Heart O Texas Spwy 7-11-03

[rebelracewriter]

Heart O Texas Speedway 7-11-03

By J M Hallas

Waco, Texas. Another hot weekend of racing at HOT Spwy., with close finishes, hard racing and the conclusion of Mid-Season Points championships on the 1/4 mile clay track. Also, on the nights card were a $1000 to win demo derby and a wedding.

The IMCA Modified main lined up by points putting leader Keith Green on the pole flanked by Ronnie Warren, while IMCA National points’ leader, Henry Witt, had to be a spectator after breaking in hot laps. From the drop of the green it was clear that Green’s car was not up to snuff as Warren quickly grabbed the early lead, and Green started to fall back. Mac Harmon got around Green for second on lap two, as Cody Williamson and Paul Hanusch battled side by side for fourth.

Harmon quickly ran down Warren and was able to snag the top spot on lap four, Williamson also got by Warren for second. Green continued his fall back through the pack, while Ben Ketteman was going the other direction, forward. With Harmon and Williamson pulling away, Ketteman got past Pat McGuire for sixth as the race neared halfway.

As the crossed flags were shown, it was Harmon, Williamson, Warren, P. Hanusch and Russ Reed holding the top five spots. Harmon and Williamson had built a half straightaway lead over Warren at that point. The lead duo put Green a lap down on lap 13 as they continued to add to their advantage. The gap lengthened to a full straight with five to go. When Harmon got slowed by a lapped car, Williamson took a shot for the lead but was unsuccessful. He then got slowed up as he ran into the back of Charles Lamb.

The races only caution came out on lap 17 when Wayne Crouse spun on the back stretch and P. Hanusch rolled to a stop in turn four. It didn’t take long back under green until Harmon and Williamson to edge away from the field, while Reed and Ketteman got together and stacked up the pack. The two leaders were off and running to settle it amongst themselves, but Williamson was never able to mount a serious challenge as it was Harmon, son of Bellmead Speedway owners(Judy and Phil Harmon), in the About Graphics(Stephenville) Hoover Chassis taking the checkers.

IMCA MODIFIED

FEATURE-1. #011-Malcolm Harmon, Clifton; 2. #18-Cody Williamson, Waco; 3. #34-Ronnie Warren, Oglesby; 4. #28-Russ Reed, Waco; 5. #9-Pat McGuire, Belton; 6. #3A-Matt Hood, McGregor; 7. #4-David Hanusch, Belton; 8. #37-Ben Ketteman, Pflugerville; 9. #20-Mike McCarthy; 10. #20E-David Cureton, Bruceville; 11. #71-Charles Lamb, Aledo; 12. #10-Greg Wade, China Spring; 13. #52-Keith Green, Robinson; 14. #5-Paul Hanusch, Temple; 15. #98-Wayne Crouse, Devine; 16. #54-David Pierce, Teague.

 

Jeff Sexton and Ritchie Robins paced the 16 car SIMS/ULMA Modified field to green, with Sexton grabbing the point. Sexton started to inch ahead, while the two top dogs in the class, Roy Ewing and Sid Kiphen were mired in the pack. Lap five saw Chris Cogburn and James Hoffman battling door to door for third. Greg Taylor spun into the infield and shot back onto the track clipping the car of Mike Chutes. The contact knocked the fire extinguisher out of one of the cars to bring out the caution when it came to rest on the track.

Sexton again inched ahead on green, while Ewing and Kiphen were picking their way up to fifth and sixth respectively after their sixth row starts. At halfway the top five were Sexton, Robins, Hoffman, Cogburn and Ewing with Robbins challenging on the low side for the lead. Robins tried again on lap 12 but was still not able to get by. Ewing got around Hoffman for third after contact between the two and in no time had run down the lead duo.

Sexton and Robins on low side got slowed by a lap car on lap 16. Ewing quickly jumped on the opportunity and he sailed around both on the high side to snatch the lead. Ewing would then run off the pack that was battling hard for second through seventh. Ewing took the victory by a comfortable margin in his K&S Backhoe/Partners Horshoe Club/R&R Fabricators/Country Service Center/Speedys Racing/Qwik Chassis.

SIMS/ULMA LIMITED MODIFIED

FEATURE-1. #28-Roy Ewing, Moody; 2. #8-Jeff Sexton, Ross; 3. #10-James Hoffman, Lorena; 4. #5-Chris Cogburn, Waco; 5. #52-Mark McDaniel, Elm Mott; 6. #58-Sid Kiphen, Gatesville; 7. #62-Ronny Reese, Hillsboro; 8. #4-David Sawyer, Waco; 9. #6-Greg Taylor, Jr., Whitney; 10. #18-Steven Carter, Waco; 11. #10C-Mike Chutes, Waco; 12. #61-Rick Poteet, Hillsboro; 13. #78-Scott Myers, Aquilla; 14. #16-Adam Schwartz, Clifton; 15. #06-Ritchie Robins, Lorena; 16. #23-Rev. Dr. Jason Stanley, Whitney.

 

The IMCA Stock main also lined up by points giving the front row to Benji Kirkpatrick and Tim Ezell. Ezell jumped out front on green as Brian Bishnow started his charge toward the front. Kirkpatrick closed in on Ezell, taking a look on the low side during lap five. Meanwhile, Chad Estes and Steve Spoonts battled side by side for third, with Bishnow creeping into the top five.

Kirkpatrick could close to Ezell’s bumper in the corners, but Ezell would power ahead on straightaways as the race came to halfway. Ezell. Kirkpatrick, Spoonts, Estes and Bishnow held the top five positions at that point with Bishnow challenging Estes for fourth. Ezell got some breathing room when Kirkpatrick slipped and fell to five car lengths back.

