Ponderosa Speedway
Lee takes Ponderosa's Abell Memorial, $3,000
By Michael Despain
O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series
Victor Lee carries the flag during pre-race ceremonies. (Derrick Strader)
JUNCTION CITY, Ky. (July 11) — Starting outside the front row, series points leader Victor Lee of Stanford, Ky., took command early and led all 40 laps of the 13th annual Pete Abell Memorial for his fifth O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series victory of the season. Lee, who lapped all but nine competitors at the 3/8-mile oval, earned $3,000 for his fifth victory in the last seven series events. | Notebook | Slideshow
Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., won a slide-job duel with Tim Tungate of Campbellsville, Ky., with just over 10 laps remaining to get second while Dustin Linville of Lancaster, Ky., was third. Jason Keltner of Campbellsville and Chris Combs of Isom, Ky., rounded out the top five while Tungate ended up sixth after clipping the turn-four wall with just more than a lap remaining. The feature took less than 20 minutes and was slowed by just three cautions, all in the final five laps but none for serious incidents.
Note: Lee's Frank Revel-owned Rayburn Race Car has a Jay Dickens engine and sponsorship from Kentucky’s Best, Budda Bert Transmissions, Junction City Quick Stop and Tim Logan Racing. ... Lee has 2,481 points to lead the series over Tyrel Todd (1,966) and Tim Tungate (1,961). ... Jesse Lay advanced from 24th to 18th to earn the� PPM Racing Products Hard Charger honors. ... The series moves to Bluegrass Speedway in Bardstown, Ky., for a $5,000-to-win event on Saturday, July 12.
O'Reilly BoB @ Ponderosa: (1) Victor Lee, (2) Mike Marlar, (3) Dustin Linville, (4) Jason Keltner, (5) Chris Combs, (6) Tim Tungate, (7) Michael Chilton, (8) Tyrel Todd, (9) Michael England, (10) Jeff Watson, (11) Eric Wells, (12) Royce McGowan, (13) Larry Gray, (14) Zach Carney, (15) Arnie Fields, (16) Ricky Arms, (17) Doug Smith, (18) Jesse Lay, (19) April Farmer, (20) Duke Whiseant, (21) David Webb, (22) Johnny Wheeler, (23) Jake Henry. Scratched: Aaron Hatton. Fast qualifier (among 32 cars): Lee, 13.821 seconds. Heat race winners: Lee, Linville, Marlar, Tungate. Consolation winners: Whiseant, Wheeler. Provisional starters: Webb, D. Smith, Henry, Lay.
