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Tracks: It's Kevin Briscoe again at Bloomington Speedway

25 June 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Can anybody beat Briscoe on the famous Bloomington red clay? Probably; but it didn't happen this week. Briscoe had fifth quick time which would put him on the front row in the feature if he managed to make the show. Not making the show doesn't seem like much of a possibility the way that he's been running this season. In fact, he did make the feature in typical Briscoe fashion - he won his heat race.

When the green flag fell at the start of the Pennzoil Cup Sprint Car feature, Dave Peperak, who qualified better than he has for a while, got the jump on Briscoe from his pole starting position. Peperak managed to hold the lead for about the first ten laps; but Briscoe got past him and cruised to his third feature win of the season at Bloomington Speedway. Jonathan Vennard and Chris LaFollette also managed to slip past Peperak from their third and fifth place starting positions; but they had nothing for Briscoe. They finished second and third respectively.

The real show, though, involved defending Pennzoil Cup Sprint Car champion Derek Scheffel in the 21s family owned sprinter sponsored by Cunningham Engineering and Saran. Derek works full time at Cummins Engine Company in Columbus; and he must use his vacation days and personal days to compete at Bloomington Speedway. He demolished his Maxim at the USAC season opener at Eldora; and he's been behind the eight ball ever since. He's been running his Competition Welding backup car while he and his crew work on the new (to them) Maxim. Winning at Bloomington Speedway means so much to Derek because of the quality of the competition their and because of the storied history of the famed red clay oval.

Derek had trouble in qualifying again tonight; but they got they got the car sorted out before the heat; and he won it going away. When it was time for the feature, Derek started 14th. He worked his way through traffic, picking off car after car until, by the time he took the white flag, he was challenging Peperak for fourth. He completed the pass as they crossed the finish line, salvaging a pretty good finish from what started out to be a night of woe. Peperak had to settle for fifth.

Eric Burns won the other heat race; and Vennard came home with the "B" Feature win.

The O'Neal Wood Products Open Wheel Modified feature was a Kerry Norris show from flag to flag. Kerry had a perfect night. He started his night of good fortune by drawing a front row starting position for his heat race. He scored a convincing win the heat and outdueled Adam Sasser in the Blackwell Trucking dash for cash. Sasser, who is nobody's cupcake, started beside Norris in the feature; but Norris got the jump on the start and held it, earning his first feature win of the season at Bloomington Speedway. Sasser chased Norris throughout the feature; but, toward the end, Kerry had put some daylight between Sasser and himself. Sasser did manage to come home second ahead of John DeMoss, Ray Humphrey, and Lee Hobbs.

Sasser, Roy Bruce, Jr., Terry Trammell, and Humprey won the other heat races; while Gary Trammell came home first in the "C" Feature. Richie Lex took the "B" Feature.

The Tire and Wheel Center Super Stocks, as usual, put on a great show for the fans. Greg O'Neill started the feature inside of the second row; and spent most of the feature finding his way past Greg Kendall. Kendall held on to second followed by Rick Hines, Lee Hobbs, and Troy Dishong.

Rick Hines beat out the other heat race winners (Kendall, Trent Niflis, O'Neill, and Dishong) in the Reed and Sons Construction dash for cash. Danny Harris won the "C" fetaure while Terry Arthur took the "B" feature.

This was HARF and C.A.R. fan club nights. All of these rabid race fans got into Bloomington Speedway for half price; and Dave Black presented awards to the winning drivers.

One thing was typical for a Bloomington Speedway show. The pits were full. There were approximately 120 cars in competition.

RESULTS:

PENNZOIL CUP SPRINT FEATURE: Kevin Briscoe, Jonathan Vennard, Chris LaFollette, Derek Scheffel, Dave Peperak, Gregg Dillion, Jason Knoke, Justin Marvel, Danny Holtsclaw, Eric Burns, Rick Hayden, Josh Cunningham, Troy Link, Kevin Chambers, Jared Fox, Bill Boggs, Jim Mills, Rocky Thickstun, Jason Setser, and Dickie Gaines

Sprint Heats:

a.. Heat 1: Derek Scheffel, Jared Fox, Rick Hayden, Greg Dillion, Justin Marvel, Jonathan Vennard, Kevin Chambers, Joe Devin

b.. Heat 2: Kevin Briscoe, Jason Knoke, Chris LaFollette, Rocky Thickstun, Danny Holtsclaw, Chris Schepper, Buddy Cunningham, Jim Mills, Jason Setser, and Lance Hayden

c.. Heat 3: Eric Burns, Dickie Gaines, Bill Boggs, Josh Cunningham, Dave Peperak, Lennie Waltz, Kelly Potter, and Austin King

Sprint "B" Feature: Vennard, Kevin Chambers, Jim Mills, Jason Setser, Troy Link, Chris Schepper. Lennie Waltz, Buddy Cunninghm. Joe Devin, Kelly Potter, and Lance Hayden.

