RICHMOND, KY -- Points leader Joey Kramer capitalized on his strong season Saturday night at the Richmond Raceway as the Hanover, IN native captured win #5 on the NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Open Wheel Modified Series tour this season.
The 25-lap A-Main got off to a shaky start when second Heat winner Tim Moore rolled his car onto its side, bringing out the red flag. Moore walked away from the accident uninjured. When racing finally got underway, Walt Neal powered ahead of Joey Kramer, Kelly Warren, Jimmy Payne, and Russ Gabbert. Kramer was able to grab the point on lap two leaving Neal, Warren, Payne, and Gabbert to fight for second position. While the field remained within relative striking distance of Kramer, the racing from second through sixth was intense with Warren, Payne, Neal, and Gabbert swapping spots seemingly every lap. As all of this was happening, 10th-starting Justin Rattliff, 11th-starting Arnold Adams, and 12th-starting Victor Lee were methodically picking their way through the field.
Just past the halfway point, Rattliff showed his strength as he overtook Neal for the runner-up spot with Lee and Warren looking to follow suit. While this foursome could have been covered with a blanket, Kramer had his ride on cruise control at the front of the field. With no late race cautions to aid their march to the front, Rattliff and Lee simply could not track down "The Rocketman" as the Hanover, IN hotshoe brought his Kramer powered Lightning Chassis to victory lane. Kramer's #77 carries sponsorship from Hill's Historic Painting, Supershine Auto Wash & Window Tint, Perry's Auto Sales, and Bilstein Shocks. The win was Kramer's fifth on the BoB Modified circuit this season.
Victor Lee's last lap pass of Justin Rattliff earned the Stanford, KY native second place honors in the Ado's Auto Parts sponsored #4. Campbellsville, KY youngster Justin Rattliff finished third in his Rattliff Motors/Gowen's Auto Glass sponsored Bandit. Defending series champion Kelly Warren of Columbia, KY took home fourth in his Commonwealth Cancer Center/PBM Performance Products sponsored Bandit. Rounding out the top five was local veteran Walt Neal.
32 NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Open Wheel Modifieds signed into the pits with Justin Rattliff setting a new Open Wheel Modified track record during Racing Optics Time Trials with a quick lap of 15.972. VP Fuels Makin' Power Heats were won by Walt Neal, Tim Moore, Kelly Warren, and Jimmy Payne. Dale Meers Racing Engines B-Main #1 went to David McWilliams while PBM Performance Products B-Main #2 was taken by Adam Cole.
The next event for the NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Open Wheel Modified Series is Saturday, Sept. 3rd when they co-headline a program at Sitka, KY's 201 Speedway with the O'Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series. For more information, please visit our website at www.naradirtcar.com.
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Race Summary
Richmond Raceway - Richmond, KY
Saturday, August 20, 2005
NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Open Wheel Modifieds
Racing Optics Fast Qualifier: Justin Ratliff/15.972 (NTR)
VP Fuels Makin’ Power Heat #1: Walt Neal, Joey Kramer, Justin Rattliff, Michael Ward, Joe David Turner, Jeff Johnson, Al Keirnan
VP Fuels Makin’ Power Heat #2: Tim Moore, Russ Gabbert, Arnold Adams, David McWilliams, JR Slusher, Chris Riehle, Chad Scott
VP Fuels Makin’ Power Heat #3: Kelly Warren, David Adams, Anthony Reams, Adam Cole, Jim Robinson, PJ Simpson, Bobby Begley
VP Fuels Makin’ Power Heat #4: Jimmy Payne, Mike Harris, Victor Lee, Shon Flanary, Jason Perry, Dustin Linville, John Cloyd
Dale Meers Racing Engines B-Main #1: David McWilliams, Chris Reilly, Joe David Turner, Jeff Johnson, Chad Scott, Michael Ward, JR Slusher, Al Kiernan
PBM Performance Products B-Main #2: Adam Cole, Shon Flanary, Jason Perry, Jim Robinson, John Cloyd, PJ Simpson, Dustin Linville, Bobby Begley, Phillip Carpenter
A-Main: Joey Kramer, Victor Lee, Justin Rattliff, Kelly Warren, Walt Neal, Arnold Adams, Joe David Turner, David Adams, Chris Riehle, Mike Harris, Anthony Reams, Michael Ward, Jimmy Payne, Adam Cole, Shon Flannary, John Cloyd, Dustin Linville, Jason Perry, David McWilliams, Russ Gabbert, Jim Robinson, Tim Moore
