<img src="http://stlouisracing.com/pixs03/WheelerPond.jpg" border="1">
Johnny Wheeler continues to make the Legendary Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY his own personal playground in STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series competition as the 40 year old Campbellsville, KY driver won his third BoB event of 2003 in four tries on Friday Night as he put in a dominating performance in winning the 13th Annual Fall Classic-A Tribute Memorial to John Bradshaw taking the $3000 win. Wheeler drove the Larry Yantz Racing #57 C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo entry out of Waynesburg, KY sponsored by Clayton Homes, Koni Shocks, Crossland Homes, Blackstar Graphics, LUV Homes, VP Racing Fuel, Classic Homes, American Racer Tires, D&S Remodeling, Yantz Mobile Home Services, Legend's Inc., PPM Performance Products, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply and Cornett Thunder Race Engines took his fourth career Battle of the Bluegrass event win. 2003 Series champion, Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN finished in second driving the Renegade Race Fuels/WFO Graphics/C.J. Rayburn Grand Prix. Timmy Yeager of Harrodsburg, KY was third in the Stephen Estes/Mulligan Plumbing/Estes Automotive and Machine/C.J. Rayburn #22. Fourth place went to veteran Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, IN piloting the Southern Indiana Rock Drilling/Cornett Thunder Engines/MasterSbilt Grand Prix and wrapping up the top five was Jesse James Lay of Walton, Ky in the Outlaw Racing/Delta Faucet/Rocket Chassis Monte Carlo. The event was a tribute to the hard work and dedication put forth by John Bradshaw who brought back the track to racing condition this season after taking over promotership, he unfortunately passed away in June and the track is now promoted by Jerry and Mary Denson, who continue to go forward with Mr. Bradshaw's vision.
Wheeler won the second heat race and drew the number two starting spot for the 40 lap main event. In a night that saw at least two rain delays the action on the race track was fast and furious as Wheeler would grab the lead at the start of the main event with Scott James going to second followed by Aaron Hatton. A lapped two caution for a car against the turn three wall would halt the action with one lap in the books. When the race resumed Wheeler stormed away from James and Hatton as those two were dicing it out for second place. Hatton would displace James for second in the fifth lap after the two had exchanged the spot on a couple of occasions in a single lap. The next caution flew on lap 10 for a spun car on the backstretch. After each restart Wheeler would pounce on the opportunity to stretch his lead out over the field of cars. His vast experience of the track was beneficial again was he would go to a straightaway lead over Hatton by the 18th lap. The race was really heating up for second through eighth spots with Hatton, James, Michael Chilton, Mike Marlar, Victor Lee, Timmy Yeager and Mike Jewell all racing hard with cars going two and three wide on several occasions. Wheeler's straightaway advantage disappeared after another caution on the 20th lap slowed him momentarily.
When the race resumed this time Hatton and James were able to steal some time with Wheeler staying within contact of him as the race was approaching ten laps to go. A wild ride for Michael Chilton and Victor Lee on the 29th lap would halt the action as a car checked up in front of them forcing both evasive actions. Chilton's car would come to halt in turn one with Lee suffering a left rear flat tire. This all happened after third place runner, Scott James left the race with a flat tire as the accident would put the fourth place running Chilton out of the event. When that was cleaned up it was still Wheeler in control with Hatton in second followed by Marlar, who had clinched the 2003 series title heading into the race. Hatton and Marlar would try and mount a challenge to Wheeler in the remaining laps, but Hatton's prospects ended with a flat tire on the 37th circuit, just three laps from the end of the race. That would put Marlar in second with Timmy Yeager now up to third. Those three then raced to the checkers with Wheeler taking home the win leading all 40 laps of the feature. Marlar finished in second continuing a streak that shows him finishing in the top four of the last eight STARS Battle of the Bluegrass events consistency which makes him the champion. Yeager trying to clinch the runner-up in points for the second year in a row would take third with Mike Jewell grabbing fourth just barely edging out Jesse James Lay, who finished fifth after pitting for a two tire change earlier in the race.
