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TRACKS: Racing stories and results from Bloomington Speedway

24 September 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

(Bloomington, Ind.)-- Friday night's 5th Annual UMP Modified and Super Stock Nationals provided spectacular racing action from start to finish. It resulted in victories for Brownstown Speedway's Super Stock champion Mike Fields and the first victory of the season at Bloomington Speedway for Richie Lex. Prior to last night's action, Lex's best finish was a second scored on July 21.

O'NEAL WOOD PRODUCTS OPEN WHEEL MODIFIEDS

The O'Neal Wood Products Open Wheel Modifieds' season came to a satisfying conclusion at Bloomington Speedway with a great win by Richie Lex. Lex made every O'Neal Woods Products Open Wheel Modified held at Bloomington Speedway this season. The only other driver to make every feature this season was O'Neal Wood Products Open Wheel Modified Champion Adam Sasser. It should be a surprise to nobody that Sasser finished second in the Nationals and raced Lex very hard for the victory.

The evening unfolded as the competitors rolled 49 modifieds off o their trailers. The Bloomington Speedway oval was, as usual, superbly manicured. Mike Miles had been watering the track regularly all week to insure that the track was in a great condition for the season finale. We all got a little scare when a sprinkling of rain his the speedway about five o'clock. However, only a few drops fell; and track was left ready for competition.

The field was split into five heat races. The heats were aligned based on a pill draw by the drivers; and some of the fastest cars drew very poorly and started on the back of some very tough heat races. Kerry Norris, Don O'Neal, Matt Boknecht, Randy Petro, John DeMoss, Ray Humphrey, Ryan Blevins, Gary Trammell, and Earl Plessinger all found themselves in the final two rows. Unless a driver is very good (and lucky) in his heat race, he can find himself starting on the tail all night.

In the first O'Neal Wood Products heat Mike Bowersox outlasted Brian Campbell and Terry Trammell. Kerry Norris who is generally the man to beat at Bloomington Speedway tangled with Nelson Gingery early and had to go to the tail. He finished up in eighth place which put him in the "C" Main later in the evening.

O'Neal Wood Products champion Adam Sasser won the second heat and a berth in the Blackwell Trucking Dash for Cash. Richie Lex and Matt Boknecht also transferred to the feature; but Don O'Neal and Randy Petro found themselves in Don Bush Moving & Storage "B" Main and the "C" Main respectively.

The third heat was really loaded. Tim Prince won with Lee Hobbs and Clint DeMoss also transferred to the feature. Top ten drivers Ray Humphrey and John DeMoss found themselves in the "B".

Matt Tiller, Joey Kramer, and Troy Jarvis transferred to the feature event from the fourth heat.

Curtis Knieriem won the fifth heat. Since he finished second in his last outing at Bloomington Speedway, he would be going into the feature event with a lot of confidence.

O'Neal Wood Products "C" Main

Randy Petro of Columbus, Ind. obviously had the field covered in the "C". Petro is a very strong stock car racer; and it is never a surprise when he comes home with the win. Kerry Norris, the O'Neal Wood Products modified racer with the most feature wins at Bloomington Speedway this season, worked his way up to a second place finish. Bloomington Speedway Pennzoil Cup Sprint regular Kenny Carmichael came home third with Bret Barr and Charlie Phillips also transferring to the feature.

Don Bush Moving and Storage "B" Main

Bloomington Speedway points leaders Ray Humphrey and John DeMoss put on a great show racing for the Don Bush Moving and Storage "B" Main with Humphrey coming home first and DeMoss settling for second. J.D. Francis also transferred to the feature.

Blackwell Trucking Dash for Cash

Adam Sasser started on the outside of the front row in the dash and held off all comers to earn the right to start on the pole in feature event. Mike Bowersox, Matt Tiller, Tim Prince, and Curtis Knieriem earned the next four starting positions.

O'Neal Wood Products Open Wheel Modified Feature

When the green flag fell to start the O'Neal Wood Products Modified feature, Sasser charged into the lead. Lee Hobbs was an early casualty and completed only one circuit before retiring from competition. Tim Prince challenged Sasser early; but he was sidelined early due to a shunt with J.D. Francis which sidelined both of them.

It looked as if Sasser would run away with the race. However, about ten laps into the race, Ray Humphrey had worked his way up third and was preparing to challenge Sasser. He slipped past Brian Campbell on the 14th circuit to move into second. He then battled with Sasser until lap 26. He had abused his right rear tire so much coming from deep in the field to catch Sasser and racing door to door with him lap after lap that his right rear tire literally exploded. His day was done; but he had put on a great show for the fans.

