Opening Night for Points @ I-37 Speedway, 3-13-21

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Opening Night for Points @ I-37 Speedway, 3-13-21

By JM Hallas

 

After a fairly successful non-points opener two weeks ago that included a last minute addition of the IMCA Stock Cars, it was time for the regular season to begin on the ¼ mile, semi-banked, clay oval.

 

Five of the six regular classes were slated for the night; Price Chevrolet IMCA Modifieds, Swenson Racing Products Limited Modifieds, All in Design Factory Stocks, “B” Factory Stocks and Sport Compacts. The Late Models kick of their season next weekend.

 

In addition to the already big event, the Texas Dirt Truck Series and the Dwarf Car Racing Series of Texas was also on the card.

Along with the on-track action, the 2020 season champions were recognized during intermission. Sadly the yearly banquet fell victim to the beer virus protocol still being enforced over the off season.

 

Maupin on the Money in IMCA Modifieds

As the IMCA modified field took the green it was Chandler Fox first to turn 1 holding the lead on lap 1 ahead of Robby Minten, Jared Maupin, Carson Bednarz and Adrian Awalt. R. Minten, Maupin and Fox were three wide for the lead with Maupin getting the advantage on lap 2 and R. Minten looking inside.

 

The two ran wheel to wheel before R. Minten got the top spot on lap 3. Maupin fought back regaining the lead on lap 5 as the top two put some distance on Fox while Ryan Doyon, from the tail, made his way up to fourth, but a half track behind the lead duo. At halfway it was Maupin, R. Minten, Fox, Doyon and Brandon Welker.

 

Bednarz tagged the front stretch wall on lap 10 for a caution rebunching the field, erasing the big lead of Maupin and R. Minten. On the restart Maupin got away clean with Doyon challenging R. Minten for second. R. Minten's car made a strange right turn in the middle of turns 1-2 making contact with Doyon and sidelining R. Minten.

 

Once back under green Maupin again got out while Talon Minten moved in to battle with Doyon for second. As the laps clicked off, Maupin increased his lead to a full straightaway as the white flag waved. At the checkers, it was Maupin(Weslaco) in the Rick Pollaro owned, RNM Install, BMF Shocks & Chassis, All in Designs, Mission Auto, Longhorn Chassis unchallenged for the win.

 

Price Chevrolet IMCA Modifieds

96 Jared Maupin, 5r Ryan Doyon, 14t Talon Minten, 44x Brandon Welker, 53x Chandler Fox, 5 Cody Clark, 17 Adrian Awalt, 24r Robby Minten, 16 Carson Bednarz, 27 Justin Delgado

 

IMCA Modfied heats

Heat 1; 24r Robby Minten, 5r Ryan Doyon, 5 Cody Clark, 17 Adrian Awalt, 96 Jared Maupin

 

Heat 2; 14t Talon Minten, 44x Brandon Welker, 53x Chandler Fox, 16 Carson Bednarz, 27 Justin Delgado

 

Mikulencak Motors to Limited Modified Money

A short field of only five Limited Modifieds took the green with Marcus Mikulencak getting the lead in turn 1 pursued by JJ Jennings, Jared Maupin, Gary Hall and Sterling Tausch. Mikulencak wasted little time putting a gap on Jennings and Maupin battling for second.

 

Jennings had issues midway through the 15-lap feature and pulled off leaving Mikulencak ahead of Maupin by a straightaway. Mikulencak(Corpus Christi) easily cruised to the victory in the Aramendia Motorsports, Ace Transmission, Premier Minerals, GT Sirozotti Excavating, L87 Speedway, RPM Equipment car.

 

Swenson Racing Products Limited Modifieds

79 Marcus Mikuencak, 96 Jared Maupin, 3g Gary Hall jr., 26 JJ Jennings, 95 Sterling Tausch, 11t Tom Grothues---dns

 

Limited Modified heat

Heat 1; 79 Marcus Mikulencak, 3g Gary Hall, 26 JJ Jennings, 95 Sterling Tausch, 96 Jared Maupin, 11t Tom Grothues

 

Gaither Gathers Green in Factory Stock

Nineteen Factory Stocks took the green with Mike Lyon, on the high side, getting to turn 1 leading over Jesse Sandoval, Dustin Hurley, Michael Keylich and GW Hessong. Elgin Tracy brought out an early caution looping it in turn 2. On the restart, Du. Hurley got past Sandoval for second with Hessong and Dillon Gaither following to third and fourth.

