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Miller wins Elite, Egbert, Scrivner, Cosper and Burnett IMCA features


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Elite Non-Wing Sprint Car Series @ Cotton Bowl Speedway, 7/2/16

 

By JM Hallas

 

Paige, TX.,(July 2nd, 2016) After a scorcher of a week it was time for some hot action on Cotton Bowl Speedway's semi-banked, 3/8 mile, clay oval. Tonight's races included the IMCA Modifieds, Southern Sportmods, Stock Cars and Hobby Stocks along with the CBS Eco-stocks and an appearance by the Elite Non-Winged Sprint Cars.

 

The Elite Sprint Car Series runs under IMCA Racesaver rules, but without wings putting more in the hands of the driver. These non-winged warriors put on an awesome show, running on the ragged edge, sometimes going over that edge.

The IMCA and track classes begin the final half of their points season with battles shaping up and making every race important. The IMCA cars also run for state, regional and national points.

 

Anyone trying to run last weeks heavy, hammer down, track set up was in a for surprise as track conditions quickly went dry with the Sprinters knocking the top off, building a wall high cushion and laying down rubber off their larger rear tires. This made for a great multi-groove track throughout the night for all the classes.

 

Miller Masters Elite Main

 

Richard Miller(Terrell) and Justin Fifield put on a show for the fans during the first half of the 20-lapper for the Elite Sprints. The duo were pretty much in a class of their own as they exchanged perfectly executed slide jobs and crossover moves. Occasionally they tempted fate bouncing off the wall until Fifield jumped the turn 3 cushion, punched the wall and rolled. He walked away uninjured and left R. Miller to run unchallenged to the checkers.

 

As green waved on the 13-car field it was R. Miller beating Raven Culp into turn 1 for the lead. Michael Day, Fifield, Culp and Brandon Moeller fell in line for lap 1. Fifield then put a slider on Day to take the second spot and chased down R. Miller. Behind them Culp took third from Day while Johnny "Baja" Miller got by Moeller for fifth.

 

Blake Baccus brought out an early caution stopping in turn 3 on lap 3. That's when the fun began. Fifield dove under R. Miller in the turns, but the momentum up top kept R. Miller out front. On lap 4 Fifield put a slide job on R. Miller and into the lead back to the line on lap 5. For the next 5 laps R. Miller would put sliders on Fifield in turns 1 and 3, but Fifield would crossover and retain the lead.

 

Coming to halfway R. Miller was able to hold the advantage at the line over Fifield, Culp, Day and J. Miller. As Fifield challenged R. Miller on lap 10 he jumped the cushion, nosed into the wall and did several snap rolls collecting Culp in the process bringing out a red. Safety crews were quickly there to get Fifield out, but the car was hurt bad. Culp was not able to continue either.

 

On the restart it was R. Miller, Day and J. Miller pulling ahead until R. Miller began to stretch out his lead. The only thing to slow him was traffic, and that he diced through quickly, with some bold moves. As the white was shown R. Miller in the Wills Point Automotive, Wills Point Auto Sales, in-house powered, Maxim Chassis had a huge lead that he carried to the finish.

 

"Tonight you couldn't be scared of the outside wall," exclaimed Miller. "We were set up to run the top and hoping it would stay around. It did, it was right on the wall. The car was awesome. Running up by the wall kind of comes natural. There's a few times when you pucker up a bit in the middle of the turn when you see the wall coming. When your car is working good, it feels pretty comfortable. If it's not working good, yeah, it's a little sketchy."

 

"When we were trading sliders we were right against the wall and there was a few times I thought we'd get into it. After I got past him(Fifield) I saw the red come out and I hated to see it was him that brought it out. It looked like he got in a little deep and into the wall."

 

"This is our first race here this year, the earlier one got rained out, but we raced here twice last year. The first time we came it was heavy and rough, the second time it was dry as a powderhouse. It was real good tonight. I have a baseline set up that I go off of. We change a few little things. We mostly go for balance on the set up. Then we'll made a few changes from there."

