RICHMOND, KY – Ben Adkins had never been to Richmond Raceway until Saturday night. The West Portsmouth, OH native left many people in shock as he nabbed the biggest win of his young career by cashing the $5000 paycheck at the Paul “Butterball” Wooldridge Memorial. It was Adkins’ first ever win with the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series.
After two aborted starts, the 50-lap $5000 to win Paul “Butterball” Wooldridge Memorial got under way with Aaron Hatton and Justin Rattliff racing side-by side for the lead. Behind them, Ben Adkins, Tim Tungate, and Chris Combs all wrestled for third while Jimmy Owens, Tyrel Todd, and Mike Jewell engaged in a heated war for sixth.
Hatton and Rattliff continued to stay door-to-door for the lead with Rattliff finally nosing ahead on lap 5. Once Adkins secured the third spot, he set his sights on the race leaders. He put the Stephens Motorsports entry in second on lap 8 and was reeling in race leader Rattliff when a lap 9 caution from Marty Stepp slowed the pace.
Adkins used the Delaware double-file restart to his advantage, choosing the outside lane and scorching past Rattliff on lap 10 to assume command of the field. With the field still stacked two-by-two behind of him, Adkins slowly began pulling away from the field. Meanwhile, defending race champion Tungate would grab third from Hatton with both Owens and Todd following suit shortly thereafter. Tungate wasted no time showing his guns as he pulled alongside Rattliff in a bid for second on lap 17.
Business began to pick up just before the halfway point as Adkins began picking his way through the back of the field and Tungate and Rattliff still raced side-by-side for second. Glued to their rear decklids in a race for fourth were Owens and Todd, as all four cars could have been covered with a blanket. Owens saw his good run halted on lap 28 when the Newport, TN driver blew a tire and caught the wall in turns one and two.
After another lap 28 caution, the restart saw Adkins’ lead erased with Tungate, Rattliff, 13th-starting Todd, and Mike Jewell all in hot pursuit. Tungate took a look to the outside of Adkins on the restart, but Adkins motored back ahead as both Rattliff and Todd pressured Tungate for second. The final caution of the race would fall on lap 32 when Dennis Roberson slowed on the track.
When racing resumed, Tungate once again looked to the outside of Adkins in a bid for the lead, but could not complete the pass. After Todd powered by Rattliff for third, Jewell and Combs closed in to make it a three-way dance for the fourth spot. Jewell nabbed the spot on lap 38 while Combs did the same one circuit later.
The final ten laps of the race proved to be smooth sailing for Adkins. With Tungate and Todd dicing it out for second behind of him, the West Portsmouth, OH native put the Stephens Motorsports #34 on cruise control. At the stripe, it was Ben Adkins claiming the biggest win of his career in the Stephens Trucking, S&B Cattle Company, Fleming Auto Parts, Crumps Lawn & Garden, Doyle Fertilizer, Grasshopper, Advance Racing Suspensions, Dyer’s Top Rods sponsored, Estes powered, MasterSbilt GTO.
“I’m just speechless,” Adkins admitted in victory lane. “This is just unbelievable. I have to thank these guys for letting me drive their car and for giving me a great car to drive. The car was awesome and I could put it anywhere I wanted to. This is just my third time in this car, and this is my first time here at Richmond, so to go out and win this race is just unbelievable.”
Campbellsville, KY’s Tim Tungate held on for second in the Children’s Palace/Heritage Hills Trim & Molding/Bullock/Rayburn Monte Carlo. Third spot went to Eubank, KY native Tyrel Todd in the Todd Metals/Todd Truss sponsored, Bullock powered, MasterSbilt Monte Carlo. Finishing fourth was 8-time “Butterball” Wooldridge Memorial winner Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, IN in the Shelton Angus Farms/Scott County Tire/Bullock/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo. Rounding out the top five was Isom, KY’s Chris Combs in a Cropper powered Swartz GTO sponsored by R&P Industrial Chimney and D&D Dairy. Sixth through tenth were Justin Rattliff, 18th-starting Victor Lee, 17th-starting Scott Douglas, Bryan Barber, and 19th-starting Scotty Earl.
