CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM THE BLUEGRASS BASH
By Chris Tilley
Nebo, Ky; Jeff Leka of Buffalo, Illinois led flag-to-flag in the 40 Lap $6,000 to win 4th Annual Bluegrass Bash Presented by Hassy Chassis at the Western Kentucky Speedway in Nebo, Kentucky on Saturday March 24, 2007. 41 year old Leka went to victory lane as the third different winner of Billy Egeler’s Bluegrass Bash in the Kirkland Carpet Hovis powered Bob Pierce Race Car.
After a beautiful two-lap 4-wide salute to the fans, front-row starters Joey Kramer and Jeff Leka would bring the 24 car field down to the green flag for the start of the main event with Leka leading the field off of turn two down the back-chute, but meanwhile back in the 11th row, Randy Huffman would spin his # 5h in turn two bringing out the first caution of the event. On the restart, there would be a three wide battle for the lead exiting turn two between Kramer, Leka, and Jeff Parks. On lap one it’s Leka, Kramer, Jeff Parks, and Everett Bradham.
The next caution would fly on lap two as Mike Harrison slowed in turn two with a flat tire. On the third circuit it was a good battle for the fifth spot with Michael Coakley and Clayton Miller side-by-side for the position in which Miller would go around Coakley on lap four for the spot. The next yellow would fly on lap six for Brian Bielong coming to a rest in the turn four wall. At this point it’s still Leka up front, Jeff Parks second, Joey Kramer third, and Everett Bradham fourth. On the lap-six restart a five car incident in turn four would bring out the next yellow flag.
The next yellow flag would wave for Kevin Weaver in turn two with nine laps complete of 40. The field would stay clean and green for the next few laps until caution would again come out on the 15th circuit for Clayton Miller slowing on the front-straight. Miller would enter the pits at this point. The BW3 of Brandon Dierlam had started back in the 19th position and is currently ninth at this point with 15 laps complete.
On the 16th circuit the caution would come out again as second place driver Jeff Parks spun unaided in the fourth turn and would tag the tail for the restart. With 16 laps down it is still Leka, Kramer, Matt Huddleston, Michael Coakley, and Billy Tuckwell fifth.
With just 15 laps to go on the 25th circuit Leka’s lead had started to grow to about 12 car lengths as Leka led the field of Matt Huddleston, Joey Kramer, Michael Coakley, and Lee Hobbs running fifth. Caution would come out again on lap 26 for Everett Bradham and Jr. Baige collecting with each other in turn one. The Yellow Flag would again wave on lap 31 for Lee Hobbs getting a little help from Arby Burton to go around in turn two. On the restart it is Leka, Huddleston, Kramer, Coakley, and Hobbs.
On lap 33 just seven from the finish Huddleston starts to close the gap on the lead position as Huddleston had started 14th in the Main and had worked his way up to second in just a short time. With five laps to go the yellow would fly for the last time for Shawn Tolson as Brandon Dierlam had just a little help going around bringing out the caution.
On the restart, Hobbs would make the pass for third stick as he would take Joey Kramer’s position moving Kramer back to fourth behind leader Jeff Leka, Matt Huddleston, and now new third place runner Lee Hobbs.
Huddleston would close the gap tremendously on leader Jeff Leka in the final circuits but would have to settle for second spot as Leka would go on to take the $6,000 first place prize in the 4th Annual Bluegrass Bash with Matt Huddleston second, Lee Hobbs third, Joey Kramer fourth, and Jr. Baige fifth.
Official Summary of Results
A-Feature Finish: (40 Laps)
1. 3L-Jeff Leka-Buffalo, Illinois
2. 18m-Matt Huddleston-Ashmore, Illinois
3. 0-Lee Hobbs-Mitchell, Indiana
4. 77-Joey Kramer-Hanover, Indiana
5. 4-Jr. Baize-Central City, Kentucky
6. 33-Michael Coakley-Mortons Gap, Kentucky
7. 5H-Randy Huffman-Marou, Illinois
8. 76-Shelby Miles-Bloomington, Indiana
9. BW3-Branon Dierlam-Chandler, Indiana
10. 97-Arby Burton-Owensboro, Kentucky
11. 52t-Shawn Tolson-Walton, Kentucky
12. 95-Aaron Ricketts-Fairbury, Illinois
13. 45-Richie Lex-Morgantown, Indiana
14. B12-Kevin Weaver-Gibson City, Illinois
15. 128-Billy Tuckwell-Peoria, Illinois
