BROWNSTOWN, IN (4/21/07) - In the 24th running of the Hoosier Dirt Classic presented by Bob Poynter Ford of Seymour, Don O'Neal came out victorious for the sixth time in his career. O'Neal passed Mike Marlar on lap 22 to pick up the win in the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass sanctioned event.
An outstanding field of 43 entries was trimmed down to 22 cars for the $4000 to win Hoosier Dirt Classic. Jerry Rice and Mike Marlar brought the field to the green with Marlar getting the early advantage. Behind him, Rice would settle into second as Don O'Neal and Bart Hartman wrestled for third. A lap 5 caution slowed the pace and kept the field tight with Marlar at the front of the pack.
On the Delaware double-file restart, Marlar fended off the challenges of both Rice and O'Neal as Greg Johnson would join the battle after he slipped by Hartman. Rick Aukland would follow suit shortly thereafter shuffling Hartman back to sixth. Behind them, 18th-starting Brandon Kinzer and 22nd-starting Victor Lee were quietly picking their way through the field. By lap 12, Lee had worked his way around Kinzer and cracked the top ten.
Up front, the battle for the lead was getting intense as Rice, O'Neal, and Johnson had tracked down Marlar and made it a four way dance for the point. A pair of lap 15 cautions spoiled the fight for the lead, but set up a dramatic restart with Marlar leading Rice, O'Neal, Johnson, and Aukland.
O'Neal used the Delaware double-file restart to his advantage as the Martinsville, IN native motored ahead of Rice and set his sights on Marlar. Johnson would join the lead duo just a few circuits later as the front three could have been covered with a blanket at the halfway point. O'Neal would make his move on lap 21, sticking a nose under Marlar as the two went door-to-door for the top spot. The side-by-side battle for the lead intensified when Johnson tried to make it three-wide for the point as O'Neal nosed inched ahead of Marlar on lap 23 while Johnson bolted into second on lap 25.
Just when O'Neal had a little breathing room on Johnson, the race leader closed in on the back of the field with 8 laps remaining. Johnson quietly narrowed the gap between himself and O'Neal, but "The Real Deal" was able to put a backmarker between himself and the defending race champion with 5 laps to go. Piloting both a Rayburn chassis and a Rayburn power plant, O'Neal put his ride in cruise control for the final few laps to notch the win in the 24th Annual Hoosier Dirt Classic presented by Bob Poynter Ford of Seymour. O'Neal's #71 carries sponsorship from Jones Core, Hancock Core Supply, All-Star Performance, and Cockerham Signs.
"We were really good tonight," O'Neal said in victory lane. "I knew I had to be patient and pick the right time to make a move. I'm thankful the track came around to our liking and we were able to get this win against a really strong field of cars."
Bedford, IN's Greg Johnson would finish second in his J&J Steel/Kendall Trucks & Parts sponsored, Pro Power/Rayburn Grand Prix. Third spot went to Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN driving the Stephens Trucking/S&B Cattle Company sponsored, Estes powered, Rayburn GTO. Verona, KY's Jerry Rice finished fourth driving a Rocket GTO powered by Jay Dickens and sponsored by Harrod Farms and Central Painting. Rounding out the top five was Friday night's winner Rick Aukland of Zanesville, OH in the K&E Trucking/Sweeney Services sponsored Malcuit/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo.
With 43 entries on hand for the race, Bart Hartman set fast time during Racing Optics Time Trials with a quick lap of 14.643. Hartman, Rice, Johnson, and Marlar would get the wins in the Mason Racin'/Arizona Sport Shirts Heats while Scott James and Brandon Kinzer were victorious in the Design 500 B-Mains.
The next scheduled races for the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts will be this weekend. On Friday, April 27th, the Series will roll into the newly resurfaced Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY. Then on Saturday, April 28th, the BoB drivers will make their first stop of the season at the Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, KY.
The O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts sanctions regional dirt track Late Model racing in and around the state of Kentucky. For more information on the nation's most competitive regional racing series, please visit our website at www.battleofthebluegrass.com or call our office at (859) 433-5707.
