Redneck Stress Relief @ I-37 Speedway 11-13-21

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Redneck Stress Relief @ I-37 Speedway 11/13/21

By JM Hallas

 

Pleasanton TX.,(Nov. 13Th, 2021) “When the crowds are gone” One last fling for the 2021 season at I-37 Speedway reminded me of the Savatage song as I looked out of tower while I was packing up my gear into the empty stands and quiet race track. ~~~SIGH~~~

 

The annual Redneck Stress Relief featured the Factory Stocks and racetracklawyers.com Texas Dirt Truck Series in their final points race of the year. It was also time for the ladies to show what they had in the Powder Puff race, plus the always entertaining Trailer Race.

 

Coming into their final points nights Aaron Leddy had a good lead(78) over former pavement Late Model ace and I-37 Speedway Late Model track champion Tommy Grimes. With heat and feature points on the line their was still a mathematical chance. Grimes was also in a tight battle for second with Russ Parker, while William Jones and Treyler Caulfield had an even tighter scrap for fourth, separated by only a single point.

 

Head of the Class

The 20-lap Factory Stock feature was a thriller from green to checkers. On the initial start it was three wide for the lead off turn 2 between Rusty Head, Mason Doherty and Rowdy Chouinard, in only his second race after winning a raffle for the car. Michael Keylich would spin and scatter the field bringing about a complete restart.

 

The second start saw Doherty grab the point with Head, Chouinard and Jarrett Payton three wide for second down the back stretch and Dillon Gaither fifth. Jose Lopez joined the group with Payton falling back into a three abreast fight between he, Gaither and Johnny Westfall. Up front Head was putting pressure on Doherty for the lead looking low entering turns 1 and 3.

 

There was still three wide action in the pack with Lopez, Gaither and Westfall going at it for fourth. The pace slowed on lap 6 when Zach Freeman looped it in turn 4. On the restart, Head got alongside Doherty for lead in turn 2 getting the spot coming to the line on lap 7, while Gaither made his way up to third.

 

Gaither then was side by side with Doherty for second, with Westfall door to door with Chouinard for fourth. Once clear of Doherty, Gaither took a look on Head for the lead. The two were side by side coming to halfway with Gaither having the bumper ahead of Head at the line while Doherty, Chouinard and Westfall filled the top five, and the top seven nose to tail.

 

Head changed his line looking on Gaither for the lead back with Chouinard and Doherty door to door for third. Freeman and Mike Land had issues in turn 2 for a lap 13 caution that saw Head use the top side on the restart to get the lead back from Gaither on lap 14. On the charge was Kasey Krauss, who also found the top groove, moving up to fifth.

 

Krauss moved in to battle with Chouinard and Westfall going three wide until Chouinard got a flat and spun on lap 17. Head got a good jump on green leaving Gaither with Doherty and Krauss side by side for third. As the white waved, Gaither gave Head one last try, but came up short as Head(Buda) in his SWL, Reliable Automotive, Sun Coast Post Tension, Stockman Trucking, crate powered, unknown chassis snagged the checkers.

 

“We had a good battle for the lead,” replied Head. “I found a line pretty quick down low and took the lead early then lost it. The car was good. I figured the only way I was going to get back to lead was go to the outside. When I went there the car stuck and I got the lead back with a few laps to go.”

 

“The line changed about the middle of the race. I searched around a little bit for some moisture. There was some higher up in (turns) 1-2, 3-4 was a little slick, but guys were having to slow down to run the bottom I was able to keep momentum through the middle.”

 

“You always have to put your trust in guys you haven't raced with before. Several years ago we started traveling to other tracks and racing with some other guys. It's taught me a lot. It's taught to trust some of these guys and some you can't at all.”

 

“I won this car last November in a football drawing. $400, race ready. We've changed some stuff on it, like shocks and springs. Who knows what type chassis it is. It was probably built back when I ran Longhorn Speedway. I have to thank my son, Levi Head for helping me out this weekend.”

 

All in Design Factory Stocks

55r Rusty Head,99 Dillon Gaither, 23k Kasey Krauss, 33m Mason Doherty, 9 Johnny Westfall, 18s Jarrett Payton, 29 Jose Lopez jr., 538 Jamie Campbell, 00 Zach Freeman, 48 Mike Land, 11 Brian Harbison, 6 Gary Butler, 15 William Cavender, 63 Joe Johnson, 28 Rowdy Chouinard, 22m Dalton McDonald, 44k Michael Keylich, 75 Jerry Miller, 57 Jake Hall---dns, 15L Daniel Lopez---dns

 

Factory Stock heats

Heat 1; 28r Rowdy Chouinard, 18s Jarrett Payton, 9 Johnny Westfall, 538 Jamie Campbell, 15L Daniel Lopez, 15 William Cavender, 22m Dalton McDonald---dns

 

Heat 2; 33m Mason Doherty, 00 Zach Freeman, 44 Michael Keylich, 23k Kasey Krauss, 11x Brian Harbison, 63j Joe Johnson, 57 Jake Hall

 

Heat 3; 55r Rusty Head, 99 Dillon Gaither, 29 Jose Lopez jr., 48 Mike Land, 75 Jerry Miller, 6 Gary Butler

 

Barber Best in Truck Bash

With the title on the line, a dozen Texas Dirt Trucks took the green with Adolph Tracy getting a little loose giving Larry Baggett the opening to get the top spot going into turn 1. Grimes, running the top, got a good run from the third row to second chased by Chuck Barber, Leddy and A. Tracy. Grimes got alongside Baggett for the lead in turn 3 and 4.