Next Friday and Saturday, July 21st and 22nd, the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts will have two back-to-back shows at the Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside. Each night will pay $3000 to win and will feature a complete racing program.
For more information on the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts, please visit our website at www.battleofthebluegrass.com or call the series office at (859) 433-5707.
Results Summary
Richmond Raceway
Richmond, KY
July 15, 2006
O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
Racing Optics Fast Qualifier: Justin Rattliff/14.699
Mason Racin’ Heat #1: Justin Rattliff, Ben Adkins, Timmy Yeager, Mike Jewell, Tyrel Todd, Steve Cornelius, Victor Lee, Anthony Ferguson, Chris Rubble, Bobby Wolter Jr.
Mason Racin’ Heat #2: Aaron Hatton, Chris Combs, Tim Tungate, Jimmy Owens, Dennis Roberson, Scott Douglas, Jerry Rutherford, Scotty Earl, Anthony Adams
Arizona Sport Shirts Heat #3: Johnny Wheeler, Bryan Barber, Bobby Carrier Jr., Jim Robison, Jason Barrett, Dan Deaton, Roger Williams, Marty Stepp, Doug Smith
Design 500 B-Main: Steve Cornelius, Scott Douglas, Victor Lee, Scotty Earl, Dan Deaton, Anthony Ferguson, Doug Smith, Jerry Rutherford, Anthony Adams, Marty Stepp, Bobby Wolter Jr.
19th Annual “Butterball” Wooldridge Memorial: Ben Adkins, Tim Tungate, Tyrel Todd, Mike Jewell, Chris Combs, Justin Rattliff, Victor Lee, Scott Douglas, Bryan Barber, Scotty Earl, Dennis Roberson, Jim Robison, Dan Deaton, Steve Cornelius, Jimmy Owens, Aaron Hatton, Doug Smith, Marty Stepp, Jason Barrett, Johnny Wheeler, Timmy Yeager, Bobby Carrier Jr., Anthony Ferguson; (DNS – Bobby Wolter Jr.)
Race Statistics
Cautions: 6
Lap Leaders: Aaron Hatton 1-4; Justin Rattliff 5-9; Ben Adkins 10-50
PPM Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race: Victor Lee (started 18th, finished 7th)
Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race: Justin Rattliff
Series Provisionals: Bobby Wolter Jr., Anthony Ferguson
Track Provisionals: Marty Stepp, Doug Smith
Entries: 29
Current O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Points (after 7/15/06)
1. 9 Mike Jewell - 2990
2. 47 Chris Combs - 2895
3. 16 Justin Rattliff - 2765
4. 18 Tim Tungate - 2730
5. 10 Bryan Barber - 2585
6. 33 Aaron Hatton - 2510
7. 11 Bobby Wolter Jr. - 2175
8. D2 Dan Deaton – 1970
9. 41 Brad Neat - 1830
10. 19 Greg Johnson - 1410
Upcoming O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Schedule
July 21st - Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) - $3000 to win
July 22nd - Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) - $3000 to win
Aug. 25th - Ponderosa Speedway (Junction City, KY) - $5000 to win
Sept. 2nd - 201 Speedway (Sitka, KY) - $3000 to win
2006 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series Sponsors
O’Reilly Auto Parts – Title Sponsor and “Official Auto Parts Retailer of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
Arizona Sport Shirts – Presenting Sponsor and “Official Souvenir Manufacturer & Vendor of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
Sunoco Race Fuels – “Official Race Fuel of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
2006 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Supporters Include: O’Reilly Auto Parts, Arizona Sport Shirts, Sunoco Race Fuels, DART Machinery, Drive Smart Kentucky, Lucas Oil Products, Hoosier Race Tires, American Race Tires, PPM Performance Products, Bazell Fuels, Cruise With the Champions, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, Racing Optics, Mason Racin', Design 500, Trailer Parts & Sales, Honda of Prestonsburg, Bullock Race Engines, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, Bert Transmissions, Rick Schwallie Photography, DT52 Photos, and Real Wheels
After two aborted starts, the 50-lap $5000 to win Paul “Butterball” Wooldridge Memorial got under way with Aaron Hatton and Justin Rattliff racing side-by side for the lead. Behind them, Ben Adkins, Tim Tungate, and Chris Combs all wrestled for third while Jimmy Owens, Tyrel Todd, and Mike Jewell engaged in a heated war for sixth.
