TRIPS TO O'REILLY VICTORY LANE AT SCS IS A FAMILY AFFAIR
Shannon Lowe
(05/26/09)
With the threat of thunderstorms in the area, Shelby County Speedway officials worked to prepare the race surface early and racing was underway in good time. Hot, humid conditions gave way to cooler air and clearing skies as fans gathered to fill the stands and cheer their favorite drivers on to victory. With heats completed and intermission bringing children 10 and under out on the speedway for the nickel toss the sun shining over turns three and four reassured fans and officials that they had gotten a reprieve from the showers that had threatened.
Feature racing got underway as the sun set over the Shelby County Speedway. Heat winners Caine Mahlberg and Taylor Griffin take the battle head to head as the Shelby County Speedway Sport Compacts feature got underway. Mahlberg comes away with the lead as Griffin falls back to a solid second until Tom Summerfield found a groove that put him in striking range for that second spot. Summerfield and Griffin were trading spaces for several laps with Griffin working to hold off Summerfield and managing to cross the finish line ahead of him.
The WAM Performance Parts Hobby Stocks came onto the track for feature racing and as the racers took the race up to speed and drivers began to jockey for position on the track, trouble in turn two had three cars piled up. Chuck Madden pressed high against Shannon Andersens car with Shannon Andersen straddling the outside guardrail and Joel Tiggs pressed in behind them both. Tiggs landed on pit road as his crew worked on his car. Andersen with damage to his front bumper was lifted free of the guardrail and after a quick tire change and once over on pit road, was back out on the track to finish the race. More trouble in turn two a few laps later had Chuck Madden and Eric Wallis coming together with Madden taking serious damage this time and the resulting caution sends him to the pit on the two you lose rule. With still 7 laps remaining, fans were hoping the worst was over and the green flag would remain until the checkered flew. But turn two takes out a few more cars after the restart with Noah Ludwig spinning and collecting Kenny Hansen tying the two cars together and the tow truck drivers were performing hobby stock surgery to separate them. Once free of Ludwig, Hansen pulled into pit lane to repair damage and was back to racing as the time limit elapsed. On the restart, drivers were looking to keep in clean and green with 6 still to go. Shannon Andersen rebounds from his attempted hurdle and he works his way from the back of the pack and taking the lead with 3 to go. More trouble in turn two for Daniel Smith, who spun his car and smacked Dustin Benning but both cars kept moving keeping the race under green as Shannon Andersen takes the checkered flag followed by Corey Madden, Jeff Hansen, Adam Hensel and Jason Kohl.
KNOD Northern Sport Mods took the racing up a notch with Jared Hansen jumping out to an early lead from the point and looking to make the lead as big as he could. Dan McKeighan was determined not to let him get away and works his way into second and moves to cut the distance between himself and Hansen. Rookie driver Cody Hilgartner finds himself in trouble in turn two, bringing the pack down to caution speeds. Hansen, with the pack close on his tail and McKeighan hungry for the top spot choosing the high side in hopes of swinging past him, brings it up to speed out of turn four. McKeighan follows Hansen around the track looking for a chance to pass as Tanner Powers, Robert Tippery and Luke Wanninger begin to shuffle their way into the top five. Nine to go and Hansen holds the lead with McKeighan pushing from behind. Coming out of turn four, McKeighan finds his opening and powers past Hansen but a caution as Kyle Chalek finds himself down in his luck in turn two bringing out the caution. Racers are put back to the most recent scored lap putting Hansen back out front for another restart. Tim Wilcox throws his hat in the ring challenging Hansen for the top spot and running him down from the inside. Hansen still holding on to second as Wanninger pushes his way into fourth and challenges McKeighan for third and takes the spot with 3 to go. Hansen struggling to hold onto his car finds himself off the pace and crawling around the topside of turns three and four. And that puts Luke Wanninger in second and breathing down the back of Tim Wilcox with two to go on the restart. But Wanniger ran out of track as Wilcox crossed the finish line, Wanninger in second, McKeighan in third, Jesse Sobbing in fourth and Tanner Powers in fifth.
