(Lima, OH) The [b 10th Annual] Steve Brown Memorial is one of the three most coveted Bud Thunderstock races each year at Limaland Motorsports Park. Darrell and Ora Brown sponsor this prestigious race to honor their son Steve. For the past ten years, the drivers have never failed to deliver an action packed feature.
The eighteen lap Steve Brown Memorial feature started with Tim Bowen streaking to the lead by the end of lap one. In tow were Tony Anderson, Jeff Babcock, Earnie Woodard and Kevin Gossard. For fourteen laps, the four drivers swapped spots corner after corner with Jeff Babcock showing the most promise in terms of breaking Bowens stranglehold on the lead. A lap fourteen spin brought the field under yellow. During the caution, Jeff Babcock pulled to the pits and the restart order was Bowen, Anderson, Woodard, Gossard and Scott Bowersock. During the final four laps, the crowd watched a heated battle between Bowen and Anderson. On the final lap, Anderson tried the highside going into turn one. Bowen eased him up the track coming out of turn two and Anderson had to lift. That was all Bowen needed to take his first victory of the year and qualify for this year’s King of the Quarter Mile race.
The second feature of the night was the Elwer Fence Sprints. Immediately after taking the green flag from flagman Jon Burden, Sheldon Haudenschild took a quick tumble in turn one bringing out the red flag which forced a complete restart. After realigning the field, the green flag waved again and it was Darren Long bolting to the lead and never looking back. Long established a comfortable straightaway lead over Tim Allison who came under fire from defending track champion JR Stewart. Stewart moved past Allison at the half-way mark but never put a dent in Long’s lead. The race finished without a hitch and Darren Long took his first win at Limaland, qualified for the 2009 King of the Quarter Mile, and finally got his season on track.
The Professional Computer Company Modifieds were the last feature of the night. This year has been a battle between Jeff Babcock and Todd Sherman. For the first half of the race, Todd Sherman took his turn at the point after unseating Babcock from the lead. After Sherman’s pass on Babcock, Terry Hull took advantage and dropped his car in behind Sherman forcing Babcock to third. A caution on lap sixteen for John Brooks slowed the field and allowed the drivers to come up with their last-ditch strategy to win the race. Sherman came to the restart leading and continued to work the low groove. It became clear Babcock’s plan was to go up to the cushion and keep the hammer down. Babcock was able to keep tremendous momentum coming off of turn two and took the lead from Sherman with two laps to left in the race. Babcock quickly dove to the bottom to protect his lead and claimed another victory in his modified at Limaland Motorsports Park.
This Friday, Limaland Motorsports Park will hold the rescheduled Run For The Rabbit event featuring the Engine Pro NRA Sprint Invaders, Professional Computer Company Modifieds and Bud Thunderstocks. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. with hot laps beginning at 6:30 p.m. Racing begins promptly at 7:30 p.m. A fan favorite, Meet the Drivers Night will also be part of the nights activities.
Tickets for the Ohio Logistics 21st Annual Brad Doty Classic, featuring the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, are on sale now. Call the ticket hotline at 419-998-3199 to order your tickets before they are sold out. Seating information, plus all the latest news and information about America’s premier quarter-mile dirt track, can be found at www.limaland.com
- Bob Fricke on Jun 06, 2009
- Article Date: 6/6/2009