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Turn Back the Clock: 5/5/01 Balzano wins UDTRA @ KC
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courtesy of udtra.com through the wayback machine
BALZANO TAKES FIRST CAREER UDTRA WIN ON FAMILIAR GROUND AT K-C RACEWAY
CHILLICOTHE, OH – Mike Balzano of Parkersburg, WV took his first career United Dirt Track Racing Association Pro DirtCar Series victory on Saturday night in the 50-lap main event at K-C Raceway after a late-race duel with Davey Johnson of Greensburg, PA.
Balzano wove his Eddie’s Auto Parts Rocket/Russell Baker Monte Carlo through lapped traffic while being challenged by Johnson in the Rocket Chassis Rocket/Draime Monte Carlo during the closing laps. Balzano was the 12th different winner in the first 14 events of the UDTRA Pro DirtCar season.
"I was running well on the top, and when I had to go low, I knew Davey was there because that’s where he likes to run this place," Balzano said. "Once I got around lapped traffic, I could get back to the groove where I worked best, and I didn’t see Davey after that."
Balzano may not have seen Johnson, but he was there right on his back bumper right to the checkered flag. Johnson had to settle for second, with third going to UDTRA point leader Rick Eckert of York, PA in the Raye Vest Rocket/Cornett Mustang. Eckert now holds a 106 point lead over Steve Francis of Ashland, KY.
Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, WI finished fourth in the Parker Store Mastersbilt/Pro Power Monte Carlo, and Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, WV was fifth in the Simonton Windows/Poske’s Performance Monte Carlo. Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC brought his English Mountain Spring Water/Easy Care GRT/Cornett Taurus home in the sixth spot.
Francis finished seventh in the Valvoline/Mopar Performance Rocket/Stanton Dodge, his 13th top ten finish in the first 14 2001 UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series events. The 1999 UDTRA Champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA led a three-way tie for the JE Pistons Hard Charger of the Race Award with an eighth-place finish after starting 16th.
The 1997 UDTRA Champion Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR changed car makes for a ninth-place showing in the Petroff Towing/J&J Steel Rayburn/Clements Taurus. Defending and four-time UDTRA Champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN was the second driver sharing the JE Pistons Hard Charger Award rounding out the top ten after starting his Miller Brothers Coal Warrior/Custom Mustang in the 18th position.
The 1996 UDTRA Champion Freddy Smith of Knoxville, TN started his Christenberry Trucking and Farms GRT/Custom Monte Carlo from the 23rd spot and finished 15th to be the third driver to earn the JE Pistons Hard Charger Award.
The race was slowed by just two caution flags, and all 24 cars that started the race, finished the event with 21 cars on the lead lap, and three cars only one lap down.
The start of the race was a mad dash as outside front row starter Jackie Boggs of Grayson, KY took the lead in his McDonalds Swartz/T&H Monte Carlo followed by fourth starting Shannon Babb of Decatur, IL, third starting Balzano, polesitter R.J. Conley of Wheelersburg, OH in the Conley Trucking Rocket/Draime Grand Prix, and fifth starting Johnson.
Before the race, Boggs, who was the Friday night UDTRA winner in Prestonsburg, KY, knew his chances of winning two in a row would be told in the opening laps of the race.
"I hope we’ve picked the tire compound we need for the race," Boggs said. "I’ll know in the first ten laps if it is the right one."
With Boggs out front, Balzano moved up to second on lap seven, and challenged Boggs for the point on lap nine. For the first ten laps, Boggs ran the outside line of the 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval, while Balzano took the high line. On lap 11, Boggs went inside, and Balzano tried the outside.
While Balzano rode the outside, Johnson had moved up to third on lap 12, and was challenging Balzano for second spot. For three laps, Boggs, Balzano and Johnson battled three-wide for the lead.
Boggs got the answer to his tire selection on lap 15, as he slowed with a shreaded right-rear tire, and Johnson went by Balzano and Boggs to take the lead. Balzano got a break when the caution flag came out for Boggs, and when the cars lined up for the restart the way they were running on the last completed lap, Balzano was in the lead followed by Johnson, Babb, Eckert, and Mars.
By lap 20 after the restart, Balzano and Johnson had pulled away from Babb and Eckert, who were battling side-by-side for third spot. On lap 28, Babb took a wild ride off the second turn banking into the darkness outside K-C Raceway. Babb couldn’t get back on the track during caution because the backstretch banking outside the track is too steep. Babb had to take the scenic route.
"I had to get on the road outside the track that leads to the pit gate," Babb said. "I was hoping they wouldn’t charge me a second time to go through the pit gate." Babb was able to continue in the Car City Co. Rayburn/(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)ens Monte Carlo.