RESULTS SUMMARY
Brownstown Speedway
Brownstown, IN
April 21. 2007
O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts
Racing Optics Fast Qualifier: Bart Hartman/14.643
Mason Racin' Heat #1: Bart Hartman, Justin Ratliff, Patrick Sheltra, Chris Combs, Tim Tungate, Tyrel Todd, Brad Neat, Shannon Reed, John Mason, Steve Godsey, Dan Deaton
Mason Racin' Heat #2: Jerry Rice, Don O'Neal, John Gill, Mark Frazier, Scott James, Victor Lee, Dean Moore, Tim Prince, Doug Ault, Derek Ramp, Rohn Moon
Arizona Sport Shirts Heat #3: Greg Johnson, Rick Aukland, Mike Jewell, Marty O'Neal, Brandon Kinzer, Steve Barnett, Christian Rayburn, Mark Barber, Joe Godsey, Ryan Eads
Arizona Sport Shirts Heat #4: Mike Marlar, Jason Keltner, Bryan Barber, Freddy Smith, Bobby Wolter Jr., Greg Kendall, David Webb, Rickey Riggle, Doug Smith, Joe Janowski, Randey Riggle
Design 500 B-Main #1: Scott James, Brad Neat, Victor Lee, Doug Ault, Tim Tungate, Tim Prince, Steve Godsey, John Mason, Tyrel Todd, Dean Moore, Rohn Moon, Dan Deaton, Shannon Reed, Derek Ramp
Design 500 B-Main #2: Brandon Kinzer, David Webb, Steve Barnett, Bobby Wolter Jr, Greg Kendall, Doug Smith, Christian Rayburn, Mark Barber, Randey Riggle, Ryan Eads, Rickey Riggle, Joe Godsey, Joe Janowski
24th Annual Hoosier Dirt Classic presented by Bob Poynter Ford: Don O'Neal, Greg Johnson, Mike Marlar, Jerry Rice, Rick Aukland, Bart Hartman, Bryan Barber, Patrick Sheltra, Victor Lee, Scott James, Chris Combs, Brandon Kinzer, Freddy Smith, Justin Ratliff, Jason Keltner, Marty O'Neal, David Webb, Mark Frazier, Brad Neat, Mike Jewell, John Gill, Dan Deaton
Race Statistics
Entries: 43
Lap Leaders: Marlar 1-22, O'Neal 23-40
Cautions: 3
PPM Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race: Victor Lee (started 22nd, finished 9th)
Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race: Jason Keltner
Series Provisionals: Dan Deaton, Victor Lee
Current O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series Points after Brownstown
1. 11 Jerry Rice (Verona, KY) - 636
2. 4 Victor Lee (Stanford, KY) - 657
3. 34 Mike Marlar (Winfield, TN) - 612
4. 16 Justin Rattliff (Campbellsville, KY) - 526
5. 4 Greg Johnson (Bedford, IN) - 521
6. 47 Chris Combs (Isom, KY) - 501
7. 83 Scott James (Bright, IN) - 499
8. 71 Don O'Neal (Martinsville, IN) - 496
9. 9 Mike Jewell (Scottsburg, IN) - 485
10. 12 Rick Aukland (Zanesville, OH) - 473
Upcoming O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series Schedule
April 27 - Ponderosa Speedway - $3000
April 28 - Bluegrass Speedway - $3000
May 12 - Tazewell Speedway - $4000
2nd Annual Kentucky Speedweek
May 27 - Portsmouth Raceway Park - $3000
May 28 - Bluegrass Speedway - $3000
May 29 - Richmond Raceway - $3000
May 30 - Rain Date
May 31 - Lake Cumberland Speedway - $3000
June 1 - Ponderosa Speedway - $3000
June 2 - Florence Speedway - $10,000 (Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series)
2007 O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series Sponsors
O'Reilly Auto Parts - Title Sponsor and "Official Auto Parts Retailer of the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series"
Arizona Sport Shirts - Presenting Sponsor and "Official Souvenir Manufacturer & Vendor of the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series"
Sunoco Race Fuels - "Official Race Fuel of the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series"
2007 O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass 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, Double H Race Fab, DT52 Photos, and Real Wheels
An outstanding field of 43 entries was trimmed down to 22 cars for the $4000 to win Hoosier Dirt Classic. Jerry Rice and Mike Marlar brought the field to the green with Marlar getting the early advantage. Behind him, Rice would settle into second as Don O'Neal and Bart Hartman wrestled for third. A lap 5 caution slowed the pace and kept the field tight with Marlar at the front of the pack.
