Philip Veal Wins 2007 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Memphis Regional

Words: Al Arreguin
/Public/News/20070729160000-1.jpg" width="300" height="200" border="0" alt="The SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® will be held Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas, Nevada.">
The SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® will be held Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Philip Veal, with R&G Masonry, Jonesboro, AR, will return again for his 4th appearance at the National level by winning the 2007 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500® Memphis Regional hosted by Ash Grove Packaging, a SPEC MIX licensee for the Memphis area.

The first Regional for the Mid-South area was held on July 28, at the Memphis, Tennesse, facility of Ash Grove Packaging, Inc., and drew masons from several surrounding states. It was a big day for R&G Masonry, as Philip Veal and his tender Billy Fitzpatrick laid 575 brick to lead the pack. Michael Hudgins and his tender Ryan Hudgins, with Hudgins Masonry, Chesapeake, VA, won the TOP CRAFTSMAN award and 2nd place with 522 brick laid. The first place winner moves on to the Nationals held on January 23, at the 2008 World of Concrete/World of Masonry in Las Vegas, Nevada.

SPEC MIX Bricklayer 500 Memphis Regional Results:

1st Place
Mason: Philip Veal
Tender: Billy Fitzpatrick
Brick Count: 575
Company: R&G Masonry
Location: Jonesboro, AR

Craftsmanship
Mason: Michael Hudgins
Tender: Ryan Hudgins
Company: Hudgins Masonry
Location: Chesapeake, VA

2nd Place
Mason: Michael Hudgins
Tender: Ryan Hudgins
Company: Hudgins Masonry.
Location: Chesapeake, VA

3rd Place:
Mason: Ray Robinson
Tender: Lynette Darby
Company: JAM Masonry
Location: Gainesville, FL
The Enduring Power of Structural Masonry
July 2025

Masonry has been holding its ground for millennia — literally. And thanks to the simple brilliance of arching action, it continues to do so with strength, style, and surprising efficiency. In an era of advanced modeling and fast-moving schedules, one time

Outreach Outlook: Momentum in Motion
July 2025

As we move into the heart of summer, the masonry industry continues to thrive—fueled by innovation, partnership, and a growing commitment to excellence in education and workforce advancement. June has been a remarkable month, marked by events that not onl

Building More: Slow, Fast, or Consistent. What is Tempo?
July 2025

It was a drizzly midweek day when I rolled up to the project we were working on just outside of town. The foreman paced the scaffolding, rain hood half-zipped, barking at two laborers who were sprinting bricks like they were late for a flight. Forty feet

Marvelous Masonry: Belém Tower
July 2025

The Belém Tower in Lisbon, Portugal, stands as a testament to stone construction's enduring artistry and technical prowess. Erected between 1514 and 1519, this iconic structure served as a defensive bastion at the mouth of the Tagus River and as a ceremon