Yeager Takes Home Initial Victory in New Series
Race Results
From: Friday Night, May 3, 2002
McCoy Motor Speedway (formerly Barren County Speedway)
Glasgow, KY
Timmy Yeager of Harrodsburg, KY put his name in the record books as
the inaugural winner of the STARS Battle of the Bluegrass by Arizona
Sport Shirts event on Friday Night, May 3 at the McCoy Motor Speedway
in
Glasgow, KY. The dirt late model event drew a Glasgow track record of
62 late models, which broke an all time record set 19 years ago at the
speedway. Yeager driving the Danny and Diane Preston owned, C.J.
Rayburn Race Cars #19 powered by an A.M.S. Race Engine and sponsored by
R&P Industrial Chimney, American Scaffolding, Central Painting, Lamb's
Tree Service and American Race Tires had a hard fought duel with John
Gill for most of the race. Gill finished second followed by Steve
Smith, Brad Barrow and Doug McCammon.
Gill would take the lead at the start of the 40 lap main event with
Richard Smith in second followed by Donnie Tudor. Yeager, who started
seventh in a strong field, was already up to the third spot getting by
Tudor for that position by the fifth circuit. Yeager then passed
Smith a lap later with pressure now coming from Eldora Million
runner-up,
Steve Smith who was up to third place. With Gill in front using the
middle and higher grooves around the 3/8ths mile oval, Yeager would
take
the low route and that allowed him to close in on Gill. Yeager would
flash across the stripe in front of Gill and take the lead on the
eighth
scored lap and then the fans would be treated to a classic side by side
duel that would see sportsmanship and experience show with both drivers
running hard and clean with each other, leaving each opponent plenty of
real estate to work with.
For several laps the duo would run side by side with Yeager and Gill
switching off on who would lead at the start-finish line. They battled
this way for the next 15 laps with neither driver holding more than a
one car length lead over the other. With ten laps to go Yeager started
to get stronger and would eventually open up some breathing room
between
himself and Gill. Steve Smith would enter into the competition and
make
his presence known down the stretch as he tried valiantly to make it a
three car race for the point. Lapped traffic would also allow Yeager
some room to stretch his lead over Gill and Smith. Gill and Smith
would
make one last gaps effort with two to go, but Yeager held his groove to
pick up the $3000 paycheck awaiting the winner afterwards. Gill's
strong effort would land him in second place at the pay window taking
the Terry Eaglin Motorsports/Rocket #75 there just ahead of Smith who
piloted the C.W. Watson Motorsports #3 Rayburn entry to third. Second
generation driver Brad Barrow of Bloomington, IN drove a very steady
race
taking
the Barrow and Fleetwood/Rayburn #57 to fourth place at the finish
after
starting from the 12th hole. Illinois veteran Doug McCammon came home
in fifth in the R.A. Sparks Racing/Warrior #92.
Completing the top ten were Victor Lee, Scott James, Kevin Claycomb,
Dustin Neat and Joey Daniel.
Official Results
McCoy Motor Speedway
Glasgow, KY
Friday Night, May 3, 2002
62 Entries (New track record for car count)
STARS Battle of the Bluegrass by Arizona Sport Shirts
Top Qualifier: Jim Curry 13.64
First Heat: Eddie Carrier, Jr., Timmy Yeager, Jim Curry, Steve Barnett
Second Heat: John Gill, Kevin Claycomb, Victor Lee, Brad Neat
Third Heat: Steve Smith, David Powers, Tim Tungate, Ed Behn
Fourth Heat: Richard Smith, Doug McCammon, Joey Daniel, Jesse James Lay
Fifth Heat: Scott James, Don O'Neal, Dustin Neat, Shawn Martin
Sixth Heat: Donnie Tudor, Brad Barrow, Louis Brady, Jeff Walls
First Consy: Whitney McQueary, Randy Boggs, Steve Barnett, Doug Smith
Second Consy: Shannon Thornsberry, Dan Sturgeon, Brad Neat, Aaron
Hatton
Third Consy: Johnny Wheeler, Tim Taylor, Ed Behn, Mike Hawley
Fouth Consy: Jesse James Lay, Herbie Barnett, Dennis Selby, Bobby
Carrier, Jr.
Feature:
1. Timmy Yeager-Harrodsburg, KY/Rayburn/AMS Engines/American Race Tires
2. John Gill-Mitchell, IN
3. Steve Smith-Powell, TN
4. Brad Barrow-Bloomington, IN
5. Doug McCammon-Palestine, IL
6. Victor Lee-Stanford, KY
7. Scott James-Lawrenceburg, IN
8. Kevin Claycomb-Vincennes, IN
9. Dustin Neat-Dunnville, KY
10.Joey Daniel-Liberty, KY
11.Whitney McQueary-Dunnville, KY
12.Jesse James Lay-Walton, KY
13.Richard Smith-Science Hill, KY
14.Eddie Carrier, Jr.--Leburn, KY
15.Johnny Wheeler-Campbellsville, KY
16.Shannon Thornsberry-Martin, KY
17.Donnie Tudor-Shawneetown, IL
18.David Powers-Salyersville, KY
19.Jim Curry-Norman, IN
20.Shawn Martin-Maysville, KY
21.Tim Tungate-Campbellsville, KY
22.Louis Brady-Greensburg, KY
NOTE: Don O'Neal made the feature through his heat race but scratched
moving Shawn Martin to the feature starting lineup from the fifth heat
race.