Completing the top ten were Dustin Neat, Tyrel Todd (from 17th), Rick Combs, Victor Lee and Brad Neat. In preliminary action Mike Marlar took the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time at 13.500 seconds over the 29 entries on hand. Heat race winners were Johnny Wheeler, Aaron Hatton and Scott James. Bucky Jackson won the AFCO Racing Products B-Main.
Race Summary
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
Event #24
The Legendary Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY
Friday Night, October 3, 2003
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time: Mike Marlar 13.500
First Heat: Johnny Wheeler, Mike Marlar, Mike Jewell, Jesse James Lay, Rick Combs
Second Heat: Aaron Hatton, Timmy Yeager, Brad Neat, Bobby Carrier Jr., Steve Barnett
Third Heat: Scott James, Michael Chilton, Victor Lee, Dustin Neat, Joey Daniel
AFCO B-Main: Bucky Jackson, Tyrel Todd, Michael Wooldridge, Tim Taylor
PBM Performance Products 13th Annual Fall Classic-A Memorial Tribute to John Bradshaw Main Event: Johnny Wheeler, Mike Marlar, Timmy Yeager, Mike Jewell, Jesse James Lay, Dustin Neat, Tyrel Todd, Rick Combs, Victor Lee, Brad Neat, Aaron Hatton, Bobby Carrier Jr., Michael Chilton, Bucky Jackson, Scott James, Steve Cornelius, Joey Daniel, Bobby Wolter Jr., Jim Curry, Michael Wooldridge
Race Statistics:
Entries: 29
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass Provisionals: Jim Curry and Bobby Wolter Jr
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Race: Mike Marlar
PPM Racing Products/Outlaw Race Cars Hard Charger of the Race: Tyrel Todd
Lap Leaders: Johnny Wheeler 1-40
Johnny Wheeler continues to make the Legendary Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY his own personal playground in STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series competition as the 40 year old Campbellsville, KY driver won his third BoB event of 2003 in four tries on Friday Night as he put in a dominating performance in winning the 13th Annual Fall Classic-A Tribute Memorial to John Bradshaw taking the $3000 win. Wheeler drove the Larry Yantz Racing #57 C.J. Rayburn Monte Carlo entry out of Waynesburg, KY sponsored by Clayton Homes, Koni Shocks, Crossland Homes, Blackstar Graphics, LUV Homes, VP Racing Fuel, Classic Homes, American Racer Tires, D&S Remodeling, Yantz Mobile Home Services, Legend's Inc., PPM Performance Products, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply and Cornett Thunder Race Engines took his fourth career Battle of the Bluegrass event win. 2003 Series champion, Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN finished in second driving the Renegade Race Fuels/WFO Graphics/C.J. Rayburn Grand Prix. Timmy Yeager of Harrodsburg, KY was third in the Stephen Estes/Mulligan Plumbing/Estes Automotive and Machine/C.J. Rayburn #22. Fourth place went to veteran Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, IN piloting the Southern Indiana Rock Drilling/Cornett Thunder Engines/MasterSbilt Grand Prix and wrapping up the top five was Jesse James Lay of Walton, Ky in the Outlaw Racing/Delta Faucet/Rocket Chassis Monte Carlo. The event was a tribute to the hard work and dedication put forth by John Bradshaw who brought back the track to racing condition this season after taking over promotership, he unfortunately passed away in June and the track is now promoted by Jerry and Mary Denson, who continue to go forward with Mr. Bradshaw's vision.