 

"I have run some winged races, it's not really my style. They're a little too tight for me. I prefer a looser car. That's why I think the non-wing suits my style a little better."

 

Elite Sprint Series

34 Richard Miller, 2 Michael Day, 64j Johnny Miller, 39 Brandon Moeller, 6 Blake Moore, 16 Blake Baccus, 07j Chris Clark, 12 Justin Tyre,2w Dustin Welch, 2x Michael Oliver, 84 David Sherry, 49 Justin Fifield, 3 Raven Culp

 

Elite Sprint Series heats

Heat 1; 34 Richard Miller, 2 Michael Day, 3 Raven Culp, 12 Justin Tyre, 2w Dustin Welch, 6 Blake Moore, 07j Chris Clark---dns

 

Heat 2; 49 Justin Fifield, 64j Johnny Miller, 39 Brandon Moeller, 2x Michael Oliver, 16 Blake Baccus, 84 David Sherry

 

PJ Picks Up Modified Pay Day

 

Former IMCA National champion, PJ Egbert(Dallas) worked his way up to the front from mid-pack and caught early pacesetter, Jamie Campbell. Egbert, using the high-side, powered past Campbell near halfway then held off Campbell and last weeks winner and another past IMCA National champ, Keith White. As White and Campbell battled for second, Egbert eased away for the victory.

 

As the IMCA Modified main roared to life it got a bit crazy. Campbell jumped into the lead with David Goode sr., Raymond McSpadden and Egbert three wide for fourth. Egbert sorted out with the spot and he and White got by Hardy Henderson for second and third. Egbert, using the top then got past White for second while Henderson and Goode fought for fourth.

 

Egbert wasted little time reeling in Campbell getting along side on lap 7 and by on lap 8. Once past, Egbert changed his line to the middle, while White went up top trying to run the top two back down. Rick Green went around on lap 8 to bring out the first caution and rebunch the field.

 

Egbert got a big jump on green while Dean Abbey got fifth from Henderson. Coming to the crossed flags it was Egbert, Campbell, White, Goode and Abbey in the top five. As Egbert started to increase his margin White and Campbell went at it for second with Goode and Abbey swapping fourth behind them.

 

Ryan Childress brought those battles to a crawl when he went around in turn 2 for a lap 14 yellow. On green, Egbert on point, Campbell holding off White for second the Goode-Abbey fight continuing. The top three were all running different lines, Egbert in the middle, Campbell on the bottom and White sailing around the top.

 

The final yellow waved on lap 17 for separate spins by Jerry Frydrych and James Cochran. Egbert got away clean on green with White finally able to secure second while Goode and Abbey still swapped their spot. At the checkers it was Egbert in the Phils Motorsports, Abilene Powder Coating, Egbert Motorsports, D&D Cabinets, TBL Taxidermy, KLM Transport, McIntyre Motorsports, Heart of Texas Hydrographics, Cedarview Transportation, NateMare Graphics, KSE powered, GRT by Phillips Chassis taking the win.

 

"I was just fortunate that no one chose the top like I did from the start." commented Egbert.

 

"I ran them down on the outside while they were all fighting for the bottom. Once I got the lead I started taking it easy, maybe a little too easy. After I got the lead I'd use the middle going in so no one could slide job me. Then I'd skate up and catch the top coming off. That would chop that line off too, but it was killing my momentum."

 

"We've raced with Jamie(Campbell) here and there. He was a regular at I-37, he's always a tough competitor and races you clean. That's what we look forward to out here."

 

"When I'm out front I don't think about who's behind me. I just keep my rhythm, don't worry about anyone else. I just hot my marks and however the race ends up is the way it is. I was lucky to find my wife spotting for me. All my other spotters were in the infield and I couldn't find on the outside."

