HATTON HAMMERS HUGE HUT
By Lori Wood, NAMARS Staff Reporter

TERRE HAUTE,  IN  Scott Hatton emerged victorious over Kevin Doty in Sunday's Hoosier Lottery Hut 100 in a titanic battle with Doty and Matt Westfall. The trio battled around the Terre Haute Action Track for 85 laps after early leaders Kevin Olson and Doug Schenck faded early. Westfall led the powerhouse field of open wheel stars for over sixty laps before succumbing to a broken front suspension component on lap 76. It was all Hatton and Doty for the last 25 laps, with Aaron Fiscus, Dean Franklin, JD turner, Donny Lehman, Mike Hess, Chad DeSelle, Clay Klepper, and Jeff Flesher rounding out the top 10.

-----------------------------

Hatton, from Roscoe, Il, was overwhelmed with the victory in his first ride of the Huston owned car.  "It's a great honor," said Hatton.  "A lot of good race car drivers have won this race. I can't believe I'm here."
        After Westfall's departure Doty claimed the lead, while Hatton gradually ate away at him.  "My mechanic kept telling me just be cool and run your laps," Hatton said.  "I knew the laps were winding down."  He did stay cool until lap 95 when the red number 15 made his move. "I just got a good run coming off of one I just got enough in front of him to hold my line.  " Doty got into trouble when a he and a lapped car bumped slightly, allowing Hatton make the pass  coming off of turn four.  When Doty slid high in turn two, Hatton was able to take full control of the lead.  "Scott was there and able to capitalize on it, said the '94 winner.  "I'm glad Scott won it. I've known him for years," Doty said.
        Although the caution laps counted in this 100-lap event, a yellow on 98 guaranteed two laps of green-flag racing before the outcome.   Hatton was able to pull away, and take the trophy home where luck in previous Hut Hundred's was often in short supply.
        The demise of Westfall's number 54 on lap 76 was a tough break for the young driver making his third appearance in the '100. The sway arm bolt broke, causing him to stop in turn two, after he had stretched his lead to 15 car lengths.  "I finally got going good, just some bad luck.  I think I should have won, but you never know.  You have to last 100 laps.  It can really wear and tear on a car."  He started in the 10th position, but quickly moved through the field to the third slot as Doug Schenck and Kevin Olson were the early leaders.  Westfall got around Olson then charged to Schenck, taking the lead by lap 14. He maintained the top spot as Schenck, Doty, Hatton, Tracey Hines and Clay Klepper rounded out the top six.  At the halfway point, Hatton had moved into second with Doty in third. Hatton began to close on Westfall and Hines on Doty, but Hines flipped in turn two, bringing the race to a stop.  Hines was okay.
        Westfall and Hatton traded leads on lap 61, but three laps later, a caution brought the group together.  Then it was Westfall and Doty fighting for the lead with Clay Klepper gaining ground on both with Hatton falling to fourth.  Westfall began to pull away, controlling the field until his departure.
        Undoubtedly one of the most amazing performances on the night had to belong to Aaron Fiscus.  He started in the 21st position, but with just eight laps completed, Mark Freeland flipped between turnes three and four, causing Fiscus to spin.  On the restart, Fiscus had to go to the back of the field. Lap after lap, Fiscus manuvered his way throught the field, getting into the top ten before the half-way mark.  He methodically worked his way to fourth by lap 75 and was solidly in third when the race was over.  "I was pretty lucky.  I was hoping to get a top five. I played it conservative at the start," Fiscus said.  "A couple cars got tangled up. I got tossed into it and had to start in the back.   From there I figured all I can do is run as good as I can. My car was great."
        Of the 33-car field, 13 were rookies and several had limited experience on that track.  Seventy drivers arrived from all over the country, including AJ Fike and Bobby Boone, who had raced in Bakersfield, Calif. the previous night and several participants making the over night trip from Saturday's Silver Crown race in Nazaruth, including winner Tracey Hines.  Sixty-seven cars took the green flag for qualifying with rookie Matt Sandy turning the hottest lap at 23.333.
        Former Indianapolis 500 driver and 1976 Hut Hundred winner Gary Bettenhausen served as Grand Marshal for the race.

B.  M.  A.  R.  A.   S T A N D I N G S
DATE :APRIL 9, 2000

[Home] [2007 Results] [Rules] [Photos] [Classified]
[Past Results] [Timeline] [History] [Past Champions, Point Standings]
[Links] Contact Badger: bmara-AT-charter.net ( replace -AT- with @ )