By Michael Despain
Bardstown, KY-July 9- The 2003 NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Late Model champion, Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN, simply dominated the 7th Annual Kentuckiana Klash for the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts on Saturday night at Bluegrass Speedway. Other feature winners were Danny Blackwell of Taylorsville, KY in Sportsman and Joey Kramer of Hanover, IN in Modifieds.
The 30 lap, $3,000 to win 7th Annual Kentuckiana Klash O'Reilly A-Main would see polesitter Mike Marlar take the lead off of turn two on lap 1, with Jeff Watson, Terry English, Brad Neat, and Jerry Rice giving chase. Watson and English would immediately start to battle for second on lap 2, while Rice would pressure Neat for fourth on lap 3. As Marlar set a torrid pace at the point, Watson and English would continue their side by side battle for second, with English finally rolling into the runner-up slot on lap 7, while Neat would slide by Watson for third one circuit later. As Marlar continued to pull away from the field, Watson and Rice would now mix it up for fourth, and Bryan Barber would join the battle for fourth on lap 10. This three way dance would finally see Barber dive beneath Rice and Watson and take the four slot on lap 12. Marlar would have almost a full straightaway lead by the lap 15 halfway signal, while Barber and Rice would go at it for fourth. As the field closed in on the 10 lap to go mark, Neat would reel in second place running English. Lap 21 would see Neat dive beneath English for the spot, but English would hold the preferred line. As Marlar continued to lap slower traffic, English and Neat would continue to battle for second. By lap 27, business had picked up again for fourth as Barber, Rice, and Mike Jewell waltzed for this position. When the checkered flag waved, Marlar, a 27 year old second generation racer, parked his Wayne Bowen Racing Supply/PBM Performance Products/DART/C.J. Rayburn Race Cars/Renegade Race Fuels/Hoosier Tires/Bell Helmets/Real Wheels/Suspension Springs/K and N Filters/All Star Performance/H-1 Auto Parts/Car Cosmetics/Todd Truss #157 C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, Pro Power and Precision Race Engines powered mount in victory lane. English, Neat, Barber, and Rice would complete the top five. Jewell, a former two time Klash winner, would head up the second five, with Watson seventh, and defending Klash winner Tim Tungate eighth, while Aaron Hatton and Duke Whiseant rounded out the top ten. Thirty-four entries representing five states saw Marlar also be the Racing Optics fast qualifier with a 16.255 second lap. The four VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power heat race were won by Marlar, English, Neat, and Watson. A pair of B-mains were won by Joey Daniel and Tyrel Todd. Series provisional starting spots went to Frankie Coomer and Wayne Chinn, while track provisionals were Johnny Wheeler and Billy Dever.
The 15 lap Sportsman feature saw Danny Blackwell take his fifth feature win of the season and his third in a row behind the wheel of the Sherry Blackwell owned Noel's Auto Sales/Lotsa Cars and Trucks/D and D Towing/Powerhouse Race Cars #b1 Chevy Monte Carlo. Timmy Glazer would take runner-up honors, with Roger Cecil, Jimmy Bryan, and Mike Bailey rounding out the top five. Sam Huffer would head up the second five at the checkered flag, followed by Barry Chesser, Billy Benningfield, Scott Cecil, and Justin Murphy. Thirteen Sportsman entries saw Pat Hagan set fast time with a 19.819 second lap, while Blackwell also won the dash, with Bryan scoring the heat race win.
The 20 lap Modified main event would go caution free and see current NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Modified Series points leader Joey Kramer lead flag to flag in scoring the open wheel feature race in the Dennis Kramer owned Hill's Historic Painting/Super Shine Auto Wash and Window Tint/Bilstein Shocks/Mom and Dad sponsored #77 Lightning Chassis, Kramer Race Engine powered entry. Joe Gray would go second, with Freddy Garmon, Dion Benningfield, and Jason Wheatley completing the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Mike Watson, Joe Mattingly, Adam Gootee, J.T. Ayers, and Josh Lucas. Twenty-eight entries saw heat race wins go to Garmon, Kramer, and Watson, while Chuck Freeman won the B-main.
