Bardstown, KY-July 2- Bluegrass Speedway celebrated America's 229th birthday with Valvoline Cup night and Brad Neat of Dunnville, KY became the first repeat winner in the Late Model division in 2005, while Mike Watson of Campbellsville, KY scored his first Modified win at Bluegrass, with Danny Blackwell of Taylorsville, KY winning his fourth Sportsman feature of the season, and Avral Thompson of Loretto, KY scored his first Street Stock feature of the year.
The 25 lap Late Model main event would see polesitter Brad Neat jump to the race lead, with Jeff Watson, Bryan Barber, Dan Hoard, and Joey Daniel in pursuit. Watson and Barber would settle into a battle for second immediately, while Daniel pressured Hoard for fourth. Lee Devasier would join the fourth place battle as well, with Daniel slipping past Hoard in turn two on lap 5 for the spot, with Devasier taking fifth from Hoard in turn three with a slidejob. The first caution would wave for a spin by Chip Estes on lap 6. On the restart, Barber would pass Watson for second, with Daniel and Devasier battling for fourth. Estes would loop his mount again in turn three on lap 9 and race leader Neat would clip the rear of Estes' spun entry, causing heavy right side damage to the leader's unit, but Neat would be able to continue, while Barber would be penalized two spots for passing before the cone on the previous restart. This restart would Neat ease out again on the point, while Watson, Daniel, and Barber battled for second. Barber would by Daniel and then take second from Watson on lap 10. Billy Dever would now pressure Devasier for fifth and take the spot on lap 12. Barber was slowing reeling in Neat at the point as the lead duo started lapping slower traffic on lap 15. Barber would catch Neat and the pair would go side by side in turns three and four for the lead on lap 19, while Daniel would scoot past Watson for third on lap 20. Timmy Yeager had worked his way into the top five and was now hounding Watson for the fourth slot by lap 22. Neat would survive a last lap challenge in turn three from Barber and score his second win of the year at Bluegrass in the Neat Racing, Inc. NWN Distributing/Neat's Service Center/Tarter Gate Company/Stephens Pipe and Steel sponsored #41 MasterSbilt Race Cars, Cornett Race Engines powered entry. Barber would go second, with Daniel, Watson, and Yeager completing the top five. Hoard would head up the second five, followed by Dever, Devasier, Johnny Wheeler, and Jerry Ellis, Jr. Twenty-one entries saw Neat also be the SpeeDecals Racing Graphics fast qualifier and also win the dash. Heat wins went to Daniel and Yeager.
The Modified feature would see Mike Watson lead flag to flag and score his first ever Bluegrass Speedway feature win and second win of the season in the Lowell Hickerson owned MDW Transport/Ancil Reynolds RV Sales/Watson Plumbing/ Royal Truck Leasing/Hickerson Trucking #55 Bandit Race Cars mount. Freddy Garmon would score runner-up honors, with Joe Gray finishing third after starting 16th. John Bryan would come home fourth, while Modified Rookie of the Year leader Elliott Despain rounded out the top five after coming from the rear of the pack following a spin. Robbie Turner would score a career best sixth, with Thomas Brooks also getting a career best finish with seventh, while Wes Howard, Dion Benningfield, and Bobby Neal completing the top ten. Seventeen entries saw Benningfield also set fast time and win the dash, while Joe Mattingly won the heat.
The 15 lap Sportsman feature saw Danny Blackwell score his fourth feature of the season and second in a row as he visited the checkered flag first in the Sherry Blackwell owned Noel's Auto Sales/Lotsa Cars and Trucks/D and D Towing/ Powerhouse Race Cars #b1 Chevy Monte Carlo entry. Pat Hagan would wind up second, with Kevin Wilson third, while Scott Cecil and Roger Cecil completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Jimmy Bryan, Sam Huffer, Justin Murphy, Lois Campbell, and Del Slayton. Heat wins were taken by Roger Cecil and Blackwell.
Avral Thompson led all 12 laps of the Street Stock feature to capture his first win of the season in his Cozy Corner/Backyard Bounce/Teamsters Local 89/Nalley's Exhaust/Maywood Chevron/Bluegrass Siding sponsored #44 Caprice mount. Mike Grammer would take second in his first visit of the season, with Brian McCubbins, Garnett Eldridge, and Doug Estep rounding out the top five. Completing the top ten were James Russell, Cam Taylor, Shane Litton, Joe Blair, and Roy Skaggs. Heat race checkered flags fell to Blair, Thompson, and McCubbins.
