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NEWS
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Billy prepping for
2008 season
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- Billy Ogle Jr. is ready for the 2008 season with a new team.
Billy has agreed to drive for Mike Kittrell this coming season.
Billy will be driving a Rocket powered by Competition Engines
with PBM Performance Products, Calhoun's Restaurant, Grady
and King Construction, and Erson Cams on the car for 2008.
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Billy charges toward
11th place finish
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
(March 22, 2008) - Billy made his debut for his new team at
the Spring Thaw 100 Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series race
at Volunteer Speedway. The debut got off to a bit of a slow
start as he posted the 21st fastest time out of 46 cars. He
also finished 5th in his heat, the first non-transferring
position during Friday night's preliminaries. Not the result
Billy or the team were looking for.
Things turned around on Saturday. Billy
started from the pole for his B-Main and easily won the last
chance race to earn the 17th starting spot. Billy quickly
charged through the field, picking off spots through most
of the race. During the late stages, Billy moved into 10th
place ahead of Brad Neat. But Neat fought back several laps
later to retake the spot. That is all Billy could do and posted
a 11th place finish.
Billy and the Kittrell Racing crew
will be at Tazewell Speedway this Saturday for the next AAPTS
race.
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Billy's early spin
dampens night
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
(April 12, 2008) - Billy returned to racing after 3 weeks
of rain outs at the Southern Regional Racing Series event
at Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville. The sunny weather also
ushered in strong winds that made it a tough evening for all
competitors.
Billy qualified 2nd in his group and
was locked into the top 10 in the starting lineup. During
the 50-lap feature, Billy was running in fifth when he spun
in turn one on lap 3. That moved Billy to the rear of the
field where passing was at a premium on the dried out track.
Billy spent several laps trying to get around Brett Wyatt.
Billy eventually made the pass and could not advance any more.
With his tires gone, Billy eventually parked the Calhoun's
Restaurant/Grady King Construction/PBM Performance Products
Rocket Grand Prix.
Billy will be at the action-packed
Tazewell Speedway on April 19 for the second race in the Advance
Auto Parts Thunder Series.
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Billy soldiers on
for 9th place finish
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
(April 20, 2008) - The Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series race
at Tazewell Speedway finally went off after 6 previous postponements.
But a Sunday afternoon race did not make for ideal racing
conditions.
Billy posted the 7th fastest time during
qualifying. A pill draw for each of the two dashes inverted
the whole field in both dashes, which pushed Billy from a
pole spot to starting last in dash #2. Billy could make no
gains in the dash and started 11th for the 50-lap feature.
The one-groove track did not make for
conditions for a typical Billy Ogle charge to the front. Billy
was able to hang on for a 9th place finish.
Billy and the Mike Kittrell race team
will be back in action on Saturday night at Wartburg Speedway
and the $5,000 to win Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series race.
The team is looking at possibly running in the SRRS race at
Crossville Raceway, but a decision will not be made until
later in the week.
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Billy has good weekend
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- Billy Ogle Jr. was looking for some momentum heading into
last weekend's SRRS race at Crossville Raceway and the AAPTS
race at Wartburg Speedway. Ogle had only posted two finishes
inside the top 10 all season.
Momentum did change in Friday's stop
at Crossville Raceway and the Southern Regional Racing Series
presented by PPM. Ogle posted the 4th fastest time out of
44 cars signed in for the $3,000 to win race.
Ogle found himself battling pole sitter
Brett Wyatt for third spot in the early laps. Wyatt slid back
to third after being passed by Dale McDowell and Randy Weaver.
Ogle moved past Wyatt for third, but did not have anything
for the front twosome. Ogle finished third, his best finish
of the season driving for the Mike Kittrell race team.
"We had a good car, but I think
we got beat on tires," Ogle said after the race. "The
track rubbered up really bad and we run a little softer tire
than we needed. It was still a good finish for us."
Saturday night saw Ogle move on to
Wartburg Speedway and race #3 of the Advance Auto Parts Thunder
Series. Ogle struggled in qualifying, failing to make the
top 12 out of 22 cars and missing both Sunoco dashes for the
top 12 qualifiers.