SUMMARY-Bluegrass Speedway-Bardstown, KY-July 9, 2005
O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series (34 entries)
Racing Optics Fast Time- Mike Marlar 16.255
VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power 1st Heat- Mike Marlar, Jerry Rice, Mike Jewell, Chris Combs, Johnny Wheeler, Joey Daniel, Ed Behn, Scotty Earl, Dave Crawford
VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power 2nd Heat- Terry English, Bryan Barber, Michael England, Josh Williams, Frankie Coomer, Jesse Lay, Billy Dever, Wayne Chinn
VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power 3rd Heat- Brad Neat, John Gill, Tim Tungate, Timmy Yeager, Steve Barnett, Shannon Thornsberry, Lee Devasier, T.J. Wooldridge
VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power 4th Heat- Jeff Watson, Aaron Hatton, Duke Whiseant, Whitney McQueary, Tyrel Todd, Mike Luna, Blake Chinn, Jason Hinkle
B-Main #1- Joey Daniel, Jesse Lay, Billy Dever, Ed Behn, Wayne Chinn, Johnny Wheeler, Dave Crawford, Frankie Coomer (DNS-Scotty Earl, Cliff Clark)
B-Main #2- Tyrel Todd, Steve Barnett, Lee Devasier, Shannon Thornsberry, Blake Chinn, Jason Hinkle, T.J. Wooldridge, Mike Luna
Series Provisionals- Frankie Coomer, Wayne Chinn
Track Provisionals- Johnny Wheeler, Billy Dever
O'Reilly A-Main 7th Annual Kentuckiana Klash- Mike Marlar, Terry English, Brad Neat, Bryan Barber, Jerry Rice, Mike Jewell, Jeff Watson, Tim Tungate, Aaron Hatton, Duke Whiseant, Whitney McQueary, Josh Williams, Joey Daniel, Tyrel Todd, Jesse Lay, Wayne Chinn, Steve Barnett, Billy Dever, Chris Combs, Frankie Coomer, Timmy Yeager, John Gill, Michael England, Johnny Wheeler
SPORTSMAN (13 entries)
Fast Qualifier- Pat Hagan 19,819
Dash- Danny Blackwell, Timmy Glazer, Sam Huffer, Kevin Wilson, Brian Elder, Hagan
Heat- Jimmy Bryan, Roger Cecil, Scott Cecil, Mike Bailey
Feature- Blackwell, Glazer, Roger Cecil, Bryan, Bailey, Huffer, Barry Chesser, Billy Benningfield, Scott Cecil, Justin Murphy, Wilson, Hagan, Elder
MODIFIEDS (28 entries)
1st Heat- Freddy Garmon, Joe Gray, Joe Mattingly, Adam Gootee
2nd Heat- Joey Kramer, Gary Isaacs, Josh Lucas, Rick Gumm
3rd Heat- Mike Watson, Dion Benningfield, Jason Wheatley, Jim Howard
B Main- Chuck Freeman, Randy Turpin, Robbie Bennett, Randall Basham
Feature- Kramer, Gray, Garmon, Benningfield, Wheatley, Watson, Mattingly, Gootee, J.T. Ayers, Lucas, Gumm, Isaacs, Elliott Despain, John Bryan, Steve Pyles, Sam Murphy, Sr., Turpin, Howard, Freeman, Keith Trimble
Bardstown, KY-July 9- The 2003 NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Late Model champion, Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN, simply dominated the 7th Annual Kentuckiana Klash for the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts on Saturday night at Bluegrass Speedway. Other feature winners were Danny Blackwell of Taylorsville, KY in Sportsman and Joey Kramer of Hanover, IN in Modifieds.
The 30 lap, $3,000 to win 7th Annual Kentuckiana Klash O'Reilly A-Main would see polesitter Mike Marlar take the lead off of turn two on lap 1, with Jeff Watson, Terry English, Brad Neat, and Jerry Rice giving chase. Watson and English would immediately start to battle for second on lap 2, while Rice would pressure Neat for fourth on lap 3. As Marlar set a torrid pace at the point, Watson and English would continue their side by side battle for second, with English finally rolling into the runner-up slot on lap 7, while Neat would slide by Watson for third one circuit later. As Marlar continued to pull away from the field, Watson and Rice would now mix it up for fourth, and Bryan Barber would join the battle for fourth on lap 10. This three way dance would finally see Barber dive beneath Rice and Watson and take the four slot on lap 12. Marlar would have almost a full straightaway lead by the lap 15 halfway signal, while Barber and Rice would go at it for fourth. As the field closed in on the 10 lap to go mark, Neat would reel in second place running English. Lap 21 would see Neat dive beneath English for the spot, but English would hold the preferred line. As Marlar continued to lap slower traffic, English and Neat would continue to battle for second. By lap 27, business had picked up again for fourth as Barber, Rice, and Mike Jewell waltzed for this position. When the checkered flag waved, Marlar, a 27 year old second generation racer, parked his Wayne Bowen Racing Supply/PBM Performance Products/DART/C.J. Rayburn Race Cars/Renegade Race Fuels/Hoosier Tires/Bell Helmets/Real Wheels/Suspension Springs/K and N Filters/All Star Performance/H-1 Auto Parts/Car Cosmetics/Todd Truss #157 C.J. Rayburn Race Cars, Pro Power and Precision Race Engines powered mount in victory lane. English, Neat, Barber, and Rice would complete the top five. Jewell, a former two time Klash winner, would head up the second five, with Watson seventh, and defending Klash winner Tim Tungate eighth, while Aaron Hatton and Duke Whiseant rounded out the top ten. Thirty-four entries representing five states saw Marlar also be the Racing Optics fast qualifier with a 16.255 second lap. The four VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power heat race were won by Marlar, English, Neat, and Watson. A pair of B-mains were won by Joey Daniel and Tyrel Todd. Series provisional starting spots went to Frankie Coomer and Wayne Chinn, while track provisionals were Johnny Wheeler and Billy Dever.
