Ponderosa Speedway
365 Phillips Lane
Junction City, KY 40440

2014 Media Release #53 (FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 23, 2014)
Contact- Michael Despain (mgdespain@windstream.net; @MichaelDespain-Twitter; Michael Despain-Facebook)

Mike Marlar Banks Ultimate Series 11th Annual John Bradshaw Memorial Win at Ponderosa Speedway

Junction City, KY-August 22, 2014- Ponderosa Speedway returned to action after a three-week layoff with the biggest stock car event in the 42 year history of the facility as the Ultimate Super Late Model Series sanctioned the $10,001 to win 11th Annual John Bradshaw Memorial presented by Sweet Beans and Things and Mike Marlar of Winfield, TN would score his second career win in the event and score a $10,001 payday, the richest stock car payout in track history. Other feature winners for the evening included Ryan Thomas of Gosport, IN in Modifieds, Tyler Allen of Indianapolis IN in Pro Late Models, and Russ Gabbert of Berea, KY in Sportsman.

Rain showers moved into the track area around 10:30 on Friday evening and track and series officials waited out a three-plus hour delay and worked the track back in to be able to conclude the program. Ponderosa Speedway wants to thank everyone for their patience and cooperation and also apologize to the race fans, teams, and community for the lateness in the conclusion of the program.

Ultimate Series officials would shorten the Super Late Model main event to 50 laps and Brandon Kinzer would take the lead at the start of the event, with Mike Marlar, Michael Chilton, Scott Bloomquist, and Brad Neat giving chase. Marlar would close in on Kinzer and take the race lead on lap 8 as Kinzer and Bloomquist would trade the runner-up spot on laps 11 and 12. Caution waved on lap 18 when Tommy Bailey would slow on the backchute with a flat right rear tire. The restart would see Marlar stay on the point, while Bloomquist would clear Kinzer for second, while Chilton and Neat would ride fourth and fifth. Fourth place Chilton would suffer a flat right rear tire on lap 21 and two more cautions would also slow the pace. Kinzer would work past Bloomquist on lap 23, with Bloomquist rolling to a stop two trips later with a flat left rear tire. The restart would see Neat and 16th place starter Dennis Franklin make contact on the backchute, with Franklin rolling to a stop in turn four with right-front suspension damage. After two more caution periods, Kent Robinson would have worked his way to the second spot and would close on Marlar a bit by lap 40, while Dustin Linville worked his way inside the top five only to do a 360 degree spin in turn two on lap 43 and continue with no caution. Marlar would pull away in the final five circuits to score the win aboard the Ronnie Delk owned Delk Equipment Sales/RS Trading/Convenient Lube sponsored #157 Rocket Chassis, Cornett Race Engines powered mount. Robinson would settle for second, while Skylar Marlar, Kinzer, and Rod Conley completed the top five. The remainder of the top ten would be Brad Neat, Linville, Dan Schlieper, Jeff Smith, and Billy Ogle, Jr. Thirty-eight entries saw Mike Marlar as the Revelution Race Cars ($200 award from Frank Revel) top qualifier at 14.153 seconds. Heat race wins went to Marlar, Kinzer, Bloomquist, and Chilton. B-Mains were captured by Jeff Smith and Brandon Overton, while provisional starting spots went to Doug Sanders (series), Brian Ledbetter (series), and Dion Benningfield (track).

The Modified division would race for $2,500 to win and Ryan Thomas would take the lead at the start of the event and never look back as the division points leader would score yet another feature win at Ponderosa Speedway behind the wheel of the Kerry Trowbridge owned Automotive Specialists/Gary Johnson Heating and Air/Tri-County Auto and Oil/Dexter’s Gun and Ammo/Brunner and Sons Lawn Maintenance/Pro Crafters sponsored #16 Diamond Race Car sporting a Pro Power Race Engine. Bryan Barber would take the runner-up spot, with the trio of Jimmy Payne, Dan Ebert, and J.T. Ayers completing the top five. Rounding out the top ten would be Elliott Despain, Billy Workman, Jr., Jeff Watson, Benji Lee, and Blake Brown. Twenty-six entries would see Barber as the Yeager Insulation top qualifier at 15.399 seconds, while heat race victories were scored by Barber, Thomas, and Payne.

Tyler Allen would make his first visit to Ponderosa Speedway in 2014 a good one and he would jump to the lead of the Pro Late Model main event and never give up the position on his way to a $1,200 payday in the seat of his Richmond Guttering/TK Trucking/Wedon sponsored #T1 MasterSbilt Race Car. Zane Powell and Gary Yeager would duel for second in the later stages in the event, with Powell winning the battle for second and Yeager claiming third. Elliott Despain and Wesley Brummett rounded out the top five. Completing the top ten were Chase McWhorter, Austin Tunny, Eric Centers, A.J. Reams, and Todd Coffman. Fifteen entries saw heat race wins go to Despain and Allen.

Russ Gabbert would pick up his first Sportsman win of the season by leading the entire distance in the $800 to win Sportsman main event, driving the Terry Cheeks owned Smoke House Grill and Buffet sponsored #23 machine. Eddie Stewart would win a late race battle with Jamey Adams for the second position, with Glen Hounshell, Jr. and Derek Bottoms completing the top five. The remainder of the top ten would be Donnie Sullivan, Terry Cheeks, Glen Branham, Johnny King, and Jeremy Howard. Eighteen entries would see Howard and Gabbert take heat race checkered flags.