After the restart for Babb’s caution flag, it wasn’t until lap 36 that Balzano and Johnson caught up to the cars on the tail of the lead lap. When Balzano had to go to the inside groove to lap cars, Johnson could close in, but didn’t have enough room to challenge for the lead.
Johnson had another opportunity to get inside Balzano in lapped traffic on lap 45. Johnson got under Balzano, but Balzano cleared the traffic before Johnson could get past, and then got back in his groove to collect the $10,000 top prize.
Balzano also won the third heat race to collect the $100 JE Pistons Bonus Award. R.J. Conley was the fast qualifier among the 42 entrants with a lap in 13.800 seconds for an average speed of 97.826 miles per hour. Conley also won the first heat and the $50 Scott Performance Wire Bonus Award. Boggs won the second 12-lap Borla Performance Heat Race, and Babb won the fourth heat.
Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH won the Renegade Transporters 1st 12-lap Consolation Race in the McCullough Motorsports Rayburn/Pro Power Grand Prix. Bloomquist won the Polaris ATVs 2nd 12-lap Consolation Race.
The next three events for the UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series will be a part of the Great Plains Tour. The tour begins on May 15 at West Liberty Raceway in West Liberty, IA for a 50-lap $10,000-to-win main event. The next stop is the Dakota State Fairgrounds Speedway in Huron, SD on May 18-19 for a 100-lap $20,000-to-win main event.
The UDTRA Great Plains Tour winds up in Lincoln, NE on May 22 at Eagle Raceway for a 50-lap $10,000-to-win main event.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 14 AT K-C RACEWAY, CHILLICOTHE, OH ON 5/5/01:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CAR LAPS $ WON
1. 3 E1 Mike Balzano Parkersburg, WV Chev. 50 $10,100
2. 5 1j Davey Johnson Greensburg, PA Chev. 50 $6,000
3. 8 24 Rick Eckert York, PA Ford 50 $3,600
4. 6 28m Jimmy Mars Elk Mound, WI Chev. 50 $3,100
5. 10 30 Steve Shaver Parkersburg, WV Chev. 50 $2,000
6. 8 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC Ford 50 $2,400
7. 12 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY Dodge 50 $2,200
8. 16 17m Dale McDowell Rossville, GA Pont. 50 $2,000
9. 14 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR Ford 50 $1,800
10. 18 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN Ford 50 $2,050
11. 13 114 Randle Chupp Mooresville, NC Chev. 50 $1,000
12. 9 71o Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN Chev. 50 $950
13. 19 s9 Dan Schlieper Pewaukee, WI Chev. 50 $1,500
14. 11 71d Delmas Conley Wheelersburg, OH Chev. 50 $875
15. 23 00 Freddy Smith Knoxville, TN Chev. 50 $1,450
16. 1 71c R.J. Conley Wheelersburg, OH Pont. 50 $875
17. 22 7 Matt Miller Toledo, OH Pont. 50 $800
18. 15 32 Bob Pierce Oakwood, IL Chev. 50 $750
19. 21 26 Steve Boley West Liberty, IA Ford 50 $700
20. 17 99 Donnie Moran Dresden, OH Pont. 50 $700
21. 2 4b Jackie Boggs Grayson, KY Chev. 50 $700
22. 20 6m Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR Pont. 49 $1,300
23. 24 166 Joe Izzo LaSalle, IL Chev. 49 $700
24. 4 18 Shannon Babb Decatur, IL Chev. 49 $700
ENTRIES: 42
PROVISIONALS: Smith (2) and Izzo (3)
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Boggs, 1-14; Balzano, 15-50
LAPS LED: Balzano, 36; Boggs, 14
JE PISTONS HARD CHARGER AWARD: McDowell (Started 16th and Finished 8th), Bloomquist (Started 18th and Finished 10th), and Smith (Started 23rd and Finished 15th)
UDTRA SHOOTOUT INVITEES: D. Conley, Pierce, Bart Hartman, John Mason, Greg Johnson, and Jeep Van Wormer (Promoter’s Choice)
UDTRA POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 5/5/01:
1. Rick Eckert – 2205
2. Steve Francis – 2099
3. Billy Moyer – 1857
4. Scott Bloomquist – 1802
5. Dan Schlieper – 1781
6. Jimmy Mars – 1769
7. Wendell Wallace – 1737
8. Dale McDowell – 1699
9. Ray Cook – 1692
10. Freddy Smith – 1650
11. Joe Izzo – 1464
12. Steve Shaver – 1437
13. Randy Korte – 1411
14. Terry English – 1398
15. Shannon Babb – 1389
16. Chub Frank – 1319
17. Davey Johnson – 1273
18. Randle Chupp – 1169
19. Marshall Green – 1120
20. Earl Pearson Jr. – 1080
courtesy of udtra.com through the wayback machine
BALZANO TAKES FIRST CAREER UDTRA WIN ON FAMILIAR GROUND AT K-C RACEWAY
CHILLICOTHE, OH – Mike Balzano of Parkersburg, WV took his first career United Dirt Track Racing Association Pro DirtCar Series victory on Saturday night in the 50-lap main event at K-C Raceway after a late-race duel with Davey Johnson of Greensburg, PA.
