Florence Speedway
Union, KY
Friday Night, April 9, 2004
By Spencer Wilson
UNION, KY--Steve Francis of Ashland, KY won his first career O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Event presented by Arizona Sport Shirts on Friday Night, April 9 at the Florence Speedway in Union, KY as the series kicked off its third season of racing. It was Francis' first ever start in a BoB Series event as the 36 year old would take the opening night win as the track presented the "Landen Joseph Spence Memorial" The event was named in honor of Landen Joseph Spence who passed away from a form of pediatric cancer last February just shy of his second birthday. The event was scheduled to pay $3000 to win, but Joe Lay and Sons Plumbing and Winnelson Company donated $2000 to the purse with $1000 of that going to the feature winner and the other $1000 donated to the Landen Joseph Spence Memorial Fund. Francis drove his MOPAR Performance Parts, The Valvoline Company, Freeport Recycling Center Inc, Moring Disposal Inc, Action Auto Mart and Gary Stanton Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis Dodge Intrepid R/T to the win over Earl Pearson, Jr., Don O'Neal, Brian Birkhofer and Greg Johnson. The event drew 81 cars to the 1/2 mile high banked oval which set a new O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series record.
Francis grabbed the point at the start of the 30 lap main with Greg Johnson moving into second place followed by Earl Pearson Jr and Brian Birkhofer. Pearson would make the first move for position in the top four running order passing Johnson for second on the sixth circuit. A lap later the first of only two cautions during the race flew for a car spun on the backstretch. The double file restart would see Francis out front by himself followed double file by Pearson and Johnson. Johnson would get by Pearson briefly to jump back into second place, but Pearson would fight back and regain the spot before the next lap was officially scored. There was a long stretch of green flag racing as Francis would eventually get into some traffic just past the halfway mark of the race. At this point however, Francis had built as much as a seven to eight car length advantage over Pearson. At the halfway point it was Francis leading with Pearson, Johnson, Birkhofer and Don O'Neal in the top five. One of the big movers of the race at this point was Billy Moyer who started 19th and was up 8th place heading to the front.
By the 18th lap traffic started to play a role for the race leaders as Francis was having to back off enough to negotiate lapped cars and that would allow Pearson to cut an eight car length lead in half to four lengths. It narrowed even more by the 20th lap as Pearson was within two lengths of Francis as the crowd started to get excited again as there was a battle for the lead developing once again. Just as Pearson was taking a peek at which line to take to get by Francis the yellow flag came out on the 22nd lap for the stalled car of Scott James. That would set up an eight lap shootout with Francis on the point and double file drivers on the lead lap behind him. Pearson and Johnson just like the first restart were directly behind Francis. When the race went green again Francis got it going and started to pull away immediately as O'Neal was starting to make noise going to third place and challenging Pearson for second. Francis would get away from both of them and sprint on the finish line to record his first ever O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass Main Event. Francis has two other big wins at Florence including the 1997 and 2002 Ralph Latham Memorial Race. Francis' resume also includes winning the World 100 in and the Dirt Track World Championship both in 1999 to go along with three career STARS series titles.
Pearson Jr would beat O'Neal to the line for second as Pearson drove the Carlton Kamm owned/Lucas Oil Products/Rocket Ford Taurus. O'Neal was third in the A1 Auto Salvage/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo. Fourth place went to Brian Birkhofer in the Daufeldt Transport/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo with Greg Johnson rounding out the top five in the Double D Motorsports/R&P Industrial Chimney/C.J. Rayburn Grand Prix.
Completing the top ten were Rick Eckert, Billy Moyer, Duke Whiseant, Davey Johnson and Darrell Lanigan.
Bart Hartman had the Racing Optics Fast Time of 16.321 seconds. Heat races were won by Birkhofer, Francis, Greg Johnson, Eckert, Pearson Jr and Johnny Wheeler. The B-Mains went to Moyer, Audie McWilliams and Josh Williams.
