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Tracks: Fox foxes the competition at Bloominton; Blevins, Hines, Hobbs also win

9 July 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Festivities at Bloomington Speedway got off to a somber start as track announcer Dr. Pat Sullivan gave a brief eulogy for Kenny Irwin, Jr. Irwin was killed Friday when his throttle stuck open and drove him into the New Hampshire International Speedway concrete as he practiced for the NASCAR Winston Cup race there. Irwin had often raced against many of the drivers in competition at Bloomington. In memory of Irwin, the drivers slipped into the "missing man" formation for the parade lap of the Pennzoil Cup sprint car feature.

PENNZOIL CUP NON WINGED SPRINT CARS

Former Bloomington Speedway Pennzoil Cup Non Winged Sprint Car track champion Brad Fox set quick time Friday night at Bloomington Speedway. This put him outside of the third row to start the feature - if he could make the feature at all. He missed transferring into the feature through his heat race by one spot. This put him in the "B" Main. Of course, since he had fast time, he got to start the "B" on the front row. While there are no guarantees at Bloomington, Fox won the "B" going away to earn his third row starting position.

Rick Hayden also had to come from the "B"; but he started on the front row. He jumped into the lead and held it until lap 8 when pole sitter Jared Fox got past him. Rookie sprint racer Jared Fox did a great job of holding the point until the 16th circuit when Brad Fox got past him as lapped traffic began to come into play. Brad was not seriously challenged after that as the race stayed under the green flag until the checkered flags waved to mark the conclusion of the race. The win was Brad's first of the season at Bloomington Speedway; and, from victory lane, he thanked Kevin Briscoe (winner of two Pennzoil Cup feature events already this season) for taking off Friday to attend a family reunion.

Kevin Thomas brought the Booe Brother sprinted home second trailed by Jared Fox, Hayden, Chris LaFollette, Eric Burns, Kevin Miller, Gregg Dillion, Dave Peperak, and defending Pennzoil Cup Champion Derek Scheffel.

Probably the most spectacular moment of the evening came early in the "B" Main when several cars piled up in turn four. Among them was Doug Arnold who got over a wheel, flipped three times, landed on his wheels and kept running until the red flag stopped the race. Arnold's mount was too badly damaged to resume competition; however, had he been able to restart, he would have been awarded his spot back. Brad Fox went on to win the "B" ahead of Hayden, Danny Williams, Jr., Austin King and Roger McCluskey, Jr. The Sprint heats were won by Jeff Wilson, LaFollette, and Kevin Chambers.

Roger McCluskey, Jr., son of Indianapolis 500 veteran and former USAC Director of Competition Roger McCluskey is a rookie sprint car racer. When asked about his move up from midgets to sprint cars, McCluskey commented, "I've always wanted to race sprinters. I raced the midget because that's what I had." McCluskey's sprinter proudly displayed Clabber Girl baking powder sponsorship. His new car has a Built Weiser chassis and a Shaver motor.

Kevin Briscoe had a 54 point lead over second place LaFollette going into Friday's racing action; but missing Friday night's will cost him most, if not all, of his lead.

Next Friday night's program will be the final tune up for the sprint cars for Indiana Sprint Week's appearance at Bloomington Speedway on July 21.

O'NEAL WOOD PRODUCTS OPEN WHEELED MODIFIEDS

After winning the past two weeks at Bloomington Speedway, Kerry Norris decided to take Friday night off. Because he had won two O'Neal Wood Products features in a row; he would have been able to start no better than tenth. Of course, since he came from the tail to win last week's feature, that handicap, certainly didn't keep him away. Norris also won feature races at Lawrenceburg and Kokomo last weekend.

However, the story of the evening for the O'Neal Wood Products modifieds was the performance of Ryan Blevins in winning his first feature event of the season (and probably ever) at Bloomington Speedway. Blevins came from the outside of the first row to lead the feature event flag to flag. While he got pressure from time to time from time to time; but nobody had what it would have taken to pass him. A tough battle developed among Matt Tiller, Adam Sasser, Richie Lex and Gary Trammell. Tiller won the battle for second trailed by Sasser, Lex, and Trammell.

Matt Tiller won the Reed and Sons Construction Dash for Cash while Brian Yeatman, Tiller, Paul Bumgardner, and Blevins won the heats.

Gary Barrow drove to an impressive win in the "B" main.

TIRE & WHEEL CENTER SUPER STOCKS

Rick Hines won his second Tire & Wheel Center Super Stock feature in a row and pulled off a "hat trick" Friday night at Bloomington Speedway. After winning his heat race and the Blackwell Trucking Dash for Cash, Hines went on to lead the feature event from start to finish. Greg O'Niell and Trent Niflis both looked like they might have something for Hines from time to time; but he was just too strong and drove a near flawless race.

Joe Johnson of Columbus, Ind. drove an exceptional feature race coming from the last row to finish fourth. Johnson has picked up the banner for Bruce Turner who has, for now at least, retired from the cockpit. Turner pretty well dominated the Bomber competition in the area with his old Cadillac Seville until Bomber rules most places changed to outlaw the black bandit. Undaunted, Turner turned the bomber into a super stock and won with it there too. He often had Johnson in the Seville while Turner continued to dominate the Bomber series with his old Chevelle. Turner continues to build Johnson's motors; and he is quick to give Turner credit for all of the ponies that he has to work with.

The Super Stock heat races were won by Michael Purtlebaugh, Ryan Thomas, and Rick Hines; and veteran Lee Hobbs won the "B" Feature.