Balzano wove his Eddie’s Auto Parts Rocket/Russell Baker Monte Carlo through lapped traffic while being challenged by Johnson in the Rocket Chassis Rocket/Draime Monte Carlo during the closing laps. Balzano was the 12th different winner in the first 14 events of the UDTRA Pro DirtCar season.
"I was running well on the top, and when I had to go low, I knew Davey was there because that’s where he likes to run this place," Balzano said. "Once I got around lapped traffic, I could get back to the groove where I worked best, and I didn’t see Davey after that."
Balzano may not have seen Johnson, but he was there right on his back bumper right to the checkered flag. Johnson had to settle for second, with third going to UDTRA point leader Rick Eckert of York, PA in the Raye Vest Rocket/Cornett Mustang. Eckert now holds a 106 point lead over Steve Francis of Ashland, KY.
Jimmy Mars of Elk Mound, WI finished fourth in the Parker Store Mastersbilt/Pro Power Monte Carlo, and Steve Shaver of Parkersburg, WV was fifth in the Simonton Windows/Poske’s Performance Monte Carlo. Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC brought his English Mountain Spring Water/Easy Care GRT/Cornett Taurus home in the sixth spot.
Francis finished seventh in the Valvoline/Mopar Performance Rocket/Stanton Dodge, his 13th top ten finish in the first 14 2001 UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series events. The 1999 UDTRA Champion Dale McDowell of Rossville, GA led a three-way tie for the JE Pistons Hard Charger of the Race Award with an eighth-place finish after starting 16th.
The 1997 UDTRA Champion Billy Moyer of Batesville, AR changed car makes for a ninth-place showing in the Petroff Towing/J&J Steel Rayburn/Clements Taurus. Defending and four-time UDTRA Champion Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN was the second driver sharing the JE Pistons Hard Charger Award rounding out the top ten after starting his Miller Brothers Coal Warrior/Custom Mustang in the 18th position.
The 1996 UDTRA Champion Freddy Smith of Knoxville, TN started his Christenberry Trucking and Farms GRT/Custom Monte Carlo from the 23rd spot and finished 15th to be the third driver to earn the JE Pistons Hard Charger Award.
The race was slowed by just two caution flags, and all 24 cars that started the race, finished the event with 21 cars on the lead lap, and three cars only one lap down.
The start of the race was a mad dash as outside front row starter Jackie Boggs of Grayson, KY took the lead in his McDonalds Swartz/T&H Monte Carlo followed by fourth starting Shannon Babb of Decatur, IL, third starting Balzano, polesitter R.J. Conley of Wheelersburg, OH in the Conley Trucking Rocket/Draime Grand Prix, and fifth starting Johnson.
Before the race, Boggs, who was the Friday night UDTRA winner in Prestonsburg, KY, knew his chances of winning two in a row would be told in the opening laps of the race.
"I hope we’ve picked the tire compound we need for the race," Boggs said. "I’ll know in the first ten laps if it is the right one."
With Boggs out front, Balzano moved up to second on lap seven, and challenged Boggs for the point on lap nine. For the first ten laps, Boggs ran the outside line of the 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval, while Balzano took the high line. On lap 11, Boggs went inside, and Balzano tried the outside.
While Balzano rode the outside, Johnson had moved up to third on lap 12, and was challenging Balzano for second spot. For three laps, Boggs, Balzano and Johnson battled three-wide for the lead.
Boggs got the answer to his tire selection on lap 15, as he slowed with a shreaded right-rear tire, and Johnson went by Balzano and Boggs to take the lead. Balzano got a break when the caution flag came out for Boggs, and when the cars lined up for the restart the way they were running on the last completed lap, Balzano was in the lead followed by Johnson, Babb, Eckert, and Mars.
By lap 20 after the restart, Balzano and Johnson had pulled away from Babb and Eckert, who were battling side-by-side for third spot. On lap 28, Babb took a wild ride off the second turn banking into the darkness outside K-C Raceway. Babb couldn’t get back on the track during caution because the backstretch banking outside the track is too steep. Babb had to take the scenic route.
"I had to get on the road outside the track that leads to the pit gate," Babb said. "I was hoping they wouldn’t charge me a second time to go through the pit gate." Babb was able to continue in the Car City Co. Rayburn/(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)ens Monte Carlo.
After the restart for Babb’s caution flag, it wasn’t until lap 36 that Balzano and Johnson caught up to the cars on the tail of the lead lap. When Balzano had to go to the inside groove to lap cars, Johnson could close in, but didn’t have enough room to challenge for the lead.