 

IMCA Modifieds

 

707 PJ Egbert, 1 Keith White, 29 Jamie Campbell, 13g David Goode sr., 91j Dean Abbey, 48r Raymond McSpadden, 63 Hardy Henderson, 97 Doug Lorenz, 1j James Cochran, 13 Jerry Frydrych, 82 Rick Green, 555 Richard Shields, 202 Scott Stubbs, 81 Ryan Childress, 10e Ronnie Ellis

 

IMCA Modified heats

 

Heat 1; 13 Jerry Frydrych, 63 Hardy Henderson, 707 PJ Egbert, 48r Raymond McSpadden, 13g David Goode sr., 1j James Cochran, 555 Richard Shields, 91j Dean Abbey---bf

 

Heat 2; 29 Jamie Campbell, 1 Keith White, 82 Rick Green, 202 Scott Stubbs, 10e; Ronnie Ellis, 97 Doug Lorenz, 81 Ryan Childress

 

Scrivner Scores Sportmod Spoils

 

Not being A Cotton Bowl regular didn't deter Robert Scrivner(Waco) from picking up the IMCA Southern Sportmod win. Scrivner got by early leader JJ Jennings past halfway and eased away while Jennings and Jeffrey Abbey slugged it out for second. The win was the second of the year at Cotton Bowl in just a few visits.

 

As the 18-car Southern Sportmod feature sailed into turn 1 it was Jennings first in followed by Tom Grothues, Dillon Tindell, Talon Minten and Don Painter. T. Minten got by Tindell for third with Scrivner charging to fourth, As T. Minten and Scrivner battled they ran down Grothues while Abbey was side by side with Chris Birmingham.

 

Scrivner got by both Grotheus and T. Minten after contact in that three-car scrap. T. Minten got third a lap later. The races only yellow waved on lap 7 for Bryan Meredith and Duane Owens in turn 4, plus Birmingham and Tindell in turn 2 at about the same time. All four went to the tail.

 

With Jennings away on the restart T. Minten stayed along side Scrivner while Abbey got by Grotheus for fourth. Scrivner held off T. Minten leaving him wheel to wheel with Abbey now for third. At halfway it was Jennings, Scrivner, T. Minten and Abbey still side by side with Grotheus in the top five.

 

As Abbey secured the pass, Scrivner was now looking high on Jennings for the lead. The two were wheel to wheel on lap 11 before Scrivner got the advantage on lap 12. Thomas Bennett cracked the top five getting that spot from Grotheus on lap 13 as Scrivner began to creep away.

 

In the final laps Abbey chased down Jennings to snag second, but laps were running out quickly. Scrivner held his lead in the Lambs Muffler Center, Greens Transmissions, J&J Motorsports, NateMare Graphics, Hill Bail Bonds, Dean Abbey Enterprises, Day Motorsports, Swenson Racing Shocks, Berta Built Bodies, Central Texas Lawn Sprinklers, Uncle Easys Race Engines, Express by Berta Chassis easily cruising to the checkers.

 

"It was a lot of luck, a good car and a nice racing surface," said Scrivner. "He gave us a great track tonight. I can't complain at all. I made a lot of lucky passes and got up to second. That late caution let me close back up and I got a good run on (JJ) Jennings. From there we ended up taking the win."

 

"It was a great. We didn't tear up any cars, no complaints. I'm ready to go again. I really had no plans(of attack) at all. You get behind JJ, you know he's fast, you know he's good, you just have to find a way around him. I got a good run on him on the top and snuck by."

 

"I know Jeffrey has a lot of Sportmod wins this year and if he's behind you have to worry some about him finding a faster line. I was just hoping I was good enough to keep him behind me. You wait, see what happens. If you see a nose, you step it up."

 

"I've run here some before, won earlier this year and some in the past. We normally don't make a lot changes between here and Heart O Texas. We might tighten the car up a bit, nothing major. It's the same basic stuff. We just keep everything easy and consistent."

