By Michael Despain
Junction City, KY- After battling occasional rain showers during the evening, the 13th Annual Fall Classic-A Tribute and Memorial to John Bradshaw, was completed and Johnny Wheeler of Campbellsville, KY picked up his fourth win and third STARS Battle of the Bluegrass at "The Pond" this season as he led all 40 laps in the Fall Classic main event.
Wheeler jumped to the lead at the drop of the green flag, but would have his pace slowed on lap 2 when Michael Wooldridge contacted the concrete wall in turn three. On the restart, Wheeler would again scoot away, with Scott James, Aaron Hatton, Mike Marlar, and Timmy Yeager giving chase. Hatton would pressure James and eventually grab the second slot, while Michael Chilton would pressure Yeager for fifth and would also advance a position before caution waved on lap 11 as Bobby Carrier, Jr. looped his mount exiting turn two. The caution would have action again hot behind Wheeler and Hatton and James continued to battle for second, Victor Lee and Marlar would begin to mix it up for fifth, as Chilton would work his way into fourth. Joey Daniel would slow on the track with a flat left rear tire on lap 21, erasing Wheeler's large lead. The field would race hard again until third place Scott James slowed in turn two with a flat right rear tire and would head pitside and not return. The restart would get wild and eventually would see Lee and Chilton go spinning wildly down the frontchute, with then fifth place running Lee able to continue, but Chilton (who was third on the restart) would have his night ended due to the incident. Wheeler would really walk away from the field over the final dozen laps, while the battle for second would really get good as Hatton, Yeager, Marlar, Mike Jewell, Jesse James Lay, and Dustin Neat were all battling for position here. The final caution waved on lap 38 as Bobby Carrier, Jr. spun in turn three, and then second place runner Hatton would pull into the infield to get a flat right rear tire changed. Wheeler would drive off again in the final circuits to put the Larry Yantz owned Clayton Homes/Luv Homes/Classic Homes/Crossland Homes/Legends, Inc./Yantz Mobile Home Service/D and S Remodeling/PPM Race Parts/American Race Tires by Tony/Blackstar Graphics/VP Race Fuels #57 C.J. Rayburn Race Car, Cornett Race Engine, American Race Tire shod mount. Series champion Marlar would take runner-up honors, with Yeager, Jewell, and Lay. Dustin Neat would head up the second five followed by Tyrel Todd, Rick Combs, Lee, and Brad Neat. Marlar would claim the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics fast qualifier award among 29 entries, with heat wins going to Wheeler, Hatton, and James, while Bucky Jackson won the AFCO B-Main, with Jim Curry and Bobby Wolter, Jr. taking BoB series provisionals.
Joe Gray of Cecilia, KY would make his appearance at "The Pond" in 2003 and would take the win in the 20 lap Modified feature event in the Jimmy Bryan owned Bryan Building/Team Locomotive/B and B Motorsports/Ace Signs and Designs/Hardin County Truck Tops/Bunbakers Black Angus Grill/Guy's Building Supply #84 Bandit Race Cars entry. A hard charging Jason Wheatley would claim the second spot, while Jeff Rawlings, Gary Yeager, and John Sparks completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Robbie Turner, Jason Riney, Scott Anderson, Mike Taylor, and Jake Henry. Gray also won the heat won for the open-wheel division.
Brian Elder of Parkville, KY would take top honors in the 15 lap Sportsman division feature event aboard his Gilbralter Chimney/True Chiropractic #29 entry. Darrell Gaddis would get another runner-up finish at "The Pond", with Jeff Johnson, Alan Crabtree, and David Heaton rounding out the top five. Completing the top ten were Donald Rayburn, Rick King, Dewayne Lear, C.W. Murphy, and Jimmy Bryan. Heats were scored by Crabtree and King.
In Chevette action, Dusty Maybrier of Stanford, KY would be the man as he won the heat and feature for the four-cylinder class behind the wheel of his Randy's Auto Body/ Andrew's Automotive #29 unit. The rest of the top five were David Murphy, Ronnie Cooper, Larry Foley, Jr., and Mike Collett. The remainder of the top ten would be Randy Maybrier, Billy Jewell, Jim Bob Collett, Darvin Shelton, and Steve Rector.
