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Tracks: Humphrey & Bruce earn Bloomington Victories, Nichols scores UMRA Feature

15 August 1999

BLOOMINGTON, IN - Ray Humphrey and Perry Bruce are spending a lot of time in Bloomington Speedway's victory lane this season. Friday night, Humphrey logged his fifth feature win of the season in Bloomington's O'Neill Wood Products UMP modified division, while Bruce won his fourth event in the Tire & Wheel Center street stocks. In UMRA TQ midget competition, Robert Nichols won his first feature of the season.

Following consecutive victories in the last two races, Humphrey started tenth. But he took fifth on a third lap restart, and was third a lap later. After disposing of Levi Ray Godsey on lap 5, Humphrey took the lead from Kenny Weaver coming off turn four the next time around. Although there were good racing battles throughout the pack, Humphrey opened a straightaway ahead of Adam Sasser in second, followed by Brian Campbell, Tim Prince and Weaver.

Bruce chased Lee Hobbs, the division point leader, through the first half of the street stock main event. Quickly coming upon a lapped car on the 13th circuit, Hobbs tried to pass low, but was pinched down. Going into the first turn with Bruce breathing down his neck, Hobbs tried to pass high, but the car drifted up, nearly forcing him over the banking. Bruce saw the advantage and quickly barged into the hole left on the inside, taking the lead. With no caution flags, Bruce and Hobbs continued to wage war while they picked their way through the lapped cars. At the checkers, Bruce and Hobbs crossed the line inches apart. Denny Campbell ran third, followed by Jerry Hepworth and Bob Bex.

The UMRA feature presented a hard-fought battle between Nichols, Terry Goff, Carey Goff and A. J. Felker. Terry Goff held the early lead, while the other three scrapped for the right to chase the leader. Nichols took second at halfway, and when Goff slipped up the track in turn three, Nichols barged into the lead. Nichols held on to win by a car length.

Bloomington Speedway Summary
August 13, 1999

UMRA TQ Feature Winner: Robert Nichols

Tire & Wheel Center Street Stocks

Heat 1: Jerry Hepworth, Cory Brown, Don Bush Jr., Mel Bigham, Joe Deckard
Heat 2: Lee Hobbs, Denny Campbell, Danny Harris, Jack Frye, Travis Todd
Heat 3: Perry Bruce, Gerald Todd, Bob Bex, Roy Bruce Jr., Greg Miller
B-Main: Steve Hollars, Steven Hunt, Travis Shoulders, Bob Sample, Chris Hillman
Feature: P. Bruce, Hobbs, Campbell, Hepworth, Bex, Brown, G. Todd, Bigham, Miller, Harris, Hunt, Deckard, Sample, Bruce Jr., Hillman, Shoulders, Frye, T. Todd, Hollars, Bush

O'Neal Wood Products UMP Modifieds

Heat 1: Tim Prince, John Demoss, Jack Taylor, Gary Hillman
Heat 2: Levi Ray Godsey, Matt Tiller, Troy Jarvis, Donnie Parson
Heat 3: Adam Sasser, Brian Sullivan, Ryan Blevins, Jim Reynolds
Heat 4: Ray Humphrey, Kenny Weaver, Don Shoulders, Deron Freeman

B-Main: Rodney Harris Jr., Brian Campbell, Charlie Roberts, Matt Bex

Feature: Humphrey, Sasser, Campbell, Prince, Weaver, Godsey, DeMoss, Trammell, Jarvis, Parson, Tiller, Harris, Blevins, Philips, Reynolds, Freeman, Bex, Shoulders, Taylor, Sullivan

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