RESULTS

PENNZOIL CUP SPRINT CARS

Feature: 1. Brad Fox 2. Kevin Thomas 3. Jared Fox 4. Rick Hayden 5. Chris LaFollette 6. Eric Burns 7. Kevin Miller 8. Gregg Dillion 9. Dave Peperak 10. Derek Scheffel 11. Jeff Wilson 12. Danny Williams, Jr. 13. Josh Cunningham 14. Bill Boggs 15. Kevin Chambers 16. Lennie Waltz 17. Austin King 18. Roger McCluskey, Jr. 19. Chris Shepper 20. Troy Link

Fast Qualifier: Brad Fox

Heat Race 1: 1. Jeff Wison 2. Dave Peperak 3. Bill Boggs 4. Kevin Miller 5. Chris Schepper 6. Brad Fox 7. Jason Setser 8. Tony Rose 9. and Roger McCluskey, Jr

Heat Race 2: 1. Chris LaFollette 2. Derek Scheffel 3. Gregg Dillion 4. Josh Cunningham 5. Lennie Waltz 6. Austin King 7. Rick Hayden 8. Mitch Cunningham 9. Doug Arnold 10. Bob Dietrich

Heat Race 3: 1. Kevin Chambers 2. Eric Burns 3. Jared Fox 4. Troy Link 5. Kevin Thomas 6. Danny Williams, Jr. 7. Buddy Cunningham 8. Andy Hurtubise 9. Lance Hayden 10. John Dick

"B" Feature: 1. Brad Fox 2. Rick Hayden 3. Danny Williams, Jr., 4. Austin King 5. Roger McCluskey, Jr. 6. Buddy Cunningham 7. Tony Rose 8. Mitch Cunningam 9. Andy Hutrubise 10. Bob Dietrich 11. Lance Hayden 12. Danny Holtsclaw 13. Doug Arnold

O'NEAL WOOD PRODUCTS OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS

Feature: 1. Ryan Blevins 2. Matt Tiller 3. Adam Sasser 4. Richie Lex 5. Gary Trammell 6. John DeMoss 7. Earl Plessinger 8. Brian Campbell 9. Ray Humphrey 10. Brian Yeatman 11. Paul Bumgardner 12. Levi Godsey 13. Donnie Parson 14. Charles Phillips 15. Gary Barrow 16. Roy Bruce, Jr. 17. Clint DeMoss 18. Brandon Reed 19. Rodney Harris, Jr. 20. Lee Hobbs

Reed and Sons Construction Dash for Cash: 1. Matt Tiller 2. Ryan Blevins 3. Brian Yeatman 4. Paul Bumgardner

Heat Race 1: 1. Brian Yeatman 2. Richie Lex 3. Gary Trammell 4. Charles Phillips 5. Gary Barrow 6. Joe Godsey 7. Karl Roethmeier 8. Derek Jones 9. Carlos Bumgardner 10. Matt Jacobs

Heat Race 2: 1. Matt Tiller 2. Adam Sasser 3. Donnie Parson 4. Ray Humphrey 5. Jack Taylor 6. Greg Deckard 7. Jeff Miller 8. Mike Tuell 9. Matt Boknecht

Heat Race 3: 1. Paul Bumgardner 2, Earl Plessinger 3. Brian Campbell 4. Brandon Reed 5. Clint DeMoss 6. Levi Godsey 7. Roy Ritter 8. Justin Hillenburg 9. Zach Scott

Heat Race 4: 1. Ryan Blevins 2. Rodney Harris, Jr. 3. John DeMoss 4. Lee Hobbs 5. Roy Bruce, Jr. 6. Mike Hicks 7. Josh Wells 8. Brad Brown 9. Doug Nelson

"B" Main: 1. Gary Barrow 2. Clint DeMoss 3. Roy Bruce, Jr. 4. Levi Godsey 5. Carlos Bumgardner 6. Joe Godsey 7. Matt Boknecht 8. Zach Scott 9. Doug Nelson 10.. Mike Tuell 11. Brad Brown 12. Jack Taylor 13. Karl Roethmeier 14. Greg Deckard 15. Josh Wells 16. Mike Hicks 17. Roy Ritter 18. Justin Hillenburg 19. Derek Jones

TIRE & WHEEL CENTER SUPER STOCKS

Feature: 1. Rick Hines 2. Greg O'Neill 3. Trent Niflis 4. Joe Johnson 5. Greg Kendall 6. Jeremy Hines 7. Lee Hobbs 8. Danny Harris 9. Steven Hunt 10. Perry Bruce 11. Chris Hillman 12. Brad Cummings 13. Jack Frye 14. Ryan Thomas 15. Brady Short 16. Mel Bigham 17. Tom Plotz 18. Gerald Todd 19. Michael Purtlebaugh 20. Don Short

Reed & Sons Construction Dash for Cash: 1. Rick Hines 2. Ryan Thomas

Heat Race 1: 1. Michael Purtlebaugh 2. Greg O'Neill 3. Greg Kendall 4. Perry Bruce 5. Brady Short 6. Lee Hobbs 7. Tom Plotz 8. Mike Beatty 9. Steven Hollars 10. Lou Catellier

Heat Race 2: 1. Ryan Thomas 2. Gerald Todd 3. Danny Harris 4. Jack Frye 5. Joe Johnson 6. Chris Hillman 7. Mel Bigham 8. Mike Jones 9. Travis Todd 10. Bill Brown 11. Gary Arthur

Heat Race 3: 1. Rick Hines 2. Trent Niflis 3. Brad Cummings 4. Jeremy Hines 5. Don Short 6. Steven Hunt 7. Chris Streeval 8. Aaron Southern 9. Diane Grubb 10. David Koontz 11. Charles Fritz, Jr.

Text provided by Tim McKinney

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.