But Ogle picked his way through traffic
and salvaged an 8th place finish for the night. That finish
moves Ogle into third in the AAPTS standings and is 38 points
behind Stacy Boles, the new series leader.
Ogle's next race is the Advance Auto
Parts Thunder Series stop at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap,
TN for a $4,000 to win race.
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Billy posts 5th place
finish at Volunteer
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- (May 3, 2008) Billy Ogle Jr. got closer to a win and gained
some ground in the Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series chase
at Volunteer Speedway this past weekend.
Billy turned in the 5th fastest time
in qualifying for the $4,000 event. He went on to finish 4th
in the 6-lap Sunoco Dash and earned the 4th starting spot
for the feature.
Billy spent most of the 50-lap race
in and around the top 5. A fast race track proved for some
competitive racing and interesting turn of events for several
drivers. Billy spent a good part of the mid-section of the
race battling Chad Ogle for 5th. A mistake by Chad Ogle late
in the race cost him several positions and moved Billy back
into the top 5. He went on to finish 5th in the race.
The 5th place finish moved Billy into
a tie for second place in the AAPTS standings. He is 49 points
behind new points leader Rick Rogers and is tied for 2nd with
Stacy Boles.
Billy and the Mike Kittrell Racing
team will next visit Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville for
a $3,000 to win race.
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Second place finish
moves Billy to second in AAPTS
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- (May 10, 2008) A second place finish now has Billy Ogle
Jr. sitting in 2nd place in the Advance Auto Parts Thunder
Series point standings.
Billy returned to Mountain Raceway
Park in Maryville, TN for race #5 in the AAPTS season. Despite
only winning one career feature win ever at MRP, Billy and
the Mike Kittrell Racing team was optimistic heading into
the MRP event.
Billy finished second in the second
Sunoco Dash to earn the 8th starting spot for the 50-lap feature.
At the wave of the green, Billy began
working his way toward the front. By lap 16, Billy had worked
his way to 5th place. During the last half of the race, Billy's
Rocket Grand Prix came to life as he used restarts to make
key passes. By race's end, Billy was running second to Dale
McDowell. On the final restart, McDowell pulled away from
Billy to win the race. Billy's second place finish now puts
in him in 2nd place in AAPTS points, just 34 points behind
leader Rick Rogers.
Billy and crew are tentatively looking
at the O'Reilly Southern All-Stars race at Cleveland Speedway
as the AAPTS is off this weekend.
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Billy closes in on
AAPTS points lead
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- (May 24, 2008) One of the tracks many of the drivers following
the Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series said would be a wild
card in determining the 2008 championship would be Tri-County
Racetrack in Brasstown, North Carolina. The wild action lived
up to its reputation.
Billy finished 5th in the second of
two Sunoco Dash races to earn the 11th starting spot for the
50-lap feature at Tri-County. Then the action got crazy.
Wrecks and mayhem was the theme at
the bullring as many of the front runners and mid-pack cars
suffered from problems or involved in crashes. Billy avoided
the mayhem to pick his way through the field to post a third
place finish. The finish now moves Billy to within 9 points
of the AAPTS lead just behind Rick Rogers.
Billy now has a new black scheme on
the Mike Kittrell owned #201. Photos will be posted later
of the new look.
Plans are undecided on racing this
weekend. Early indications are Billy and team will travel
to Volunteer Speedway for a $3,000 to win unsanctioned event.
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Billy posts 6th place
finish at "The Gap"
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- (May 31, 2008) With the Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series
taking a few weeks off, it was time for racing with less pressure
than a title chase. Billy and the Mike Kittrell Racing team
hit the road for Volunteer Speedway and the unsanctioned Rusty
Wallace Pontiac 50.
Billy looked fast early on and finished
3rd in first dash race to earn the 3rd starting spot for the
$3,000 to win race. Billy hung tough early battling the likes
of Jeff Maupin and Shanon Buckingham. Billy's tires began
to fade and he lost some spots late in the race. He finished
the night in 6th position.
Tentative plans are for Billy to be
at Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville for the O'Reilly Southern
All-Stars Series.
