Before
I get going on this one, I want to apologize for not
being able to get on here more in the past week. For
those who don't know I've got what's called iritis in
the right eye. It's been pretty painful and while the
pain is gone and things are slowly clearing up, the
vision is a bit blurred on the right side. Hopefully
over the next few days I'll continue to get better and
back to normal.
But for those waiting to see the PAL-U view (albeit a
bit blurred) here's the notes from the past couple of
week's racing...
BLUEGRASS
SPEEDWAY MAY 10, 2003 – Regular Show
BRAD NEAT returned to his track championship ways
rolling under early leader JOEY KRAMER to win his first
BG main event of the 2k3 season.
TIM TUNGATE grabbed the early lead from the pole into
turn one. Third starting Kramer scooted under front row
starter JAMES HUFF off two then fired a slider to Stone
Cold off four to take the lead. Fourth starting Neat
moved by Huff in three then pulled to the rear of
Tungate before the caution flew for TERRY LINVILLE.
On the restart Heim rolled by Tungate down the front
chute to take the second while BRYAN BARBER battled with
Huff for fourth. Huff fought off the Bluegrass Bandit to
challenge Tungate for third. Meanwhile MIKE JEWELL
pressured Barber for fifth as Neat reeled in the
Rocket-Man.
With Neat on the leader, Kramer turned up the wick on
his Rayburn earlier off the corners. The attempt to
distance himself from Neat failed however when Neat
dealt a slider in three. Kramer didn’t lay down though
as a stab of the throttle turned Jeff and Eddie
Harrod’s entry across the middle of the corner and by
Neat to retake the point. With traffic coming, Neat used
JOEY TACKETT as a pick in three to retake the lead for
good. Kramer meanwhile was forced to come off the rim to
get by Tackett as Neat rolled out by a few car lengths
as Tungate and Huff raced for third.
With a straightaway between Heim and the Rocket Man,
Huff and Tungate put on the best battle for third as
Tungate’s ride around the top shelf held off Huff on
the hub. Barber and Jewell settled into the final slots
of the top five while 13th starting WHITNEY McQUEARY
rolled up to 6th passing RICK CORBIN and BOB LANTER in
the final 10 laps.
All of this fun and a checkered that fell at the quaint
hour of 10:40 to laugh in the face of the local powers
who think the sidewalks should be rolled up by sundown.
McCOY
MOTORS SPEEDWAY – May 16, 2003 Battle of the Bluegrass
“Spring 40”
DARRELL LANIGAN renigged on a promise he made years ago
to never return to the Barren County Speedway and pick
up his first ever win at the McCoy Motors Speedway.
Lanigan and outside front row starter STEVE HILLARD
rolled into one and raced door to door down the back
chute before Lanigan edged ahead in three. A push by
Lanigan off four allowed Hillard to take another look
off four before JESSE JAMES LAY began to pressure
Hillard for the runner up spot. Behind them DON O’NEAL
rolled by SCOTT JAMES in two to grab fourth as 8th
starting MIKEY MARLAR pulled to the back of James’
Lazer. When the duo exited turn four, Marlar got into
the back of James sending the Shark spinning and ending
Marlar’s night.
On the restart Lanigan, Hillard, Lay and O’Neal pulled
away from the field. Meanwhile AARON HATTON and TIMMY
YEAGER battled for 5th. Back up front, O’Neal worked
to the bottom of Lay off four. A lap later, the Real
Deal pulled under the Last Outlaw in the same spot for
third.
Further back in the field, JOHNNY WHEELER and BRAD NEAT
found the high side and rolled up to 8th and 9th. Consi
winner MICHAEL CHILTON bobbed and weaved his way through
the backmarkers to climb to 10th as Lanigan put a half
straightaway on the field.
While Wheeler worked around Hatton for 7th, TIM TUNGATE
pedaled his way to 12th after a consi win. Chilton
returned to the bottom to poked a nose under Wheeler as
Lanigan took a straightaway lead into traffic. With
Chilton and Wheeler racing for 8th, Yeager began to pick
up speed and run down Lay for 4th.
With Lanigan in heavy traffic and Hillard and O’Neal
creeping forward, STEVE BARNETT quietly made his way
into the top five after starting 9th. Back up front,
Lanigan tiptoed through the back markers with now a half
straightaway advantage as Wheeler’s run on the rim was
no longer productive dropping him back in the second
half of the main event. Neat in the meantime kept
plugging away on the rim to rise to 6th as Hillard and
O’Neal began to pressure Lanigan for the lead. In the
back of the top ten youngsters TYREL TODD, Chilton and
Hatton danced three wide for 8th before the final
caution flew with four laps remaining for a spun JIM
CURRY in turn 4.
On the restart Hillard and O’Neal chased Lanigan into
one before Donnie O took a ride alongside Hillard down
the back chute. Hillard eased ahead in one sending the
Real Deal down into the grass to challenge for second.
Behind them Neat again stepped to the outside and worked
on Barnett for 5th. Lanigan pulled away by a few car
lengths leaving Hillard to deal with O’Neal on the
final trip.
