Changes Make Better Racing at I-35 Speedway
Changes Make Better Racing
by: Chet Querry PR
WINSTON, MO (Sept 15, 2012) – It’s never to late to make improvements even late in the racing season when you get results like I-35 Speedway got. A rebuilt turn one provided some of the best side by side racing of the year for fans.
The IMCA Stock Car class looked like the class of old with few yellow flags & cars battling for every position. Sean Foster would take the early lead & fight off Gene Stigall and John Crews to keep that spot. Crews found a line where his car was fast and took the lead at halfway. While those three were battling Kevin Anderson was finding his way to the lead pack. Once he got there he moved himself into second. With 3 laps left Anderson dove to the inside and showed Crews he wanted the lead. So the next lap Crews moved down just enough to give Anderson a line around the outside. The new turn one allowed cars to keep their momentum and Anderson took advantage by taking the lead for the final flag. Crews finished second. Dean Wray and Jon Boller Jr are still battling for the championship. Wray finished third to make up two points on Boller who finished fifth, with Stigall in fourth. Anderson also won the hard charger bonus provided by Crow Walker insurance.
The 14 year old sensation has proven he belongs in his first year of racing in the Grand National class. Austin Johnson took control and never had any major threats for the lead in the feature. Austin picked up his third feature win of the season. Chad Clancy in only his third race back in the Grand National class and his win last time he raced finished second. Wins leader Bud Wilson was third. Travis Walker and Thomas Roberts were fourth and fifth.
The Show-Me Vintage Racers put on a great show. Shane Wilson took the Micky Fleehart #7 ride to Victory Lane over LeRoy Holler. Darren Shore moved from his starting spot in the back to third quick but seemed to stall out when he got there. Larry Quint and Jim Clevenger rounded out the top five.
The IMCA SportMods had one of the best races they’ve had in a long time. Paige Leppin would lead the first couple laps before a tierod broke. The top three guys would take over from there on battling for the lead. Doug Keller and Jeremy Pittsenbarger battled lap after lap until Brad Whitney joined the party. Pittsenbarger found the high side and looked to be the car to beat. But slipped late in the race one time and that gave the win to Keller. Whitney snuck around to finish second with Pittsenbarger third. Randy Ainsworth, current points leader, got caught up in a spin early and had to restart at the back. One by one he passed cars until the checkered flag where he finished fourth. Mitch Booher had the best finish of his racing career by finishing fifth and winning another hard charger award all sponsored by Crow Walker Insurance.
The IMCA Hobby Stock has been controlled much of the year by Eric Stanton. But one driver who has consistently been there to challenge him has been Lee Farmer. When the green flag dropped Farmer split cars and drove right thru the middle into the lead. Stanton who started one row farther back had no luck trying to do that and got tangled up in a spin. With a damaged right front Stanton went to the pits and had repairs made but was two laps down when he came back out. Farmer spent the entire race fighting off Andy Coffman. Coffman stayed on Farmers tail in the heat race and mounted two runs on Farmer. Farmer had his Lightning McQueen hot rod on a rail and never let Coffman clear him. Farmer picked up his third feature of the year with Coffman in second. Luke Ramsey, Mich Ross and Anthony Fletchall battled back and forth but finished in that order in third thru fifth. Ross was the hard charger.
Steven Glenn sat on the pole of the IMCA Modified feature. Glenn is hard to beat when he finds the lead. Glenn jumped to the lead and brought JJ Baumli to the point with him. Those two ould get away from the pack a few car lengths. After a restart Jim Cameron put himself in the battle for the lead. After a couple laps, contact sent Cameron over the back stretch causing him to roll. As they went back to green, Glenn continued to hold the top spot but now was being tailed by Blake Peeler. Peeler stayed within three feet of the back bumper of Glenn for a few laps without ever touching him. But jumped the cushion in three and four and fell back three spots. So Cory Wray started pressuring Glenn on the bottom of the track. But the newly built turn one gave drivers a fast way around and Glenn stayed on the cushion to pick up the win. Wray was second. PJ Conger made his return to I-35 Speedway after a couple years and might have been the fastest car on the track but ran out of time and finished third. Buz Kaster stayed in third or fourth the entire feature and finished fourth with Peeler in fifth. Wray started deep in the field and finishing second gave him the Crow Walker hard charger award.
This Saturday will include the Midwest Lightning Sprints and the second to last race of the season. Visit www.i-35speedway.net for results, current points standings, schedules and our fine sponsors.
Also check out the Show-Me Spectacular tab for details and registration information.
Category: I-35 Raceway, Missouri, News