Jeremy Gettler takes the early lead in the Pizza Ranch Stock cars but the pack didnt let him get away out on his own giving fans a real thrill as aggressive clean racing had Clay Christian taking the lead down low in turn two and then Keith Knop taking the lead on the high side. Tim Bengard pushes into the third spot and dances with Christian before taking the lead. Dustin Smith worked his way into the top five and set his sights on both Christian and Bengard and threads the needle right between them to make a spot for himself landing himself in the number two spot with Bengard still challenging to take it back. Keith Knop of Shelby holds a strong lead with two to go as he began to work into lap traffic. Smith cuts the distance between them on the final lap and pulls alongside Knop coming out of turn four with the checkered flag in sight but Knop holds onto it for the win, Smith in second, Bengard in third, Christian back to fourth and Dave Plowman rounding out the top five.
With speed and power to spare the Budweiser Late Models take the green flag and bring racing at the Shelby County Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend to a whole new level of excitement. Don Beckstrom jumps to an early lead but Josh Most of Red Oak, Iowa finds his way around him to take the lead and works to stretch it but a caution as Randy Faux goes around in turn two brings the pack together for a restart. Don Beckstrom and Don Smith, Jr. sitting on Most rear push bar at the drop of the green flag as Smith dives to the inside pushing Beckstrom down the track and back several spots but Smith is unable to catch Most. Jeff Segebart looks for a line on the track to give him an advantage from the third spot but Vance Tonack manages to slide past him putting him back in fifth. Don Smith, Jr. begins to cut the distance between himself and Most and with open track around him and 7 laps to go the challenge looks possible. Segebart still struggling to find a good line on the track loses two more spots as Vic Lovejoy and Barry Sorensen slide around him on the high side. Sorensen looking for more grip on the track holding off Vic Lovejoy to slide up into fourth. With one to go, Most and Smith begin to work past lap traffic and Smith looks to use the slower traffic to his advantage. But there wasnt enough track left to get it done as Josh Most takes his first feature win at Shelby County Speedway with Smith behind him in second, Vance Tonak in third, Barry Sorensen and Vic Lovejoy in fourth and fifth.
Pitts Chiropractic Modifieds take the track for twenty laps of fast paced action and turn two has Red Monson spinning like many cars in other classes but the drivers behind him managing to steer clear of him as the caution lights came on. Officials worked to realign cars and then they were back to green flag racing. On the restart, Chase Mewhirter hits the cone in turn one and is set back two spots as B.J. Bruck of Westphalia goes around in turn two bringing out yet another caution and still no laps completed. As the RPMs came up for the third restart, Andersen finds his way out front to lead the first completed lap before another caution as Jeremy Leiting goes around between turns three and four. Andersen starts out front in a row of his own as the cars line up for the double file restart behind him. Nick Carlson lands in a solid second place as Nick the Real Deal digs in from fifth to power past Mark Leiting and setting his sights on Carlson. A crash on the front stretch with Chad Preul and Jeff Stephens stacking it up going into turn one. Craig Reetz takes it into the pit lane for a tire change on the caution and Jeff Stephens manages to get into pit road to have his car checked out but Preul ends his night on the hook end of a tow truck after his hard hit into the end of the front stretch wall. Andersen was still leading at the restart but Jeff Stephens with a fast run through the pack threatening from the fifth spot. Another caution brings the pack to a stop again as Mark Leiting loses it around turn two. Stephens continues his run on the restart, despite a loose hood. At the halfway point, Craig Reetz and Red Monson had worked their way back into the fifth and sixth spots but Andersen had the momentum and continued to lead. Nick Carlson still holding second while trying to shorten the distance to Andersen as Nick Deal held off Stephens, whose hood was still askew but holding on and not blocking vision for Stephens. A couple of cautions for debris on the track pushed the race to the time limit. With three to go promised an exciting ending to the final race of the night with the challengers brought in behind Andersen for the restart. Carlson looks to take the lead from Anderson but was unable to get the jump on the restart. Jeff Andersen takes the win and lands himself in the OReilly Victory Lane with Nick Carlson, Scott Carlson, Jeff Stephens and Craig Reetz rounding out the top five.
Head to the Shelby County Speedway this Saturday for a Memorial Day Celebration at the speedway, and try to pick the winners for a chance to win free tickets to the races in the Pick Six Challenge. Gates open at 5, hot laps at 6:30 and racing begins at 7 pm.
