Fox Shares Bloomington Victory Lane with Webb and Todd
20 June 1998
BLOOMINGTON, IN - The defending Pennzoil Cup titlist, Brad Fox returned to Bloomington Speedway's victory lane on Friday night with a twenty-five lap A-main triumph. Fox shared victory honors with open wheel modified feature winner Albert Webb Jr., and Gerald Todd, who picked up his first street stock feature win in twenty years of racing.Justin Marvel grabbed the main event lead from the pole, but nine laps later, Robbie Rice charged around Marvel in turn two. Fox, who started sixth, was up to fourth when the yellow came out for a spin by Derek Scheffel. On the restart, the veteran passed Marvel and Eric Burns as they raced into the first turn, and caught Rice coming off the second turn. But Rice fought back in the bottom groove and as the starter gave the halfway signal, Fox and Rice ran the next three laps wheel-to-wheel. While Fox would gain an advantage off the second turn, Rice scratched back in the lower groove of turns three and four.
Fox finally fought to a clear lead, and had opened 20 car lengths over Eric Burns and Rice at the checkered flag. Troy Link finished fourth after starting twelfth, with Kevin Miller fifth. Sixth through tenth were Bill Rose, Butch Winings, Marvel, Rick Hayden and Scheffel.
In recording a perfect night, Fox set fast time with an 11.892 lap and won the first heat race. Other Heat race winners were Hayden and Link.
Albert Webb Jr. outran Don Shoulders, and lead every lap, in claiming the open wheel modified main event. Matt Tiller and John DeMoss looked like they might challenge for the win until they tangled in the second turn, putting both cars out of the race. Shoulders was able to close on Webb throughout the 25 lap event, but not able to get past the Bloomington regular.
In twenty years, Bloomington's Gerald Todd has done a lot of racing. But it wasn't until Friday night that Todd was able to put his car into the winner's circle. After grabbing the lead in the first turn, Todd held off charges by Tony Bezzy, Don Short and the winner of Bloomington's opening night event, Cory Brown. After leading every lap, Todd held a ten car length advantage as the checkered flag fell.
Bloomington Speedway Summary
Fan Appreciation Night, June 19, 1998
Pennzoil Cup Sprint Cars Fast Qualifier: Brad Fox, 11.892
Heat 1: Brad Fox, Kevin Miller, Butch Winings, Matt Booe, Hud Cone, Dave Peperak
Heat 2: Rick Hayden, Danny Williams Jr., Bill Rose, Robbie Rice, Scott Hamilton, A.J. Anderson, Tyler Waltz
Heat 3: Troy Link, Justin Marvel, Eric Burns, Derek Schuffle, Casey Shuman, Kenny Lacey
Feature: Fox, Burns, Rice, Link, Miller, Rose, Winings, Marvel, Hayden, Scheffel, Cone, Peperak, Booe, Hamilton, Anderson, Shuman, Williams, Waltz
WalMart Tire & Lube Express Indiana Street Stocks
Heat 1: Joe Lucas, Michael Vest, Gerald Todd, J.D. Francis, Steve Hawkins
Heat 2: Cory Brown, Michael Purtlebaugh, Don Paugh, Marty Cooper, Steve Gilbert
Heat 3: Tony Bezzy, Don Short, Brandon Short, Perry Bruce, Greg Miller
B Main: Don Bush, Roy Bruce Jr., Steve Hollars
Feature: Todd, Brown, Purtlebaugh, Lucas, Francis, Gilbert, Cooper, D. Short, B. Short, Bush, P. Bruce, Bezzy, Hollars, Vest, Hawkins, Miller, Amick, R. Bruce
Open Wheel Modifieds
Heat 1: Matt Tiller, John DeMoss, Albert Webb Jr., Ray Humphrey, Rob Brickett
Heat 2: Mike Bowersox, Richie Lex, Sonny Richardson, Rodney Harris Jr., Deron Freeman
Heat 3: Brad Thrasher, Don Shoulders, Tommy Welin, Bret Barr, Jim Reynolds
B Main: Troy Jarvis, John Davis, Brad Cummings, Brent Londree, Robin Freeman
Feature: Webb, Shoulders, Richardson, Brickett, Harris, Jarvis, Londree, Cummings, Reynolds, D. Freeman, R. Freeman, Lex, Bowsersox, Thrasher, Barr, DeMoss, Tiller, Welin, Humphrey, Davis
