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H.J. BUNTING SAILS TO 5TH WIN IN ELK MOONEYHAM MEMORIAL

By Charlie Brown, Delmar, DE (6/23/12) – The Elk Mooneyham Memorial and Tribute to Hal Browning night could not have gone much smoother for NAPA Big Block driver, H.J. Bunting. Bunting won his heat and took the win in the 30-lap main. He also collected the $750 bonus for the special event and notched his fifth win of the year.

Jamie Mills, who won the first heat, started on the pole and looked like he might extend his hot streak of wins in the early going of the feature. Bunting maintained a close second with Matt Jester quickly working his way from fifth to third.

Brad Trice kept the pressure on Jester taking third from him for lap eight but Jester regained the spot one lap later. On lap 12, Bunting got a good run on the outside and took the lead. The yellow was out for debris and on the restart Beau Wilkins, Robert Dutton, Michael White, Kyle Fuller and Dale Hawkins all got tangled in the second turn.

The top four would remain unchanged with Howard O’Neal rounding out the top five. The final yellow was out just past halfway when Dutton slowed with a flat tire. Bunting was smooth and fast in the turns and began to open his advantage. By lap 20 it was 1.5 seconds. Five laps later that lead had grown to 2.5 seconds and by the checkered it was 4.1 seconds. Mills finished a solid second and Jester would win the race long battle with Trice to finish in third. O’Neal rounded out the top five.

“I found a spot there in the middle of the turn and it just started sticking and working,� said Bunting. “So we just rolled it in and tried not to miss it and it all worked out.�

NAPA Big Block Modified Feature: 1. HJ Bunting; 2. Jamie Mills; 3. Matt Jester; 4. Brad Trice; 5. Howard ONeal; 6. Tim Trimble; 7. Donny Radd; 8. Matt Hawkins; 9. Michael White; 10. Dale Hawkins; 11. Kyle Fuller; 12. Beau Wilkins; 13. Robert Dutton; 14. Scott Van Gorder; 15. Shawn Ward

 

 

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