Hatton and Rattliff continued to stay door-to-door for the lead with Rattliff finally nosing ahead on lap 5. Once Adkins secured the third spot, he set his sights on the race leaders. He put the Stephens Motorsports entry in second on lap 8 and was reeling in race leader Rattliff when a lap 9 caution from Marty Stepp slowed the pace.
Adkins used the Delaware double-file restart to his advantage, choosing the outside lane and scorching past Rattliff on lap 10 to assume command of the field. With the field still stacked two-by-two behind of him, Adkins slowly began pulling away from the field. Meanwhile, defending race champion Tungate would grab third from Hatton with both Owens and Todd following suit shortly thereafter. Tungate wasted no time showing his guns as he pulled alongside Rattliff in a bid for second on lap 17.
Business began to pick up just before the halfway point as Adkins began picking his way through the back of the field and Tungate and Rattliff still raced side-by-side for second. Glued to their rear decklids in a race for fourth were Owens and Todd, as all four cars could have been covered with a blanket. Owens saw his good run halted on lap 28 when the Newport, TN driver blew a tire and caught the wall in turns one and two.
After another lap 28 caution, the restart saw Adkins’ lead erased with Tungate, Rattliff, 13th-starting Todd, and Mike Jewell all in hot pursuit. Tungate took a look to the outside of Adkins on the restart, but Adkins motored back ahead as both Rattliff and Todd pressured Tungate for second. The final caution of the race would fall on lap 32 when Dennis Roberson slowed on the track.
When racing resumed, Tungate once again looked to the outside of Adkins in a bid for the lead, but could not complete the pass. After Todd powered by Rattliff for third, Jewell and Combs closed in to make it a three-way dance for the fourth spot. Jewell nabbed the spot on lap 38 while Combs did the same one circuit later.
The final ten laps of the race proved to be smooth sailing for Adkins. With Tungate and Todd dicing it out for second behind of him, the West Portsmouth, OH native put the Stephens Motorsports #34 on cruise control. At the stripe, it was Ben Adkins claiming the biggest win of his career in the Stephens Trucking, S&B Cattle Company, Fleming Auto Parts, Crumps Lawn & Garden, Doyle Fertilizer, Grasshopper, Advance Racing Suspensions, Dyer’s Top Rods sponsored, Estes powered, MasterSbilt GTO.
“I’m just speechless,” Adkins admitted in victory lane. “This is just unbelievable. I have to thank these guys for letting me drive their car and for giving me a great car to drive. The car was awesome and I could put it anywhere I wanted to. This is just my third time in this car, and this is my first time here at Richmond, so to go out and win this race is just unbelievable.”
Campbellsville, KY’s Tim Tungate held on for second in the Children’s Palace/Heritage Hills Trim & Molding/Bullock/Rayburn Monte Carlo. Third spot went to Eubank, KY native Tyrel Todd in the Todd Metals/Todd Truss sponsored, Bullock powered, MasterSbilt Monte Carlo. Finishing fourth was 8-time “Butterball” Wooldridge Memorial winner Mike Jewell of Scottsburg, IN in the Shelton Angus Farms/Scott County Tire/Bullock/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo. Rounding out the top five was Isom, KY’s Chris Combs in a Cropper powered Swartz GTO sponsored by R&P Industrial Chimney and D&D Dairy. Sixth through tenth were Justin Rattliff, 18th-starting Victor Lee, 17th-starting Scott Douglas, Bryan Barber, and 19th-starting Scotty Earl.
Next Friday and Saturday, July 21st and 22nd, the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts will have two back-to-back shows at the Lake Cumberland Speedway in Burnside. Each night will pay $3000 to win and will feature a complete racing program.
