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Sprints: Puterbaugh Scores First Bloomington Victory

16 May 1999

HUMPHREY & HOBBS SHARE LAURELS

BLOOMINGTON, IN - When Billy Puterbaugh Jr. earned his first Pennzoil Cup sprint car series feature race victory at Bloomington Speedway Friday night, he stopped Brad Fox from picking his pocket for the second week in a row. Also scoring feature race wins were Ray Humphrey in the UMP Modified division and Lee Hobbs in the Indiana Street Stocks.

A week ago, Puterbaugh led the 25-lap main event until Brad Fox scrambled around him on the last turn of the race. This time, with a large crowd cheering him on, Puterbaugh held off Fox's last second lunge to win by a car length. "That makes up for last week!" young Puterbaugh enthused as he climbed from the Spirit of Indiana/Monarch Beverage #7. "We were determined tonight."

Starting fourth, Puterbaugh spent the first half of the race battling Kevin Thomas for third, as they chased early leader Kenny Carmichael and Jonathan Vennard. On the thirteenth circuit, Vennard bobbled entering the first turn and Puterbaugh grabbed second. A lap later, he charged under Carmichael in the same turn, and quickly opened a dozen car length advantage.

When Thomas passed Carmichael for second, Brad Fox followed him through and forged outside of Thomas on the next circuit. Fox was able to outrun Thomas off the second turn, and with seven laps remaining began to cut into Puterbaugh's lead. Unlike last Friday, Puterbaugh had his sprinter up in the top groove, as Fox slowly narrowed the gap. They ran the last four circuits nose-to-tail, slicing between groups of slower cars. Puterbaugh kept his momentum high as he completed the last lap, and even though Fox tried to dive under him in the fourth turn, the Brownsburg racer held on for a car length victory. Behind Fox, Thomas took third, followed by Eric Burns, Chris LaFollette, Troy Link, Justin Marvel, Carmichael, Vennard and Levi Jones.

Derek Scheffel, Pete Abel and Matt Jewell won heat races. Kevin Thomas claimed the B-Main. Fast qualifier Kevin Miller ran over the wheel of another car in the first heat and flipped in the first turn. Although he wasn't injured, his night was over early.

The large crowd enjoying Fan Appreciation Night Sponsored by Bloomington Ford saw last week's Indiana Street Stock feature winner, Perry Bruce, spin on the first lap and scatter the field in the fourth turn. Lee Hobbs grabbed the lead when the race restarted and led every circuit as he claimed his second street stock feature in three events. Greg O'Neill gave Hobbs stiff competition in the early laps, but spun just after the halfway mark. Jerry Hepworth came from deep in the pack to chase Hobbs. Hobbs won by six car lengths over Hepworth, with Cory Brown third. O'Neill battled back to take fourth from Barry Gerkin on the last lap. Kim Blevins, Steve Morin, Bob Smith, Roy Bruce Jr. and Michael Purtlebaugh completed the top ten.

Ray Humphrey won a thrilling duel with Kerry Norris, and survived a mid-race incident to earn his first UMP Modified victory of the season. Starting sixth, Humphrey had to work his way through traffic while Norris took the lead from Rodney Harris on the second lap. After a short caution, Humphrey was on Norris' tail, and raced around him on the eighth circuit. Norris fought back and retook the point a lap later. When a slower car lost control on the front straight just as the leaders were coming up, Norris was able to sneak under him, while Humphrey made contact but kept racing.

On the green flag, Humphrey charged around Norris in the second turn, but Norris stayed with him as they raced side-by-side. But with three laps to go, Humphrey was able to pull steadily ahead. When a lapped car struck Norris in the fourth turn, he was able to keep racing, but Humphrey had extended his lead and was a half-straightaway ahead at the finish. Brian Campbell took third, with Jack Taylor, John DeMoss, Matt Tiller, Rod Harris, Frank Collins, Tim Prince and Levi Ray Godsey in the top ten. Race Summary
Bloomington Speedway - Fan Appreciation Night, May 14, 1999

Pennzoil Cup Sprint Cars
Fast Qualifier: Kevin Miller, 11.884
Heat 1: Derek Scheffel, Billy Puterbaugh, Jonathan Vennard, Dave Peperak,
Jason Knoke
Heat 2: Pete Abel, Levi Jones, Chris LaFollette, Lennie Waltz, Justin
Marvel
Heat 3: Matt Jewell, Brad Fox, Hud Cone, Kenny Carmichael, Eric Burns
B-Main: Kevin Thomas, Troy Link, Dick Gaines, Brian Hayden, Jim Mills
Feature (25 laps): Puterbaugh, Fox, Thomas, Burns, LaFollette, Link,
Marvel, Carmichael, Vennard, Jones, Scheffel, Hayden, Abel, Cone, Jewell,
Mills, Peperak, Waltz, Knoke, Gaines

UMP Modifieds
Heat 1: Richie Lex, Jason Sims, Gary Barrow, Frank Collins, John DeMoss
Heat 2: Brian Campbell, Kerry Norris, Rodney Harris, Mike Hicks, Darrell
Lewellen
Heat 3: Ray Humphrey, Jack Taylor, Lee Hobbs, Tim Prince, Levi Ray Godsey
B-Main: Matt Tiller, Larry Lewellen, Sonny Richardson, Charlie Phillips,
Zack Scott
Feature (25 laps): Humphrey, Norris, Campbell, Taylor, DeMoss, Tiller,
Harris, Collins, Prince, Godsey, D. Lewellen, Hicks, Richardson, Phillips,
Scott, L. Lewellen, Hobbs, Sims, Barrow, Lex

Indiana Street Stocks
Heat 1: Bret Ezzo, Steve Hollars, Cory Brown, Steve Morin, Michael
Purtlebaugh
Heat 2: Greg O'Neill, Lee Hobbs, Roy Bruce Jr., Jack Frye, Kim Blevins
Heat 3: Perry Bruce, Bob Bex, Greg Miller, Bob Smith, Mel Bingham
B-Main: Jerry Hepworth, Barry Gerkin, Steve Hunt, Eric Miller, Tom Plotz
Feature (25 laps): Hobbs, Hepworth, Brown, O'Neill, Gerkin, Blevins,
Morin, Smith, R. Bruce, Purtlebaugh, G. Miller, Hunt, Bex, E. Miller,
Bingham, Frye, Hollars, Plotz, P. Bruce, Ezzo

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