It was Christmas in July at the Boone Speedway last night and a nice crowd was on hand for the festivities. Santa made an appearance and lots of gifts were handed out. The youngsters had a grand time but I bet Santa lost about 10 pounds as he sat in the heat with the kiddos on his knee!
There were several new drivers in attendance last night, some still hanging around the area after running the Harris Clash last Thursday, but others coming to perhaps "test the waters" for the fast approaching Super Nationals. At the end of the night, four drivers would go home with their first wins at Boone for 2013. We also noted the new dose of the famous---or as some would say, the infamous wood chips, in the track surface. Would this play a factor in the outcome of the racing? More on that later.
They mixed the features up again last night, sending the Hobby Stocks to the track to run their feature first on the freshly farmed track. Shaun Wirtz led the opening laps of the 12-lapper, Matt Hudspeth settling in behind in second. Tyler Pickett made his way into the runner up spot by lap eight and shortly after, took over the lead. With just a couple of laps remaining, it was Shannon Anderson, who had started in tenth place, was up for the final run to the checkers. Anderson's looks to the inside and outside didn't work on this night, as Pickett kept the lead and took the checkers first---Anderson having to be content with second. Shaun Wirtz had a good run and held third, fourth was Eric Stanton who charged through the pack from starting in row six, and Matt Hudspeth held on to round out the top five. This was Pickett's first win this season.
The Mod Lite feature was the only class that had a driver repeat an earlier win. Not surprisingly, that driver was Josh May. May, who started twelfth, had the lead by lap five of the 15-lapper, and never looked back.
Terry Brown chased the leader to earn himself a second place finish. Third went to Travis Stensland, Bryan Zehm, last week's winner, was fourth and the winner's dad Jimmy May finished fifth.
The 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature didn't start off well. Before the first lap had been completed, pole sitter Michael Murphy appeared to get sideways coming out of corner three, which caused some grief behind him. The one getting the brunt of the situation was Cody Hennings, who rolled his #66 ride a couple of times. After a few anxious moments, Hennings emerged from the race car, unhurt. When action finally got started, Murphy, who has recently changed from Stock Car to the SportMod class, took off to the lead and had little trouble in keeping it to the finish and the win. Daniel Tasler chased Murphy nearly the whole race, but had to settle for second. Third was Paul Nagle who had a good run after starting fourteenth, fourth went to veteran racer Rick Ringgenberg and Cory Rose came from tenth to finish fifth.
Earlier in the Stock Car heats, the #9 of Jerry Gifford found himself tipped over in corner two. He lived to fight another day however, making repairs and and able to start the feature. The 18-lap A main was mostly a two-man show. Cory Bushnell got to the lead by lap three and Jay Schmidt got his car "Black Betty" up to second in just another lap or two. Then the chase was on! The two cars circled the track for many laps....Schmidt glued to the rear bumper of leader Bushnell. Schmidt peeked low, then high, and at only a brief moment of taking the lead going down the backstretch, he was right back to second. Most people were thinking this was going to be the entire show just between the two, but enter none other than the familiar #35 of Donavon Smith at lap twelve. Smith, who had damaged his car in the heat race had started at the rear of the feature, had flown through the pack and was in third. Smith was waiting for the moment to make his move and that came with two to go. He snatched second from Schmidt and the final couple of laps was a doozie! The three crossed closely at the checkers, Bushnell fending off Smith and Schmidt for the win. Fourth went to pole sitter Toby Smith and Trent Murphy came from mid pack to round out the top five.
This was Bushnell's first win at Boone since August 4 of last year.
Kelly Lyons had the field covered in the 20-lap Modified feature, and led the entire way, after getting the jump from his outside front row starting spot. Kyle Strickler, "The High Side Tickler" from Mooresville, North Carolina chased Lyons the whole way but was only able to watch the leader from a distance and finished second. Jammin' Jimmy Gustin showed his usual prowess, driving from starting twelfth to take third. Jake Durbin raced from tenth starting spot to capture a fourth place finish and Russ Dickerson rounded out the top five. Lyons took his first win at the track this year and my unofficial records showing for the first time since August of 2011.
I mentioned earlier that wood chips had been added to the track, as they always are about this time each year. It appeared that it made a difference in the drivers running non-crate motors. The highest finishing cars running those non-crate motors were as follows: Shaun Wirtz finished third in the Hobby Stocks, Daniel Tasler was second in the SportMod feature, and Kelly Lyons won in the Modified class.
We are taking a couple of days off after our five-night racing run, for a little R & R. We know many racing friends who are still going strong with their consecutive races---some having traveled long distances to take in their passion! There is still plenty of racing ahead before the season draws to a close. Find a race to attend and enjoy! Happy racing!
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