 

IMCA Southern Sportmods

53 Robert Scrivner, 37 Jeffrey Abbey, 26g JJ Jennings, 14t Talon Minten, 0k Thomas Bennett, 11t Tom Grothues, 14r Robby Minten, 21t Taylor Florio, 6 Vince Louden, c3 Chris Birmingham, 86 Dillon Tindell, 10d Don Painter, 43 Jeremy Petty, 3x Frank Fruia, 25 Bryan Meredith, 12 Duane Owens, 03b Matthew Bennett, 701 John Sliney

 

IMCA SSM heats

 

Heat 1; 26g JJ Jennings, 53 Robert Scrivner, 10d Don Painter, 701 John Sliney, 6 Vince; Louden, 12 Duane Owens

 

Heat 2; 0k Thomas Bennett, 14r Robby Minten, 37 Jeffrey Abbey, 86 Dillon Tindell, 21t Taylor Florio, 43 Jeremy Petty

 

Heat 3; 14t Talon MInten, 11t Tom Grothues, c3 Chris Birmingham', 25 Bryan Meredith, 3x Frank Fruia, 03b Matthew Bennett

 

Cosper Captures Cash with Late Pass

 

With several tracks taking this weekend off it was an interesting mix in the IMCA Stock Car feature. After a couple wild laps it was Kirk Martin, using the top groove, getting out front in the 20-lap event. Charles Cosper(Belton) picked his through the field a caught Martin in the waning circuits. The two were door to door with two to go but it was Cosper, on the bottom, getting by in turns 3-4 as the white flag waved to lead only the last lap and snag the win.

 

As if the start of the IMCA Modified main wasn't crazy enough, the IMCA Stock Cars outdid themselves. As green flew on the 17-car field it was Kelvin Harper first into turn 1. On the back stretch it was 4, oops, wait, 5 wide behind Harper with AJ Dancer getting pin-balled off several cars before losing a fender causing a caution for debris.

 

On the second start Dancer and Harper stayed door to door into turn 1 and made contact sending Dancer around. Dancer continued in the lead, Harper pulled off with damage while Bill Sigman around in turn 3. It was Dancer leading Joe Spillman, Jeff Bauser, Cosper and Martin as the top five sorted out for the next restart.

 

On green Spillman got under Dancer for the lead on lap 2 while Martin went up top. Spillman's lead was short(no pun intended) as Martin sailed around the top to lead lap 3. Cosper and Eric Jones were side by side behind them for fourth. Spillman tried to dig back on the bottom, but Martin had too much momentum off the top.

 

Once Jones claimed the spot from Cosper he went after Dancer for third on lap 5. Jones was looking low on Spillman next with Cosper along side Dancer for fourth. Caution slowed the action on lap 9 when Anthony Otken, Duane Toyne and Daniel Shipler tangled in turn 2.

The restart saw Cosper get by Dancer, but when Spillman and Jones made contact for second, Dancer got back by Cosper and Jones in the back up. At halfway it was Martin, Dancer, Cosper, Jones and Spillman in the top five. Yellow waved on lap 11 for a spin by Kenny Merritt in turn 4.

 

Back to green Cosper got under Dancer, who was slowing, and Ryan Powers making his way to the top five taking the spot from Spillman. As Cosper chased down Martin, Dancer pulled off with a wounded motor and Westin Abbey got past Spillman for fourth.

 

Cosper caught Martin with three to go and began sticking the nose in on the bottom while Martin stayed on the high side. The two were door to door at the line with two to go while Abbey and Powers ran side by side. Cosper got the edge as the white flag waved and held the point in his Average Joes Performance, C&S Promotions, Swenson Racing Shocks, Fat Daddys Designs, Cedar Cove Speed, Fisher Race Engines, B&B Chassis.

 

"That wasn't how I planned it," replied Cosper. "But it worked out. There are two race weekends circled on my calender from now on that I go to win for my dad. Fathers day and July 4th. For the second year in a row, he helped me get to victory lane on both nights. Of course I have to thank my mom and Laurie for their never ending support! "

 

"At the start I was a ping pong ball. Got beat up, hooked and somehow survived. I was trying to decide if it was a 1,000 to win race or just a regular points night. I could not run the top like (Kirk)Martin so I worked the middle since (Joe)Spillman, (Eric)Jones and (AJ)Dancer had the bottom covered up."

