While Michael England nabbed night #1 of the O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series’ weekend double-header at Florence, night #2 fell victim to Mother Nature. Track and Series officials have announced that the 31st Annual Spring 50 has been rescheduled for Wednesday, July 11th. The midweek spectacular will pay $5000 to win.
O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series officials have also announced a change to the points structure for 2007. For the entire season, the top five qualifiers in Racing Optics Time Trials will receive championship points whether the drivers is an O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series member or not. The fastest qualifier will receive 10 points, second fastest qualifier 8 points, third fastest 6 points, fourth fastest 4 points, and fifth fastest 2 points. That same points scale of 10-8-6-4-2 will also be award to the top five finishers of the Mason Racin’/Arizona Sport Shirts Heats, as well.
“By awarding drivers points for qualifying, ” said Series Director Spencer Wilson, “the drivers are encourage to go all out and qualify instead of possibly sandbagging. We’re also hoping that, by giving points for qualifying and heat race finishes, this will eliminate any ties we may have in Championship standings at the season’s end. We’ll still have a tie-breaker in place, but hopefully it can now be settled within a couple points. “
In addition to awarding points to the top five drivers in qualifying and heat races, the nation’s most competitive regional racing Series has also slightly altered their racing format for the 2007 season.
“In years past, after qualifying, we’ve always inverted the top four in each heat, ” Wilson stated. “This year, the fast qualifier will pick one of four envelopes. Inside each envelope is a different number, one through four. Whatever number is inside the envelope is the number of cars we will invert in each heat. So if the fast qualifier opens the envelope with a ‘four’ in it, we’ll invert the top four in each heat. If he draws the envelope with a ‘one’ in it, we’ll start the heat heads-up, and so on. As we have done in the past, all heat race winners will continue to draw for their starting spot in the feature. “
The new format and points procedures, implemented at the first race of the season last Friday at Florence, received a thunderous ovation from the fans, especially when fast qualifier Matt Miller drew the envelope with a ‘four’ in it.
The O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series presented by Arizona Sport Shirts returns to action this weekend in the Hoosier State. Friday night, the Series will make its first ever appearance at the Twin Cities Raceway Park for a $3000 to win show. Saturday night, the BoB boys head over to Brownstown Speedway for the 24th Annual Hoosier Dirt Classic paying $4000 to win.
Heading in the weekend double-header, Glasgow, KY’s leads the 2007 O’Reilly NARA Battle of the Bluegrass points over Jerry Rice, Matt Miller, Mike Marlar, and Victor Lee. England, the 2005 winner of the Possum Town Grand Prix, notched his first ever Series win last Friday in the Spring 50 Tune-Up at Florence Speedway.
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