 

Du. Hurley would get alongside Lyon for the lead with D. Gaither taking third from Hessong. Du. Hurley would get the lead on lap 7 leaving Lyon side by side with D. Gaither for second. D. Gaither took the spot bringing Hessong along to third. At halfway it was Du. Hurley, D. Gaither, Hessong, Lyon and Sandoval.

 

D. Gaither then began looking low on Du. Hurley for the lead and, using a slower car as a pick, took over the lead on lap 12. D. Gaither then inched away from the field until lapped traffic allowed Du. Hurley to close slightly. At the checkers it was D. Gaither(San Antonio) unchallenged for the win in the Allen Alexander owned, Dohogne Claim Services, Spreen Racing Engines & Performance, Big Dave’s Motors, Geromiller Racecars, Kruger Motorsports, Howie’s Lawn Service, Swenson Shocks, All in Designs, Club 20 Shocks, Outlaw Racecars.

 

All in Design Factory Stocks

99 Dillon Gaither, 4d Dustin Hurley, 24 GW Hessong, 93 Aaron Leddy, 741 Cameron Starry, 20rl Ricky Long, 92 Brandon Gaither, 40 Dakota Hurley, 49k Michael Keylich, 36 George Quintanilla, 34h Hunter Peterson, 00 Zach Freeman, 1x Cauy Moore, 68 Kenny Wright, 18s Jarrett Payton, 7 Jesse Sandoval, 5x Clint Montanio, 41t Elgin Tracy, 20 Mike Lyon--DQ(tech)

 

Factory Stock heats

Heat 1; 7 Jesse Sandoval, 41t Elgin Tracy, 1x Cauy Moore, 18s Jarrett Payton, 40 Dakota Hurley, 00 Zach Freeman

 

Heat 2; 20 Mike Lyon, 4d Dustin Hurley, 741 Cameron Starry, 20r Ricky Long, 36 George Quitanilla, 93 Aaron Leddy

 

Heat 3; 49k Michael Keylich, 24 GW Hessong, 99d Dillon Gaither, 92 Brandon Gaither, 5x Clint Montanio, 68 Kenny Wright, 34h Hunter Peterson

 

Butler Best in “B” Factory Stocks

Katherine Keylich got the jump on green for the “B” Factory Stock feature leaving Gary Butler and George Clark side by side. K. Keylich led the first circuit while Butler, Clark, George Oebel and Chris Vincent sorted out the top five.

 

Butler kept the pressure on K. Keylich for the lead and was able to get inside to make the pass on lap 4. Butler held a slight advantage at halfway over K. Keylich who had a gap to Clark and Oebel. With two to go Clark had problems going into turn 3, but was able to get off track.

 

K. Keylich tried to keep the pressure on Butler but spun in turn 3 on the final lap. Oebel hit some fluid left from Clark and flew over the turn 3 hill while Butler(Bunnel, Fla.) was crossing the line for the win in the GWB Painting,1Stop Auto, All Star Properties car.

 

B Factory Stocks

6b Gary Butler, 44k Katherine Keylich, 95 Charles Oebel, 55c George Clark, 18r Chris Vincent, 62p Levi Hernandez---dns, 92r Robert Keylich---dns

 

B Factory Stock heat; 44k Katherine Keylich, 6p Levi Hernandez, 6b Gary Butler, 92r Robert Keylich, 55c George Clark, 95 Charles Oebel, 18r Chris Vincent

 

Grimes Great in Texas Dirt Truck Series Opener

Tommy Grimes(San Antonio), a multi-time champion on both pavement and dirt, showed his muscle going green to checkers for the season opener. Grimes took the lead off turn 2 at the start of the 20-lap event trailed by Aaron Leddy, Allen Alexander, Adam Tracy and Tony Bernal.

 

Alexander was able to sneak by Leddy for second before a quick debris caution slowed the pace on lap 3. Grimes got a good restart and was easing away while Colton Borlace, Johnny Brown and Chuck Barber were three wide for seventh. Borlace would loop it on lap 8 in that battle.

 

Grimes again got away clean once back to green, with Jarrett Barber getting fifth from Bernal. At the crossed flags it was Grimes, Leddy, Alexander, A. Tracy and J. Barber. Grimes then motored ahead to a full straightaway over Leddy easily scoring the win in his Mike Tracy owned, A&W Truck Sales, Shepards Race Engines, ARTS Chassis.