SUMMARY-Bluegrass Speedway-Bardstown, KY-July 2, 2005
LATE MODELS (21 entries)
SpeeDecals Racing Graphics Top Qualifier- Brad Neat 16.887
Dash- Neat, Jeff Watson, Dan Hoard, Bryan Barber, Lee Devasier, Chris Stillwell
1st Heat- Joey Daniel, Billy Dever, David Freeman, Jerry Ellis, Jr.
2nd Heat- Timmy Yeager, Johnny Wheeler, Richard McDonald, Jeff Napper
Feature- Neat, Barber, Daniel, Watson, Yeager, Hoard, Dever, Devasier, Wheeler, Ellis, Jr., Napper, Stillwell, Mike Hawley, Freeman, Jarryd Holshouser, McDonald, Brian Shewmaker, Bryant Woodcock, Brent Denny, Ernie Cordier, Chip Estes
MODIFIEDS (17 entries)
Top Qualifier- Dion Benningfield
Dash- Benningfield, Mike Watson, Jason Wheatley, Freddy Garmon, Adam Gootee, Josh Lucas
Heat- Joe Mattingly, J.T. Ayers, John Bryan, Elliott Despain
Feature- Watson, Garmon, Joe Gray, Bryan, Despain, Robbie Turner, Thomas Brooks, Wes Howard, Benningfield, Bobby Neal, Ayers, Wheatley, Randall Basham, Mattingly, Lucas, Gootee, Robbie Bennett
SPORTSMAN (13 entries)
1st Heat- Roger Cecil, Pat Hagan, Scott Cecil, Timmy Glazer
2nd Heat- Danny Blackwell, Kevin Wilson, Barry Chesser, Sam Huffer
Feature- Blackwell, Hagan, Wilson, Scott Cecil, Roger Cecil, Jimmy Bryan, Huffer, Justin Murphy, Lois Campbell, Del Slayton, Chesser, Glazer (DNS-Billy Benningfield)
STREET STOCKS (26 entries)
1st Heat- Joe Blair, Cam Taylor, Shane Litton, Jenna Chesser
2nd Heat- Arval Thompson, Roy Skaggs, Garnett Eldridge, Brad Mattingly
3rd Heat- Brian McCubbins, Doug Estep, Mike Grammer, Tim Leake
Feature- Thompson, Grammer, McCubbins, Eldridge, Estep, James Russell, Taylor, Litton, Blair, Skaggs, Leake, Mattingly, Troy Moore, Casey Bryan, Willie Edelen, Roy Bryan, Brandon Moss, Jim Thomas, Chesser, Terry Greenwell, Jesse Key, Chad Chaney, Dallas Bowman (DNS-Daniel Dial, Daroyl Samples, Terry Bartley)
The 25 lap Late Model main event would see polesitter Brad Neat jump to the race lead, with Jeff Watson, Bryan Barber, Dan Hoard, and Joey Daniel in pursuit. Watson and Barber would settle into a battle for second immediately, while Daniel pressured Hoard for fourth. Lee Devasier would join the fourth place battle as well, with Daniel slipping past Hoard in turn two on lap 5 for the spot, with Devasier taking fifth from Hoard in turn three with a slidejob. The first caution would wave for a spin by Chip Estes on lap 6. On the restart, Barber would pass Watson for second, with Daniel and Devasier battling for fourth. Estes would loop his mount again in turn three on lap 9 and race leader Neat would clip the rear of Estes' spun entry, causing heavy right side damage to the leader's unit, but Neat would be able to continue, while Barber would be penalized two spots for passing before the cone on the previous restart. This restart would Neat ease out again on the point, while Watson, Daniel, and Barber battled for second. Barber would by Daniel and then take second from Watson on lap 10. Billy Dever would now pressure Devasier for fifth and take the spot on lap 12. Barber was slowing reeling in Neat at the point as the lead duo started lapping slower traffic on lap 15. Barber would catch Neat and the pair would go side by side in turns three and four for the lead on lap 19, while Daniel would scoot past Watson for third on lap 20. Timmy Yeager had worked his way into the top five and was now hounding Watson for the fourth slot by lap 22. Neat would survive a last lap challenge in turn three from Barber and score his second win of the year at Bluegrass in the Neat Racing, Inc. NWN Distributing/Neat's Service Center/Tarter Gate Company/Stephens Pipe and Steel sponsored #41 MasterSbilt Race Cars, Cornett Race Engines powered entry. Barber would go second, with Daniel, Watson, and Yeager completing the top five. Hoard would head up the second five, followed by Dever, Devasier, Johnny Wheeler, and Jerry Ellis, Jr. Twenty-one entries saw Neat also be the SpeeDecals Racing Graphics fast qualifier and also win the dash. Heat wins went to Daniel and Yeager.