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Billy rallies for
3rd place OSAS finish
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- (June 7, 2008) A potentinal for a good night quickly turned
into panic at the O'Reilly Southern All-Stars Series race
at Mountain Raceway Park.
During the hot laps session, Billy
made contact with Stacy Boles as Boles suddenly slowed with
Billy fast approaching. The two made contact with Billy getting
the worse end of it. He had some significant ride side damage.
After the crew pulled the door off to examine the situation,
they determined no major damage had been done. Billy returned
to the track for qualifying.
Billy did not secure a starting spot
through qualifying and had to earn a spot in the B-main. He
finished 4th in the B-main to take the 14th starting spot.
Early in the feature, Billy struggled
to make any progress. Mired in the back, Billy could not crack
the top 10. The team decided to make a pit stop around the
midway point to change a tire and make some adjustments. The
move paid off.
Billy came rocketing through the field.
He quickly made his way into the top 5 with a few laps remaining.
He challenged Mark Vineyard for third, but Vineyard held the
spot and finally took second from Anthony White. Billy passed
White on the last lap to finish 3rd.
Billy and the Mike Kittrell Motorsports
team are planning trips to North Georgia Speedway and Talladega
Short Track with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
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Mechanical problems
plague Southern trip
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- (June 14, 2008) With a pair of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt
Series races within a short driving distance of home, Billy
and the Mike Kittrell Motorsports team were eagerly awaiting
their trips to North Georgia Speedway and Talladega Short
Track. But mechanical problems put a damper on the trip.
A miss developed in the engine at North
Georgia. The miss was evident during qualifying for the event.
Billy posted a disappointing time, but worked to fix the car.
The car seemed to be fixed as Billy made the race through
his heat race. The problem returned during the feature as
Billy opted to park the car early in the race and settled
for 24th spot.
Determined to fix the problem, the
team headed for TST. But problems continued as Billy once
again struggled in qualifying, but failed to make the show.
Billy will be back with the Advance
Auto Parts Thunder Series at Crossville Raceway on Friday,
June 20. The team could also head to Volunteer Speedway on
June 21 for an unsanctioned $2,000 to win race.
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Early crash crushes
optimism
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- (June 21, 2008) Billy and team had lots of optimism heading
into the AAPTS race at Crossville Raceway. Billy won there
last year and was looking for another win.
But a lap 15 crash ahead of Billy stacked
up the backstretch with Billy being tagged by another car
while trying to avoid the wreck. Billy's car sustained heavy
front end damage and ended his night.
The next race will be the AAPTS race
at Boyd's Speedway on June 28.
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Back-up car gets Billy
top 10 finish
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- (June 28, 2008) After sustaining a hard crash at Crossville
Raceway a week earlier, Billy and the Mike Kittrell Motorsports
team rolled out a back-up car for the AAPTS race at Boyd's
Speedway. The team was looking for a good finish to stay in
the points chase.
Billy was one of the top 12 qualifiers
out of 28 cars. He finished 3rd in the second Sunoco dash
to claim the 9th starting spot for the 40-lap feature.
A rut in turn 1 made for an interesting
evening during the main event. Several contenders had problems
because of the track. Billy missed the rut time after time
and brought home a 9th place finish. With points leader Rick
Rogers finishing 3rd, Billy now sits 113 points out of the
lead.
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Lucas races don't
go Billy's way
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.
- (July 7, 2008) With the primary car repaired and a new engine
from Scott Pass' Competition Engines, Billy and team were
eagerly awaiting the pair of Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
races at Tazewell Speedway and Volunteer Speedway on July
4th weekend.
The Tazewell race was up first. But
rain halted the program and forced officials to reschedule
the race for Sunday, July 6.
Next up was Volunteer Speedway. Billy
posted the 6th best time during qualifying out of 44 cars.
He finished 2nd in the second of 4 heat races to earn the
6th starting spot for the 60-lap feature. Mechanical problems
appeared again as Billy retired from the race and posted a
24th place finish.
Back to Tazewell and Billy couldn't
find the right combination with the car. He finished his heat
race in 5th to take the 13th starting spot. In the 75-lap
feature, Billy stayed mired in traffic and could only manage
a 11th place finish.
The team is undecided at this time
about this weekend's plans.
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