H. J. Bunting III Captures Big Block Modified Season Opener Feature

1-5 Results Were:

1. H. J. Bunting III # 1W

2. Ricky Johnson # 69

3. Craig Mullins # 2 Track Fast Lap: 19.857 Seconds and 90.648 MPH in lap 15

4. Robert Dutton # 888

5. Steve Downs II # 12D

Remaining Field Follows:

Beau Wilkins 9, Duane Rust 396, Stormin Norman Short 8, Cliff Foskey 28, Don Hallowell 5, Tim Millman 410, Ted Taylor 45, Jeff Brown* 9B, Glen Reed 35, Craig Ott T10, Chris Glanden 15, Scott Smith 55B, Colby Steele 101, Chuck Tucker 39W, Rick Bishop 62, Glen Richards 98.

Heats: 1 ST: B. Wilkins 9, R. Johnson 69 with Track Fast Lap: 20.25 Seconds and 88.889 MPH on lap 7, D. Hallowell 5, J. Brown* 9B, D. Rust 396, N. Short 8, G. Reed 35, C. Steele 101, C. Ott T10, C. Glanden 15, NS-G. Richards 98, D. Simmons 48.

2 ND: C. Mullins 2 with Track Fast Lap: 19.734 Seconds and 88.015 MPH, R. Dutton 888, C. Foskey 28, S. Downs II 12D, T. Taylor 45, H. J. Bunting III 1W, C. Tucker 39W, R. Bishop 62, S. Smith 55, G. Simpson 12, T. Millman 410.

Beau Wilkins, started on the pole, Ricky Johnson jumps out to take the lead and starts to pull away after starting 2nd. Craig Mullins comes along to take 2nd and Cliff Foskey took 4th on lap 3. By lap 6 Johnson starts to lap cars but the yellow waves for Rick Bishop and Chuck Tucker both with flat tires as they come out of turn 2. On the restart it Johnson, Wilkins, Mullins, Foskey, and Bunting. Mullins moves to take the lead, then Johnson took back the lead all in turns 1 & 2, and Mullins took it back in turn 3 & 4. By lap 7 Mullins took the lead as the yellow waves for debris on the track, restart it Mullins, Johnson, Bunting, Wilkins, and Foskey in the top 5 and 6-10 were Downs, Dutton, Hallowell, Simpson, and Rust. Lap 8 Mullins and Johnson resumes a dog eat dog battle for the lead. Caution out for Tucker over top of turn 4 on lap 9 and again on lap 10 for Wilkins getting around in turn 4. At the half way it was Mullins, Bunting, Foskey, Johnson, and Simpson and the yellow was out for Foskey around in turn 4. On the restart it was Mullins, Bunting, Johnson, Dutton, and Simpson this time. Lap 14 Johnson took the lead from Bunting on the outside in turn 2. Johnson and Mullins run side by side and back and forth switching for the lead but Mullins takes it. On lap 20 Steele and Smith are lap cars battling in front of the leader Mullins giving Bunting and Johnson a chance to move by Mullins robbing him of the lead. Lap 23 Johnson comes off turn2 and almost looses it but keeps in the gas to maintain 2nd position.

1st Heat - Hallowell started the pole, lap 3 Short rolls to or slows on top of turn 3 with engine or tire trouble. Glanden comes around the turn and had no where to go but into Short, with a lot of damage to Short's no. 8. Restart Hallowell leads with Brown and Wilkins right behind, on lap 2 Wilkins, Johnson and Steele are 3 wide off turn 2. Lap 5 Wilkins leads with Johnson taking 2nd finishing that way with Hallowell 3rd, Brown, and Rust 5th.

2nd Heat - Dutton leads at the green, when Downs, and Taylor tangling in turn 2. Lap 2 Mullins takes the lead on the outside groove over Dutton. At the halfway it was Mullins, Dutton, Bishop, Tucker, as Tucker and Millman tangle in turn 1. Restart lap 5 Bishop got a good run on the start, and moved to 2nd. As they cars approaching turn 4 Bishop hits a rut and the car jumps sideways with the field coming straight at him. Everyone scrambles to miss Bishop but Smith gets a little piece of rear or Bishop and Taylor is heading for the cars as clipping Bishop, Smith gets up and in the air making a quick rolling motion over on the roof landing topsides. Restart Mullins leads with Foskey working the outside of turn 2 and takes 2nd, but on lap 7 Dutton grabbed 2nd back to the end. Mullins, Dutton, Foskey, Downs, and Taylor top 5.

H. J. Bunting, III won the 2004 season opener.

The track was good and heavy but really rough for some reason. it was groomed which it did need bad, and worked for a while.