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Finn Watson Memorial Rolls at Richmond Raceway on Saturday May 23

 

Richmond, KY(May 17, 2015) Richmond Raceway co-promoters Larry, Chad, and Sarah Yantz will return the 3/10 mile clay oval known as “The Beast of the East” back to action this Saturday night May 23 as the track will present the inaugural running of the Finn Watson Memorial event, paying $2,000 to win for Barry Turner of Century 21 Advantage Realty Super Late Models and $800 to win for the REVELution Race Cars Pro Late Models, along with a full racing program for Modifieds, KDRA Super Stocks, and Four Cylinders, while the Warlock Race Cars Mini-Cup/Cyclone division has the night off.    

Richmond Raceway will present the Finn Watson Memorial on Saturday May 23 and the Barry Turner of Century 21 Advantage Realty Super Late Models will highlight the racing program in a 30 lap, $2,000 to win event, while the REVELution Race Cars Pro Late Models will compete in a 25 lap main event for $800 to win.  Also on the Finn Watson Memorial racing card on Saturday May 23 will be the Modified division racing 20 laps for $800 to win, KDRA Super Stocks racing 15 laps for $500 to win, and Four Cylinders racing for $300 to win.  For the Finn Watson Memorial event, all divisions will utilize the practice/time trials combo format to determine heat race starting positions.   

Richmond Raceway’s Finn Watson Memorial A-Main Payouts for Saturday May 23, 2015:
-Super Late Models (30 laps):  1st- $2,000, 2nd- $1,000, 3rd- $500, 4th- $400, 5th- $350, 6th- $325, 7th- $300, 8th- $275, 9th- $250, 10th- $225, 11th- $200, 12th- $190, 13th- $180, 14th- $170, 15th- $160, 16th- $150, 17th- $150, 18th- $150, 19th- $150, 20th- $150, 21st- $150, 22nd- $150.
-Modifieds (20 laps):  1st- $800, 2nd- $400, 3rd- $250, 4th- $200, 5th- $175, 6th- $150, 7th- $140, 8th- $130, 9th- $120, 10th- $110, 11th- $100, 12th- $100, 13th- $100, 14th- $100, 15th- $100, 16th- $100, 17th- $100, 18th- $100.
-Pro Late Models (25 laps):  $1st- $800, 2nd- $400, 3rd- $250, 4th- $200, 5th- $175, 6th- $150, 7th- $140, 8th- $130, 9th- $120, 10th- $110, 11th- $100, 12th- $100, 13th- $100, 14th- $100, 15th- $100, 16th- $100, 17th- $100, 18th- $100.
-KDRA Super Stocks (15 laps): 1st- $500, 2nd- $250, 3rd- $150, 4th- $125, 5th- $100, 6th- $90, 7th- $80, 8th- $70, 9th- $60, 10th- $55, 11th- $50, 12th- $50, 13th- $50, 14th- $50, 15th- $50, 16th- $50, 17th- $50, 18th- $50.
-Four Cylinders (12 laps):  1st- $300, 2nd- $150, 3rd- $100, 4th- $90, 5th- $80, 6th- $70, 7th- $65, 8th- $60, 9th- $55, 10th- $50, 11th- $45, 12th- $45, 13th- $45, 14th- $45, 15th- $45, 16th- $45, 17th- $45, 18th- $45.

This event is being held to honor the memory of the late Finn Watson, who passed away in April of 2013.  Mr. Watson’s racing career spanned a total of 38 years and the Campbellsville, KY native scored over 300 career feature wins over the course of his illustrious career, including a 12th place finish in the 1976 World 100 driving for car owner Bobby Paul of Danville, KY and an NDRA Invitational Qualifier victory at Taylor County Speedway in 1985 in a photo-finish over the late Wayne Coakley.  Watson was a former Super Late Model track champion at Richmond Raceway and was also named Driver of the Year on multiple occasions at Taylor County Speedway.  Some other notable car owners that Watson drove cars to victory lane for over the course of his career include Chester Nichols and Hugh “Junebug” Rowland of Danville, KY, Mickey Williams of Russell Springs, KY, Chubby Baird of Liberty, KY, Danny Cox of Danville, KY, Jimmy Cundiff of Shepherdsville, KY, the Hinkle Brothers of London, KY, the Hatcher Family of Campbellsville, KY, and Gary Craig of Monticello, KY.  Watson’s son, Jeff, continues to race in both the Super Late Model and Modified divisions at many tracks around the area.   

Activities for the Finn Watson Memorial at Richmond Raceway on Saturday May 23 will see the pit area open at 4:00 p.m., with the general admission area open at 5:00 p.m.  The drivers meeting will be at 6:15 p.m, with practice/time trial combo laps set to begin around 6:30 p.m., and the green flag for the first race will wave at 7:45 p.m.  Ticket prices for the Finn Watson Memorial on Saturday May 23 in the general admission area will be $15 for adults, with children ages 12 and under FREE.  For the pit area, adult prices will be $35, with children ages 6 to 12 costing $15, and children ages five and under FREE.  If a driver races in more than one division, that driver has to buy a second pit pass.  Also, any driver under the age of 18 will have to have a notorized release signed by both parents before that driver is eligible to compete at Richmond Raceway, due to insurance regulations.

