DESPAIN MOTORSPORTS

  Despain Motorsports would like to thank all of our sponsors for the 2009 season

www.lucasoil.com     www.vpracingfuels.com       www.schoenfeldheaders.com

www.stage8.com      www.drarthurhaley.com      www.napaonline.com

www.butlerbuilt.net       www.bassettwheels.com      www.knfilters.com

www.djsafety.com      www.americanracertires.com      www.hypercoils.com 

www.bilsteinus.com        www.fastshafts.com 

Speedecals Racing Graphics,     Swafford Signs,    Poor Boys Sports Bar & Grill,

Chandler Electric ,     Leroy's Lawn Care,     Bandit Racecars,     B&B Motorsports, 

Dale Meers Racing Engines 

DESPAIN IS TWICE SECOND BEST AND SCORES BEST FINISH IN BoB MODIFIED SERIES

Press Release #7 – July 8, 2009

Lexington, KY – With Mother Nature finally taking a break in the central Kentucky area, Despain Motorsports returned to racing action and posted some consistent runs while competing in the Battle of the Bluegrass Modified Racing Series as well as taking on the local competition at two in-state tracks.

Elliott and his Lucas Oil Products sponsored #75E Bandit modified ventured a couple hours south from their Campbellsville, KY headquarters on Friday June 19 and July 3 to compete at Clinton County Speedway in Alpha, KY and posted their best finishes of the 2009 racing season by scoring a runner-up finish on both occasions.

On June 19, the driver known as “The Modern Day Leroy” scratched and clawed his way up to a second place finish at southern Kentucky’s “fast little bullring” after a race-long battle for the lead.  “Yeah, we did all we could do to try and get the win, but it just wasn’t to be this time around”, said the 20-year old racer. “The car was really good tonight and we have to thank Brian (Barber of Bandit Racecars and B&B Motorsports) for helping us tweak some things. We look forward to coming back because I think we can get that first win this year.”

Still in search of that first win, the #75E crew loaded up and headed back to Clinton County Speedway last Friday, but again left as the second best car.  Elliott raced door-to-door with Michael England but just couldn’t make the pass. “I was better in the corners than the #10.5 and could get up to his door, but the cautions just killed us tonight”, said the main event runner-up. “I really feel that if we had a longer stretch of green flag racing, I could have gotten by him (England). Shoulda, coulda, woulda…we’ve gained a lot of confidence this past month and it’s been showing on the track.”

On Saturday, June 13 and June 20, the Despain Motorsports gang hit the road again to compete at stops #4 and #5 on the Battle of the Bluegrass Open Wheel Modified Racing Series tour.

The #75E team made a first time visit to 201 Speedway in Sitka, KY for race #4 in the BoB Series and had to overcome an ill-handling racecar while struggling to an eleventh place finish. “The track rutted-up after all the rain they had here during the week and we just never got the car to where I could drive through the ruts”, stated Despain. “We know we can run better here than we did tonight and we look forward to coming back in August to prove it.”

Elliott had his best finish of the 2009 BoB Series in race #5 at Richmond Raceway in Richmond, KY. After time trialing seventh quick and finishing third in his heat, the Team Bandit racer started seventh in the 35-lap $2,000 to win main event. While searching for racing room on the bottom of the racing surface, Mr. Despain ran as high as fifth in the first third of race, lost one position on lap 12, and then held position over the remaining 23 laps to secure a sixth place finish. A caution on lap 23 washed out a determined effort for a higher finish as the #75E had caught the lead pack while fighting for the fifth position. “Man, I really didn’t want to see that caution”, said Elliott. “I was right there to make a race of it with Brian (Barber’s #10) and I think I had a little something for him. But, I didn’t get the jump on the restart that I needed and then I ran out of laps.” With the sixth place finish, Elliott made a jump up to eighth in the latest BoB Series points’ standings.

Looking to improve upon the sixth place finish, Elliott and the #75E team made a return visit to Richmond Raceway on Saturday, June 27and while not getting a win, Elliott did leave with a fourth place finish. “We were first out to qualify and didn’t get a very good lap”, replied Despain. “We had a lot of ground to make up through the heat and then the feature, so overall we were satisfied with a fourth place run here tonight. I had a good shot at finishing third but lost out by a wheel at the finish.”

Despain Motorsports will return to local racing action this Friday, July 10 with a return visit to Clinton County Speedway in Alpha, KY and then get back to familiar racing territory on Saturday, July 11 at Bardstown, KY’s Bluegrass Speedway.

If you have any questions or comments about Despain Motorsports contact us at despaincamp@windstream.net