The next O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series events will be Friday Night, April 23 at the Richmond (KY) Raceway and Saturday Night, April 24 at the Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, KY. Both events will pay $3000 to win. For more information please visit www.naradirtcar.com
Official Summary
Florence Speedway
Union, KY
Race #1
Friday Night, April 9, 2004
O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
Entries: 81
Racing Optics Fast Time: Bart Hartman 16.321
First Heat: Brian Birkhofer, Don O'Neal, Bart Hartman, Billy Moyer
Second Heat: Steve Francis, Rod Conley, Duke Whiseant, Rick Corbin
Third Heat: Greg Johnson, John Blankenship,. Mike Jewell, Audie McWilliams
Fourth Heat: Rick Eckert, Davey Johnson, Scott James, Eddie Carrier Jr
Fifth Heat: Earl Pearson Jr, Donnie Moran, Darrell Lanigan, Josh Williams
Sixth Heat: Johnny Wheeler, Matt Miller, Brad Neat, Mike Marlar
First Consy: Billy Moyer, Rick Corbin, Dick Phillips, Tony Traficant
Second Consy: Audie McWilliams, Eddie Carrier Jr., Darren Miller, Steve Barnett
Third Consy: Josh Williams, Mike Balzano, Joey Kramer, John Gill
O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass Main Event: Steve Francis, Earl Pearson, Jr., Don O'Neal, Brian Birkhofer, Greg Johnson, Rick Eckert, Billy Moyer, Duke Whiseant, Davey Johnson, Darrell Lanigan, Audie McWilliams, Matt Miller, Joey Kramer, Bart Hartman, Rod Conley, Johnny Wheeler, Brad Neat, Donnie Moran, Mike Jewell, Josh Williams, Aaron Hatton, Scott James, Mike Marlar, John Blankenship
Race Statistics:
Time of Race: 17 minutes
Cautions: 2
Red Flags: 0
Lap Leaders: Francis 1-30
PPM Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race: Moyer (advanced 12 positions)
O'Reilly BoB Provisionals: Mike Marlar and Aaron Hatton
Track Provisional: Joey Kramer
Union, KY
Friday Night, April 9, 2004
By Spencer Wilson
UNION, KY--Steve Francis of Ashland, KY won his first career O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Event presented by Arizona Sport Shirts on Friday Night, April 9 at the Florence Speedway in Union, KY as the series kicked off its third season of racing. It was Francis' first ever start in a BoB Series event as the 36 year old would take the opening night win as the track presented the "Landen Joseph Spence Memorial" The event was named in honor of Landen Joseph Spence who passed away from a form of pediatric cancer last February just shy of his second birthday. The event was scheduled to pay $3000 to win, but Joe Lay and Sons Plumbing and Winnelson Company donated $2000 to the purse with $1000 of that going to the feature winner and the other $1000 donated to the Landen Joseph Spence Memorial Fund. Francis drove his MOPAR Performance Parts, The Valvoline Company, Freeport Recycling Center Inc, Moring Disposal Inc, Action Auto Mart and Gary Stanton Racing Engines, Rocket Chassis Dodge Intrepid R/T to the win over Earl Pearson, Jr., Don O'Neal, Brian Birkhofer and Greg Johnson. The event drew 81 cars to the 1/2 mile high banked oval which set a new O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series record.
Francis grabbed the point at the start of the 30 lap main with Greg Johnson moving into second place followed by Earl Pearson Jr and Brian Birkhofer. Pearson would make the first move for position in the top four running order passing Johnson for second on the sixth circuit. A lap later the first of only two cautions during the race flew for a car spun on the backstretch. The double file restart would see Francis out front by himself followed double file by Pearson and Johnson. Johnson would get by Pearson briefly to jump back into second place, but Pearson would fight back and regain the spot before the next lap was officially scored. There was a long stretch of green flag racing as Francis would eventually get into some traffic just past the halfway mark of the race. At this point however, Francis had built as much as a seven to eight car length advantage over Pearson. At the halfway point it was Francis leading with Pearson, Johnson, Birkhofer and Don O'Neal in the top five. One of the big movers of the race at this point was Billy Moyer who started 19th and was up 8th place heading to the front.
