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There’s a "Diamond in the Rough" at Brownstown Speedway

Brownstown, IN-March 31, 2001- One hundred forty-nine race cars jammed the grounds of Brownstown Speedway on MasterSbilt Race Cars "Big Bucks Bonus" night and it would be another first-time Late Model feature winner at Brownstown as "Diamond" Dick Phillips of Scipio, IN hit paydirt in the 25 lap Late Model main event. Brad Cummings of Bedford, IN led flag-to-flag in capturing the Super Stock feature race, while Matt Bex of Avoca, IN made it two in a row in Bomber division action.

Jim Curry would take the initial lead in the Late Model feature, with Mike Jewell, Kevin Claycomb, Timmy Yeager, and Rick Aukland in pursuit. Jewell would take the point on lap 2 with an upstairs pass of Curry in turn four, while Tim Prince shot past both Yeager and Aukland to go to fourth. Jewell would begin to pull away quickly, while Phillips would come to fourth on lap 4. Aukland would grab fifth from Yeager one circuit later, as Prince now pressured Yeager for fifth after slipping in turn two the previous lap. As Jewell continued his torrid romp at the point, Claycomb was now barking at Curry’s backdoor for second on lap 8 and after going side-by-side for the spot on lap 9, Claycomb would grab the runner-up spot off of turn two on lap 10. Phillips was also beginning to flex some muscle at this point as he would scoot by Curry for third on lap 12. As the field saw the halfway indicator, Jewell began the process of lapping backmarkers, while Aukland and first-time visitor Darren Miller waged war for the fifth spot. Disaster would strike Jewell on lap 17 as he would loop his mount getting into turn three while attempting to lap slower traffic and effectively seeing the $5,000 MasterSbilt bonus slip away. The restart would have Claycomb as the leader, with Phillps, Aukland, Curry, and Miller in tow. While Phillips began to mount a charge on Claycomb for the lead, Prince would battle Miller for the fifth spot and would get the position on lap 20. Phillips would pull alongside of Claycomb exiting turn two on lap 23 and would snatch the lead away exiting turn four. Ernie Barrow would bring out the final caution with 24 laps completed after spinning in turn three, setting up a one lap shootout to the finish. "DDP" would sprint away and take his first-ever Brownstown Late Model win in his Columbus Bowling Center, Caddies Pub and Eatery, Texas Roadhouse, All Will County Auto Wreckers, Hixson Race Engines, C.J. Rayburn Race Cars #11. Claycomb would claim the runner-up spot, with Aukland taking third. Curry and Prince would complete the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Miller, Yeager, 17th place starter Steve Casebolt, Steve Hillard, and 16th starting John Gill. Forty-nine Late Models were on hand with Curry, Jewell, Yeager, and Claycomb taking heat race wins, while Casebolt and John Mason were consy winners.

The Super Stocks raced for the first time in 2001 and Brad Cummings made this one a yawner as he motored away from the field and led all 20 laps of the Super Stock main event. Cummings victory came aboard his Cycle Shack, Indiana Stone Works, Stone City Ironworks, Tri-County Rental, Terry Cummings Race Engines, Hobbs Chassis #71. Rick Hines would come home in the second spot, with Greg O’Neill charging from 12th to finish third. Jay Deckard and Tim Clark rounded out the top five. Completing the top ten were Todd Gilpin, Mike Fields, Jeremy Hines, Joe Johnson, and Greg Kendell. Thirty-three Super Stockers were signed in with Deckard, Cummings, Clark, and Rick Hines scoring heat wins, with David Freeman and Jerry Adams taking consy checkered flags.

Matt Bex would make it two wins in a row in a rain-shortened Bomber feature that only went 12 of the scheduled 15 laps. Bex’s win came in his Bailey’s Flowers and Gifts, Tucker Transmissions, East Vending, Performer Chassis, Terry Cummings Race Engines #31 Monte Carlo. Ray Godsey, Jr. finished second, with Bubba Woods taking third. Greg Benton and Robert Walters completed the top five. Matt Cummings would head up the second five followed by Rick Applegate, Larry Harris, Mark Hines, and Bobby Davis. Fifty-two Bombers were on hand with Walters, Bex, Godsey, Jr., Benton, and Woods winning heats, while Clifton Barron and Roger Reichenbacker were consy winners.

The Pro-Trucks were visiting Brownstown for the first time and their feature was rained out. The truckers will run double features at Brownstown when they return again on April 28.

The coming Saturday, April 7, will the 18th Annual Hoosier Dirt Classic featuring the Northern All-Star Late Model Series in action in a 50 lap, $5,000 to win affair. Also on the 18th HDC racing card will be UMP Modifieds and Bombers.

SUMMARY-Brownstown Speedway-Brownstown, Indiana-March 31, 2001

Late Models (49 entries)

Top Qualifer- Darren Miller 15.081

1st Heat- Jim Curry, Dick Phillips, Miller, Todd McKinney

2nd Heat- Mike Jewell, Tim Prince, Gary Burton, Steve Hillard

3rd Heat- Timmy Yeager, Dan Sturgeon, Ernie Barrow, Jay Mobley

4th Heat- Kevin Claycomb, Rick Aukland, Mark Bechelli, John Gill

1st B-Main: Steve Casebolt, Mark Barber, Richie Hedrick, Doug Ault, Bobby Carrier, Jr.

2nd B-Main: John Mason, Jesse James Lay, Ryan Dauber, Jeff Martin, Terry Eaglin

Feature- Phillips, Claycomb, Aukland, Curry, Prince, Miller, Yeager, Casebolt, Hillard, Gill, Barber, Mason, Sturgeon, Mobley, Burton, McKinney, Lay, Barrow, Bechelli, Jewell

Super Stocks (33 entries)

1st Heat- Jay Deckard, Jeremy Hines, Stan Brown, Dale Ayers

2nd Heat- Brad Cummings, Mark Hines, Dan McCullough, Greg Kendall

3rd Heat- Tim Clark, Joe Johnson, Mike Fields, Paul Seymour

4th Heat- Rick Hines, Todd Gilpin, Greg O’Neill, Trent Niflis

1st B-Main: David Freeman, Gary Green, Doug McCullough, Murl Wilson, Brad Hobbs

2nd B-Main: Jerry Adams, Steve Hunt, Chris Deweese, Tom Plotz, Mel Bigham

Feature- Cummings, Rick Hines, O’Neill, Deckard, Clark, Gilpin, Fields, Jeremy Hines, Johnson, Kendall, Niflis, Brown, Hunt, Adams, Seymour, Ayers, Freeman, Dan McCullough, Green, Mark Hines

Bombers (52 entries)

1st Heat- Robert Walters, Jeff Helton, Bobby Davis, Glen Woods

2nd Heat- Matt Bex, Matt Cummings, Mickey Hines, Clifton Barron

3rd Heat- Greg Benton, Charlie Stevens, Rick Applegate, Roger Reichenbacker

4th Heat- Ray Godsey, Jr., Willie Sallee, Cody VanOsdal, Robert Green

5th Heat- Bubba Woods, Larry Harris, Paul Owens, Jason Combs

1st B-Main: Barron, Glen Woods, Rick Turner, Kevin Applegate, Andrew Davis

2nd B-Main: Reichenbacker, Josh Turner, Combs, Jerry Maynard, Fudgie Robbins

Feature- Bex, Godsey, Jr., Bubba Woods, Benton, Walters, Cummings, Rick Applegate, Harris, Hines, Davis, Helton, Sallee, Stevens, Rick Turner, Josh Turner, Owens, Glen Woods, Reichenbacker, Barron, Combs, VanOsdal