JIMMY OWENS OWNS RICHARDSON RACE
By Jack Taylor

(5/28/98) The Fifth Annual David Richardson Memorial Race is now in the record books. Despite the weekend predictions of rainy weather, 175 cars representing four divisions, were at Vermilion County Speedway on Sunday for added purses and the 50-lap $4,000 to win UMP Modified feature. 96 UMP Modified drivers took the checkered flag for qualifying as the field was narrowed throughout the evening to a final 20 survivors who would make the show.

Eight heat races were run after qualifying with the top 2 drivers from each heat advancing into the main. The remaining field of cars were left to square off in four semi- features with only the winners going into the finals.

Heat one was won by Tommy Burnside of Kansas, IL over Bill Davis of Chesterton, IN and the second heat was won by Jimmy Owens of Newport, TN over Tim O'Donnell of Champaign, IL. The third heat winner was Darrell Herbert of Greensburg,  IN with Dan Hamstra of DeMotte, IN taking second. Heat number four went to Richie Hedrick of Urbana, IL with Randy Petro of Columbus, IN placing second. Jim Shereck of Washington, MO snared heat number five ahead of Jerry Johnston of Shelbyville, IL. Heat six went to Jeff Leka of Buffalo, IL over Lance Dehm of Chatsworth, IL. Local points leader, Bryan Clendenen of Oakwood, IL won the seventh heat over the 96 Memorial winner, Scott Patman of Freetown, IN. The final and eighth heat winner was Dave Wheatley of Charleston, IL over Gary Burton of Brownstown, IN.

After intermission four semi-features were contested for those who had placed lower than second in the heats. Scooter May of Creve Coure, IL, Charlie Carroll of Oakland, IL, Denny Scwartz of Ashmore, IL, and Don Kiger of Danville, IL were the four winners of the semis and all others prepared to load up their cars.

  A virtual who's who of Modified racing lined up for the 50-lap feature at approximately 11:45 PM. Twenty-one drivers with an accumulation of 39 feature wins thus far in the 98 season, three of them in the top five of the UMP National point standings, one former Richardson Memorial Champ, and representing five states were introduced to the large crowd prior to the start of the main event. John Burdette of Coolville, OH was given the twenty-first spot by the promoters choice and the green flew for the start.

Clendenen and Wheatley paced the field and each looked capable of staying up front early on, but Hedrick, Petro, and Owens kept the pressure on. Clendenen led after 10 laps when the first caution came out, bunching the field for a restart. After 20 laps, Petro had moved into the lead and looked comfortable up front for about 20 laps. Another caution on lap 40 bunched the field again for a 10-lap shootout. Tennessee's Owens made his move with three to go and was moving away as he took the checkered  on the final lap. May and Schwartz were pressing on Petro on the final lap for second. The top five at the finish were Owens, Petro, May, Schwartz, and Wheatley. The UMP point leader was went home to bank his $4,000 check in the Volunteer state. 

SUMMARY

Heat One-1-Tommy Burnside
2- Bill Davis
Heat Two-1-Jimmy Owens
2-Tim O'Donnell
Heat Three-1-Darrell Herbert
2-Dan Hamstra
Heat Four-1-Richie Hedrick
2-Randy Petro
Heat Five-1-Jim Shereck
2-Jerry Johnston
Heat Six-1-Jeff Leka
2-Lance Dehm
Heat Seven-1-Bryan Clendenen
2- Scott Patman
Heat Eight- 1-Dave Wheatley
2- Gary Burton
Semi-Feature winners
Scooter May, Charlie Carrell, Denny Schwartz, Don Kiger

Feature
1-Jimmy Owens
2-Randy Petro
3-Scooter May
4-Denny Schwartz
5-Dave Wheatley