By the 18th lap traffic started to play a role for the race leaders as Francis was having to back off enough to negotiate lapped cars and that would allow Pearson to cut an eight car length lead in half to four lengths. It narrowed even more by the 20th lap as Pearson was within two lengths of Francis as the crowd started to get excited again as there was a battle for the lead developing once again. Just as Pearson was taking a peek at which line to take to get by Francis the yellow flag came out on the 22nd lap for the stalled car of Scott James. That would set up an eight lap shootout with Francis on the point and double file drivers on the lead lap behind him. Pearson and Johnson just like the first restart were directly behind Francis. When the race went green again Francis got it going and started to pull away immediately as O'Neal was starting to make noise going to third place and challenging Pearson for second. Francis would get away from both of them and sprint on the finish line to record his first ever O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass Main Event. Francis has two other big wins at Florence including the 1997 and 2002 Ralph Latham Memorial Race. Francis' resume also includes winning the World 100 in and the Dirt Track World Championship both in 1999 to go along with three career STARS series titles.
Pearson Jr would beat O'Neal to the line for second as Pearson drove the Carlton Kamm owned/Lucas Oil Products/Rocket Ford Taurus. O'Neal was third in the A1 Auto Salvage/C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo. Fourth place went to Brian Birkhofer in the Daufeldt Transport/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo with Greg Johnson rounding out the top five in the Double D Motorsports/R&P Industrial Chimney/C.J. Rayburn Grand Prix.
Completing the top ten were Rick Eckert, Billy Moyer, Duke Whiseant, Davey Johnson and Darrell Lanigan.
Bart Hartman had the Racing Optics Fast Time of 16.321 seconds. Heat races were won by Birkhofer, Francis, Greg Johnson, Eckert, Pearson Jr and Johnny Wheeler. The B-Mains went to Moyer, Audie McWilliams and Josh Williams.
The next O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series events will be Friday Night, April 23 at the Richmond (KY) Raceway and Saturday Night, April 24 at the Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, KY. Both events will pay $3000 to win. For more information please visit www.naradirtcar.com
Official Summary
Florence Speedway
Union, KY
Race #1
Friday Night, April 9, 2004
O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
Entries: 81
Racing Optics Fast Time: Bart Hartman 16.321
First Heat: Brian Birkhofer, Don O'Neal, Bart Hartman, Billy Moyer
Second Heat: Steve Francis, Rod Conley, Duke Whiseant, Rick Corbin
Third Heat: Greg Johnson, John Blankenship,. Mike Jewell, Audie McWilliams
Fourth Heat: Rick Eckert, Davey Johnson, Scott James, Eddie Carrier Jr
Fifth Heat: Earl Pearson Jr, Donnie Moran, Darrell Lanigan, Josh Williams
Sixth Heat: Johnny Wheeler, Matt Miller, Brad Neat, Mike Marlar
First Consy: Billy Moyer, Rick Corbin, Dick Phillips, Tony Traficant
Second Consy: Audie McWilliams, Eddie Carrier Jr., Darren Miller, Steve Barnett
Third Consy: Josh Williams, Mike Balzano, Joey Kramer, John Gill
O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass Main Event: Steve Francis, Earl Pearson, Jr., Don O'Neal, Brian Birkhofer, Greg Johnson, Rick Eckert, Billy Moyer, Duke Whiseant, Davey Johnson, Darrell Lanigan, Audie McWilliams, Matt Miller, Joey Kramer, Bart Hartman, Rod Conley, Johnny Wheeler, Brad Neat, Donnie Moran, Mike Jewell, Josh Williams, Aaron Hatton, Scott James, Mike Marlar, John Blankenship
Race Statistics:
Time of Race: 17 minutes
Cautions: 2
Red Flags: 0
Lap Leaders: Francis 1-30
PPM Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race: Moyer (advanced 12 positions)
O'Reilly BoB Provisionals: Mike Marlar and Aaron Hatton
Track Provisional: Joey Kramer