 

"I was happy just to survive but with the way the cautions played out, the last one was the only one to work in my favor. I finally cleared Dancer and was able to work the bottom. Initially I was just worried about holding people off for 2nd, but I noticed I was gaining on Kirk. I got up on the wheel, and made it happen. There was still some meat on the bottom and the top was getting higher and higher so that helped too."

 

IMCA Stock Cars

33c Charles Cosper, 69 Kirk Martin, 84x Eric Jones, r12 Ryan Powers, 12 Westin Abbey, 44 Joe Spillman, 63 Andy Roller, 489 Anthony Otken, 74 Jeff Bauser, 7 Pat Wilson, v18 Kenny Merritt, 77 Bill Siegman, 52 AJ Dancer, 48 Duane Toyne, 38 Daniel Shipler, 112 Kelvin Harper, 14j Jay Simon II

 

IMCA Stock Car heats

 

Heat 1; 84x Eric Jones, 112 Kelvin Harper, 48 Duane Toyne, 7 Pat Wilson, 74 Jeff Bauser, 63 Andy Roller, 489 Anthony Otken, r12 Ryan Powers, 14j Jay Simon II

 

Heat 2; 44 Joe Spillman
69 Kirk Martin, 12 Westin Abbey, 33c Charles Cosper, 52 AJ Dancer, 38 Daniel, Shipler, v18 Kenny Merritt, 77 Bill Siegman

 

After battling with Larry Underwood for the win last weekend, and coming up short after contact, Sean Burnett(Centerville) rebounded this night for the victory. Burnett got past Michael Crisler early, then led the remaining laps in the Burnett Off Road, Chevy to go home with the hardware.

 

Crisler jumped out front at the start of the 12-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature with Burnett, Underwood, Douglas Wiggins and Alexa Shed in pursuit. Coming to lap 2 Crisler, Burnett and Underwood were three wide for the lead. Burnett sorted out with the spot on lap 3 followed by Underwood. Underwood then went around in turn 4 giving up spots to Crisler and Wiggins.

 

Burnett then pulled away while Wiggins and Crisler battled for second and A. Shed battled with her dad, David Shed. A. Shed brought out the only yellow on lap 9 erasing Burnett's lead. On the restart Crisler did a 360 and kept going, while Underwood retook spots. Burnett took the checkers while Underwood and Wiggins fought it out for second.

 

IMCA Hobby Stock

57 Sean Burnett, 8 Larry Underwood, 84 Douglas Wiggins, 09 David Shed, 7 Michael Crisler, o4 Alexa Shed

 

IMCA Hobby Stock heat
Heat 1; 8 Larry Underwood, 57 Sean Burnett, 84 Douglas Wiggins, 09 David Shed, 7 Michael Crisler, 04 Alexa Shed

 

Daniel Zajac(San Antonio) didn't lead every lap, but he did lead the first then final laps of the Eco_stock feature. Zajac got out front on green trailed by Robert Kelm, Jason Miller, Alyson Dorken and Brandy Petty. Zajac slipped in turn 2 giving the top spot to Kelm as the top four ran nose to tail.

 

Zajac fought back as he and Kelm swapped the lead nearly corner for corner with Zajac getting the advantage on lap 6. They continued to slug it out until Kelms ride began smoking while getting pressure from Miller and Dorken. This gave Zajac the chance to inch away to take the checkers.

 

CBS Eco-Stock

42 Daniel Zajac, 8 Robert Kelm, 6 Jason Miller, 43 Alyson Dorken, ob1 Brandy Petty, 52s Gordon Small, 4-Bill Hall---DNS

 

CBS Eco-stock heat; 42 Daniel Zajac, 8 Robert Kelm, 43 Alyson Dorken, 6 Jason Miller, ob1 Brandy Petty, 52s Gordon Small, 4 Bill Hall---dn,

 

Go-Karts

3.5 Class
1w Journee White(first win), 9 Matthew Pierson, 1 Jaxson White, 07 Lincoln Goertz, 202 Christopher Brewer

 

JR-1 Class
777 Lil PJ Egbert, 11 Kole Wier, v18 Kaleb Merritt, 8 Landon Stewart, 43 Kayden Petty

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