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BLOOMINGTON SPEEDWAY SPRINT CARS
BLOOMINGTON, IN - MAY 25, 2007
Fans Win! -
Bland Jr. Gets First Win
From the time that he started racing, their has been one thing that has been constant. He has surrounded himself with the best equipment and people available. At the end of last season Jeff ran a sprint race or two in order to determine whether or not that should be the next move up in his racing career. Apparently the program was a go; because he rolled onto the track in April with a first class car and engine. And, Daryl Tate, one of the best wrenches in the business, making it all work.
Jeff failed to make the feature in the Elliottbrand Clash. However, there were a lot of very experienced sprint car racers, including some USAC regulars who didn't make that show. Last Friday night against another tough field of cars, Jeff went home with a top ten finish. The third time out was a charm for Jeff. He started eighth in his heat race; and he finished second behind Brady Short who started fourth. And, Short outran USAC's best on Tuesday night at Twin Cities.
Danny Holtsclaw started the Safety-Kleen Systems sprint car feature on the pole and took the lead when the green flag dropped. Jeff, who started, third passed Bobby Stines to take second place on the sixth circuit. Holtsclaw and Bland battle for the lead until lap 14 when Bland found his way past Holtsclaw. Jimmy Light followed Bland past Holtsclaw. On lap 20, Light spun out trying to take the lead from Bland. Outside front row starter Bobby Stines then began his struggle with Bland. He too failed to oust Bland from the lead..Stines certainly kept Bland honest; but Jeff was not going to be beaten last night. To score a feature win on his fourth time out in a sprint car on the red clay is a remarkable feat. If he continues to progress at the rate that he's going, there is no telling where his career might go. There was certainly a jubilant Jeff Bland, Jr. in victory lane led by Daryl Tate.
Bobby Stines held on to finish second with Kent Christian, Brady Short, and Jon Sciscoe rounding out the top five.
In the most serious incident of the night, Chad Boat, son of Indianapolis 500 veteran Billy Boat, tangled with a heavy cushion on lap 7 and ended his evening tumbling past the flag stand.
In preliminary action, Bobby Stines, Chris Babcock, and Brady Short won the heat races while Chad Boat prevailed in the "B" feature. A week after becoming the first woman to win a race on the red clay of Bloomington Speedway, Arin McIntosh started 18th and finished ninth to earn hard charger honors.
SAFETY—KLEEN SPRINT CARS --
AUTO HEAVEN HEAT 1: 1.(7) Bobby Stines, 2.(8) Danny Holtsclaw, 3.(8) Kent Christian, 4.(2) Ty Deckard, 5.(5) Chad Boespflug, 6.(6) A.J. Martin, 7.(4) Chad Boat, 8.(3) Kenny Carmichael, Jr., 9.(9) Dave Peperak, 10.(1) Lee Stark
MONROE COUNTY SERVPRO HEAT 2: 1.(2) Chris Babcock, 2.(4) John Paynter, 3.(5) Jon Sciscoe, 4.(7) Cole Whitt, 5.(9) Derek Franks, 6.(1) Arin McIntosh, 7.(6) Blake Fitzpatrick, 8.(3) A.J. Clark, 9.(8) Joe Gilbert
WALNUT STREET AUTO SALES/CAMPUS RENTAL HEAT 3: 1.(4) Brady Short, 2.(8) Jeff Bland, Jr., 3.(7) Jimmy Light, 4.(2) Geoff Dodge, 5.(6) Kenny Biro, 6.(5) Eric Smith, 7.(1) Miranda Throckmorton, 8.(9) Ricky Williams, 9.(3) Kenny Carmichael
JB SALVAGE/WEST SIDE AUTO PARTS “B” FEATURE: 1.(4) Chad Boat, 2.(5) Blake Fitzpatrick, 3.(2) Arin McIntosh, 4.(1) A.J. Martin, 5.(3) Eric Smith, 6.(7) Kenny Carmichael, Jr., 7.(9) Ricky Williams, 8.(13) Lee Stark, 9.(8) A.J. Clark, 10.(10) Dave Peperak, 11.(6) Miranda Throckmorton, 12.(12) Kenny Carmichael
ROOTS RV FEATURE: 1.(3) 21s Jeff Bland, Jr., 2.(2) 9 Bobby Stines, 3.(7) 11P Kent Christian, 4.(6) 36 Brady Short, 5.(8) 7 Jon Sciscoe, 6.(11) 29w Cole Whitt, 7.(10) 48 Ty Deckard, 8.(15) 22B Kenny Biro, 9.(18) 34m Arin McIntosh, 10.(17) 10F Blake Fitzpatrick, 11.(20) 14 Eric Smith, 12.(19) 70 A.J. Martin, 13.(14) 77 Derek Franks, 14.(12) 7M Geoff Dodge, 15.(5) 35 Chris Babcock, 16.(4) 23 John Paynter, 17.(9) 23x Jimmy Light, 18.(1) 3 Danny Holtsclaw, 19.(13) 90 Chad Boespflug, 20.(16) 30 Chad Boat Lap Leaders: Danny Holtsclaw (1-13), Jeff Bland, Jr. (14-25)
Sprint Mart Hard Charger Award: Arin McIntosh
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