On the Delaware double-file restart, Marlar fended off the challenges of both Rice and O'Neal as Greg Johnson would join the battle after he slipped by Hartman. Rick Aukland would follow suit shortly thereafter shuffling Hartman back to sixth. Behind them, 18th-starting Brandon Kinzer and 22nd-starting Victor Lee were quietly picking their way through the field. By lap 12, Lee had worked his way around Kinzer and cracked the top ten.
Up front, the battle for the lead was getting intense as Rice, O'Neal, and Johnson had tracked down Marlar and made it a four way dance for the point. A pair of lap 15 cautions spoiled the fight for the lead, but set up a dramatic restart with Marlar leading Rice, O'Neal, Johnson, and Aukland.
O'Neal used the Delaware double-file restart to his advantage as the Martinsville, IN native motored ahead of Rice and set his sights on Marlar. Johnson would join the lead duo just a few circuits later as the front three could have been covered with a blanket at the halfway point. O'Neal would make his move on lap 21, sticking a nose under Marlar as the two went door-to-door for the top spot. The side-by-side battle for the lead intensified when Johnson tried to make it three-wide for the point as O'Neal nosed inched ahead of Marlar on lap 23 while Johnson bolted into second on lap 25.
Just when O'Neal had a little breathing room on Johnson, the race leader closed in on the back of the field with 8 laps remaining. Johnson quietly narrowed the gap between himself and O'Neal, but "The Real Deal" was able to put a backmarker between himself and the defending race champion with 5 laps to go. Piloting both a Rayburn chassis and a Rayburn power plant, O'Neal put his ride in cruise control for the final few laps to notch the win in the 24th Annual Hoosier Dirt Classic presented by Bob Poynter Ford of Seymour. O'Neal's #71 carries sponsorship from Jones Core, Hancock Core Supply, All-Star Performance, and Cockerham Signs.
"We were really good tonight," O'Neal said in victory lane. "I knew I had to be patient and pick the right time to make a move. I'm thankful the track came around to our liking and we were able to get this win against a really strong field of cars."
Bedford, IN's Greg Johnson would finish second in his J&J Steel/Kendall Trucks & Parts sponsored, Pro Power/Rayburn Grand Prix. Third spot went to Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN driving the Stephens Trucking/S&B Cattle Company sponsored, Estes powered, Rayburn GTO. Verona, KY's Jerry Rice finished fourth driving a Rocket GTO powered by Jay Dickens and sponsored by Harrod Farms and Central Painting. Rounding out the top five was Friday night's winner Rick Aukland of Zanesville, OH in the K&E Trucking/Sweeney Services sponsored Malcuit/MasterSbilt Monte Carlo.
With 43 entries on hand for the race, Bart Hartman set fast time during Racing Optics Time Trials with a quick lap of 14.643. Hartman, Rice, Johnson, and Marlar would get the wins in the Mason Racin'/Arizona Sport Shirts Heats while Scott James and Brandon Kinzer were victorious in the Design 500 B-Mains.
The next scheduled races for the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts will be this weekend. On Friday, April 27th, the Series will roll into the newly resurfaced Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, KY. Then on Saturday, April 28th, the BoB drivers will make their first stop of the season at the Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, KY.
The O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts sanctions regional dirt track Late Model racing in and around the state of Kentucky. For more information on the nation's most competitive regional racing series, please visit our website at www.battleofthebluegrass.com or call our office at (859) 433-5707.