SUMMARY-The Legendary Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-October 3, 2003
Late Models (29 entries)
Racing Optic/Bullzilla Graphic Fast Qualifier- Mike Marlar
1st Heat- Johnny Wheeler, Mike Marlar, Mike Jewell, Jesse James Lay, Rick Combs
2nd Heat- Aaron Hatton, Timmy Yeager, Brad Neat, Bobby Carrier, Jr., Steve Barnett
3rd Heat- Scott James, Michael Chilton, Victor Lee, Dustin Neat, Joey Daniel
AFCO B Main- Bucky Jackson, Tyrel Todd, Michael Wooldridge, Tim Taylor, David Webb
STARS BoB Provisionals- Jim Curry and Bobby Wolter, Jr.
13th Annual Fall Classic- Wheeler, Marlar, Yeager, Jewell, Lay, Dustin Neat, Todd, Combs, Lee, Brad Neat, Hatton, Carrier, Jr., Chilton, Jackson, James, Cornelius, Daniel, Wolter, Jr., Curry, Wooldridge
Modifieds (13 entries)
Heat- Joe Gray, Jason Wheatley, Don Fleetwood, Doug Tarter, Jeff Rawlings
Feature- Gray, Wheatley, Rawlings, Gary Yeager, John Sparks, Robbie Turner, Jason Riney, Scott Anderson, Mike Taylor, Jake Henry, Don Fleetwood, Doug Tarter, Tom Curtsinger
Sportsman (16 entries)
1st Heat- Alan Crabtree, Adam Curtsinger, Donald Rayburn, Darrell Gaddis
2nd Heat- Rick King, Jeff Johnson, David Heaton, Russ Nealy
Feature- Brian Elder, Gaddis, Johnson, Crabtree, Heaton, Rayburn, King, Dewayne Lear, C.W. Murphy, Jimmy Bryan, Russ Nealy
Chevettes (14 entries)
Heat- Dusty Maybrier, Randy Maybrier, David Murphy, Larry Foley, Jr., Mike Collett
Feature- Dusty Maybrier, Murphy, Cooper, Foley, Jr., Mike Collett, Randy Maybrier, Billy Jewell, Jim Bob Collett, Darvin Shelton, Steve Rector, Brandon Clark, Joseph Lyons, Jordan Whitaker, Chris Godbey
Junction City, KY- After battling occasional rain showers during the evening, the 13th Annual Fall Classic-A Tribute and Memorial to John Bradshaw, was completed and Johnny Wheeler of Campbellsville, KY picked up his fourth win and third STARS Battle of the Bluegrass at "The Pond" this season as he led all 40 laps in the Fall Classic main event.
Wheeler jumped to the lead at the drop of the green flag, but would have his pace slowed on lap 2 when Michael Wooldridge contacted the concrete wall in turn three. On the restart, Wheeler would again scoot away, with Scott James, Aaron Hatton, Mike Marlar, and Timmy Yeager giving chase. Hatton would pressure James and eventually grab the second slot, while Michael Chilton would pressure Yeager for fifth and would also advance a position before caution waved on lap 11 as Bobby Carrier, Jr. looped his mount exiting turn two. The caution would have action again hot behind Wheeler and Hatton and James continued to battle for second, Victor Lee and Marlar would begin to mix it up for fifth, as Chilton would work his way into fourth. Joey Daniel would slow on the track with a flat left rear tire on lap 21, erasing Wheeler's large lead. The field would race hard again until third place Scott James slowed in turn two with a flat right rear tire and would head pitside and not return. The restart would get wild and eventually would see Lee and Chilton go spinning wildly down the frontchute, with then fifth place running Lee able to continue, but Chilton (who was third on the restart) would have his night ended due to the incident. Wheeler would really walk away from the field over the final dozen laps, while the battle for second would really get good as Hatton, Yeager, Marlar, Mike Jewell, Jesse James Lay, and Dustin Neat were all battling for position here. The final caution waved on lap 38 as Bobby Carrier, Jr. spun in turn three, and then second place runner Hatton would pull into the infield to get a flat right rear tire changed. Wheeler would drive off again in the final circuits to put the Larry Yantz owned Clayton Homes/Luv Homes/Classic Homes/Crossland Homes/Legends, Inc./Yantz Mobile Home Service/D and S Remodeling/PPM Race Parts/American Race Tires by Tony/Blackstar Graphics/VP Race Fuels #57 C.J. Rayburn Race Car, Cornett Race Engine, American Race Tire shod mount. Series champion Marlar would take runner-up honors, with Yeager, Jewell, and Lay. Dustin Neat would head up the second five followed by Tyrel Todd, Rick Combs, Lee, and Brad Neat. Marlar would claim the Racing Optics/Bullzilla Graphics fast qualifier award among 29 entries, with heat wins going to Wheeler, Hatton, and James, while Bucky Jackson won the AFCO B-Main, with Jim Curry and Bobby Wolter, Jr. taking BoB series provisionals.