Johnson had another opportunity to get inside Balzano in lapped traffic on lap 45. Johnson got under Balzano, but Balzano cleared the traffic before Johnson could get past, and then got back in his groove to collect the $10,000 top prize.
Balzano also won the third heat race to collect the $100 JE Pistons Bonus Award. R.J. Conley was the fast qualifier among the 42 entrants with a lap in 13.800 seconds for an average speed of 97.826 miles per hour. Conley also won the first heat and the $50 Scott Performance Wire Bonus Award. Boggs won the second 12-lap Borla Performance Heat Race, and Babb won the fourth heat.
Donnie Moran of Dresden, OH won the Renegade Transporters 1st 12-lap Consolation Race in the McCullough Motorsports Rayburn/Pro Power Grand Prix. Bloomquist won the Polaris ATVs 2nd 12-lap Consolation Race.
The next three events for the UDTRA Pro DirtCar Series will be a part of the Great Plains Tour. The tour begins on May 15 at West Liberty Raceway in West Liberty, IA for a 50-lap $10,000-to-win main event. The next stop is the Dakota State Fairgrounds Speedway in Huron, SD on May 18-19 for a 100-lap $20,000-to-win main event.
The UDTRA Great Plains Tour winds up in Lincoln, NE on May 22 at Eagle Raceway for a 50-lap $10,000-to-win main event.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 14 AT K-C RACEWAY, CHILLICOTHE, OH ON 5/5/01:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CAR LAPS $ WON
1. 3 E1 Mike Balzano Parkersburg, WV Chev. 50 $10,100
2. 5 1j Davey Johnson Greensburg, PA Chev. 50 $6,000
3. 8 24 Rick Eckert York, PA Ford 50 $3,600
4. 6 28m Jimmy Mars Elk Mound, WI Chev. 50 $3,100
5. 10 30 Steve Shaver Parkersburg, WV Chev. 50 $2,000
6. 8 53 Ray Cook Brasstown, NC Ford 50 $2,400
7. 12 15 Steve Francis Ashland, KY Dodge 50 $2,200
8. 16 17m Dale McDowell Rossville, GA Pont. 50 $2,000
9. 14 21 Billy Moyer Batesville, AR Ford 50 $1,800
10. 18 0 Scott Bloomquist Mooresburg, TN Ford 50 $2,050
11. 13 114 Randle Chupp Mooresville, NC Chev. 50 $1,000
12. 9 71o Don O’Neal Martinsville, IN Chev. 50 $950
13. 19 s9 Dan Schlieper Pewaukee, WI Chev. 50 $1,500
14. 11 71d Delmas Conley Wheelersburg, OH Chev. 50 $875
15. 23 00 Freddy Smith Knoxville, TN Chev. 50 $1,450
16. 1 71c R.J. Conley Wheelersburg, OH Pont. 50 $875
17. 22 7 Matt Miller Toledo, OH Pont. 50 $800
18. 15 32 Bob Pierce Oakwood, IL Chev. 50 $750
19. 21 26 Steve Boley West Liberty, IA Ford 50 $700
20. 17 99 Donnie Moran Dresden, OH Pont. 50 $700
21. 2 4b Jackie Boggs Grayson, KY Chev. 50 $700
22. 20 6m Wendell Wallace Batesville, AR Pont. 49 $1,300
23. 24 166 Joe Izzo LaSalle, IL Chev. 49 $700
24. 4 18 Shannon Babb Decatur, IL Chev. 49 $700
ENTRIES: 42
PROVISIONALS: Smith (2) and Izzo (3)
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Boggs, 1-14; Balzano, 15-50
LAPS LED: Balzano, 36; Boggs, 14
JE PISTONS HARD CHARGER AWARD: McDowell (Started 16th and Finished 8th), Bloomquist (Started 18th and Finished 10th), and Smith (Started 23rd and Finished 15th)
UDTRA SHOOTOUT INVITEES: D. Conley, Pierce, Bart Hartman, John Mason, Greg Johnson, and Jeep Van Wormer (Promoter’s Choice)
UDTRA POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 5/5/01:
1. Rick Eckert – 2205
2. Steve Francis – 2099
3. Billy Moyer – 1857
4. Scott Bloomquist – 1802
5. Dan Schlieper – 1781
6. Jimmy Mars – 1769
7. Wendell Wallace – 1737
8. Dale McDowell – 1699
9. Ray Cook – 1692
10. Freddy Smith – 1650
11. Joe Izzo – 1464
12. Steve Shaver – 1437
13. Randy Korte – 1411
14. Terry English – 1398
15. Shannon Babb – 1389
16. Chub Frank – 1319
17. Davey Johnson – 1273
18. Randle Chupp – 1169
19. Marshall Green – 1120
20. Earl Pearson Jr. – 1080
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