelly Warren, Jimmy Crabtree, Anthony Reams, Greg Payne, David Freeman, Jim Robinson, Bill Friend, Victor Lee, Adam Cole, Jason Perry, Justin Ratliff
The drop of the green flag saw Clint Shutts and Joey Kramer battle for the early lead, with Shutts jumping out to the lead only to be null and void for a multi-car accident in turns one and two. The next attempted start was also voided as Jimmy Crabtree rolled to a stop on the track with a flat tire. The third time would be the charm and action got underway with Shutts jumping out to the lead, with Joey Kramer, Joey Funk, Matt Boknecht running close behind, Lap 3 would see caution out again to slow the pace for David Freeman, who had rolled to a stop in turn two with a flat tire. Back underway, Shutts continues to set the pace, with Kramer getting pressure from Funk and Boknecht and on lap 9 Kramer would slip and allow Funk and Boknecht to pass. Kramer would sit up in the seat and bring the heat back to Funk, with Kramer getting the third spot with a turn four pass on lap 14. But Funk would squeeze right back by Kramer down the backstretch one circuit later. A caution would fly a couple of laps later for Jason Perry, Justin Ratliff, and David Freeman with getting another flat and Perry taking his mount pitside for the evening. Leader Clint Shutts would bring the field back to the green flag with the field in the Delaware double-file restart formation, Boknecht would pressure Shutts for the point. Lap 18 would see Boknecht get under Shutts coming off of turn 2. with the duo side by side before Boknecht snatched the top spot away. Attention would then focus on a battle for fourth when Hank Bradley worked by Joey Funk, as the field saw the five lap to go signal. The caution flag would wave three time in course of attempting to complete the final 5 laps, but Boknecht would survive each restart and hold on to get the $1,500 payday. Shutts would take runner-up honors, with series points leader Kramer finishing third. Bradley and Funk would complete the top five.
Thirty-one entries would see former Richmond Raceway track champion Jimmy Crabtree be the Racing Optics top qualifier with a 16.667 second lap. Four VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power heat events were scored by David Adams, Joey Funk, Clint Shutts, and Joey Kramer. A pair of PBM Performance Products/Dale Meers Race Engines B-main were contested and won by Mike Harris and Jim Robinson.
RACE SUMMARY-Richmond Raceway-Richmond, KY-May 21, 2005
NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Modifieds (31 entries)
Racing Optics Fast Time- Jimmy Crabtree 16.667
VP Racing Fuels Makin' Power Heat #1-David Adams, Hank Bradley, David Freeman, Jimmy Crabtree
VP Racing Fuels Makin' Power Heat #2-Joey Funk, Matt Boknecht, Victor Lee, Michael Ward
VP Racing Fuels Makin' Power Heat #3-Clint Shutts, Joe Turner, Walt Neal, Adam Cole
VP Racing Fuels Makin' Power Heat #4-Joey Kramer, Daryl Herbert, Kelly Warren, Bill Friend
PBM Performance Product/Dale Meers Racing Engine B-Main #1-Mike Harris, Russ Gabbert
PBM Performance Products/Dale Meers Racing Engine B-Main #2-Jim Robinson, Greg Payne
Rattliff Motors A-Main: Matt Boknecht, Clint Shutts, Joey Kramer, Hank Bradley, Joey Funk, Joe Turner, Russ Gabbert, David Adams, Walt Neal, Daryl Herbert, John Cloyd, Mike Harris, Michael Ward, Kelly Warren, Jimmy Crabtree, Anthony Reams, Greg Payne, David Freeman, Jim Robinson, Bill Friend, Victor Lee, Adam Cole, Jason Perry, Justin Ratliff