For more information on the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts, please visit our website at www.battleofthebluegrass.com or call the series office at (859) 433-5707.
Results Summary
Richmond Raceway
Richmond, KY
July 15, 2006
O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
Racing Optics Fast Qualifier: Justin Rattliff/14.699
Mason Racin’ Heat #1: Justin Rattliff, Ben Adkins, Timmy Yeager, Mike Jewell, Tyrel Todd, Steve Cornelius, Victor Lee, Anthony Ferguson, Chris Rubble, Bobby Wolter Jr.
Mason Racin’ Heat #2: Aaron Hatton, Chris Combs, Tim Tungate, Jimmy Owens, Dennis Roberson, Scott Douglas, Jerry Rutherford, Scotty Earl, Anthony Adams
Arizona Sport Shirts Heat #3: Johnny Wheeler, Bryan Barber, Bobby Carrier Jr., Jim Robison, Jason Barrett, Dan Deaton, Roger Williams, Marty Stepp, Doug Smith
Design 500 B-Main: Steve Cornelius, Scott Douglas, Victor Lee, Scotty Earl, Dan Deaton, Anthony Ferguson, Doug Smith, Jerry Rutherford, Anthony Adams, Marty Stepp, Bobby Wolter Jr.
19th Annual “Butterball” Wooldridge Memorial: Ben Adkins, Tim Tungate, Tyrel Todd, Mike Jewell, Chris Combs, Justin Rattliff, Victor Lee, Scott Douglas, Bryan Barber, Scotty Earl, Dennis Roberson, Jim Robison, Dan Deaton, Steve Cornelius, Jimmy Owens, Aaron Hatton, Doug Smith, Marty Stepp, Jason Barrett, Johnny Wheeler, Timmy Yeager, Bobby Carrier Jr., Anthony Ferguson; (DNS – Bobby Wolter Jr.)
Race Statistics
Cautions: 6
Lap Leaders: Aaron Hatton 1-4; Justin Rattliff 5-9; Ben Adkins 10-50
PPM Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race: Victor Lee (started 18th, finished 7th)
Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race: Justin Rattliff
Series Provisionals: Bobby Wolter Jr., Anthony Ferguson
Track Provisionals: Marty Stepp, Doug Smith
Entries: 29
Current O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Points (after 7/15/06)
1. 9 Mike Jewell - 2990
2. 47 Chris Combs - 2895
3. 16 Justin Rattliff - 2765
4. 18 Tim Tungate - 2730
5. 10 Bryan Barber - 2585
6. 33 Aaron Hatton - 2510
7. 11 Bobby Wolter Jr. - 2175
8. D2 Dan Deaton – 1970
9. 41 Brad Neat - 1830
10. 19 Greg Johnson - 1410
Upcoming O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Schedule
July 21st - Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) - $3000 to win
July 22nd - Lake Cumberland Speedway (Burnside, KY) - $3000 to win
Aug. 25th - Ponderosa Speedway (Junction City, KY) - $5000 to win
Sept. 2nd - 201 Speedway (Sitka, KY) - $3000 to win
2006 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series Sponsors
O’Reilly Auto Parts – Title Sponsor and “Official Auto Parts Retailer of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
Arizona Sport Shirts – Presenting Sponsor and “Official Souvenir Manufacturer & Vendor of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
Sunoco Race Fuels – “Official Race Fuel of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Dirt Car Series”
2006 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series Supporters Include: O’Reilly Auto Parts, Arizona Sport Shirts, Sunoco Race Fuels, DART Machinery, Drive Smart Kentucky, Lucas Oil Products, Hoosier Race Tires, American Race Tires, PPM Performance Products, Bazell Fuels, Cruise With the Champions, Wayne Bowen Racing Supply, Racing Optics, Mason Racin', Design 500, Trailer Parts & Sales, Honda of Prestonsburg, Bullock Race Engines, CJ Rayburn Race Cars, Bert Transmissions, Rick Schwallie Photography, DT52 Photos, and Real Wheels
