By Spencer Wilson
PADUCAH, KY--Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, IN led all 40 laps of the Lucas Oil A-Main to take the $3000 first place money back to the Hoosier State as he captured his second O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Presented by Arizona Sport Shirts event of 2004 on Friday Night at the Paducah International Raceway. It was the series' first ever visit to the 3/8ths mile high banked dirt track. The 46 year old driver took his sixth career series win as he guided the Don Powell crew chiefed, Southern Indiana Rock Drilling, Morgan Foods, MPC Motorsports, GKN Sinter Metals, Hoosier Racing Tires, LaFountain's Auto Body, Stephens Oil Company, Shelton Angus Farms, Re/Max Hometown Professionals, Scott County Tire, Cornett Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Pontiac Grand Prix to the win in a very exciting feature race. A great battle for second saw Tyrel Todd of Eubank, KY finish second in the Todd Family Motorsports/Todd Truss Company/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo hold off Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN who placed third in the Powell Motorsports/Baylor Trucking/Rocket Grand Prix. Fourth place was Terry English of Benton, KY driving the AAA Fence/Petroff Towing/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo and completing the top five was Whitney McQueary of Dunnville, KY in the Tarter Tube/Bullock Race Engines/Rocket Chassis.
Jewell would go the point at the start of the 40 lapper with local driver, Jeremy Williams running in second followed by Tyrel Todd. After the first lap was scored two consecutive yellow flags would make for a rough start for a few drivers as Michael England and Hall of Famer, Freddy Smith were eliminated early on after another car spun in front of them causing a wreck putting both of them on the wrecker. When the race got going again it was all green the rest of the way and this would set up a terrific race for the lead among Jewell, Todd, Scott James and eventually Terry English would join them. With Jewell setting a rapid pace around Paducah's high banks Todd and James would have a classic matchup for second. As the trio up front was making it into lapped traffic by the 10th circuit Todd and James were putting on quite a show for the Paducah fans as they would go back and forth lap after lap at a torrid pace. Jewell was starting to contend with more traffic in front of him as the race progressed and that would allow Todd and James to close ground on him. They would close right on Jewell's rear by the 15th lap as the cars sliced in and out of traffic it was exciting to watch as the trio was running within inches of each other in the race for the lead. Todd, who was making his first ever appearance at the western Kentucky track was racing against a couple of Indiana drivers who have raced at Paducah several times and know their way around that place, but his inexperience racing there really never showed at all as he looked a seasoned veteran on the high banks.
As the race went past the halfway mark it was still Jewell, Todd and James battling it out for the lead. Then 2002 UMP National Champion, Terry English got things going as he would track down the top three and make it a four car tussle. AS the four rimridders around the track would see the laps tick down to less than five it was still any of those drivers' race. Todd would try and dart to the inside of Jewell heading into the corners on several occasions, but Jewell would always come out still leading. When Todd dived low, James would take a path that enabled him to get by Todd briefly, but Todd fought right back regaining the spot before another lap was scored. Towards the end Todd and James were giving each other plenty of room to race as Jewell would inch away at the end as Todd and James would race hard right to the checkers. When the race Jewell would be the winner for his sixth career Battle of the Bluegrass victory tying Mike Marlar for the most wins in the three year history of the series. Todd and James high fived each other in the pits afterward after a awe inspiring performance showing respect for each other after what just happened on the track. English would finish in fourth with Whitney McQueary debuting a new Rocket Chassis finishing in fifth after getting the spot on the 15th lap and staying there the rest of the race.
Completing the top ten were John Tindal, Aaron Hatton, Victor Lee, John Gill and Brad Neat.
In preliminary events Terry English was the Racing Optics/Russell Baker Racing Engines Fast Qualifier for the 29 entries on hand at 16.329 seconds. The Crown Spray Power Heat Race winners were Scott James, Jeremy Williams, Mike Jewell and Tyrel Todd. The O'Reilly Auto Parts B-Main went to Victor Lee.
Race Summary
O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Event #15
Paducah International Raceway
Paducah, KY
Friday Night, July 23, 2004
Racing Optics/Russell Baker Time Trials: Terry English 16.329
Crown Spray Power Heat #1: Scott James, Terry English, Joe Morris, Brad Neat
Crown Spray Power Heat #2: Jeremy Williams, Randy Sellars, John Tindal, Michael Steele
Crown Spray Power Heat #3: Mike Jewell, Phil Walker, Tait Davenport, Johnny Wheeler
Crown Spray Power Heat #4: Tyrel Todd, Aaron Hatton, Whitney McQueary, Dennis Selby
O'Reilly Auto Parts B-Main: Victor Lee, Freddy Smith, Kevin Claycomb, John Gill
Lucas Oil A-Main (40 Laps): Mike Jewell, Tyrel Todd, Scott James, Terry English, Whitney McQueary, John Tindal, Aaron Hatton, Victor Lee, John Gill, Brad Neat, Tait Davenport, Johnny Wheeler, Dennis Selby, Michael Steele, Doug Smith, Jeremy Williams, Phil Walker, Randy Sellars, Joe Morris, Kevin Claycomb, Michael England, Freddy Smith
Race Statistics:
Entries: 29
Cautions: 2
Lap Leaders: Jewell 1-40
PPM Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race: Victor Lee (started 17th and finished 8th)
BoB Provisionals: Doug Smith and Michael
PADUCAH, KY--Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, IN led all 40 laps of the Lucas Oil A-Main to take the $3000 first place money back to the Hoosier State as he captured his second O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Presented by Arizona Sport Shirts event of 2004 on Friday Night at the Paducah International Raceway. It was the series' first ever visit to the 3/8ths mile high banked dirt track. The 46 year old driver took his sixth career series win as he guided the Don Powell crew chiefed, Southern Indiana Rock Drilling, Morgan Foods, MPC Motorsports, GKN Sinter Metals, Hoosier Racing Tires, LaFountain's Auto Body, Stephens Oil Company, Shelton Angus Farms, Re/Max Hometown Professionals, Scott County Tire, Cornett Racing Engines/MasterSbilt Pontiac Grand Prix to the win in a very exciting feature race. A great battle for second saw Tyrel Todd of Eubank, KY finish second in the Todd Family Motorsports/Todd Truss Company/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo hold off Scott James of Lawrenceburg, IN who placed third in the Powell Motorsports/Baylor Trucking/Rocket Grand Prix. Fourth place was Terry English of Benton, KY driving the AAA Fence/Petroff Towing/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo and completing the top five was Whitney McQueary of Dunnville, KY in the Tarter Tube/Bullock Race Engines/Rocket Chassis.
