Wichita Falls Sports Examiner article from July 23 races

[David Wright]

Payne clings to Charger lead, Garrison and Cooper climb in standings

 

by James Robinson, Wichita Falls Sports Examiner

 

July 25, 2011 - Second place finishes in Saturday's Charger Heat and Feature races at Red River Speedway helped Brooks Payne stay on top of the Charger class standings. Meanwhile, Cale Garrison continues to make moves in the Hornet class and a win by Steve Cooper made things interesting in the Mod 4 standings.

 

Cameron Liss would win Saturday's Charger Heat to take 25 points in the standings, while Payne took 20 points for second and David Wright took 15 for third. The five point gain for Liss was an important one in a close battle in the Charger class, but Payne took the points right back in the Feature.

 

Wright would win the Charger Feature to take 100 points, but Payne would slip ahead of Liss to take second and 85 points. Liss would finish third to take 75 points in the standings.

 

Payne now leads the Charger class with 1,420 points on the season, 35 ahead of Liss in second place. Wright's feature victory keeps him in striking distance with 1,265 points, just 155 behind the leader.

 

Cale Garrison has proven to be the driver to beat in the Hornet class the last few weeks and Saturday was no exception. Garrison took wins in both the Hornet Heat and Feature race to take a total of 125 points in the standings. That gives Garrison a 20 point advantage over Keith LaFont for third place and pulls him within 570 points of leader Justin Shrum.

 

Shrum would finish third in the Heat and fourth in the Feature to earn a total of 85 points. That gives Shrum 1,295 points for the season and increases his lead over second place Amanda Shrum to 485.

 

Newcomer Brent Skaggs continues to make a good showing in the Hornet class, finishing second in the Heat and third in the Feature. Skaggs has already moved into 11th place in a crowded Hornet field with 185 points, but is still 85 points behind 10th place Larissa Lewis.

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A Feature win for Steve Cooper has made the Mod 4 standings just as snug as the Charger class. Cooper finished third behind points leader Matt Rose and reigning champion Debbie Cullar in the first Mod 4 Heat, but slipped ahead of Cullar in the Feature for the win and a total of 115 points on the night.

 

Cooper now sits with 640 points on the season and is just 35 behind points leader Rose with 675. Cullar's two second place finishes keeps her third in the points standings with 625, putting the 2010 champ 50 behind the 2011 leader.

 

Josh Cournoyer came away with a win in the second Mod 4 Heat, but was out of the Feature race. Cournoyer still came away with a victory in the USST Truck feature after finishing second to Eric Caudell in the first USST Heat. Steve Smith won the second Heat and finished second in the Feature. Cooper would take third place in the Feature.

 

Ronnie Davis increased his lead in the Thunderstock standings with a Feature victory and a second place finish in the Thunderstock Heat. The total of 120 points gives Davis 1,520 points on the season, a 305 point lead over David Dohme who finished third in the both the Heat and Feature race.

 

Bobby Nettles would win the Thunderstock Heat and finish second in the Feature. The 110 points Nettles earned keeps him a solid third in the standings with 560 points.

 

As the only Super Stock driver again on Saturday, Dale Miller took the total of 125 points for the Heat and Feature race. Miller now has 1,320 points on the season and a 345 point lead over second place Matt Ohm.

 

Racing returns to Red River Speedway July 30 with all the local classes running. The gates open at 6 p.m. and racing begins at 8 p.m..

Steve Cooper is just 35 points behind Mod 4 points leader Matt Rose after a victory on Saturday.