SUMMARY-Ponderosa Speedway-Junction City, KY-August 22, 2014

Ultimate Super Late Models (38 entries)
Revelution Race Cars Top Qualifier ($200 cash)- Mike Marlar 14.153
1st Heat (top 4 transfer)- Mike Marlar, Dan Schlieper, Kent Robinson, Dustin Linville, Jason Hughes, Jared Landers, J.T. Conley, Tim Tungate, Buzz Williams, Brian Ledbetter
2nd Heat (top 4 transfer)- Brandon Kinzer, Brad Neat, Rod Conley, Jason Papich, Brandon Overton, Dennis Roberson, James Rice, Dion Benningfield, (DNS- Jonathan Edwards, Magen Witt)
3rd Heat (top 4 transfer)- Scott Bloomquist, R.J. Conley, Billy Ogle, Jr., Chris Combs, Riley Hickman, Tommy Bailey, Jeff Smith, Doug Sanders, Dustin Neat
4th Heat (top 4 transfer)- Michael Chilton, Skylar Marlar, Victor Lee, Dennis Franklin, Jake Henry, Jeff Watson, Timmy Taylor, Aaron Hatton, David Webb
B-Main #1 (top 3 transfer)- Jeff Smith, Tommy Bailey, J.T. Conley, Tim Tungate, Brian Ledbetter, Doug Sanders (DNS- Jason Hughes, Riley Hickman, Jared Landers, Buzz Williams, Dustin Neat)
B-Main #2 (top 3 transfer)- Brandon Overton, Jake Henry, Dennis Roberson, Dion Benningfield, Timmy Taylor (DNS- Jeff Watson, James Rice, Aaron Hatton, Jonathan Edwards, David Webb, Magen Witt)
Provisional Starters- Doug Sanders (series), Brian Ledbetter (series), Dion Benningfield (track)
11th Annual John Bradshaw Memorial presented by Sweet Beans and Things- Mike Marlar, Kent Robinson, Skylar Marlar, Brandon Kinzer, Rod Conley, Brad Neat, Dustin Linville, Dan Schlieper, Jeff Smith, Billy Ogle, Jr., Jason Papich, J.T. Conley, Tommy Bailey, Dennis Roberson, Doug Sanders, Dion Benningfield, Brian Ledbetter, Chris Combs, Dennis Franklin, Michael Chilton, Scott Bloomquist, R.J. Conley, Victor Lee, Brandon Overton, Jake Henry

Modifieds (26 entries)
Yeager Insulation Top Qualifier ($50 cash)- Bryan Barber 15.399
1st Heat- Bryan Barber, J.T. Ayers, Elliott Despain, Josh Rice, Blake Brown, Dion Benningfield, Chad Scott, Jeff Hamby, Slater Blickensderfer
2nd Heat- Ryan Thomas, Dan Ebert, Cameron Marlar, Billy Workman, Jr., Jeff Watson, Rocky Wilson, Logan Whitis, Jim Haager, Jr., Brian Foster
3rd Heat- Jimmy Payne, Benji Lee, Don Adams, Aaron Branham, Nathon Loney, Gerald Haynes, Jr., Jerry Pyles, Tim Patrick
Feature- Ryan Thomas, Bryan Barber, Jimmy Payne, Dan Ebert, J.T. Ayers, Elliott Despain, Billy Workman, Jr., Jeff Watson, Benji Lee, Blake Brown, Aaron Branham, Dion Benningfield, Nathon Loney, Chad Scott, Jim Haager, Jr., Tim Patrick, Slater Blickensderfer, Don Adams, Jerry Pyles, Cameron Marlar, Logan Whitis, Jeff Hamby (DNS- Josh Rice, Rocky Wilson, Gerald Haynes, Jr., Brian Foster)

Pro Late Models (15 entries)
1st Heat- Elliott Despain, Chris Fair, Sean Thomas, David Hill, Eric Centers, Wesley Brummett, Chase McWhorter (DNS- Austin Tunny)
2nd Heat- Tyler Allen, Zane Powell, Tom Collini, Gary Yeager, Todd Coffman, Conner Meade, A.J. Reams
Feature- Tyler Allen, Zane Powell, Gary Yeager, Elliott Despain, Wesley Brummett, Chase McWhorter, Austin Tunny, Eric Centers, A.J. Reams, Todd Coffman, Tom Collini, Chris Fair (DNS- Sean Thomas, David Hill, Conner Meade)

Sportsman (18 entries)
1st Heat- Jeremy Howard, Jamey Adams, James Crowe, Phermon Stewart, Bo Morris, Ron Patterson, David Freeman, Sarah Patrick, Glen Branham
2nd Heat- Russ Gabbert, Eddie Stewart, Glen Hounshell, Jr., Johnny King, Terry Cheeks, Derek Bottoms (DNS- Donnie Sullivan, Michael Wedding, Darrell Cain)
Feature- Russ Gabbert, Eddie Stewart, Jamey Adams, Glen Hounshell, Jr., Derek Bottoms, Donnie Sullivan, Terry Cheeks, Glen Branham, Johnny King, Jeremy Howard, Phermon Stewart, Darrell Cain (DNS- James Crowe, Bo Morris, Ron Patterson, Sarah Patrick, David Freeman, Michael Wedding)