With four to go Estes and Bishnow got around Spoonts as that fight picked up. Bishnow got around Estes for third, but Estes punted Bishnow out of third, but got no black flag, sending him spinning to the infield with three to go. As the white flag flew Ezell was still holding off Kirkpatrick, while Spoonts and Estes were door to door for third. The win went to Ezell drivingthe Destroyer Chassis.

I-STOCK

FEATURE-1. #73-Tim Ezell, Buffalo; 2. #47-Benji Kirkpatrick, Elm Mott; 3. #30-Steve Spoonts, Belton; 4. #83-Chad Estes, Troy; 5. #11-Kenny Weir, Lott; 6. #771-Sam Sovey, Waco; 7. #00-Daniel Kent, Waco; 8. #13-Shannon Parsons, Golinda; 9. #181-Ed Thompson, Waco; 10. #84X-Eric Jones, Killeen; 11. #29-Brant Willis, Waco; 12. #25-Brian Bishnow, Robinson; 13. #12-Brandon Geurin, Whitney; 14. #11J-Justin Radcliff, China Spring.

 

The 15 lap Street Stock main was the best one of the evening as the race came down to last lap shootout between Mark Guerin and Charley Goodnight. David Khoury got the short-lived lead on lap one, but was quickly passed by Goodnight on lap two. Guerin moved in to challenge Good night on lap seven, with the two running wheel to wheel. Lap eight saw Guerin, on the high side get a slight advantage as they continued to dice it out. On the last lap Goodnight got inside Guerin as they raced down the back stretch. Goodnight got the nose ahead through turns three and four, but Guerin used his momentum on the high side to sneak by Goodnight at the line by about a bumper.

STREET STOCK

FEATURE-1. #42-Mark Geurin, Whitney; 2. #05-Charles Goodnight, Hallsburg; 3. #1-Doug Andrews, Waco; 4. #73-David Khoury, Waco; 5. #181-Ed Thompson, Waco; 6. #71-Tommy Kirkpatrick, West; 7. #32-Bill Eller, Hewitt; 8. #34-Larry Moore, Lorena; 9. #27-Pam Kemp, Robinson.

 

In the Mini Stock main, Jeremy Oliver, Shad Stevens and Jason Hoffman put on a good three car show for the lead throughout the entire race. Hoffman made a last lap, last corner to snare the top honors.

MINI STOCK

FEATURE-1. #123-Jason Hoffman, Killeen; 2. #82-Jeremy Oliver, Robinson; 3. #23-Shad Stevens, Troy; 4. #1-Shane Smith, Waco; 5. #3-O. N. Harcrow, West; 6. #69-Steve Moore, Axtell.

 

The Pure Stock feature saw Steven Carter get the early lead, but was joined by Brandon Dulock and Mike Robertson. As the top trio slugged it out for the lead, Robertson and Carter hooked bumpers, as they broke free, Carter went spinning to the infield. Dulock was the beneficiary as he went on to take the win, while Robertson was black flagged for rough driving, though what I saw looked more like a “racin’ deal”.

PURE STOCK

FEATURE-1. #20-Brandon Dulock, Lorena; 2. #1-Timmy Kemp, Bellmead; 3. #24-Dwain Wills, Waco; 4. #57-Kevin Smith, Waco; 5. #5R-Jimmy Reid, Waco; 6. #18-Steven Carter, Waco; 7. #147-Charles Boecker, Temple; 8. #13-Russell Carter, Waco; 9. #17-Michael Robertson, McGregor; 10. #19X-Brandon Ward, Whitney.

In the Cruiser class, Chad Barber held the early lead, until he ran into lap traffic. Barber got spun by Michael Haisler, who then body slammed Chris Wills for the lead. Haisler then went on to take the checkers.

CRUISER

FEATURE-1. #07-Michael Haisler, Elm Mott; 2. #87-Mark Bolfing, Waco; 3. #44-Chad Barber, Waco; 4. #5-Nathan Kelley, Robinson; 5. #24-Chris Wills, Waco; 6. #80-Jeremy Knight, Bellmead; 7. #04-Michael George, Waco; 8. #744-William Dean, Elm Mott; 9. #22-David Willis, Elm Mott; 10. #10R-Russell Bracken, China Spring.

 

In Junior Mini stocks, Brandon Hood lead flag to flag to garner the top honors and trophy.

JUNIOR MINI STOCK

FEATURE-1. #1B-Brandon Hood, McGregor; 2. #5-Kevin Green, Robinson; 3. #02-Preston Ellis, Belton; 4. #60-Nathan Sodek, Temple; 5. #03-Dillon Smith, China Spring; 6. #69-Racin' Mason Ellis, Belton; 7. #8-Brandon Goodnight, Mart.

 

Joshua Texas driver, Keith Fountaine scored the biggest hit and took the win in the $1000 to win, 15 car demo derby in his GM station wagon.

DEMOLITION DERBY

1. #2-Keith Fountaine, Joshua; 2. #8-Brandon Lowe, Copperas Cove; 3. # --Gary Howard, Clifton; 4. #32-Ronnie Vaughn, Cleburne; 5. #27-Lance Morgan, Rhome; 6. #1-Jason Robins, Bruceville-Eddy; 7. #8X-Shannon Pepper, Fort Hood; 8. #03-Jonathan Hudson, Cleburne; 9. #23-Patrick Burton, North Richland Hills; 10. #18-Lee Majors, Killeen; 11. #55-Tony Willett, Whitney; 12. #96-Jeff Woodruff, Elm Mott; 13. #11D-Michael Dodd, Waco; 14. #10C-Jason Cornett, Bellmead; 15. #21-Thomas Hall, Waco.