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ELEVEN YEARS AGO TODAY.........
LEADERS CRASH, OCRS SPRINT VICTORY GOES TO PASSMORE
by Don Hubbard
Muskogee, Okla. (July 26, 2002) - Jamie Passmore of Rose, Okla., recorded his second OCRS victory of the season Friday night taking the win in the 25-lap Oil Capital Racing Series feature after the two pole cars, Sean McClelland and Mike Goodman, crashed on a first-lap restart.
Passmore took the lead off turn two from John Kent on the second restart after the two leaders Sean McClelland who started pole and Mike Goodman who started outside pole made contact heading into turn one. The crash triggered a five-car pileup, which sent points leader David James to the pits on the hook. Earl McDoulett Jr., Rafe Essary and Goodman restarted in the rear, as did McClelland who made a quick pit stop.
Essary, who lost a front wing forcing a yellow on the initial start after making contact when the field ahead of him checked up, drove a flawless race taking second with a backstretch pass of Tony Edmondson on the 18th lap. A yellow with five laps to go for debris on the racetrack put Essary on Passmore's bumper, but Passmore pulled away to a 10-car-length lead at the checkers.
McClelland finished third to regain the OCRS points lead after coming out of a half-spin on lap six entering turn one when he was tagged by Goodman, who straightened him out and McClelland kept going. Unfortunately, it was the end of the night for Goodman as he made contact with the turn two wall and suffered enough damage to end his night. Edmondson held onto fourth. Shelly Ward, who started 12th, passed Kenneth Walker with three laps to go for fifth.
"After I got by the 02 of John Kent I had no problem," Passmore said. Essary stated, "The reason I ran so good was I figured out my problem that I have been having all year, my tire gauge has been off four pounds." Rounding out the top 10 were Walker, Roy Larkin, Brandon Kelley, Kent and McDoulett. Kent, McClelland and Goodman won the qualifying heats with McClelland winning the dash.
Passmore in victory lane
Don Hubbard Photo
Results:
1st Heat
1. John Kent, 2. Jamie Passmore, 3. David James, 4. Terry Henry, 5. John Foreman, 6. James Estes, 7. Chris Pearce, 8. Bryan Plunkett. (DNS - Johnny Kent)
2nd Heat
1. Sean McClelland, 2. Shelly Ward, 3. Roy Larkin, 4. Sam Talley, 5. Brandon Kelley, 6. Earl McDoulett Jr., 7. Allan Ward, 8. Jarrett Lucito, 9. Brian McClelland.
3rd Heat
1. Mike Goodman, 2. Rafe Essary, 3. Kenneth Walker, 4. Tony Edmondson, 5. Tim Kent, 6. Len Larkin, 7. Bob Paeper, 8. David Person. (DNS - Chris Burns)
Dash
1. S. McClelland, 2. Goodman, 3. James, 4. Walker. (DNS - Kent, Henry)
A Feature
1. Passmore, 2. Essary, 3. S. McClelland, 4. Edmondson 5. S. Ward, 6. Walker, 7. R. Larkin, 8. Kelley, 9. John Kent, 10. McDoulett Jr., 11. B. McClelland, 12. Tim Kent, 13, Lucito, 14. Talley, 15. A. Ward, 16. L. Larkin, 17. Estes, 18. Foreman 19. Goodman, 20. James, 21. Henry, 22. Plunkett.
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