Big Red Book Coleman Gator

							Big Red Book ‘Stars & Stripes 35’ ** 1st Annual Boone Coleman ‘Gator 50”
By: Chuck Greenslate

Portsmouth Raceway Park hosted another huge crowd over the weekend, showcasing the
Big Red Book Phone Directory Stars and Stripes 35• Saturday and the first-ever Boone
Coleman Memorial Sunday. Both evenings featured intense racing.
 Jackie Boggs cashed in a huge payday, as he took the checkers in the inaugural Boone
Coleman Memorial Gator 50• Sunday night. Boggs received $5,000 for winning the race
and earned a provisional starting spot in October Dirt Track World Championship, which
will provide him with another $2,000 assuming he is able to start the fall event.
 Boggs led every lap of The Gator 50 but he received several strong challenges from Josh
McGuire, who managed to pull up alongside Boggs on multiple occasions. McGuire was
getting into the corners hard and often pulled even with Boggs while diving deep into turns
one and three. However, Boggs managed to find more grip off turns two and four and was
stronger down the straight-aways.
 Sunday’s victory capped an incredible weekend for Boggs at PRP. The Grayson, Ky
veteran also won Saturday night Big Red Book Phone Directory Stars and Stripes 35•
which paid $3,000 to win.
  Boggs had to work a little harder for that win. Saturday’s Late Model feature witnessed
three different leaders and three lead changes. Josh Bocook led early before Boggs took
over the point. Boggs was eventually passed by Eddie Carrier, Jr. who appeared to be well
on his way to claiming the win. However, a caution with four laps remaining bunched the
field back up, and Boggs managed to get the jump on Carrier during the restart. Once
Boggs retook the lead, he would not relinquish it.
 R.J. Conley of Wheelersburg finished second Saturday night, as he passed Eddie Carrier
on the final lap. Conley moved up 20 spots coming from dead last in 22nd position to finish
as the runner-up.
 So far in 2012, Boggs is undefeated at Portsmouth Raceway Park. He is a perfect three-
for-three.
  Boggs wasn’t the only driver to display dominance at PRP over the weekend. Devin
Gilpin from Columbus, IN won the Modified A-Mains both Saturday and Sunday. Gilpin
left PRP Sunday leading the UMP National Point Standings.
 Jermie Bretz won Saturday’s Bomber feature. Robbie Lewis captured Sunday’s Bomber
A-Main.
 Drivers weren’t the only winners at PRP over the weekend. Several children won bicycles
Saturday night courtesy of the Big Red Book Phone Directory. Sunday night, Bradley’s
Racing Apparel provided a lucky child with a power wheel replica of a John Deere Gator.
 The scariest moment over the weekend undoubtedly occurred during a Modified Heat
race Sunday night when Bethel, OH’s David McWilliams barrel-rolled violently through
turns one and two in a single-car accident.
 McWilliams was extracted from the vehicle and life-flighted from PRP to
Cabell Huntington Hospital. According to PRP Promoter Donna Rayburn, she was told by
his family that he was talking and cracking jokes Monday morning. McWilliams has won
multiple features down through the years in Portsmouth and was PRP’s
2010 Modified track champ.
 Portsmouth Raceway Park will be back in action this Saturday featuring a full program
with Late Models, Modifieds, Limited Lates, and Bombers. For more info,
visitwww.portsraceway.com.