O’NEAL FINDS FAVORITE FLAVOR WITH DAIRY QUEEN CLASSIC RUN AT BROWNSTOWN
BROWNSTOWN, IN – AUGUST 29 – Don O’Neal of Martinsville, IN wrapped up the weekend by scoring the $2,500 win in the 1999 edition of the Dairy Queen Classic, Sunday evening at Brownstown Speedway. The win by O’Neal was his ninth of the year at the Ľ mile track in the rain-delayed event that was stopped after the completion of the Late Model heats back on July 17.
A twenty-two car field saw chief starter Rusty Nunn’s green flag, with polesitter Rick Corbin taking the point, trailed by C.J. Rayburn, O’Neal, Scott James, and Jim Curry. O’Neal would snatch second from Rayburn on lap 3, and then take the lead from Corbin one lap later. James was also on the move as he rocketed to third on lap 4, and shot to the runner-up spot on lap 5. Marty O’Neal appeared in the top five on lap 6 and would wrestle the third and fourth spots away by lap 9. With the first five settling into a comfortable pace, all eyes were focused on the three-way dance for sixth between Jim Curry, John Gill, and Steve Barnett. Gill would win the battle temporarily, while "Donnie O" began the process of lapping cars on lap 16.
Meanwhile, Corbin began to mount a challenge for the fourth spot and would take it from Rayburn on lap 23. At this point, James began to reel in Don O’Neal for the lead, while Curry was now winning the three-way duel for sixth. On lap 29, James closed right up to O’Neal, but could not make the pass. O’Neal would do a masterful job in lapped traffic and began to pull away from the field in his O’Neal Wood Products, Indiana Department of Tourism, Helton Transportation #71, C.J. Rayburn Race Car. The checkered flag would see the "Real Deal" first, trailed by James, Marty O’Neal, and Rick Corbin. Curry would squeeze by Rayburn on the final lap for fifth. Barnett, Gill, Brad Barrow, and Steven Godsey would complete the top ten.
The Street Stock feature saw Mike Fields take the initial lead and keep it until a lap 13 restart, when Joey Kramer would shoot to the lead in turn one, only to lose the lead back to Fields on lap 16. While these two battled for the top spot, Earl Plessinger was motoring around the topside of the track and would grab the lead on lap 17. Plessinger would survive a late race caution setting up a 2-lap sprint to the finish to score the win. It was the Seymour, IN driver’s first win on the season at Brownstown, and his 39th career Street Stock win at Brownstown. Trailing Plessinger’s Moose Brothers Racing, Plessinger Auto, Crothersville Heating and Air, Lovelace Trucking #39 Night Crawler Race Car were Fields, Denny Campbell, Kratner, and Al Flick. Completing the top ten were Greg O’Neill, Joe Johnson, Rusty Smiley, Steve Hunt, and Cory Brown.
The Bomber division feature would see Larry Harris take the lead on lap 11 from Kevin Applegate and then put it on cruise control as the Bloomington, IN veteran would pace himself to his second win of the season at Brownstown, aboard his Quality Hydraulics, FX Underground #67 Hobbs Chassis. Applegate would hold off Matt Cummings for the runner-up position, while Clifton Barron and Sam Chastain completed the top five. Rounding out the top ten were Darren Crawhorn, Matt Bex, Jeff Helton, Alan Martin, and Josh Turner.