JAMIE MILLS PADS POINT LEAD WITH DELAWARE BIG BLOCK WIN

By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE – Jamie Mills seems to be hitting his stride as he posted his sixth win of the season Saturday night at the Delaware International Speedway in the 25-lap NAPA Big Block Modified feature. Mills started in the ninth starting spot and took the lead from Jeff Brown just before the halfway sign.

Brown started on the pole and was strong in the early laps. Howard O’Neal gave chase in second with Tim Millman running in third. Mills, driving is own No. 30, was hooked up in the high groove and was runningin the top five by lap two. On the next circuit he dropped Jordan Watson to fifth.

H.J. Bunting, who only trailed Mills by 39 points going into the night’s racing, pulled to the infield with mechanical problems on lap seven placing him 14th in the final results. Mills battled his way past both Millman and O’Neal to take second on lap nine.

Brown gave Mills a good fight for the lead as the two ran wheel to wheel for three laps before Mills took the top spot on lap 12. At the halfway sign Mills was followed by Brown, O’Neal, Jordan Watson, and Millman in the top five.

Ricky Johnson entered the top five just as the first and only yellow flew on lap 18 for Brown as he slowed to a stop at the end of the back straight. Robert Dutton was now running in fifth. O’Neal slipped high and Millman grabbed second with Johnson following into third.

Mills opened a comfortable margin to the checkered in his I.G. Burton Chevrolet/Bicknell as he collected his sixth checkered of the season. Millman finished in the second spot with Dutton coming on strong in the closing laps to finish in third. Fourth went to O’Neal and Chad Clark notched the fifth spot. Heats were won by Bunting and Mills.

“We got this motor back on Thursday night and the guys behind me came down and worked all night long,” said Mills. “We’ve got a lot of time in the car and this thing was on a rail tonight.”

The AC Delco 15-lap feature was a caution filled affair starting with a tangle between the second and third place cars of Tim Trimble and Brad Trice before the first lap could be completed. Both restarted at the rear of the field but would be heard from later in the race.

Herman Powell set the pace with Joseph Tracy running in second. By lap five Trimble was back in the top five in fifth as Michael White got by Tracy for second. Trimble took fourth from Jason Bishop on lap seven with Trice following into fifth. At the halfway sign the top five were Powell, White, Tracy, Trimble and Trice.

By five to go, Trimble was third. White took the lead from Powell on lap 12 and one lap later, Trimble followed into second. The yellow was out with one lap to go for Casey Lynch who came to a stop in turn three. On the restart a lapped car came to a stop setting up yet another try to get the final lap in the books. On the third restart, White went high in the second turn and tagged the outside wall. He then slid across the track in front of the pack collecting Scott Calhoun and the yellow was out for a third time on the last lap.

Trimble now found himself out front and he held off Powell on the final lap to take his fourth win in the Courtland Manor/Covey’s Car Care/Troyer. Powell ended a good drive in second with Trice salvaging a fine third. Fourth went to Tracy and Westley Smith rounded out the top five. Fast time in qualifying was set by Trimble.

This Saturday night will be R.C. Holloway Night and will included the URC Sprints along with the five weekly divisions. It will also be Queen Anne, Md. fan appreciation night with any fan with a picture I.D. and a Queen Anne address admitted free to the spectator side. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. with hot laps at 7 p.m.

RESULTS: 25-Lap NAPA Big Block Modified Feature: 1. JAMIE MILLS; 2. Tim Millman; 3. Robert Dutton; 4. Howard ONeal; 5. Chad Clark; 6. Ricky Johnson; 7. Matt Jester; 8. Ryan Walls; 9. Joseph Watson; 10. Jordan Watson; 11. George Richardson; 12. Craig Ott; 13. Jeff Brown; 14. HJ Bunting; 15. Jason Daliessio; 16. Deron Rust; DNS: Dana Walker; Andy Hammond.

15-Lap AC Delco Modified Feature: 1. TIM TRIMBLE; 2. Herman Powell; 3. Brad Trice; 4. Joseph Tracy; 5. Westley Smith; 6. Jason Bishop; 7. Justin Griffith; 8. John Curtis; 9. Garrie Bostwick; 10. Bryan Applegate; 11. Herbie Hempel; 12. Dan Reidy; 13. Michael White; 14. Scott Calhoun; 15. Harvey Toomey; 16. Casey Lynch; 17. Bubba Sears; 18. Danny Smack; 19. Brandon Perdue; 20. Scott Baker; DNS: Rodney Cordrey.