 

Texas Dirt Truck Series

22t Tommy Grimes, 93 Aaron Leddy, 1a Allen Alexander, 19 Jarrett Barber, 81 Tony Bernal, 19b Chuck Barber, 01t Adolph Tracy, 28 Russ Parker, 22 Adam Tracy, 4 Treyler Caulfield, 1 Johnny Brown, 5x William Jones, b93 Colton Borlace, 11 Elgin Tracy, 58 Matthew Hodge, 18 Shaun Tracy

 

TDTS heats

Heat 1; 93 Aaron Leddy, 1 Johnny Brown, 19 Jarrett Barber, 28 Russ Parker, 19b Chuck Barber, 4 Treyler Caulfield, 58 Matthew Hodge, b93 Colton Borlace

 

Heat 2; 22t Tommy Grimes, 1a Allen Alexander, 22 Adam Tracy, 81 Tony Bernal, 11 Elgin Tracy, 01t Adolph Tracy, 5x William Jones, 18 Shaun Tracy

 

McCall the Man Again

After taking the non-points season opener two weeks ago, Brandon McCall(Von Ormy) flexed his muscle going to green to checkers in the 20-lap Sport Compact feature. McCall got a good jump on green pulling ahead of Jamie Garner, Ryan McDonald, Shaun Tracy and Michael Burris jr.

 

The top three then began to pull away from S. Tracy while Devon Surritt took fifth from Burris. Before halfway McDonald took over second from Garner while Ryker Hernandez, who was involved in a scary fire last race, took fifth from Surritt, in the same car that burned, no less. At the midway point it was McCall, McDonald, Garner, S. Tracy and Hernandez.

 

In the pack, Burris, Ronnie Schoenfeldt and Justin Sitterle had their own little battle going for seventh. McCall caught that battle and had to go three wide but still kept his advantage. McCall had straightaway on McDonald at the finish in his Freddie Harris Sand & Clay, Bettis Boat & RV Storage, 07 Chevy Cobalt.

 

Sport Compacts

14 Brandon McCall, 816 Ryan McDonald, 33 Jamie Garner, 55 Ryker Hernandez, 15 Devon Surritt, 14t Shaun Tracy, 81 Michael Burris jr., 8 Ronnie Schoenfeldt, 88 Justin Sitterle, 32 Joshua Garcia, 9t John Thomas, 007 Aaron Driscoll, 35 Darrell Jones , 11j Josh Jones, 46 Johnathan Cervantes---dns

 

Sport Compact heats

Heat 1; 14 Brandon McCall, 14t Shaun Tracy, 15 Devon Surritt, 81 Michael Burris jr., 9t John Thomas, 11j Josh Jones, 32 Joshua Garcia, 46 Johnathan Cervantes

 

Heat 2; 33 Jamie Garner, 816 Ryan McDonald, 88 Justin Sitterle, 55 Ryker Hernandez, 8 Ronnie Schoenfeldt, 007 Aaron Driscoll, 35 Darrel Jones

 

Spreen Strong in DCRST Sweep

As the dozen DCRST cars took the green it was Brandon Spreen getting to turn 1 first, but Ty Paxson on the top got a run off turn 2 to get alongside. The two were still side by side at the line with Spreen having the edge over Paxson at the line. Dillon Coyne, Jack Burkhart and Dylan Budnik completed the top five.

 

Paxson got good run to take the top spot from Spreen on lap 2 while Tyler Folkerts got by Budnik for fifth. Spreen was able to retake the point and halfway showed Spreen, Paxson, Coyne, Burkhart and Folkerts in the top five. Despite being in traffic Spreen was able to put some distance on Paxson.

 

Once clear of traffic Paxson closed the gap some on Spreen and was within six car lengths as two to go was waved. That would be as close as Paxson could get as Spreen(Boerne) in his Spreen Engines & Performance, Swenson Racing Products, All in Designs, Teves Racing Chassis took the checkers.

 

Dwarf Car Racing Series of Texas

88 Brandon Spreen, 15 Ty Paxson, 12 Dillon Coyne, 07 Jack Burkhart III, 80 Tyler Folkerts, 25 Dylan Budnik, 03 Drew Stark, 27 Robert Carr, 1k Keagan Moore, 2 Gerald Book, 84f Brandon Forte, 93 Adam Stehle

 

DCRST heats

Heat 1; 88 Brandon Spreen, 80 Tyler Folkerts, 07 Jack Burkhart, 84f Brandon Fortie, 27 Robert Carr, 93 Adam Stehle

 

Heat 2; 12t Dillon Coyne, 03 Drew Stark, 15 Ty Paxson, 25 Dylan Budnik, 2 Gerald Book, 1k Keagan Moore

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