Tazewell Speedway
Billy Ogle Jr. rules Tazewell for first BoB victory
TAZEWELL, Tenn. (Sept. 6) — Billy Ogle Jr. of Knoxville, Tenn., led all 44 laps of the Buddy Rogers Memorial at Tazewell Speedway to capture the season finale on the O'Reilly Battle of the Bluegrass DirtCar Series. Ogle earned $5,000 for his first career victory on the tour as he kept fellow Tennessean Vic Hill at bay through the second half of the race. | Video
Hill, who won the previous series visit to Tazewell in April, finished second followed by Mike Weeks of Friendsville, Tenn. Jimmy Crabtree of Ravenna, Ky., scored a career-best fourth-place series finish while Chad Ogle (no relation to the winner) of Seviersville, Tenn., rounded out the top five.
Victor Lee of Stanford, Ky., was never in the mix up front at Tazewell, but he wrapped up his third consecutive championship season, finishing 24th at the high-banked third-mile oval.
The event was slowed by four cautions, the most serious on a lap-22 restart that brought out a red-flag cleanup period after Justin Rattliff, Tommy Bailey, Marty Calloway and Dennis Barton were among those tangled up.
During the delay, officials penalized the fourth- and fifth-running drivers Rick Rogers, the night's fast qualifier, and Bryan Hendrix, putting both at the rear of the field for rough driving.
Ogle and Hill pulled away from the field the second half of the race with Hill challenging Ogle on laps 33 and 36. But Ogle got breathing room amid traffic the rest of the way in racing to victory.
Notes: Ogle's Mike Kittrell-owned GRT Race Car has a Competition Engine and sponsorship from Calhoun Restaurants, Kilby Trucking Equipment, Grady and King Construction and Gabby’s Alternator and Battery. ... Ogle is the eighth series winner of 2009 and 57th in series history. ... Aaron Hatton slowed in a shower of sparks on the 11th lap, ending his race. ... Dennis Barton spun in turn one for a lap-19 caution. ... Andy Wilder stopped to draw a lap-22 yellow. ... Dustin Linville of Bryantsville, Ky., wasn't in attendance but he had already locked up rookie of the year honors with the series. ... Justin Rattliff's 18th-to-ninth run gave him PPM Racing Products Hard Charger honors.
Buddy Rogers Memorial: (1) Billy Ogle Jr., (2) Vic Hill, (3) Mike Weeks, (4) Jimmy Crabtree, (5) Chad Ogle, (6) David Payne, (7) Dustin Linville, (8) Scott Sexton, (9) Justin Rattliff, (10) Tommy Bailey, (11) Bryan Hendrix, (12) J.J. Templeton, (13) Rick Rogers, (14) Dennis Barton, (15) Jason Trammell, (16) Marty Calloway, (17) Danny Yoder, (18) Steve Smith, (19) Andy Wilder, (20) Travis Fultz, (21) Josh Fields, (22) Victor Lee, (23) Aaron Hatton, (24) Brian Smith. Fast qualifier (among 24 cars): Rogers, 11.080 seconds. Heat race winners: Hendrix, Weeks, B. Ogle.
