By Michael Despain – Junction City, KY-May 3, 2014- Ponderosa Speedway presented the 17th Annual Pete Abell Memorial event on Saturday evening and Victor Lee of Danville, KY would lead flag to flag to claim the $2,500 payday, while Bryan Barber of Greensburg, KY would pick up the $1,000 to win Modified main event. Other feature winners for the evening included Todd Coffman of Junction City, KY in Pro Late Models and Glen Hounshell, Jr. of Mount Vernon, KY in Sportsman.
Victor Lee and Michael Chilton would bring the field to the green flag in the 35 lap Super Late Model main event and Lee would jump to the early lead, with Chilton and Brad Neat giving chase. Mike Marlar would start fifth and work his way into contention in the early going after getting by Neat and battling with Chilton for second. Seventh starting Dustin Linville would roll to fourth early on, but would draw the first caution of the event with a flat right rear tire on lap 6. The restart would see Lee command the field, while Marlar and Chilton continued to battle for second before Marlar claimed the spot on lap 11. Neat would get by Chilton for the third position one circuit later and as Marlar attempted to reel in Lee, the second caution of the race appeared on lap 15 for Jake Henry as he slowed in turn one. Lee would again hold the top spot on the restart, with Marlar second, while Neat would battle with ninth place starting Michael Asberry for third. Chilton would slip back to fifth and his night would be done as he drew the final caution on lap 23 when his mount slowed on the frontchute. Back underway, Neat would take second away from Marlar, as the duo chased race leader Lee. Marlar and Neat would continue to battle, allowing Lee to motor away from the field before Marlar would slidejob Neat in turn one on lap 31, with Asberry taking third from Neat one trip later. Lee would go unchallenged the remainder of the way and pick up the victory in his Xtreme Style Signs and Graphics/Eagle Heavy Haulers/Jay Construction/Pingleton Trucking sponsored #4 Revelution Race Car powered by a Day’s Race Engine. Marlar would come second, with Asberry finishing third. Neat would finish fourth, while Linville would drive back from the rear of the field to finish fifth. The remainder of the top ten were Aaron Hatton, Justin Rattliff, Tripp Gerrald, David Webb, and Tommy Bailey. Fourteen entries would see Linville as top qualifier at 14.018 seconds, while heat wins went to Lee and Chilton.
Bryan Barber would lead all 25 laps of the Modified main event that would be slowed by three caution flags for spinouts. Barber, who was Friday night’s winner, picked up right where he left off the previous evening as would hold off a hard charging Ryan Thomas to pick up the win aboard his B&B Motorsports/Bandit Race Cars/Maximum Energy Development/All Star Performance/Bilstein/VP Racing Fuel/Frankland Racing Equipment/Dyer’s Top Rods/Hypercoils sponsored #10 Bandit Race Car, which sports power from a Jay Dickens Race Engine. Thomas would finish second, while Michael England, Cameron Marlar, and Jeff Watson completed the top five. The remainder of the top ten would be Cody Smith, Steven Eversole, Stacey Decker, Faron Robinson, and Brian Ramsey. Fifteen entries would see Barber be top qualifier at 15.053 seconds, while heat victories fell to Barber, Marlar, and Thomas.
Todd Coffman would hold off the charges of Elliott Despain to pick up his second straight victory in the Pro Late Model division as he put the Sharon Coffman owned Coffman’s Photography/The Muffler Shop/Premier Self Storage/Auto Connection/Archie’s Tire/Todd’s Body Shop/Wilson Equipment/Harrod Farms sponsored #35 Rocket Chassis, GM604 powered entry in victory lane. Despain would finish second, with Wesley Brummett, David Hill, and Glen Hounshell, Jr. completing the top five. Six entries would see Coffman as top qualifier at 14.560 and also win the heat.
Glen Hounshell, Jr. would be the dominant car in the Sportsman division on this night as he captured the 15 lap feature contest behind the wheel of his CKSM/Smokehouse Grill/Nationwide Insurance/B&B Homes/Jennings Do It Best Center/R&R Builders/AR Bodies/HUH Heads/Boyd Built Brakes sponsored #20 Chevy Camaro SS. Glen Branham would take runner-up honors, while Bill Robinson, Sarah Patrick, and Charles Burton would complete the top five.
SUMMARY-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-May 3, 2014
SUPER LATE MODELS (14 entries)
Top Qualifier- Dustin Linville 14.018
1st Heat- Victor Lee, Brad Neat, Mike Marlar, Dustin Linville, Michael Asberry, Jake Henry, David Webb 2nd Heat- Michael Chilton, Tommy Bailey, Aaron Hatton, Justin Rattliff, Skyler Marlar, Tripp Gerralds (DNS- Timmy Taylor) 17th Annual Pete Abell Memorial- Victor Lee, Mike Marlar, Michael Asberry, Brad Neat, Dustin Linville, Aaron Hatton, Justin Rattliff, Tripp Gerrald, David Webb, Tommy Bailey, Timmy Taylor, Skyler Marlar, Michael Chilton, Jake Henry
MODIFIEDS (15 entries)
Top Qualifier- Bryan Barber 15.053
1st Heat- Bryan Barber, Keith Smith, Blake Brown, Cody Smith, Daniel Stephens 2nd Heat- Cameron Marlar, Michael England, Jerry Pyles, Stacey Decker, Brian Ramsey 3rd Heat- Ryan Thomas, Steven Eversole, Jeff Watson, Farron Robinson (DNS- Magen Witt)
Feature- Bryan Barber, Ryan Thomas, Michael England, Cameron Marlar, Jeff Watson, Cody Smith, Steven Eversole, Stacey Decker, Faron Robinson, Brian Ramsey, Magen Witt, Jerry Pyles, Daniel Stephens (DNS- Keith Smith, Blake Brown)
PRO LATE MODELS (6 entries)
Top Qualifier- Todd Coffman 14.560
Heat- Todd Coffman, Wesley Brummett, Elliott Despain, Glen Hounshell, Jr., David Hill, Chris Fair
Feature- Todd Coffman, Elliott Despain, Wesley Brummett, David Hill, Glen Hounshell, Jr., Chris Fair
SPORTSMAN (8 entries)
Top Qualifier- Glen Hounshell, Jr. 16.332
Heat- Glen Hounshell, Jr., Glen Branham, Bill Robinson, Sarah Patrick, Logan Preston, Charles Burton, Terry Cheeks (DNS- Anthony Wiseman)
Feature- Glen Hounshell, Jr., Glen Branham, Bill Robinson, Sarah Patrick, Charles Burton, Anthony Wiseman (DNS- Logan Preston, Terry Cheeks)