RESULTS SUMMARY
Brownstown Speedway
Brownstown, IN
April 21. 2007
O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts
Racing Optics Fast Qualifier: Bart Hartman/14.643
Mason Racin' Heat #1: Bart Hartman, Justin Ratliff, Patrick Sheltra, Chris Combs, Tim Tungate, Tyrel Todd, Brad Neat, Shannon Reed, John Mason, Steve Godsey, Dan Deaton
Mason Racin' Heat #2: Jerry Rice, Don O'Neal, John Gill, Mark Frazier, Scott James, Victor Lee, Dean Moore, Tim Prince, Doug Ault, Derek Ramp, Rohn Moon
Arizona Sport Shirts Heat #3: Greg Johnson, Rick Aukland, Mike Jewell, Marty O'Neal, Brandon Kinzer, Steve Barnett, Christian Rayburn, Mark Barber, Joe Godsey, Ryan Eads
Arizona Sport Shirts Heat #4: Mike Marlar, Jason Keltner, Bryan Barber, Freddy Smith, Bobby Wolter Jr., Greg Kendall, David Webb, Rickey Riggle, Doug Smith, Joe Janowski, Randey Riggle
Design 500 B-Main #1: Scott James, Brad Neat, Victor Lee, Doug Ault, Tim Tungate, Tim Prince, Steve Godsey, John Mason, Tyrel Todd, Dean Moore, Rohn Moon, Dan Deaton, Shannon Reed, Derek Ramp
Design 500 B-Main #2: Brandon Kinzer, David Webb, Steve Barnett, Bobby Wolter Jr, Greg Kendall, Doug Smith, Christian Rayburn, Mark Barber, Randey Riggle, Ryan Eads, Rickey Riggle, Joe Godsey, Joe Janowski
24th Annual Hoosier Dirt Classic presented by Bob Poynter Ford: Don O'Neal, Greg Johnson, Mike Marlar, Jerry Rice, Rick Aukland, Bart Hartman, Bryan Barber, Patrick Sheltra, Victor Lee, Scott James, Chris Combs, Brandon Kinzer, Freddy Smith, Justin Ratliff, Jason Keltner, Marty O'Neal, David Webb, Mark Frazier, Brad Neat, Mike Jewell, John Gill, Dan Deaton
Race Statistics
Entries: 43
Lap Leaders: Marlar 1-22, O'Neal 23-40
Cautions: 3
PPM Racing Products Hard Charger of the Race: Victor Lee (started 22nd, finished 9th)
Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race: Jason Keltner
Series Provisionals: Dan Deaton, Victor Lee
Current O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series Points after Brownstown
1. 11 Jerry Rice (Verona, KY) - 636
2. 4 Victor Lee (Stanford, KY) - 657
3. 34 Mike Marlar (Winfield, TN) - 612
4. 16 Justin Rattliff (Campbellsville, KY) - 526
5. 4 Greg Johnson (Bedford, IN) - 521
6. 47 Chris Combs (Isom, KY) - 501
7. 83 Scott James (Bright, IN) - 499
8. 71 Don O'Neal (Martinsville, IN) - 496
9. 9 Mike Jewell (Scottsburg, IN) - 485
10. 12 Rick Aukland (Zanesville, OH) - 473
Upcoming O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series Schedule
April 27 - Ponderosa Speedway - $3000
April 28 - Bluegrass Speedway - $3000
May 12 - Tazewell Speedway - $4000
2nd Annual Kentucky Speedweek
May 27 - Portsmouth Raceway Park - $3000
May 28 - Bluegrass Speedway - $3000
May 29 - Richmond Raceway - $3000
May 30 - Rain Date
May 31 - Lake Cumberland Speedway - $3000
June 1 - Ponderosa Speedway - $3000
June 2 - Florence Speedway - $10,000 (Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series)
2007 O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series Sponsors
O'Reilly Auto Parts - Title Sponsor and "Official Auto Parts Retailer of the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series"
Arizona Sport Shirts - Presenting Sponsor and "Official Souvenir Manufacturer & Vendor of the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series"
Sunoco Race Fuels - "Official Race Fuel of the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series"
2007 O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass 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, Double H Race Fab, DT52 Photos, and Real Wheels