It was then John DeMoss' turn to challenge for the lead; but John couldn't get around him either. On the 34th circuit, Richie Lex moved from third place to the lead; and he managed to hold off Sasser and DeMoss for the final six laps. The strong three car battle for the win among three of the top Bloomington Speedway regulars was just what the fans came to see.

Since this was the final race of the season, nobody was holding anything back. From Victory Lane, Lex commented, "With ten laps to go, I thought the was going to go. It was knocking so loud that I didn't know it I would make it. I decided to keep on going and see what happened." When Lex attempted to refire his car to go back the pits, it wouldn't start. The engine was done. It lasted just long enough.

Sasser, John DeMoss, Matt Tiller, Clint DeMoss, Terry Trammell, Tony Jarvis, Troy Jarvis, Jim Reynolds, and Mike Bowersox rounded out the top ten.

The Modified Points:

Adam Sasser won the O'Neal Wood Products Open Wheel Modified Championship by 13 points over John DeMoss. Sasser had one feature win and seven top five finishes this season. Sasser was also selected as the most improved modified driver this season. Sasser and the other points leaders received their Awards and points fund checks in pre-race ceremonies.

John DeMoss took runner-up honors and had six top five finishes. Lee Hobbs finished third trailed by Ray Humphrey, Gary Trammell, Richie Lex, and Brian Campbell.

Clint DeMoss took Rookie of the Year honors along with his eighth place finish in the points race. He made nine of the eleven feature events and had three top ten finishes.

Roy Bruce, Jr. and Ryan Blevins rounded out the top ten. All of the top ten raced at Bloomington Speedway every night that the class was in competition here.

Tire & Wheel Center Super Stocks

The Tire & Wheel Center heats were won by Steven Hunt, John Davis, Brad Short, Brad Cummings, and Joe Johnson.

Brandon Short won the "C" Main with Tom Plotz, Randy Moore, Chris Deweese, and Trent Niflis also transferring to the Tom Cherry Muffler Shops "B" Main.

Tom Cherry Muffler Shops "B" Main

The Tom Cherry Muffler Shops "B" Main was the last chance for 20 pretty good racers to make the evening's feature event. The drivers in the back of the "B" have a long way to go and only a few laps to get there. This situation led to a crash, the worst of the evening, involving several cars. Tom Plotz got on his side; and Jason Hehman slid into him knocking him the rest of the way over onto his top. A small oil fire developed as Plotz was extracting himself from the wreckage. Hehman was apologetic and told Plotz that he was sorry about hitting him. Plotz assured him that the incident hadn't been his fault. In a true spirit of sportsmanship, Plotz was concerned about whether Hehman would be able to continue; and attempted to help Hehman get restarted.

Greg O'Neill wound up with the "B" win followed by Dan McCullough, Danny Harris, Rick Hines, and Donnie Wilson. Everybody else loaded their cars on the trailers.

Reed & Son Construction Dash for Cash

The dash was won by John Davis trailed by Steven Hunt Brad Cummings, Joe Johnson, and Brady Short.

Tire & Wheel Center Super Stock Feature

The feature race came down to a battle of endurance. Steven Hunt, who finished fourth in the season's points race took initial lead from outside of the first row and held off a charging Joe Johnson for eight laps. On the ninth circuit, Johnson passed him for the lead. Johnson seemed destined to run off and hide from the field; but, on the 31st lap, Johnson's mount experience a catastrophic failure and his day was done. Brownstown Speedway's track champion, Mike Fields, had been chasing Johnson although he had not mounted a very serious threat to Johnson. He took his inherited lead and held it until the checkered flags waved ten laps later.

Brad Cummings came home second turning in a good solid performance. Randy Petro had started ninth and drove a great race to finish third. It seemed doubtful that Petro would ever reach the finish line as smoke billowed from behind his car for much of the second half of the race. Rick Hines, Rusty Smiley, Donnie Wilson, Mike Bright, Danny Harris, Rodney Harris, Jr., and Dan McCullough made up the rest of the top ten.

Tire & Wheel Center Super Stock Points

Lee Hobbs won the Tire & Wheel Center Super Stock championship by 19 markers over Greg Kendall. Hobbs had three feature wins and nine top five finishes during the season while Kendall had two feature wins and eight top five finishes.

Greg O'Neill finished third in the points and was named the most improved driver this season. He scored two feature wins and had nine top five finishes. He missed one show; and his worst finish of the season was a sixth place finish on July 7.

Steven Hunt, Perry Bruce, Brad Cummings finished fourth through sixth in the points while Trent Niflis was seventh and deserved an honorable mention for most improved driver. Michael Purtlebaugh was eighth in the points followed by Rookie of the Year Brady Short. Short competed every night that we ran and had five top ten finishes. Danny Harris rounded out the top ten.

Text Provided By Paul Kelly

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