Coming to the stripe, O’Neal could only look under
Hillard as Yeager quietly logged another solid
performance for Dale and Anita Clark. Neat’s momentum
off four carried him to the outside of Barnett where he
edged him at the line by a few feet..
AND
NOW FOR THE FINALE OF THE WEEKEND AND THE ONE YOU’VE
ALL BEEN WAITING TO READ,
BLUEGRASS
SPEEDWAY – May 18, 2003 NALMS “My Old Kentucky Home
Shootout”
In a wild and wooly Sunday afternoon affair DARRELL
LANIGAN made a late race move to win the first annual
“My Old Kentucky Home Shootout” at the Bluegrass
Speedway.
DON O’NEAL pulled to the early lead of the 50 lap
finale ahead of pole sitter TIM TUNGATE. After taking a
quick look to the bottom in one, Tungate eased out a bit
off two allowing Lanigan to slide under down the back
chute. Behind them WHITNEY McQUEARY and BRAD NEAT raced
for 4th. Further back, JESSE JAMES LAY and JIM CURRY
battled for 8th.
DUSTIN NEAT proceeded to run down his brother and the
Whit Rock as the Dust Buster made another appearance in
a Double D Rayburn. While Lanigan chased O’Neal and
McQueary worked on Stone Cold, Neat and SCOTT JAMES rode
in 5th and 6th. Further back, JOHN GILL and Lay raced in
the back part of the top ten.
Back up front, Lanigan began to race harder attempting
to pressure O’Neal into abusing his tires as the pair
pulled a half straightaway ahead of the field. As the
field quietly made their way to the rubber on the hub
O’Neal rolled into lapped traffic. Once cleared of the
backmarker, O’Neal pulled to a half straightaway lead.
Tim Tungate’s slip in three and four allowed McQueary
to go by and take 4th before DENNIS SELBY slowed to a
stop in turn three bringing out the caution.
On the restart O’Neal pulled out by 5 car lengths as
Lanigan’s missed line allowed McQueary to take a peek
to second. Once back in line Lanigan was able to shake
McQueary who now dealt with Neat’s pressure for third.
Behind the leaders, Curry worked his way under the Dust
Buster and Lay and Gill raced for 9th. Tungate was next
to feel the effects of the rubber when a tight race car
forced him out of the rubber as consi winner MIKE JEWELL
pulled in.
With O’Neal and Lanigan clear of the traffic, McQueary,
Neat and James worked on the lapped car of JOSH ALLISON.
As McQueary got by, Neat pulled under as Allison tried
to get back into the rubber. The result was contact
between the two as Neat spun while running fourth.
With Heim on the tail the field too the green again as
Lanigan continued to pressure O’Neal for the lead.
Gill and Tungate began to put on the best battle for 7th
when MIKEY MARLAR and the Dust Buster got together in
three sending the elder Neat spinning and ending
Marlar’s day.
And that’s when the fun began…
As Brad Neat slowed to pull in Allison did as well
pulling in front of Neat going to the infield. While the
field attempted to retake the green, one of Allison’s
crew went to Neat’s car and confronted him. After
being pointed back to Allison’s car the crewman
continued resulting in he and Neat on the ground in the
mud.
At some point during all the fracas, James worked around
McQueary for third as O’Neal lead the field into the
final five miles. Gill then worked by Barber for 8th
while back up front Lanigan was putting heavy pressure
on O’Neal for the lead. While the lead pair raced
through one and two, Barber’s right rear gave up
slowing him down the front chute. Coming off two,
Lanigan got a nose under O’Neal and pulled alongside
into three. While Lanigan rolled in the rubber, O’Neal
was forced to the infield where he got sideways and spun
as the caution flew for Barber. O’Neal meanwhile never
came to a complete stop as the rest of the field came to
yellow.
While under yellow crews from O’Neal and Lanigan
signaled for laps as the two leaders rode side by side
under yellow awaiting the officials’ decision as to
who went back to the front. Going back to the last
completed lap, O’Neal was put back up front as Lanigan
politely took his place in second. Meanwhile, off the
track, Lanigan’s father was unhappy with the call and
proceeded to throw his cane and rocks onto the track in
protest.
Back to green the final time, O’Neal had a full plate
of Lanigan behind him. As Darrell’s dad made his way
to the tower, the youngster still pressured O’Neal in
the closing laps. While Dad kicked in the door to the
tower, Lanigan made his move off turn four coming to the
white flag muscling to the lead down the front chute.
O’Neal quickly ducked under in one but Lanigan’s
line off two carried him down the back side and through
three and four to the win ahead of O’Neal and James.
While Lanigan’s dad was brought down the steps, action
continued on the track when James ran into the rear of
O’Neal on the cool down lap down the back side. Coming
off four, O’Neal’s crew applauded James’ effort.
Unhappy with his actions, O’Neal retaliated in one
then spun the shark in two.
Back in the pit area after the race, state police and
deputies were at the Neat camps while James’ dad Bubby
and NALMS head man Terry Eaglin chatted over things.
And oh what fun Sunday afternoon racing is.
Weather reports and doctor’s orders will dictate the
travels of the PAL-U crew for the upcoming holiday
weekend. Hopefully the second will be more cooperative
than the first. So until then, we'll be droppin' every
hour on the hour and rollin' em around!
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