The Modified feature would see Mike Watson lead flag to flag and score his first ever Bluegrass Speedway feature win and second win of the season in the Lowell Hickerson owned MDW Transport/Ancil Reynolds RV Sales/Watson Plumbing/ Royal Truck Leasing/Hickerson Trucking #55 Bandit Race Cars mount. Freddy Garmon would score runner-up honors, with Joe Gray finishing third after starting 16th. John Bryan would come home fourth, while Modified Rookie of the Year leader Elliott Despain rounded out the top five after coming from the rear of the pack following a spin. Robbie Turner would score a career best sixth, with Thomas Brooks also getting a career best finish with seventh, while Wes Howard, Dion Benningfield, and Bobby Neal completing the top ten. Seventeen entries saw Benningfield also set fast time and win the dash, while Joe Mattingly won the heat.
The 15 lap Sportsman feature saw Danny Blackwell score his fourth feature of the season and second in a row as he visited the checkered flag first in the Sherry Blackwell owned Noel's Auto Sales/Lotsa Cars and Trucks/D and D Towing/ Powerhouse Race Cars #b1 Chevy Monte Carlo entry. Pat Hagan would wind up second, with Kevin Wilson third, while Scott Cecil and Roger Cecil completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Jimmy Bryan, Sam Huffer, Justin Murphy, Lois Campbell, and Del Slayton. Heat wins were taken by Roger Cecil and Blackwell.
Avral Thompson led all 12 laps of the Street Stock feature to capture his first win of the season in his Cozy Corner/Backyard Bounce/Teamsters Local 89/Nalley's Exhaust/Maywood Chevron/Bluegrass Siding sponsored #44 Caprice mount. Mike Grammer would take second in his first visit of the season, with Brian McCubbins, Garnett Eldridge, and Doug Estep rounding out the top five. Completing the top ten were James Russell, Cam Taylor, Shane Litton, Joe Blair, and Roy Skaggs. Heat race checkered flags fell to Blair, Thompson, and McCubbins.
SUMMARY-Bluegrass Speedway-Bardstown, KY-July 2, 2005
LATE MODELS (21 entries)
SpeeDecals Racing Graphics Top Qualifier- Brad Neat 16.887
Dash- Neat, Jeff Watson, Dan Hoard, Bryan Barber, Lee Devasier, Chris Stillwell
1st Heat- Joey Daniel, Billy Dever, David Freeman, Jerry Ellis, Jr.
2nd Heat- Timmy Yeager, Johnny Wheeler, Richard McDonald, Jeff Napper
Feature- Neat, Barber, Daniel, Watson, Yeager, Hoard, Dever, Devasier, Wheeler, Ellis, Jr., Napper, Stillwell, Mike Hawley, Freeman, Jarryd Holshouser, McDonald, Brian Shewmaker, Bryant Woodcock, Brent Denny, Ernie Cordier, Chip Estes
MODIFIEDS (17 entries)
Top Qualifier- Dion Benningfield
Dash- Benningfield, Mike Watson, Jason Wheatley, Freddy Garmon, Adam Gootee, Josh Lucas
Heat- Joe Mattingly, J.T. Ayers, John Bryan, Elliott Despain
Feature- Watson, Garmon, Joe Gray, Bryan, Despain, Robbie Turner, Thomas Brooks, Wes Howard, Benningfield, Bobby Neal, Ayers, Wheatley, Randall Basham, Mattingly, Lucas, Gootee, Robbie Bennett
SPORTSMAN (13 entries)
1st Heat- Roger Cecil, Pat Hagan, Scott Cecil, Timmy Glazer
2nd Heat- Danny Blackwell, Kevin Wilson, Barry Chesser, Sam Huffer
Feature- Blackwell, Hagan, Wilson, Scott Cecil, Roger Cecil, Jimmy Bryan, Huffer, Justin Murphy, Lois Campbell, Del Slayton, Chesser, Glazer (DNS-Billy Benningfield)
STREET STOCKS (26 entries)
1st Heat- Joe Blair, Cam Taylor, Shane Litton, Jenna Chesser
2nd Heat- Arval Thompson, Roy Skaggs, Garnett Eldridge, Brad Mattingly
3rd Heat- Brian McCubbins, Doug Estep, Mike Grammer, Tim Leake
Feature- Thompson, Grammer, McCubbins, Eldridge, Estep, James Russell, Taylor, Litton, Blair, Skaggs, Leake, Mattingly, Troy Moore, Casey Bryan, Willie Edelen, Roy Bryan, Brandon Moss, Jim Thomas, Chesser, Terry Greenwell, Jesse Key, Chad Chaney, Dallas Bowman (DNS-Daniel Dial, Daroyl Samples, Terry Bartley)
