Tracks: Plessinger and Boknecht claim Bloomington Street Stock and Modified Nationals
18 September 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
BLOOMINGTON, IN - With $1,200 posted to win each feature
in the 4th Annual Indiana Street Stock and UMP Modified Nationals at
Bloomington Speedway Friday night, Earl Plessinger and Matt Boknecht came
looking for the money. Each registered wire-to-wire victories as the
Bloomington oval completed its 76th year with a thrilling night of racing.
Driving the Indiana Excise Police sponsored "Think Before You Drink" UMP modified, Boknecht outran Kerry Norris, even though he admitted that Norris had the faster car. Starting from the pole, Boknecht kept his machine in the bottom groove, and Norris watched him win the O'Neal Wood Products UMP Modified main event by three car lengths. Gary Burton finished third, followed by Randy Petro and Ray Humphrey.
Starting on the second row for the Tire & Wheel Center Street Stock feature, Plessinger made a great jump to the outside, passing the first row starters and taking the lead in the second turn. Lee Hobbs and Denny Campbell scrapped from deep in the pack toward the front. Running second with four laps remaining, Don Short tangled with Hobbs trying to pass on the inside, and both cars spun into the infield. Hobbs kept rolling and saved his spot in the lineup, while Short retired from the race. The ensuing restart allowed Hobbs and Campbell to challenge, but Plessinger held on by a half car length for the win. Using the outside groove, Campbell persistently battled his way around Hobbs for second, while Greg Kendall and Greg O'Neill completed the top-five.
Friday's racing program also featured Powdered Puff races which were won by Cindy Jarvis (modifieds) and Diane Grubb (street stocks).
1999 track awards were presented to the top ten O'Neal Wood Products
UMP Modified Division and Tire & Wheel Center Street Stock Division
drivers. Other awards conferred were the championship trophies to Ray
Humphrey (modifieds) and Lee Hobbs (street stocks). Levi Ray Godsey
(modifieds) and Jerry Hepworth (street stocks) received the Jeff Gordon
Rookie of the Year trophy. Adam Sasser (modifieds) and Steve Hunt (street
stocks) were awarded the Steve Kinser Most Improved Driver hardware. Tim
Prince (modifieds) and Roy Bruce Jr. (street stocks) were voted the Most
Popular Drivers of the two divisions.
Bloomington Speedway Summary, September 17, 1999
4th Annual Indiana Street Stock & UMP Modified Nationals
O'Neal Wood Products Modifieds
Heat 1: Brent Londeree, Adam Sasser, Gary Burton, Brad Cummings
Heat 2: Brian Campbell, Kerry Norris, Levi Ray Godsey, Alan Magner
Heat 3: Jack Taylor, Troy Woods, John DeMoss, Donnie Parson
Heat 4: Matt Boknecht, Randy Petro, Ray Humphrey, Scott Patman
B-Main: Tim Prince, J.D. Francis, Joe Godsey, Ryan Blevins
Feature: Boknecht, Norris, Burton, Petro, Humphrey, Sasser, Prince, J.
Godsey, L. Godsey, Taylor, Parson, Patman, Woods, Francis, Blevins,
Magner, DeMoss, Campbell, Cummings, Londeree
Tire & Wheel Center Street Stocks
Heat 1: Greg Kendall, Lee Hobbs, Mike Fields
Heat 2: Greg O'Neill, Denny Campbell, Brandon Short
Heat 3: Earl Plessinger, Al Flick, Tom Plotz
Heat 4: Steve Hunt, Mike Vest, Perry Bruce
Heat 5: Don Short, Jerry Hepworth, Trent Niflis
Heat 6: Cory Brown, Roy Bruce Jr., Terry Arthur
C-Main: Mel Bigham, Dale Ayers
B-Main: David Wiggam, Larry Harris
Feature: Plessinger, Campbell, Hobbs, Kendall, O'Neill, P. Bruce, Fields,
Arthur, Hunt, Niflis, R. Bruce, Harris, B. Short, Flick, Vest, D. Short,
Plotz, Brown, Wiggam, Hepworth
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