Showtime

VIEW FROM THE COCKPITThere were several unique situations for drivers in the Enduro. Here's a look at a few:

>>>Chuck Barnes Sr., race winnerIt was a family operation from the start for Barnes.

"The car I used [an '88 Monte Carlo] was built by my son and me starting last Thanksgiving," he says. "The race was unbelievable and I loved those amazing speeds. I plan to use the car during this summer at places like the Salem and Winchester short tracks in Indiana.

"I didn't do much to the car when we had the mid-race pit stop. I adjusted the sway bar a little bit, added fuel, and put on four new tires. That was about it."

>>>Jeff MayseyMaysey, from Owensboro, Kentucky, and the owner of his team, Steve Bowman, have known each other for many years. "When I heard about Frank's deal at Kentucky Speedway, I knew it was something that we wanted to do," Bowman says. "We built this car from scratch for this race. I knew that we would be a little down on power, as we only had a 327 Chevy engine that was worth about 300 horsepower."

Maysey, a Street Stock pavement and dirt driver, had a ball with the opportunity. "At this big track you can really feel the speed, but when you get on the straightaways, that wicker bill slows you down like a parachute," says Maysey.

A blown engine knocked Dill from the race.

>>>Kim DillDill, the only female in the field, came to the big race with high hopes. She had shown good speed in the final practice period, with the eighth fastest time. But then disaster struck during practice when her engine let go, putting her out of the race.

"It was a really neat experience for me, and I loved feeling those high speeds," says the Miamisburg, Ohio, driver. "One thing's for sure, if they have another one next year, you can bet that I will be there."

>>>Bob LanterKentucky Speedway was a new experience to all the drivers, but for Lanter, there was even more to learn, as this race was his first time on a pavement track. As a dirt driver, Lanter has won four Pro Stock titles at Florence (Kentucky) Speedway.

"We had to make some changes to the dirt car," he says. "First, we added more weight to the front end, added a sway bar to the rear, changed springs, and of course we had to add a windshield. That last addition sure seemed strange to me.

"I know what to do on dirt. We had to see what would happen here. In the race, I started in 11th position and got as high as third."

The Florence Speedway regular says the only time there was turbulence on the track was when three or four cars started running together in a pack. He said that he never lost sight of the leader and ended up with a seventh-place effort.

>>>Beau MitchellMitchell is a Street Stock driver with the CRA pavement organization. "Heck, before this night the biggest track I ever raced on was a 51/48 mile," says Mitchell. "I had the car out in testing and I felt the air more than the speed. But when you turn down the straights, it feels like you are losing about 15-20 miles per hour because of that wicker bill on the roof.

"I didn't like the feel of that device, which I thought made the car unstable at times. Maybe make it a little smaller or consider using some kind of an engine restrictor plate."

>>>Kyle HadleyThis 27-year-old has seven years of experience and is a usual Top-10 finisher. He picked up the sport from his dad, who now serves as his son's spotter, car owner, and crew chief. He said that his plan was to hang back at the start and wait for the right time to move up. It must have worked, as he was the last car on the lead lap and finished a very respectable 10th place.

>>>Skip WhitakerThis 45-year-old driver said before the race that he expected to be with the drivers on the lead lap, and he was, finishing eighth.

A self-employed businessman from Louisville, Whitaker runs at nearby Salem (Indiana) Speedway. "Running at Kentucky Speedway is like driving 130 miles per hour on the interstate," he says. "And that backstretch is so long that there's almost time to eat a steak going down it."