Joe Gray of Cecilia, KY would make his appearance at "The Pond" in 2003 and would take the win in the 20 lap Modified feature event in the Jimmy Bryan owned Bryan Building/Team Locomotive/B and B Motorsports/Ace Signs and Designs/Hardin County Truck Tops/Bunbakers Black Angus Grill/Guy's Building Supply #84 Bandit Race Cars entry. A hard charging Jason Wheatley would claim the second spot, while Jeff Rawlings, Gary Yeager, and John Sparks completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Robbie Turner, Jason Riney, Scott Anderson, Mike Taylor, and Jake Henry. Gray also won the heat won for the open-wheel division.
Brian Elder of Parkville, KY would take top honors in the 15 lap Sportsman division feature event aboard his Gilbralter Chimney/True Chiropractic #29 entry. Darrell Gaddis would get another runner-up finish at "The Pond", with Jeff Johnson, Alan Crabtree, and David Heaton rounding out the top five. Completing the top ten were Donald Rayburn, Rick King, Dewayne Lear, C.W. Murphy, and Jimmy Bryan. Heats were scored by Crabtree and King.
In Chevette action, Dusty Maybrier of Stanford, KY would be the man as he won the heat and feature for the four-cylinder class behind the wheel of his Randy's Auto Body/ Andrew's Automotive #29 unit. The rest of the top five were David Murphy, Ronnie Cooper, Larry Foley, Jr., and Mike Collett. The remainder of the top ten would be Randy Maybrier, Billy Jewell, Jim Bob Collett, Darvin Shelton, and Steve Rector.
SUMMARY-The Legendary Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-October 3, 2003
Late Models (29 entries)
Racing Optic/Bullzilla Graphic Fast Qualifier- Mike Marlar
1st Heat- Johnny Wheeler, Mike Marlar, Mike Jewell, Jesse James Lay, Rick Combs
2nd Heat- Aaron Hatton, Timmy Yeager, Brad Neat, Bobby Carrier, Jr., Steve Barnett
3rd Heat- Scott James, Michael Chilton, Victor Lee, Dustin Neat, Joey Daniel
AFCO B Main- Bucky Jackson, Tyrel Todd, Michael Wooldridge, Tim Taylor, David Webb
STARS BoB Provisionals- Jim Curry and Bobby Wolter, Jr.
13th Annual Fall Classic- Wheeler, Marlar, Yeager, Jewell, Lay, Dustin Neat, Todd, Combs, Lee, Brad Neat, Hatton, Carrier, Jr., Chilton, Jackson, James, Cornelius, Daniel, Wolter, Jr., Curry, Wooldridge
Modifieds (13 entries)
Heat- Joe Gray, Jason Wheatley, Don Fleetwood, Doug Tarter, Jeff Rawlings
Feature- Gray, Wheatley, Rawlings, Gary Yeager, John Sparks, Robbie Turner, Jason Riney, Scott Anderson, Mike Taylor, Jake Henry, Don Fleetwood, Doug Tarter, Tom Curtsinger
Sportsman (16 entries)
1st Heat- Alan Crabtree, Adam Curtsinger, Donald Rayburn, Darrell Gaddis
2nd Heat- Rick King, Jeff Johnson, David Heaton, Russ Nealy
Feature- Brian Elder, Gaddis, Johnson, Crabtree, Heaton, Rayburn, King, Dewayne Lear, C.W. Murphy, Jimmy Bryan, Russ Nealy
Chevettes (14 entries)
Heat- Dusty Maybrier, Randy Maybrier, David Murphy, Larry Foley, Jr., Mike Collett
Feature- Dusty Maybrier, Murphy, Cooper, Foley, Jr., Mike Collett, Randy Maybrier, Billy Jewell, Jim Bob Collett, Darvin Shelton, Steve Rector, Brandon Clark, Joseph Lyons, Jordan Whitaker, Chris Godbey
