Texas Thunder Speedway 9-20-03

[rebelracewriter]

Texas Thunder Speedway 9-20-03

By J M Hallas & Mary Jane Allen

Points races heat up/tighten up as seasons end nears.

Killeen, Texas. Coming into the nights IMCA Modified feature event, it was defending champion, Keith White and newly crowned IMCA Modified Rookie of the Year, PJ Egbert in a virtual tie for the track points lead. The duo have battled throughout the season with several side by side races for the lead and finishes. Tonight would be no exception.

Seventeen cars started the main, led to green by Mitch Hardman and Adrian Jez, with Hardman getting the point on lap 1. Lap 2 saw Greg Atwood loose a tire to bring out the yellow flag. On the restart George Egbert and Ken Old made contact battling for second, putting both out for the night.

Once back under green, with Hardman still leading, White, PJ Egbert and Glen Allen had worker their way up to 2nd-4th, respectively. Just before halfway yellow flew for Glen Derks who had trouble in turn four. Hardman was forced to surrender the lead when he pitted with a flat right rear.

This left the two points contenders to fight it out for the win as well as the track points lead. The duo ran side by side for the point, while Allen lurked in third, waiting for a mistake. As the crossed flags were shown it was White, PJ Egbert, Allen, Chris Renegar and Ben Ketteman rounding out the top five.

Lap 12 saw Jeremy Davenport, who towed all the way up from the coast(Rockport) expire a motor and stop on the front stretch. As the lead pair continued their scrap for the win, Allens night came to an end with a broken rear end on lap 13. White and Egbert had the crowd on their feet as they fought it out to the finish with White in his Accent Plumbing/Unique Drywall/Spyder Signs/Tomastik Motorsports/Qwik Chassis, taking the win. The win with Egberts second gave White the slim 1 point lead going into the final night next Saturday.

1 Keith White

2 PJ Egbert

3 Ben Ketteman

4 Joey Craig

5 Jarrod Jennings

6 Chris Renegar

7 Allen Waltermire

8 Adrian Jez

9 Danny Gribble

10 Mitch Hardman

11 Glen Allen

12 Jeremy Davenport

13 Glen Derks

14 Ken Old

15 Greg Atwood

16 George Egbert

Allen Essenburg—DNS

Jason Bernal—DNS

Pat McGuire—DQ’ed rough driving

 

 

In IMCA Stocks, Jason “Arco” Batt lived up to his nickname at the start of the 12 car feature. On lap 2 he and Chris Simmerman made contact, then came together again sending Batt into the front stretch wall, causing Batt to flip over. Batt was checked out and released from the ambulance and though he tried to continue in the race, the car was not allowed to continue.

Phil Egbert led at halfway followed by Cham Savage, Derrick Sears, and Jason Bogard. Bogards car started smoking badly on lap 10 and was black flagged, but Bogard continued on until it caught fire on the last lap. Egbert was first across the line to get the win, while second place finisher, Savage closed the points gap on Crawford to 11 points.

1 Phil Egbert

2 Cham Savage

3 Derrick Sears

4 Trace Crawford

5 Gary Simmerman

6 Andrew Simmerman

7 Jason Bogard

8 Johnnie McGehee

9 Eric Jones

10 Donald Lewis

11 Chris Simmerman

12 Jason Batt

 

As an added attraction, the Southern States Midget Association was on hand, but only 8 cars started the main, paced to green by Doug McCune and Chris Shoulders. McCune jumped into the lead as the green flew. Aaron Kirk got by Shoulders for second on lap 3 and quickly closed on McCune for the lead.

Kirk blew by on the low side and began to run away. McCune bicycled in turns 1-2 but was able to hang on and continue. Shoulders brought out the only yellow for spin in turn three. Kirk again pulled away from the pack , while Jerry Hammock worked his way up getting by McCune for second in the final laps.

1 Aaron Kirk

2 Jerry Hammock

3 Doug White

4 Roland Ayo

5 Doug McCune

6 Chris Shoulders

7 Kenny Venable

8 AC Urbanski

 

The 14 car Street Stock main saw Joe Fuller get the early lead. The yellow flew on lap 3 when Rick Michael rode up on the wall and finally rolled to a stop in turn three. Robert Simmerman got by J. Fuller on lap 6 and was able to shake the jinx he had been having while leading, by going on to grab the victory. Points leader Floyd Pruitt finished third, extending his lead to 11 over fifth place finisher Scott Cooper.

