TRACKS: Marvel Scores Bloomington Sprint Car Victory
27 June 1999
HOBBS EARNS FOURTH STOCK WIN
BLOOMINGTON, IN - With a flag-to-flag victory run on Friday night, Brownsburg's Justin Marvel became the third first-time feature race winner in Bloomington Speedway's Pennzoil Cup sprint car series this season. Marvel withstood constant challenges from Jonathan Vennard, climaxed by a one lap, four car shootout to collect the victory.
Posing for photos in victory lane, surrounded by family and crew, the second-generation sprint car driver cracked, "I feel like a million bucks, I'm going to Disney World."
In other action, while Lee Hobbs won his fourth Indiana Street Stock event at Bloomington this season, John DeMoss collected his first of the summer in Bloomington's UMP Modified division. It was DeMoss' first victory since flipping his modified racer at another track early in the season.
Marvel and Vennard nearly finished the 25-lap feature the way they started, side-by-side. After completing the first lap still side-by-side, Marvel powered his way into the lead as they raced off the second turn. On the sixth lap, Jason Knoke caught an infield marker tire with his left front and spun sharply into the middle of the front straight. Cars scrambled cleanly on either side of the Hurst racer before Lennie Waltz slammed into it with his right rear, sending it flipping down the straightaway.
Vennard quickly resumed pressing Marvel at each end of the track when racing resumed. Vennard could pull beside Marvel as they raced off turn four, but Marvel was quicker into the first turn each time. Just past midway, Vennard got caught behind a slower car and Levi Jones quickly scrambled into second. But three laps later, Vennard raced back into the position when Jones got out of shape in turn one.
Vennard had his best opportunity to get past on the last lap, pulling even in turn four and running together for the checkers. But James Mills had spun to a stop in turn four, and Rusty Nunn displayed the yellow flag instead.
With Vennard, Eric Burns, Jones and Kevin Thomas on his heels over the last circuit, Marvel cooly scored a two car length win. Marvel was piloting John Davis' Advertiser's Press Drake sprint car.
Burns broke the track record with a 11.408 lap in his new ride in the BWB Racing Hannig Construction/Bailey's One Stop sprinter. Troy Link, Hud Cone and Dave Peperak earned sprint car heat race wins.
After chasing Troy Jarvis, and running two laps virtually wheel-to-wheel, Bloomington's DeMoss made his first Bloomington UMP Modified victory of the year appear almost routine. Lap after lap, Jarvis kept DeMoss in his wake as he looked for his first Bloomington feature victory. But ultimately DeMoss used a better run through turn four to take the lead on the front straightaway. John Davis, Adam Sasser and Brian Campbell completed the top five.
Lee Hobbs took advantage of an unusual miscue by Denny Campbell to record his fourth Indiana Street Stock feature of the season. After Terry Arthur spun in the first turn of the race, keeping everyone awake, Greg O'Neill set the early race pace. O'Neill, Campbell and Hobbs put on a good three car dice for the lead. Just after halfway, O'Neill dropped out, leaving Campbell close behind Hobbs. When Hobbs was blocked while passing a slower car, Campbell quickly took the lead. But last Friday's feature race winner tangled with a lapped car, and spun on the front straightaway just laps later. Hobbs cruised to a 10-car length victory over Trent Niflis, Steven Hunt, Brandon Short and Perry Bruce.
Bloomington Speedway Summary
June 25, 1999
Pennzoil Cup Sprint Cars
Fast qualifier: Eric Burns (11.408 seconds - new track record)
Feature: Justin Marvel, Jonathan Vennard, Eric Burns, Levi Jones, Kevin
Thomas, Chris LaFollette, Kenny Carmichael, Troy Link, Hud Cone, Kevin
Miller, Casey Shuman, Dave Peperak, Rickie Gaunt, Kevin Chambers, Troy
Rutherford, Brook Pence, James Mills, Stevie Christian, Jason Knoke,
Lennie Waltz
Indiana Street Stocks
Lee Hobbs, Trent Niflis, Steven Hunt, Brandon Short, Perry Bruce, Terry Arthur, Cory Brown, Mel Bigham, Don Short, Steve Hollars, Jerry Hepworth, Denny Campbell, Steven Hawkins, Jack Frye, Roy Bruce Jr., Greg O'Neill, Bob Bex, Bret Ezzo, Don Bush Jr., Barry Gerkin
UMP Modifieds
John DeMoss, Troy Jarvis, John Davis, Adam Sasser, Brian Campbell, Richie Lex, Brad Cummins, Matt Tiller, Kerry Norris, Rob Brickert, Gary Barrow, Mike Hicks, Levi Ray Godsey, Tim Prince, Charlie Phillips, Billy Peeden, Brian Sullivan, Brent Londeree, Jack Taylor, Rod Harris Jr.
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