FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE---THANK YOU CONTACT: BOB MILLER

Strunk, Howard, Gular win BPG Team Challenge. . . .   ~ Billy Decker was the class of the field Wednesday night when the NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series presented the 11th Annual DIRTcar TRAFFIC JAM.  Decker won the feature event in convincing style taking the lead on lap thirty-eight from Duane Howard.   It was a hard fought battle for Decker in the early going, but once he took the lead on lap thirty-nine, he managed to avoid trouble and still be running at the drop of the checker.  Decker had a great night all around winning his heat race and setting not only fast time, but a new one lap track record for the modifieds.  Decker collected $200 in cash from COMDIAL Telephone Communications and an additional $100 from Integra Shocks for stopping the clocks with a time of  14.349 or 83.621 mph.   A field of thirty-nine big block modifieds turned our for the BPG Racing/Chad Sinon Motorsports DIRTcar Tour event with heat race victories going to Billy Decker, Brett Hearn, Kenny Brightbill and Matt Sheppard as the two consolation victories went to Kevin Hirthler and Danny Johnson.   With fireworks bursting in air, the field of thirty-one big block modifieds roared off of turn four to take the green flag.  Pole sitter Kenny Brightbill took the lead and set the pace for the first four laps. The first of three caution flags was displayed on lap five when Tommy Scheetz Jr. spun in turn two.  On the restart, Duane Howard powered into the lead with Brightbill going to second and Rick Laubach third.  The five was racing under a blanket with Brett Hearn and Jeff Strunk now in the hunt.  On lap seventeen, Laubach moved into second followed by Brightbill, Hearn and Strunk.    As the field crossed the line on lap twenty, Jeff Strunk was the leader and collected a hefty $200 in lap money.   All of a sudden, Billy Decker moved into the picture, passing both Hearn and Strunk and on lap twenty-five, Decker passed Brightbill to take  over third.  Oops, not so fast, Brett Hearn found a burst of speed and passed Decker to take the third spot.  On lap twenty-nine, Decker returned to third with Hearn and Strunk now the new top five.  Jeff Strunk passed Hearn on lap thirty-two and moved into fourth.   Ryan Godown had a strong run going until lap thirty-three when a flat tire ended his chances and the second yellow flag was displayed.   On the restart, Howard was off the line first as Jeff Strunk was now challenging Laubach for the runner-up spot.  On lap thirty-five, Howard and Strunk were racing first and second followed by Laubach, Decker and Hearn with Dale Planck now in the sixth spot.  The power of Decker could be felt by everyone and on lap thirty-six, he moved into second and set his sights on Howard.  By lap thirty-nine, Decker was the new leader.   The third and final caution of the race was displayed on lap forty-three for Jimmy Horton who spun in turn one.   With the green flag waiving to restart the race, Decker was clearly in control.  At the halfway mark, Decker was on top followed by Howard,  Strunk, Laubach and Brett Hearn.   The second leg of the 100 lap TRAFFIC JAM went non-stop with Decker on point followed by Jeff Strunk, Duane Howard, Rick Laubach and Brett Hearn. Although the top five held their positions, there was lost of side-by-side racing for positions.   Dale Planck moved into fifth on lap sixty-one.  At the same time, Howard and Strunk were in a side-by-side battle for the runner-up spot.   As the field reached the eighty lap mark, Decker, Strunk, Howard, Laubach and Planck were the top five.   On lap eight-two, Brett Hearn once again came to life, battling his way back to fifth.  On lap eighty-four, Hearn passed Lauback for fourth. For race leader Billy Decker, it appeared to a comfortable win, but like any Grandview Speedway race, the lapped cars could again play a big part of the finish.   Like the pro he is, Decker worked his way through the slower traffic and dashed under the checker flag to score the win and collect the $6,000 first place prize.  Jeff Strunk finished second followed by Duane Howard, Brett Hearn and Rick Laubach.   BPG Racing sponsored three teams for this event.  On the starting grid, Modified Team Captains Kenny Brightbill, Jimmy Horton and Jeff Strunk selected PA or NJ drivers to round out their team.  The end result was BPG TEAM Strunk delivered the best over finishes of the 100 lap TRAFFIC JAM.   BPG TEAM Strunk- Jeff Strunk $400, Duane Howard $300, Mike Gular $200, - - - -BPG TEAM Brightbill- -Craig VonDohren, $300, Kenny Brightbill $200, Ryan Watt $100. - - - - - BPG TEAM Horton- -Rick Laubach $300, Jim Robertson $200,  Tommy Scheetz $100.  THE BPG sponsored Team of Jeff Strunk delivered the best combines finishes.   Six Hoosier Tires were awarded through a drawing at the Drivers Meeting with the free tires going to Frank Cozze, Kenny Brightbill, Sam Martz, Tom Carberry, Craig VonDohren and Kyle Weiss.   Approximately one-hundred race fans took part in the very popular Inside/Out Promotion where race fans could watch warm-ups from inside the fourth turn.  The fans greatly enjoyed the FANFEST activity which took place on the homestretch as the starting field was staged and driver introduction took place.  About six hundred people walked the homestretch looking and touching the race cars and collecting autographs from their favorite drivers just minutes before the drop of the green flag in the TRAFFIC JAM.  Numerous fan give aways took place, Bridgeport Track Announcer Bill Sasser helped with the fan fun activities and the New Egypt Speed Pace Truck was used to pace the field in the feature event.   With perfect weather, a big crowd on hand and many fan fun activities, the 12th Annual TRAFFIC JAM is one race date you'll want to plan on in 2009.