 

C. Barber joined them on lap 2 digging around the bottom going three wide before Grimes got the lead on lap 3. C. Barber stayed with Grimes using the low side taking the point on lap 4. Coming out of row five, Jarrett Barber was quickly moving up getting by Leddy and Baggett for third. Grimes was able to retake the lead from C. Barber on lap 6 before a caution for debris after Jones shredded a tire.

 

On the restart J. Barber, on the high side, took second from his dad and then looked low on Grimes while Russ Parker got by Leddy for fourth. Parker and C. Barber then began to swap third. At the crossed flags it was Grimes and J. Barber door to door for the lead, C. Barber, Parker and Leddy in the top five.

 

J. Barber was able to secure the point on lap 11 then slowly begin to ease away. Behind the lead duo Leddy, feeling secure about the championship, began to move up taking fourth from Parker. J. Barber took the white with about a half straightaway advantage over Grimes, with Leddy getting third from C. Barber. At the checkers it was J. Barber(Robstown) in the Barber Oilfield Trucking, WRT, Ace Transmission, crate powered, ARTS Chassis.

 

“It was exciting racing with my dad and Tommy(Grimes) for the lead,” commented Barber. “This is only my sixth race in a truck. These truck handle pretty much the same as my Street Stock, but they're down power. I've had to adjust my driving in the truck. You can't turn them with the throttle like my Street Stock. You have to make sure you have the truck pointed the direction you want to go before picking up the gas.”

 

“We had to start near the back(points average) and race our way to the front. I didn't really have a plan. I just went where they weren't. I didn't get to watch the Factory Stock race, but going out there I thought the bottom would be the fastest line. I didn't know if the top would be there, I just held my line on the bottom.”

 

“This is my first ever championship,” explained Leddy. “It's pretty sweet. It was awesome to complete a good race season without problems like we've had in the past. I was actually points racing tonight, which we normally don't do. I just kept Tommy(Grimes) in sight. They were faster than me on the bottom at the start of the race. I tried down there, but there was nowhere to go. So I moved up and found some speed up there. You just try to be a bit more conservative in the last race of the season.”

 

“I think I'm going to try to retire from racing now. I told Jamie(Fuller) that my driver suit had a broken zipper and I wasn't going to order a new one. We've got two new trucks and two new drivers coming up. So I'll retire from driving Jamie's stuff. I've got to thank all my sponsors for a good year, Reflective Wrecker, JGR Fab, C-3 Speed Horses, CNC Grafix, 'Let's Go Brandon', Longs Machine Shop, ARTS Chassis.”

 

Racetracklawyers.com Texas Dirt Truck Series

19 Jarrett Barber, 22t Tommy Grimes, 93 Aaron Leddy, 19b Chuck Barber, 28 Russ Parker, 19t Adolph Tracy, 3 Larry Baggett, 4 Treyler Caulfield, 14t Shaun Tracy, 416 Lance Chacon, 5x William Jones, 93b Colton Borlace, 39 Jamie Fuller---dns

 

TDTS Trophy Dash; 22t Tommy Grimes, 3 Larry Baggett, 28 Russ Parker, 5x William Jones

 

TDTS heats

Heat 1; 19b Chuck Barber, 5x William Jones, 28 Russ Parker, 19t Adolph Tracy, 14t Shaun Tracy, 416 Lance Chacon, b93 Colton Borlace

 

Heat 2; 22t Tommy Grimes, 93 Aaron Leddy, 19 Jarrett Barber, 3 Larry Baggett, 4 Treyler Caulfield, 39 Jamie Fuller---dns

 

Powder Puff

In the combined Powder Puff race it was a great battle between Jennie Barber and Riley Heil in the two 'borrowed' trucks of C. Barber and Parker. Barber would be able to hold off Heil to get the victory after battling side by side, at times, throughout the entire race.

 

In the Factory Stocks it was Amanda Freeman taking the win after an early battle with Regan Frautschi who would spin but continue. Emily Harbison would take second, while Cheryl James would come home third in her first ever race on dirt.

 

“I was scared (explative)less” said Freeman. “It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though. It was fun. When the trucks zoomed past I was like don't hit those. I never saw anyone I was racing with. All I saw was the trucks ahead of me. That's all I was worried about. Last month I got about 20 lap practice, but I've never been around racecars until my husband got involved in them. He and I are our only sponsors and our car is all built in-house.”

 

TDTS; Jennie Barber, Riley Heil

Factory Stocks; Amanda Freeman, Emily Harbison, Cheryl James, Regan Frautschi

 

Trailer Race;

It was ten laps of mayhem and destruction on a track that was “slimed” down before the Trailer Race. Getting lined up was even issue with the going tough on the slick track. So it was a standing start to get the event rolling. The winner was selected by the crowd in a cheer off on the front stretch. The first round was a virtual tie, so it was narrowed down to two and John Johnson and his co-pilot, Allen Leddy were awarded the win over DJ Schroat and his co-pilot. I joked that a belly slide down the front stretch might have gotten them a bigger cheer.

 

“That was crazy, a lot of fun,” exclaimed Johnson. “I help out a lot with the track prep. I asked Johnny(Torres) to leave us a lane on top, but you see he didn't do that. There was no favoritism at all, there was no dry line. I thought we tore up enough stuff to be worthy of the fan vote win. I think we accomplished what we needed to accomplish. We still had a piece of the trailer hanging on the bumper, so technically we still had a trailer attached, the tongue and some square tubing.”

 

“There were two times I thought I was going to die,” added Allen Leddy(his co-pilot). “But we made it through and had all kinds of fun.”

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