1 Robert Simmerman

2 Justin Redman

3 Floyd Pruitt

4 Joe Fuller

5 Scott Cooper

6 Anthony Otken

7 Michael Walter

8 TY Hawkey

9 Chris Moore

10 Wayne Neff

11 Brian Fuller

12 Brad Dewald

13 Rick Michael

14 TL Bright

*** Hawkey claimed the motor of Pruitt***

 

In the Mini Stock main, Larry Ware used his victory and problem with points leader Jason Hoffman to close in to within 10 points.

1 Larry Ware

2 Jeremy O’Brien

3 Bill Siegman

4 Rob Churchill

5 Daniel Shipler

6 Marilyn Holder

7 Michael Crandell

8 Joseph Gregoire

9 Kenny Ware

10 Jesus Dones

11 Jason Hoffman

 

Now for the Thunder Stocks, with me once again behind the wheel of the car owned by Mike Lowery. In the final heat and having points from my last race, I started third and held the spot until David Cowen got loose. As I tried for a pass, Jeff Medlock blew past both of us and moved into the lead. My teammate Trevor Sparkman then got by me and put a slide job on Cowen. I followed Sparkman though the hole as Cowen tried to turn back down. Fortunately for me, the 66 Caprice tank I was driving didn’t budge as Cowen slid off turn four. I was able to hold off Robin Rasmussen to get the final transfer spot. WooHoo!!

In the 20 car feature I started second row outside, with Justin Wierenga and Jeff Craig on the front row. I had hoped to follow Craig on the high side, but the best laid plans....... As the green flew Wierenga got out first, Tracey Cole moved up on me and I gave up the spot falling back to fourth.

As we came around to complete lap 1, Corey Stephan drove up on me coming out of four. We made contact, and I flashed back to my last race when I got squeezed into the wall. Not wanting to do that again, I turned left and shook Stephan off. Stephan spun and hit the wall, which I felt bad about, but I wasn’t hitting that damn wall a second time.

Since I was able to keep going, and the incident not being deemed my fault, I was given my spot back on the restart. The restart was a carbon copy of the initial try with me hanging on, literally to fourth place. My chance for a (possible)good finish ended on lap 4 when I broke the right rear axle and limped into the pits, while at the same time Chuck Bayles was blowing a motor and Wierenga was spinning from the lead. My wheel was collected by Jeremy Adkins, who knocked a hole in the radiator ending his night and that of his passenger birthday girl, Jennifer Perry, who was celebrating her “Sweet Sixteenth.”

Jeff Medlock inherited the lead and was still leading at halfway over Bobby Norton, Trevor Sparkman, Danny Dunn and Jesse James Cox jr. From There Medlock went on to take his sixth win of the season, while Sparkman added a couple points to his lead over Cox and Dunn, who are tied 8 points back

1 Jeff Medlock

2 Trevor Sparkman

3 Danny Dunn

4 Bobby Norton

5 Jesse James Cox jr

6 Terri Dillard

7 Danny Colburn

8 Terri Garvin

9 Justin Wierenga

10 Tracey Cole

11 David Cowen

12 Tony Hamil

13 Jeff Craig

14 Jerry Myatt

15 Robin Rasmussen

16 Robert Garcia

17 Jeremy Adkins

18 J M Hallas

19 Chuck Bayles

20 Corey Stephan

Patti Hamlin—DNS

 

Once again I need to thank Mike Lowery and his team of Chris Moore, Trevor Sparkman and Bart Dixon(who gave up the ride tonight for me). I know those guys put a lot of time and effort into repairing the car after I trashed it in my last race. At least this time I only bent the bumper and fender a bit, aside from the axle breaking. The team has a great group of sponsors including Mr. Cool Radiator, Computer Age Auto, Capitol Bearings, Gumbos Restaurant, Astro Mechanical, Solis Trucking, Cantwells Used Parts, and Bland, Schroeder & Archer.

Mike is still pondering the retirement of the car which I affectionately nicknamed, “Christine” because it keeps coming back to life. During the off-season I fully intend on making a few trips to his shop in Liberty Hill to help with repairs and/or the building of a new car.

I also need to need to thank Mary Jane Allen for doing my notes while I was again busy as a driver/crewmember.

[NickHolt]

Jay,

 

Racing's a kick, eh?

 

Nick Holt

[rebelracewriter]

Ya, I got "IT" bad again!!!!! Just wish I could afford to do it.