Jewell would go the point at the start of the 40 lapper with local driver, Jeremy Williams running in second followed by Tyrel Todd. After the first lap was scored two consecutive yellow flags would make for a rough start for a few drivers as Michael England and Hall of Famer, Freddy Smith were eliminated early on after another car spun in front of them causing a wreck putting both of them on the wrecker. When the race got going again it was all green the rest of the way and this would set up a terrific race for the lead among Jewell, Todd, Scott James and eventually Terry English would join them. With Jewell setting a rapid pace around Paducah's high banks Todd and James would have a classic matchup for second. As the trio up front was making it into lapped traffic by the 10th circuit Todd and James were putting on quite a show for the Paducah fans as they would go back and forth lap after lap at a torrid pace. Jewell was starting to contend with more traffic in front of him as the race progressed and that would allow Todd and James to close ground on him. They would close right on Jewell's rear by the 15th lap as the cars sliced in and out of traffic it was exciting to watch as the trio was running within inches of each other in the race for the lead. Todd, who was making his first ever appearance at the western Kentucky track was racing against a couple of Indiana drivers who have raced at Paducah several times and know their way around that place, but his inexperience racing there really never showed at all as he looked a seasoned veteran on the high banks.
As the race went past the halfway mark it was still Jewell, Todd and James battling it out for the lead. Then 2002 UMP National Champion, Terry English got things going as he would track down the top three and make it a four car tussle. AS the four rimridders around the track would see the laps tick down to less than five it was still any of those drivers' race. Todd would try and dart to the inside of Jewell heading into the corners on several occasions, but Jewell would always come out still leading. When Todd dived low, James would take a path that enabled him to get by Todd briefly, but Todd fought right back regaining the spot before another lap was scored. Towards the end Todd and James were giving each other plenty of room to race as Jewell would inch away at the end as Todd and James would race hard right to the checkers. When the race Jewell would be the winner for his sixth career Battle of the Bluegrass victory tying Mike Marlar for the most wins in the three year history of the series. Todd and James high fived each other in the pits afterward after a awe inspiring performance showing respect for each other after what just happened on the track. English would finish in fourth with Whitney McQueary debuting a new Rocket Chassis finishing in fifth after getting the spot on the 15th lap and staying there the rest of the race.
Completing the top ten were John Tindal, Aaron Hatton, Victor Lee, John Gill and Brad Neat.
In preliminary events Terry English was the Racing Optics/Russell Baker Racing Engines Fast Qualifier for the 29 entries on hand at 16.329 seconds. The Crown Spray Power Heat Race winners were Scott James, Jeremy Williams, Mike Jewell and Tyrel Todd. The O'Reilly Auto Parts B-Main went to Victor Lee.
Race Summary
O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Event #15
Paducah International Raceway
Paducah, KY
Friday Night, July 23, 2004
Racing Optics/Russell Baker Time Trials: Terry English 16.329
Crown Spray Power Heat #1: Scott James, Terry English, Joe Morris, Brad Neat
Crown Spray Power Heat #2: Jeremy Williams, Randy Sellars, John Tindal, Michael Steele
Crown Spray Power Heat #3: Mike Jewell, Phil Walker, Tait Davenport, Johnny Wheeler
Crown Spray Power Heat #4: Tyrel Todd, Aaron Hatton, Whitney McQueary, Dennis Selby
O'Reilly Auto Parts B-Main: Victor Lee, Freddy Smith, Kevin Claycomb, John Gill
Lucas Oil A-Main (40 Laps): Mike Jewell, Tyrel Todd, Scott James, Terry English, Whitney McQueary, John Tindal, Aaron Hatton, Victor Lee, John Gill, Brad Neat, Tait Davenport, Johnny Wheeler, Dennis Selby, Michael Steele, Doug Smith, Jeremy Williams, Phil Walker, Randy Sellars, Joe Morris, Kevin Claycomb, Michael England, Freddy Smith
Race Statistics:
Entries: 29
Cautions: 2
Lap Leaders: Jewell 1-40
PPM Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race: Victor Lee (started 17th and finished 8th)
BoB Provisionals: Doug Smith and Michael
