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Mini Sprints: Chambers Claims AMSA Feature at Bloomington

5 July 1998

CHAMBERS CLAIMS AMSA FEATURE AT BLOOMINGTON

HUMPHREY AND EZZO SHARE VICTORY LANE

BLOOMINGTON, IN- Bloomington's Kevin Chambers extended his point lead in the American Mini-Sprint Association with a scrappy victory in the AMSA feature race at Bloomington Speedway Friday night. Ray Humphrey earned his second feature win of the year in the open wheel modifieds, and North Vernon's Bret Ezzo claimed the WalMart Tire & Lube Express Street Stock event.

On a night filled with Independence Day fireworks, not all of them were in the sky. In the mini-sprint feature, Bloomington's Eric Edwards lead from the green flag with Chambers on the chase. Shane Cottle fought his was from ninth starting position, taking second from Chambers on lap 22. The three leaders caught up to a pack of slower cars as they roared into the first turn on the next lap. When Edwards slowed momentarily, Cottle raced to the outside and Chambers dove to the bottom of the turn. With cars four wide, there was contact and Cottle was sent flipping over the back of the second turn. Although he was uninjured, his car was seriously damaged.

It took 23 laps before Edwards left the door open, and Chambers grabbed the lead as they raced through the second turn on the restart. Chambers explained that, "All of a sudden he got real low in turn two and then pushed on up, so I had to get underneath of him. I think we bumped a little, but I got past cleanly."

At the checkered flag, it was Chambers by three car lengths ahead of Edwards. Tom Bush finished third, ahead of Tim Ewers and Kenny Collins. Sixth through tenth were Nate Law, Scott Williams, Gary Vyse, David Eichenberger and Chris Isenhower. Heat race winners were Mark Newman, Curtis Trainer and Kenny Collins.

Ray Humphrey's second feature win came after a battle with John DeMoss that saw Humphrey take the lead from DeMoss twice, but the passes were nullified by caution flags. The third time proved to the charm, as Humphrey ran the outside groove wheel-to-wheel with DeMoss before pulling ahead convincingly. Humphrey won by a dozen car lengths, with DeMoss, Ted Nobbe, Matt Tiller and Adam Sasser in the top five. Troy Jarvis, Andrew Davis, Bret Barr, Deron Freeman and Troy Woods finished in the second five.

Bret Ezzo's victory in the WalMart Tire & Lube Express Street Stock division came following a nearly race-long battle between Michael Purtlebaugh and Tony Bezzy for the win. While Purtlebaugh fought to hold off Bezzy and score his first feature win at Bloomington, Ezzo had the best seat in the house. Greg O'Neill quickly moved to the front, working past Ezzo and Bezzy. But under a yellow flag, O'Neill dropped out with steering problems.

On the restart, Purtlebaugh spun in the second turn, and running closely behind, Bezzy spun to miss him. This gave the lead to Ezzo who held of Cory Brown and Don Short for the win. Al Flick and Joe Lucas filled the first five. Perry Bruce was sixth, followed by Don Bush, Jack Frye, Steve Hunt and Mel Bigham.

Bloomington Speedway Summary
July 3, 1998
American Mini-Sprint Association

Heat 1: Mark Newman, Scott Williams, Doug Lingo, Steve Noel
Heat 2: Curtis, Trainer, Tom Bush, Eric Edwards, Patrick Haynes
Heat 3: Kenny Collins, Kevin Chambers, Shane Cottle, Tim Ewers Feature (25 laps): Chambers, Edwards, Bush, Ewers, Collins, Nate Law, Williams, Gary Vyse, Eichelberger, Chris Isenhower, Cottle, Josh Walker, David Waltman, Lingo, Newman, Noel, Boyd Wolff, Haynes, Trainer, Brettnacher, Paul Tetrault, A. J. Felker

WalMart Tire & Lube Express Indiana Street Stocks
Heat 1: Greg O'Neill, Bret Ezzo, Mel Bigham, J.D. Francis, Steve Hawkins
Heat 2: Cory Brown, Troy Bezzy, Al Flick, Greg Miller, Lou Catellier
Heat 3: Don Short, Michael Purtlebaugh, Brandon Short, Steve Hunt, Jeremy Hines

B Main: Joe Lucas, Perry Bruce, Don Bush, Danny Harris, Jack Frye

Feature: Ezzo, Brown, D. Short, Flick, Lucas, Bruce, Bush, Frye, Hunt, Bigham, Francis, Bezzy, Purtlebaugh, Hawkins, B. Short, O'Neill, Catellier, Barrett, Miller, Harris

Open Wheel Modifieds
Heat 1: Ray Humphrey, John DeMoss, Ted Nobbe, Sonny Richardson
Heat 2: Matt Tiller, Jeff Miller, Gary Trammell, Troy Woods
Heat 3: Bret Barr, Don Shoulders, Brian Campbell, Adam Sasser
Heat 4: Richie Lex, Jack Taylor, Deron Freeman, Scott Ramey

B Main: Troy Jarvis, Andrew Davis, Albert Webb, Mike Bowersox

Feature: Humphrey, DeMoss, Nobbe, Tiller, Sasser, Jarvis, Davis, Barr, Freeman, Woods, Taylor, Bowersox, Ramey, Webb, Trammell, Richardson, Campbell, Miller, Lex, Shoulders