Muskogee Speedway
Monday, September 3, 2001
By Larry Olson
MUSKOGEE OK. Bill Frye finished out a long Holiday Weekend picking up the
O'Reilly Auto Parts Mid-America Racing Series win at the Muskogee Speedway.
Frye led all 40 Laps, picking up the $3,000 winners check. The win was
Frye's eighth of the season, and moved him back into M.A.R.S. point lead.
Tommy Fulton was the top qualifier and shared the front row with Bill Frye.
Frye and Fulton bumped on the start, and Frye moved into the lead, with
Donnie Barnhart, Klint Pursley, John Kuchar, and Fulton dropping in behind.
A big crash in turn turn one stopped the action, and saw Billy James, Dewaine
Hottinger, and Fulton catching the worst of damage, causing all to retire
from the event.
Frye led on the restart, with Barnhart, Pursley, Kelly Boen, and Kuchar
falling in behind. Jeff Floyd bested Kurchar for fifth in turn four on lap
three. Frye started opening a lead on the field by lap five. Boen slipped
past Pursley on lap seven, then Floyd was past Pursley for fourth on the next
circuit. Frye and Barnhart had stretched out nearly a full straightaway over
the pack by lap 10.
Terry Phillips brought out the caution on lap 25, as he was stopped in turn
one. Pursley and Floyd swapped third on the restart, with Floyd getting the
spot back on the next lap. Frye was pacing the pack by 15 carlenghts by lap
30.
Frye pulled out to a large lead as the race restarted, but the caution flag
fell again on lap 37 as Klint Pursley got into the turn one wall hard.
Leslie Essary inherited second on the restart, and stayed close to Frye, but
could not reel him in.
Bill Frye came home with the win, with Leslie Essary, Mike Bowers, Jeff
Taylor, and Brad Looney making up the top five. Raymond Merrill, Dave
Siegert, Dan Leatherman, Jack Simmons, and Gary Stolba rounded out the top
ten.