|
BALLOU TAKES PIR AGAIN
by Eldon Butcher
Paducah, KY - Aug. 1, 2008. Robert Ballou won the feature for the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series Friday night on the 3/8's mile Paducah International Raceway. Ballou led every lap of the 20 lap feature and had the MPHG Promotions Maxim Sprinter in a comfortable lead when the checkers were waved by starter Mo Will.
The Rockland, California, driver brought his win totals up to three this season in MSCS competition. The PIR victory was Ballou's second at Paducah this season. The team sponsored by Behavior consultants, J.C. Plew, Inc., and Builders Solutions Alliance left no doubt as to who was the dominant force at the Kentucky racing facility this season.
Rookie Ricky Williams of Clinton, OH, turned in his best performance of the season with a runner-up feature finish. The youngster managed to get back past Kyle Cummins on lap 7 and hold him off until the finish. Cummins finished third earning enough points to propel him into the points lead for the series.
Hud Cone ran fourth after starting on the tail. Damage from an incident related to a false start in the second heat caused Cone to drop out of the heat early. Cone's drive towards the front in the feature earned him the Keizer Aluminum Wheels Hard Charger of the Race Award. Blake Fitzpatrick took his first top five feature finish in being the next driver to cross the line. Kevin Thomas Jr. finished sixth and was the last driver to finish on the lead lap.
Three Illinois drivers Alex Shanks, Craig Budde, and Jack Gilbert were a lap down at the conclusion of the event and finished 7th through 9th. Harrisburg, IL, rookie driver John Irvin rounded out the top ten. John Memmer was forced to retire with a flat tire but his 11th place finish was good enough for the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award.
The two heat races were won by Robert Ballou and John Memmer. The second heat race was red flagged due to an accident in turn three resulting in injuries to driver Kenny Biro. Biro, who was driving the Trucker's 24 Hr. Road Service number 10 sprinter, was involved in a spirited battle for a top three heat finish when his car biked and took a series of hard flips. He was transported to the local hospital in Paducah by Mercy EMS personnel and from there he was transferred on to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN, for further treatment.
RACE SUMMARY
Paducah International Raceway
Paducah, KY
August 1, 2008
Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series
First Heat - 81 Robert Ballou, 11w Ricky Williams, 9k Kevin Thomas Jr.,39w Alex Shanks, 59 Craig Budde, 88 John Irvin,17 Jack Gilbert
Second Heat - 4m John Memmer, 10 Kenny Biro, 3c Kyle Cummins,51b Randy Bateman, 10f Blake Fitzpatrick, 10t Thomas Meseraull,14 Hud Cone
B-Main - None
Feature (20 Laps) - 81 Robert Ballou, 11w Ricky Williams, 3c Kyle Cummins,14 Hud Cone, 10f Blake Fitzpatrick, 9k Kevin Thomas Jr. 39w Alex Shanks, 59 Craig Budde, 17 Jack Gilbert, 88 John Irvin, 4m John Memmer, 10t Thomas Meseraull, 51b Randy Bateman
|