Richmond Raceway was rained out on May 16.  Track championship point leaders heading into the May 23 racing event are Victor Lee of Danville, KY in Barry Turner of Century 21 Advantage Realty Super Late Models, Jeff Watson of Campbellsville, KY in Modifieds, Todd Coffman of Parksville, KY and Winchester, KY are tied for the lead in REVELution Race Cars Pro Late Models, Glen Hounshell, Jr. of Mount Vernon, KY in KDRA Super Stocks, Dave McCarty of Owingsville, KY in Four Cylinders, and Scott Crusenberry of Williamsburg, KY in Warlock Race Cars Mini-Cup/Cyclones.

Richmond Raceway is located at 328 Greens Crossing Road, just a short drive from the city limits of Richmond, KY.  Larry, Chad, and Sarah Yantz are the track promoters and will present dirt track racing on Saturday evenings.  For more information about Richmond Raceway, contact track co-promoter Larry Yantz at (606) 510-5331 or track co-promoter Chad Yantz at (606) 510-4836 or by social media on the world wide web at www.richmond-raceway.net or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/308149696058239/ or facebook.com/richraceky of via Twitter @MichaelDespain or @RichmondRaceway.  The phone number at the track for information concerning race events and raceday information is (859) 624-5640.   

Richmond Raceway Current Top Ten Track Point Standings (after 5/2/2015)

Barry Turner of Century 21 Advantage Realty Super Late Models
1. Victor Lee (Danville, KY)- 212
2. Aaron Hatton (Mount Sterling, KY)- 207
3. Michael Chilton (Salvisa, KY)- 175
4. Derek Fisher (Olympia, KY)- 123
5. Dennis Barton (Corbin, KY)- 114
6. Jason Barrett (Waco, KY)- 110
7. Chris Ruble (Waco, KY)- 77
8. Tim Tungate (Campbellsville, KY)- 76
9. Greg Johnson (Bedford, IN)- 74
10. Dustin Linville (Bryantsville, KY)- 74

Modifieds
1. Jeff Watson (Campbellsville, KY)- 211
2. Jim Robinson (Richmond, KY)- 207
3. Dennis Roberson (Paris, KY)- 189
4. Wade Rookard (East Bernstadt, KY)- 179
5. Keith Smith (Stanton, KY)- 148
6. Ricky Brandenburg (Irvine, KY)- 144
7. Brent Estes (Irvine, KY)- 140
8. Mikah Reams (Mount Vernon, KY)- 128
9. Cody Smith (Clay City, KY)- 113
10. Jared Reams (Mount Vernon, KY)- 107

REVELution Race Cars Pro Late Models
1. Todd Coffman (Parksville, KY)- 156
Chris Johnson (Winchester, KY)- 156
3. Zane Powell (Junction City, KY)- 145
4. Wesley Ball (Whitley City, KY)- 125
5. David Freeman (Lexington, KY)- 122
6. Chad Spradlin (Whitley City, KY)- 79
7. Tommy Carlton (Lawrenceburg, KY)- 67
8. Elliott Despain (Campbellsville, KY)- 65
9. Chris Fair (Liberty, KY)- 61
10. Matthew Smith (Gray, KY)- 58

KDRA Super Stocks
1. Glen Hounshell, Jr. (Mount Vernon, KY)- 200
2. Russ Gabbert (Berea, KY)- 154
3. Logan Preston (Berea, KY)- 147
4. Glen Branham (Berea, KY)- 146
5. Jamey Adams (Laurelville, OH)- 130
6. Allen Hackworth, Jr. (Waco, KY)- 127
7. Darrell Cain (Richmond, KY)- 125
8. Dean Boyd (Williamsburg, OH)- 120
9. Trae Soper (Nicholasville, KY)- 117
10. Bartley Grant (Berea, KY)- 114

Four Cylinders
1. Dave McCarty (Owingsville, KY)- 192
2. Brian Ferguson (Ezel, KY)- 184
3. Stacy Harrison (Keavy, KY)- 169
4. Jamison Gipson (Lancaster, KY)- 143
5. Dalton Cox (Versailles, KY)- 134
6. Tyler Hayes (Pine Ridge, KY)- 131
7. Dylan Stephens (Morehead, KY)- 129
8. Brian Thornsburg (Carlisle, KY)- 114
9. Jon Garland (Campton, KY)- 105
10. Keith Gipson (Keene, KY)- 103

Warlock Race Cars Min-Cup/Cyclones
1. Scott Crusenberry (Williamsburg, KY)- 70
2. Jason Bell (London, KY)- 66
3. Tim Crusenberry (Williamsburg, KY)- 63
4. Josh Dickerson (Richmond, KY)- 19