BY Michael Despain
Bardstown, KY-August 7- The Lucas Oil NARA DirtCar Series invaded Bluegrass Speedway on Saturday night and when all was said and done, Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Illinois walked away with the win and the $10,000 payday. Other division winners were Pat Hagan of New Haven, KY in Sportsman and Bryan Wilson of Bloomfield, KY capturing the Street Stock win.
With the television cameras of ESPN2 filming the action, Scott James and Shannon Babb would bring the field to the green flag, with Babb going to the point, with James, John Gill, Brandon Kinzer, and Tim Tungate giving chase. With action two and three wide back in the pack at this point, Babb and James would creep away from the field. Gill would begin to charge on James for second, while Tungate would pressure Kinzer for fourth. Tungate and Kinzer would trade the fourth spot on numerous occasions at different points on the track, while Joey Daniel, Dennis Erb, Jr., and Don O'Neal would mix it up for the sixth spot. As the field began to enter slower traffic on lap 15, Gill would turn the wick up on James for second, as Babb was stretching his lead at this point. Caution would wave on lap 18 as Tim Hitt slowed on the backchute and the cars of Whitney McQueary and Aaron Hatton crashing attempting to avoid the slowing car of Hitt. McQueary and Hatton would see their mounts suffer damage and be finished for the night. The double file restart would see Gill dive beneath James for second, but that would be null and voided as Daniel got crossed up getting off of turn four and he, Timmy Yeager, and Greg Johnson would stack up on the frontchute, with Yeager ending up across the frontend of Daniel's mount, with all three drivers able to continue race action. This double file restart would see Gill scoot by James for second, with Tungate also getting by James and taking third. As the field took the halfway signal in the 60 lap main event, the track began to develop a sweet spot of rubber in the center of the corners. This allowed Babb to really motor away, as James would go back around Tungate for third, with O'Neal also now in the top five. O'Neal would drive by Tungate just past the halfway point, as Babb began to catch slower traffic. With Babb attempting to tiptoe through slower traffic, Gill would close up on the race leader, as James and O'Neal began to battle for the third position. The front four would ride like this the remainder of the race, but Gill would make it interesting on the final lap as Babb would roll high exiting turn four and Gill would duck beneath Babb coming to the checkered flag, with Babb taking a half-car length win in the Car City, J and J Steel, Platinum Motors, Hoosier Tires by Smash, Outlawd Motorsports, PRC, Watters sponsored #18 C.J. Rayburn Race Car, Jay Dickens Race Engines powered mount. Gill, James, and tenth starting O'Neal would go second through fourth, with Kinzer completing the top five. Rounding out the top ten were 12th starting Mike Marlar, 17th starting Greg Johnson, 13th starting Bryan Barber, Erb, Jr., and 14th starter Steve Barnett. Babb would also be the Racing Optics, Russell Baker Race Engines fast qualifier among the 50 entries that represented eight states, while Crown Spray Power heats were taken by Babb, Tungate, Gill, Kinzer, and James. O'Reilly Auto Part B-mains were scored by R.J. Conley and Johnson, with series provisionals going to Freddy Smith and Hatton, while Jeff Watson and McQueary were track provisionals.
Pat Hagan would survive a rash of late race cautions to take the 15 lap Sportsman feature race main event behind the wheel of the Billy Holbert owned New Haven NAPA, New Haven Car Wash, New Haven Auto Center, Quick Care Oil and Lube, Budweiser sponsored #88 entry. Kevin Wilson would finish a close second, with brother Bo Wilson scoring third. Darrell Gaddis and Mike Bailey rounded out the top five. Completing the top ten were Jason Zehnder, Troy Crutcher, Doug Wells, Jenna Chesser, and Russell Martin. Bobby Mattingly was top qualifier among 16 entries, with the dash win going to Kevin Wilson, while Rocky Wilson won the heat.
Bryan Wilson of Bloomfield, KY scored his first ever Street Stock feature win by taking the 12 lap main event aboard his Nealco Electric, Wilson's Used Auto Parts #83 mount. Johnny Cecil would roll home second, with Willie Edelen, Shane Litton, and Terry Bartley completing the top five. Joe Blair would head up the second five, followed by Tim Leake, Lee Gray, Jamie Downs, and Brad Sapp. Heat race wins went to Cecil and Wilson.