O'NEAL WOOD PRODUCTS MODIFIED FEATURE: Kerry Norris, Adam Sasser, John DeMoss, Ray Humphrey, Lee Hobbs, Joe Godsey, Matt Boknecht, Richie Lex, Tim Prince, Levi Godsey, Terry Trammell, Brian Campbell, Ryan Blevins, Jack Taylor, Allen Barr, Brian Sullivan, Donnie Parson, Troy Jarvis, Roy Bruce, Jr., and Don Shoulders

a.. Heat 1: Adam Sasser, Troy Jarvis, Matt Bokneck, Rodney Harris, Jr., Jay Socrr., Jack Taylor, Allen Adams, Matt Jacobs, and Brett Barr

b.. Kerry Norris, Lee Hobbs, Brian Campbell, Richie Lex, Matt Tiller, Charlie Phillips, Karl Roethmeier, and Justin Hillenburg

c.. Roy Bruce, Jr., Tim Prince, Allen Barr, Ryan Blevins, Dusty Chapman, Don Shoulders, Brandon Reed, Brad Brown, and Beau Hendrich

d.. Terry Trammell, Brian Sullivan, Joe Godsey, Sonny Richardson, Brain Yeatman, Mike Tuell, Mike Hicks, Gary Barrow, and Scott Huddleston

e.. Ray Humphrey, Levi Godsey, John DeMoss, Donnie Parson, Paul Baumgardner, John Gurley, Tom Busch, Brent Payne, and Gary Trammel

Modified "C" Feature: Gary Trammell, Karl Roethmeier, Beau Hendrich, Clint DeMoss, Brandon Reed, Tom Busch, Warren Hopkins, Mike Hicks, Brent Payne, Rob Roethmeier, Brad Brown, Allen Adams, Justin Hillenburg, and Matt Jacovs

Modified "B" Feature: Richie Lex, Jack Taylor, Ryan Blevins, Donnie Parson, Don Shoulders, Paul Baumgardner, Gary Trammell, Jay Scott, Dusty Champman, Clint DeMoss, Brain Yeatman, Charlie Phillips, Rodney Harris, Jr., Beau Hendrich, Matt Tiller, and Karl Roethmeier

Blackwell Trucking Dash for Cash: Kerry Norris, Adam Sasser, Ray Humphrey, Terry Trammell, and Roy Bruce, Jr.

TIRE & WHEEL CENTER SUPER STOCK FEATURE: Greg O'Neill, Greg Kendall, Rick Hines, Lee Hobbs, Troy Dishong, Trent Niflis, Brandon Short, Tom Plotz, Brad Cummings, Terry Arthur, Perry Bruce, Dale Ayers, Steven Hunt, Al Flick, Jay Baker, Michael Purtlebaugh, J.D. Roberts, Lou Catellier, Jeremy Hines, and Jason Hines

a.. Heat 1: Rick Hines, Lee Hobbs, Brandon Short, Terry Arthur, Al Flick, John Davis, Travis Todd, Mike Beatty, and Bob Griffitts

b.. Heat 2: Troy Dishong, Dale Ayers, Lou Cattellier, Diane Grubb, Tony Laughman, Kevin Fleenor, Travis Hood, and Bill Hamm

c.. Heat 3: Greg O'Neill, Michael Purtlebaugh, Steven Hunt, Perry Bruce, Steve Hollars, Ryan Thomas, Danny Harris, Bob Bex, and Bill Brown

d.. Heat 4: Trent Niflis, Tom Plotz, Jay Baker, J.D. Roberts, Aaron Zellers, Eric Miller, Jeff Bell, Brady Short, and Joe Johnson

e.. Heat 5: Greg Kendall, Jeremy Hines, Jason Hines, Gerald Todd, Brad Cummings, Buddy Frye, Jack Frye, Chris Hillman, and Michael Vest

Super Stock "C" Feature: Danny Harris, Travis Hood, Travis Todd, Bob Bex, Bill Brown, Bob Griffitts, Bill Hamm, and Brady Short

Super Stock "B" Feature: Terry Arthur, Brad Cummings, Perry Bruce, Al Flick, J.D. Roberts, Gerald Todd, Ryan Thomas, Bob Bex, Travis Hood, Steve Hollars, Travis Todd, Bill Brown, Danny Harris, Diane Grubb, Eric Miller, and Tony Laughman

Reed & Sons Construction Dash for Cash: Rick Hines, Greg Kendall, Trent Niflis, Greg O'Neill, and Troy Dishong

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.