The 15 lap Sportsman feature saw Danny Blackwell take his fifth feature win of the season and his third in a row behind the wheel of the Sherry Blackwell owned Noel's Auto Sales/Lotsa Cars and Trucks/D and D Towing/Powerhouse Race Cars #b1 Chevy Monte Carlo. Timmy Glazer would take runner-up honors, with Roger Cecil, Jimmy Bryan, and Mike Bailey rounding out the top five. Sam Huffer would head up the second five at the checkered flag, followed by Barry Chesser, Billy Benningfield, Scott Cecil, and Justin Murphy. Thirteen Sportsman entries saw Pat Hagan set fast time with a 19.819 second lap, while Blackwell also won the dash, with Bryan scoring the heat race win.
The 20 lap Modified main event would go caution free and see current NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Modified Series points leader Joey Kramer lead flag to flag in scoring the open wheel feature race in the Dennis Kramer owned Hill's Historic Painting/Super Shine Auto Wash and Window Tint/Bilstein Shocks/Mom and Dad sponsored #77 Lightning Chassis, Kramer Race Engine powered entry. Joe Gray would go second, with Freddy Garmon, Dion Benningfield, and Jason Wheatley completing the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Mike Watson, Joe Mattingly, Adam Gootee, J.T. Ayers, and Josh Lucas. Twenty-eight entries saw heat race wins go to Garmon, Kramer, and Watson, while Chuck Freeman won the B-main.
SUMMARY-Bluegrass Speedway-Bardstown, KY-July 9, 2005
O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series (34 entries)
Racing Optics Fast Time- Mike Marlar 16.255
VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power 1st Heat- Mike Marlar, Jerry Rice, Mike Jewell, Chris Combs, Johnny Wheeler, Joey Daniel, Ed Behn, Scotty Earl, Dave Crawford
VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power 2nd Heat- Terry English, Bryan Barber, Michael England, Josh Williams, Frankie Coomer, Jesse Lay, Billy Dever, Wayne Chinn
VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power 3rd Heat- Brad Neat, John Gill, Tim Tungate, Timmy Yeager, Steve Barnett, Shannon Thornsberry, Lee Devasier, T.J. Wooldridge
VP Racing Fuel Makin' Power 4th Heat- Jeff Watson, Aaron Hatton, Duke Whiseant, Whitney McQueary, Tyrel Todd, Mike Luna, Blake Chinn, Jason Hinkle
B-Main #1- Joey Daniel, Jesse Lay, Billy Dever, Ed Behn, Wayne Chinn, Johnny Wheeler, Dave Crawford, Frankie Coomer (DNS-Scotty Earl, Cliff Clark)
B-Main #2- Tyrel Todd, Steve Barnett, Lee Devasier, Shannon Thornsberry, Blake Chinn, Jason Hinkle, T.J. Wooldridge, Mike Luna
Series Provisionals- Frankie Coomer, Wayne Chinn
Track Provisionals- Johnny Wheeler, Billy Dever
O'Reilly A-Main 7th Annual Kentuckiana Klash- Mike Marlar, Terry English, Brad Neat, Bryan Barber, Jerry Rice, Mike Jewell, Jeff Watson, Tim Tungate, Aaron Hatton, Duke Whiseant, Whitney McQueary, Josh Williams, Joey Daniel, Tyrel Todd, Jesse Lay, Wayne Chinn, Steve Barnett, Billy Dever, Chris Combs, Frankie Coomer, Timmy Yeager, John Gill, Michael England, Johnny Wheeler
SPORTSMAN (13 entries)
Fast Qualifier- Pat Hagan 19,819
Dash- Danny Blackwell, Timmy Glazer, Sam Huffer, Kevin Wilson, Brian Elder, Hagan
Heat- Jimmy Bryan, Roger Cecil, Scott Cecil, Mike Bailey
Feature- Blackwell, Glazer, Roger Cecil, Bryan, Bailey, Huffer, Barry Chesser, Billy Benningfield, Scott Cecil, Justin Murphy, Wilson, Hagan, Elder
MODIFIEDS (28 entries)
1st Heat- Freddy Garmon, Joe Gray, Joe Mattingly, Adam Gootee
2nd Heat- Joey Kramer, Gary Isaacs, Josh Lucas, Rick Gumm
3rd Heat- Mike Watson, Dion Benningfield, Jason Wheatley, Jim Howard
B Main- Chuck Freeman, Randy Turpin, Robbie Bennett, Randall Basham
Feature- Kramer, Gray, Garmon, Benningfield, Wheatley, Watson, Mattingly, Gootee, J.T. Ayers, Lucas, Gumm, Isaacs, Elliott Despain, John Bryan, Steve Pyles, Sam Murphy, Sr., Turpin, Howard, Freeman, Keith Trimble