SUMMARY-Bluegrass Speedway-Bardstown, KY-August 7, 2004
LUCAS OIL NARA DIRTCARS (50 entries)
Racing Optics/Russell Baker Race Engines Top Qualifier- Shannon Babb 16.470
Crown Spray Power 1st Heat- Babb, Timmy Yeager, Johnny Wheeler, Billy Dever
Crown Spray Power 2nd Heat- Tim Tungate, Joey Daniel, Mike Marlar, Aaron Hatton
Crown Spray Power 3rd Heat- John Gill, Dennis Erb, Jr., Bryan Barber, Benji Lee
Crown Spray Power 4th Heat- Brandon Kinzer, Brad Neat, Steve Barnett, Tim Hitt
Crown Spray Power 5th Heat- Scott James, Don O'Neal, Tyrel Todd, R.J. Conley
O'Reilly Auto Parts 1st B Main- Conley, Mike Jewell, Joey Kramer, Michael England, Freddy Smith
O'Reilly Auto Parts 2nd B Main- Greg Johnson, Hitt, Benji Lee, Chad Smith, Matt Taylor
Series Provisionals- Freddy Smith, Aaron Hatton
Track Provisionals- Jeff Watson, Whitney McQueary
Lucas Oil A-Main 4th Annual Bluegrass Classic- Babb, Gill, James, O'Neal, Kinzer, Marlar, Johnson, Barber, Erb, Jr., Barnett, Smith, Conley, Neat, Wheeler, Watson, Tungate, Daniel, Jewell, Yeager, Todd, Hatton, McQueary, Hitt
SPORTSMAN (16 entries)
Top Qualifier- Bobby Mattingly
Dash- Kevin Wilson, Pat Hagan, Bo Wilson, Mattingly, Mike Bailey, Darrell Gaddis
Heat- Rocky Wilson, Billy Benningfield, Troy Crutcher, Doug Wells
Feature- Hagan, Kevin Wilson, Bo Wilson, Gaddis, Bailey, Jason Zehnder, Crutcher, Wells, Jenna Chesser, Russell Martin, Sam Huffer, Timmy Glazer, Rocky Wilson, Mattingly, Benningfield, Daroyl Samples
STREET STOCKS (18 entries)
1st Heat- Johnny Cecil, Willie Edelen, Terry Bartley, Jaime Downs
2nd Heat- Bryan Wilson, Shane Litton, Robbie Settles, Buddy Pate
Feature- Wilson, Cecil, Edelen, Litton, Bartley, Joe Blair, Tim Leake, Lee Gray, Downs, Brad Sapp, Doug Estep, Buddy Pate, Roy Skaggs, Settles, Chad Chaney, Michael Crammer (DNS- Casey Payton, Mike Gentry)
Bardstown, KY-August 7- The Lucas Oil NARA DirtCar Series invaded Bluegrass Speedway on Saturday night and when all was said and done, Shannon Babb of Moweaqua, Illinois walked away with the win and the $10,000 payday. Other division winners were Pat Hagan of New Haven, KY in Sportsman and Bryan Wilson of Bloomfield, KY capturing the Street Stock win.
With the television cameras of ESPN2 filming the action, Scott James and Shannon Babb would bring the field to the green flag, with Babb going to the point, with James, John Gill, Brandon Kinzer, and Tim Tungate giving chase. With action two and three wide back in the pack at this point, Babb and James would creep away from the field. Gill would begin to charge on James for second, while Tungate would pressure Kinzer for fourth. Tungate and Kinzer would trade the fourth spot on numerous occasions at different points on the track, while Joey Daniel, Dennis Erb, Jr., and Don O'Neal would mix it up for the sixth spot. As the field began to enter slower traffic on lap 15, Gill would turn the wick up on James for second, as Babb was stretching his lead at this point. Caution would wave on lap 18 as Tim Hitt slowed on the backchute and the cars of Whitney McQueary and Aaron Hatton crashing attempting to avoid the slowing car of Hitt. McQueary and Hatton would see their mounts suffer damage and be finished for the night. The double file restart would see Gill dive beneath James for second, but that would be null and voided as Daniel got crossed up getting off of turn four and he, Timmy Yeager, and Greg Johnson would stack up on the frontchute, with Yeager ending up across the frontend of Daniel's mount, with all three drivers able to continue race action. This double file restart would see Gill scoot by James for second, with Tungate also getting by James and taking third. As the field took the halfway signal in the 60 lap main event, the track began to develop a sweet spot of rubber in the center of the corners. This allowed Babb to really motor away, as James would go back around Tungate for third, with O'Neal also now in the top five. O'Neal would drive by Tungate just past the halfway point, as Babb began to catch slower traffic. With Babb attempting to tiptoe through slower traffic, Gill would close up on the race leader, as James and O'Neal began to battle for the third position. The front four would ride like this the remainder of the race, but Gill would make it interesting on the final lap as Babb would roll high exiting turn four and Gill would duck beneath Babb coming to the checkered flag, with Babb taking a half-car length win in the Car City, J and J Steel, Platinum Motors, Hoosier Tires by Smash, Outlawd Motorsports, PRC, Watters sponsored #18 C.J. Rayburn Race Car, Jay Dickens Race Engines powered mount. Gill, James, and tenth starting O'Neal would go second through fourth, with Kinzer completing the top five. Rounding out the top ten were 12th starting Mike Marlar, 17th starting Greg Johnson, 13th starting Bryan Barber, Erb, Jr., and 14th starter Steve Barnett. Babb would also be the Racing Optics, Russell Baker Race Engines fast qualifier among the 50 entries that represented eight states, while Crown Spray Power heats were taken by Babb, Tungate, Gill, Kinzer, and James. O'Reilly Auto Part B-mains were scored by R.J. Conley and Johnson, with series provisionals going to Freddy Smith and Hatton, while Jeff Watson and McQueary were track provisionals.
