(4/26/03)Bluegrass Speedway "Spring Sizzler" Results and Notes...

DON O'NEAL grabbed the lead off turn two on the final lap and drove to his first ever Battle of the Bluegrass Series win at the Bluegrass Speedway in an absolute dandy.

FINISH:
1 Don O'Neal
2 Kevin Claycomb
3 Scott James
4 Steve Hillard
5 Darrell Lanigan
6 Steve Barnett
7 John Gill
8 Michael Chilton
9 Whitney McQueary
10 Rick Corbin
11 Mikey Marlar
12 Brad Neat
13 James Huff
14 John Whitney
15 Jesse James Lay
16 Johnny Wheeler
17 Jerry Rice
18 Joey Daniel
19 Richard Smith
20 Aaron Hatton
21 Joey Kramer
22 Eddie Carrier, Jr.
23 Steve Casebolt, Jr.

KEVIN CLAYCOMB and SCOTT JAMES lead the field into one and two at the start of the main event while behind them JOHN GILL, DARRELL LANIGAN and O'Neal danced three deep before a spin by EDDIE CARRIER, JR. sent the field into a complete do over and ending Lil' Ed's night with suspension damage.

When the field retook the green Claycomb wrestled the lead away from the Silver Shark as O'Neal and fellow heat winner STEVE HILLARD fought over the hub of one and two. Hillard won the battle sending Donnie O to the black ice and allowing Lanigan to scoot under to grab fourth.

O'Neal then grabbed handful of wheel diving below Lanigan in three and four as the duo rolled to the back of Hillard. Lanigan's drive by down the back chute was null and voided when the Real Deal again shot to the hub of three and inched ahead of Hillard at the line.

As Claycomb enjoyed an then increasing five car length lead, O'Neal and James began to battle for second while JOHN GILL and impressive youngster MICHAEL CHILTON raced each other for sixth. Closer to the front, O'Neal managed to get by James for second bringing Hillard to pressure the Shark for third. Behind them, Lanigan ran alone in 5th as did Gill while STEVE BARNETT moved by Chilton for 7th.

With less than five miles in the books, Claycomb's lead had increased to a half straightaway over the Real Deal and the Shark. Barnett and Chilton still battled for 7th while the Modern Day Cowboy rode his imaginary horse to the back of Lanigan's Rocket. At the end of the top ten, WHITNEY McQUEARY, MIKEY MARLAR and consi winner RICK CORBIN battled for 9th.

Back up front, James and O'Neal continued to slug it out for second when the Silver Shark nipped O'Neal at the line on lap 12. O'Neal's look at the bottom of two was followed by James rolling back by on the rim down the back side only to see Donnie O close on the bottom of three and four. A lap later, the duo raced off two again with O'Neal pulling ahead and into James' line. When the Shark didn't lift off two, a jab to the rear of O'Neal came down the back chute as both cars slowly began to reel in the leader.

As Claycomb lead the field into the second half of the 30 lapper, O'Neal began to visibly run harder driving past the lapped traffic. Meanwhile, the Shark tested the waters on the bottom while further back Barnett pressured Gill for sixth behind Lanigan's bid for 4th under Hillard.

With ten laps to go Claycomb's half straightaway lead began to slowly dwindle as 9th running McQueary fought off Corbin and Marlar. Back at the point, Claycomb's drive off the high side of two was erased with O'Neal's deep runs into three. When Claycomb entered lapped traffic on lap 27 O'Neal was able to take a peek before Claycomb's run off two again pulled him ahead. O'Neal once again dove to the bottom of four to look to the lead and pulled alongside in one as the duo worked lap 29.

When the white flag waved, Claycomb dove to the bottom of one and two attempting to close the door on O'Neal. When the duo danced off two O'Neal found the moisture and pulled ahead while Claycomb slid out and kissed the steel down the back stretch. O'Neal hung to the hub through three and four while Claycomb recovered to finish a season best second as James once again came home in the third spot.

OTHER ODDS AND ENDS...

-STEVE CASEBOLT, JR. pulled out on the parade lap with a broken rocker arm.

-Once again the local government of Bardstown and Nelson County are at odds and are in need of your help. After providing the community with the largest economic weekend of the year last October, the county judge executive Dean Watts has decided that the racing community is unimportant. Tonight, the announcement was made continuously that the fans support the facility. For those who would like to help log on to www.bardstownchamber.com and click on the feedback section or email at chamber@bardstown.com . This is the local chamber of commerce page and you can voice your support to the home of the 2003 DTWC.

-A fine night of racing that saw two and three wide action all night long and just to prove to the anal retentive elected officials that it could be done, the late model feature took the checkered at a cool 10:50 pm.

-And for those closely following the never ending saga of the Fireman's career. The hydrant rode home a solid second in his heat then cabbaged on the leader's misfortune to move up a spot and come home a solid sixth in the main event. Now if we can get the phantom crew chief to loosen him up a tad and get the fire hose to spend some of that mowing money to buy a 5:29 gear, he may just be in the house before the year is up.


More BoB action is in store next week when the PAL-U crew returns to the Legendary Ponderosa Speedway on Friday and the Richmond Action Track on Saturday. This will be a test of the Pond's new management and a chance to return to greatness while the RAT's arena could prove to be contained madness as well. So until then, we'll be anxiously looking for the soon to be announced Joe Porter Enterprises Tee-Ball League and rollin' em around!