16. 11-Ed Roley-Mattoon, Illinois
17. 1H-Everett Bradham-Olney, Illinois
18. 75-Jeff Parks-Marion, Illinois
19. 00-Ricky Waggoner-South Fulton, Tennessee
20. 15-Clayton Miller-Elkton, Kentucky
21. 7-Doug Adkins-West Portsmouth, Ohio
22. 17-Hank Bradley-Brodhead, Kentucky
23. 70-Brian Bielong-Summerfield, Illinois
24. 24-Mike Harrison-Highland, Illinois
Heat Races: (10 Laps-Top 2 to Bluegrass Bash)
Heat-1: Clayton Miller, Doug Adkins, Jacob Poel
Heat-2: Everett Bradham, Jr. Baige, Brandon Green
Heat-3: Jeff Leka, Shelby Miles, Kent Robinson
Heat-4: Jeff Parks, Matt Huddleston, Randy Huffman
Heat-5: Ed Roley, Lee Hobbs, Jim Hibser
Heat-6: Billy Tuckwell, Richie Lex, Shawn Simpson
Heat-7: Brian Bielong, Mike Harrison, Aaron Ricketts
Heat-8: Joey Kramer, Kevin Weaver, Josh Belcher
Heat-9: Michael Coakley, Brandon Dierlam, McKay Wenger
Heat-10: Hank Bradley, Ricky Waggoner, Butch Weisser
C-Main (Top-4 Transfer to B): Randle Sweeney, Dave Porth, Mark Dickson, Arby Burton
B-Main (Top-4 Transfer to A): Randy Huffman, Shawn Tolson, Aaron Ricketts, Arby Burton
B-Feature (Money Only): Russ Gabbert, Rob Fuqua, Jamie Cobb, Kent Robinson, Dave Porth
Entries: 98 from 9 states
Overall Quick Time: Clayton Miller of Elkton, Kentucky (19:417 seconds)
Group Time Trial Results:
GROUP-1
Position Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 15 Clayton Miller 19.417
2 0x Jeff Bland Jr. 19.612
3 7 Doug Adkins 19.652
4 20L Anthony Huber 19.848
5 37 JD Francis 20.200
6 52t Shawn Tolson 20.378
7 97 Arly Burton 20.726
8 8 Dustin Belcher 20.915
9 82 Jacob Poel 21.371
10 HC1 Mark Dickson 21.890
GROUP-2
Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 1H Everett Bradham 20.084
2 6B Brandon Green 20.279
3 22s Chad Kinder 20.348
4 12t Jesse Cramer 20.490
5 D8 Dustin Linville 20.511
6 4 Jr. Baige 20.803
7 1A Doug Henry 20.929
8 1k Ken Riddle 21.052
9 22d Darrell McDowell 21.743
10 60 John Wolfarth 21.767
GROUP-3
Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 76 Shelby Miles 20.719
2 3L Jeff Leka 20.961
3 11 Russ Gabbert 21.003
4 7R Kent Robinson 21.149
5 76 Scotty Owens 21.164
6 13 Randy Lane 21.545
7 30t Daryl Herbert 21.887
8 R1 Rod Rhew 21.924
9 0 Travis Kohler 22.532
10 92 Jason Perry 22.757
GROUP-4
Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 49 Todd Miller 20.640
2 75 Jeff Parks 20.988
3 18m Matt Huddleston 21.078
4 5h Randy Huffman 21.255
5 T1 Adam Turpen 21.535
6 35 Tim Walker 21.592
7 54 Jeff Sharp 22.416
8 0 Kelly Warren 22.556
9 42t Miles Thalmann 22.671
10 14 Skip Wilson 23.143
GROUP-5
Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 11 Ed Roley 21.146
2 28 Jim Hibser 21.221
3 37 Jamie Cobb 21.352
4 H0 Lee Hobbs 21.491
5 25 Vernon Soeder 21.548
6 94 Mark Ballard 21.582
7 166 Brian Worley 21.857
8 41 Joe Cox 23.501
9 56 Arlan Coy 23.523
10 N10S Brian Yeatman 34.981
GROUP-6
Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 J16 Jason Lahey 21.185
2 128 Billy Tuckwell 21.343
3 45 Richie Lex 21.772
4 59 Chad Evans 21.775
5 0 Brad Mitchell 22.008
6 80 Shawn Simpson 22.111
7 33H Roben Huffman 22.487
8 7H Jerry Helton 23.089
9 77 Alan Griffin 23.251
10 5 Shane Johnson 100
GROUP-7
Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 24 Mike Harrison 20.902
2 70 Brian Bielong 21.311
3 14 Shawn Cates 21.317
4 95 Aaron Ricketts 21.531
5 11 Andre Layfield 21.720
6 98 Shon Flanary 21.923
7 36 Kevin Hastings 21.975
8 4 Chad Boone 22.384
9 25 Dave Porth 22.728
10 20m Micky Sansom 22.905
GROUP-8
Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 31c Craig Conyer 21.636
2 B12 Kevin Weaver 21.107
3 3 Josh Belcher 21.618
4 45m Wes McClara 29.082
5 182 Randle Sweeney 21.187
6 3F Rob Fuqua 21.547
7 77 Joey Kramer 21.180
8 21m Denny Schwartz 21.229
9 54 Paul Bumgardner 22.365
10 0J Bryce Jewell 22.139
GROUP-9
Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 K13 Wally Walker 22.418
2 25s Mike Sweeney 21.673
3 23 Louie Krushansky 22.249
4 42 McKay Wenger 20.915
5 33 Michael Coakley 21.445
6 BW3 Brandon Dierlam 21.998
7 04A Robert Albright 23.945
8 1R Keith Sansom 22.646
9 78 Josh Lucas 21.713
10 2h Cody Hood 21.568
GROUP-10
Car # Driver Fastest Lap
1 41m Brent Mullins 21.348
2 17 Hank Bradley 21.502
3 00w Ricky Waggoner 21.535
4 95 Zack Fair 21.752
5 25 Butch Weisser 21.799
6 114 Allen Gates 21.799
7 17H Rick Hamilton 22.803
8 77 Allen Griffin 100