Pat Hagan would survive a rash of late race cautions to take the 15 lap Sportsman feature race main event behind the wheel of the Billy Holbert owned New Haven NAPA, New Haven Car Wash, New Haven Auto Center, Quick Care Oil and Lube, Budweiser sponsored #88 entry. Kevin Wilson would finish a close second, with brother Bo Wilson scoring third. Darrell Gaddis and Mike Bailey rounded out the top five. Completing the top ten were Jason Zehnder, Troy Crutcher, Doug Wells, Jenna Chesser, and Russell Martin. Bobby Mattingly was top qualifier among 16 entries, with the dash win going to Kevin Wilson, while Rocky Wilson won the heat.
Bryan Wilson of Bloomfield, KY scored his first ever Street Stock feature win by taking the 12 lap main event aboard his Nealco Electric, Wilson's Used Auto Parts #83 mount. Johnny Cecil would roll home second, with Willie Edelen, Shane Litton, and Terry Bartley completing the top five. Joe Blair would head up the second five, followed by Tim Leake, Lee Gray, Jamie Downs, and Brad Sapp. Heat race wins went to Cecil and Wilson.
SUMMARY-Bluegrass Speedway-Bardstown, KY-August 7, 2004
LUCAS OIL NARA DIRTCARS (50 entries)
Racing Optics/Russell Baker Race Engines Top Qualifier- Shannon Babb 16.470
Crown Spray Power 1st Heat- Babb, Timmy Yeager, Johnny Wheeler, Billy Dever
Crown Spray Power 2nd Heat- Tim Tungate, Joey Daniel, Mike Marlar, Aaron Hatton
Crown Spray Power 3rd Heat- John Gill, Dennis Erb, Jr., Bryan Barber, Benji Lee
Crown Spray Power 4th Heat- Brandon Kinzer, Brad Neat, Steve Barnett, Tim Hitt
Crown Spray Power 5th Heat- Scott James, Don O'Neal, Tyrel Todd, R.J. Conley
O'Reilly Auto Parts 1st B Main- Conley, Mike Jewell, Joey Kramer, Michael England, Freddy Smith
O'Reilly Auto Parts 2nd B Main- Greg Johnson, Hitt, Benji Lee, Chad Smith, Matt Taylor
Series Provisionals- Freddy Smith, Aaron Hatton
Track Provisionals- Jeff Watson, Whitney McQueary
Lucas Oil A-Main 4th Annual Bluegrass Classic- Babb, Gill, James, O'Neal, Kinzer, Marlar, Johnson, Barber, Erb, Jr., Barnett, Smith, Conley, Neat, Wheeler, Watson, Tungate, Daniel, Jewell, Yeager, Todd, Hatton, McQueary, Hitt
SPORTSMAN (16 entries)
Top Qualifier- Bobby Mattingly
Dash- Kevin Wilson, Pat Hagan, Bo Wilson, Mattingly, Mike Bailey, Darrell Gaddis
Heat- Rocky Wilson, Billy Benningfield, Troy Crutcher, Doug Wells
Feature- Hagan, Kevin Wilson, Bo Wilson, Gaddis, Bailey, Jason Zehnder, Crutcher, Wells, Jenna Chesser, Russell Martin, Sam Huffer, Timmy Glazer, Rocky Wilson, Mattingly, Benningfield, Daroyl Samples
STREET STOCKS (18 entries)
1st Heat- Johnny Cecil, Willie Edelen, Terry Bartley, Jaime Downs
2nd Heat- Bryan Wilson, Shane Litton, Robbie Settles, Buddy Pate
Feature- Wilson, Cecil, Edelen, Litton, Bartley, Joe Blair, Tim Leake, Lee Gray, Downs, Brad Sapp, Doug Estep, Buddy Pate, Roy Skaggs, Settles, Chad Chaney, Michael Crammer (DNS- Casey Payton, Mike Gentry)