Wheeler won the second heat race and drew the number two starting spot for the 40 lap main event. In a night that saw at least two rain delays the action on the race track was fast and furious as Wheeler would grab the lead at the start of the main event with Scott James going to second followed by Aaron Hatton. A lapped two caution for a car against the turn three wall would halt the action with one lap in the books. When the race resumed Wheeler stormed away from James and Hatton as those two were dicing it out for second place. Hatton would displace James for second in the fifth lap after the two had exchanged the spot on a couple of occasions in a single lap. The next caution flew on lap 10 for a spun car on the backstretch. After each restart Wheeler would pounce on the opportunity to stretch his lead out over the field of cars. His vast experience of the track was beneficial again was he would go to a straightaway lead over Hatton by the 18th lap. The race was really heating up for second through eighth spots with Hatton, James, Michael Chilton, Mike Marlar, Victor Lee, Timmy Yeager and Mike Jewell all racing hard with cars going two and three wide on several occasions. Wheeler's straightaway advantage disappeared after another caution on the 20th lap slowed him momentarily.
When the race resumed this time Hatton and James were able to steal some time with Wheeler staying within contact of him as the race was approaching ten laps to go. A wild ride for Michael Chilton and Victor Lee on the 29th lap would halt the action as a car checked up in front of them forcing both evasive actions. Chilton's car would come to halt in turn one with Lee suffering a left rear flat tire. This all happened after third place runner, Scott James left the race with a flat tire as the accident would put the fourth place running Chilton out of the event. When that was cleaned up it was still Wheeler in control with Hatton in second followed by Marlar, who had clinched the 2003 series title heading into the race. Hatton and Marlar would try and mount a challenge to Wheeler in the remaining laps, but Hatton's prospects ended with a flat tire on the 37th circuit, just three laps from the end of the race. That would put Marlar in second with Timmy Yeager now up to third. Those three then raced to the checkers with Wheeler taking home the win leading all 40 laps of the feature. Marlar finished in second continuing a streak that shows him finishing in the top four of the last eight STARS Battle of the Bluegrass events consistency which makes him the champion. Yeager trying to clinch the runner-up in points for the second year in a row would take third with Mike Jewell grabbing fourth just barely edging out Jesse James Lay, who finished fifth after pitting for a two tire change earlier in the race.
Completing the top ten were Dustin Neat, Tyrel Todd (from 17th), Rick Combs, Victor Lee and Brad Neat. In preliminary action Mike Marlar took the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time at 13.500 seconds over the 29 entries on hand. Heat race winners were Johnny Wheeler, Aaron Hatton and Scott James. Bucky Jackson won the AFCO Racing Products B-Main.
Race Summary
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
Event #24
The Legendary Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY
Friday Night, October 3, 2003
Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics Fast Time: Mike Marlar 13.500
First Heat: Johnny Wheeler, Mike Marlar, Mike Jewell, Jesse James Lay, Rick Combs
Second Heat: Aaron Hatton, Timmy Yeager, Brad Neat, Bobby Carrier Jr., Steve Barnett
Third Heat: Scott James, Michael Chilton, Victor Lee, Dustin Neat, Joey Daniel
AFCO B-Main: Bucky Jackson, Tyrel Todd, Michael Wooldridge, Tim Taylor
PBM Performance Products 13th Annual Fall Classic-A Memorial Tribute to John Bradshaw Main Event: Johnny Wheeler, Mike Marlar, Timmy Yeager, Mike Jewell, Jesse James Lay, Dustin Neat, Tyrel Todd, Rick Combs, Victor Lee, Brad Neat, Aaron Hatton, Bobby Carrier Jr., Michael Chilton, Bucky Jackson, Scott James, Steve Cornelius, Joey Daniel, Bobby Wolter Jr., Jim Curry, Michael Wooldridge
Race Statistics:
Entries: 29
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass Provisionals: Jim Curry and Bobby Wolter Jr
R&P Industrial Chimney Rookie of the Race: Mike Marlar
PPM Racing Products/Outlaw Race Cars Hard Charger of the Race: Tyrel Todd
Lap Leaders: Johnny Wheeler 1-40
