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
Designing for Performance: Key Considerations for Efficient, Durable Masonry Projects
August 2026

A successful masonry project starts well before the first stone is set. The craftsmanship on site matters, of course, but many of the decisions that shape the final result are made much earlier—during design, detailing, and material selection. Those choic

Change Orders: Standard Operating Procedure
August 2026

In masonry construction, change orders are not occasional events; they are guaranteed. Drawings do not always match field conditions, specifications can conflict, and real-world construction has a way of exposing gaps in design. At DRP Masonry, we operat

RFIs: Clarity, Communication and... Hierarchy?
August 2026

In construction, any project starts with drawings. Plans. Schedules. Specifications. Whether we're talking about new construction, additions, or restoration, there is a plan, there is design intent, and a way every piece of a project needs to fit together

Zero Laydown: Navigating the Logistics of Tight Urban Job Sites
August 2026

In modern commercial construction, spatial real estate has become just as valuable as the materials themselves. The industry shift toward high-density, urban projects means that the sprawling job sites of the past have been replaced by tight footprints wh