|
Kil-Kare Speedway 1166 Dayton-Xenia Road Xenia, Ohio 45385 937 429-2961
Whipkey Claims MERS Carter Lumber 100 lapper
by Jerry Wahl
Xenia, OH. (6) - The weather may have been extra hot at Kil-Kare Speedway Friday but also was the action on the track as the Carter Lumber sponsored super late model Main Event Racing Series (MERS) made their annual stop as well as a special 40 lap feature for the modifieds paying $800 highlighted the program. The first event on the program was the twenty lap sport stock feature with Tony Cottrill and Steve Salyers leading the field to starter Mike Stapleton's green flag. Salyer merged ahead but fourth place starter Justin Miller moved up to challenge him. But by lap two fast timer Mike Miller (14.901) was putting the pressure on his brother. Mike made an attempt to pass on the outside but Justin shook him off. Justin, the winner of the last feature continued to hold off Mike at the halfway point but leadfoot Mike came across the line in the lead on lap twelve. Fifth place starter Mike South Jr. then closed in on Justin as the laps wound down and the field lapped Cottrill. On lap seventeen Justin lost control coming out of turn four, spinning into the infield bringing out the caution and Justin sent to the tail. With three laps to go Mike had South right on is rear bumper but was able to pull away from South for his first win of the year in the Combined Racing special. South was second with Salyers third while Justin came back up to claim fourth and fifth was Mel McMullen. Next was the first heat of the Oakley Blacktop compacts with Rodney Terry and Jesse Drook in the front row. It was bump and go at the start as the drivers charged into turn one. By the time they reached turn four Terry spun in front of the field with Drook, with nowhere to go struck Terry putting Drook out of action with front-end damage but Terry was able to continue. With a complete restart Bo Hoelscher shot into the lead as Terry faded to third. Chris Boggs moved into second while Tim Haerr moved up through the pack to third spot as the drivers finished in that order. The second heat saw David Sagers and Chris Clark lead the pack to the green. Sagers took the lead as Bryan Lynch came on strong from fifth. At the checker it was David Boyle taking the checker first followed by Lynch, Joe Hoelscher, and Davey Shaw. Midifieds was next up for their first heat with Jerry Stapleton taking the lead being chased by Gary Eaton. Polesetter Rodney Kreusch dropped back to third as fast timer Dick dunlevy sailed around Kreusch on the inside to steal third. As the checker flew it was Stapleton taking his first win of the year with Eaton second, Dunlevy third, and Chad Poole fourth. Caleb Reschar leaped into the lead at the start of the second heat, putting some distance on the field. Reschar held on all the way to take the win with Joe Jennings second followed by Josh Smith and Jamie Brenneman. The main attraction of the night was the Carter Lumber MERS 100 lap feature with twenty two cars lined up for the century grind. After announcer Adam Mackey introduced the drivers John Jenkins and Paul Pelletier led the field to the green. As the green unfoiled the two ran side by side with Jenkins finally taking the lead only to see the caution come out as Doug Sommers and track record holder Chad Poole tangled on turn two with Poole Sommers both eliminated. Holding down second was Pelletier with Kyle Jones third, Gary Whipkey fourth and Don Mahaffey fifth when action resumed. Jenkins brought the field to the green for the restart but it was shirt lived as again the yellow flew when John Stroble spun on turn two. Again the green waved on Jenkins with two laps in the record book Jenkins continued to lead as Kyle Jones took over second only to drop out with mechanical woes. Third place running Gary Whipkey was sizing up second place Pelletier as he closed in on him as they began lapping traffic by lap twenty-two. Jenkins continued to lead but the next two were chasing him down, moving closer and closer each lap. Meanwhile fast timer Dick Dunlevy who started eighth had his hands full trying to pass fifth place running Don Mahaffey with Mike Stacy right behind. Lap forty five saw a change in command as Pelletier slipped by Jenkins coming out of turn four to take the lead with Whipkey right behind and Jenkins running third. But wait, here comes Dunlevy, taking fourth spot on lap sixty and then third on lap sixty-two. With a half a lap between the leaders and Dunlevy, Dunlevy had his work cut out as he slowly advanced toward the leading Pelletier and Whipkey. Lap seventy put an end to former leader Jenkins night as he smacked the turn four wall hard to end his night after an earlier excellent running night. This was definitely a break veteran driver Dunlevy needed as it bunched up the field. With thirty laps to go the stage was set for a terrific showdown but two laps later sixth place running Mike Stacy was eliminated with a spin on turn one after a battle with Rich Rohrer. With seventy-two laps complete the top five was Pelletier, Whipkey, Dunlevy, Don Harvey, and Mahaffey. Whipkey slid around for the lead on lap seventy-seven as Harvey took over second with Dunley third. Lap eighty-three saw the caution fly gain as Rich Rohrer and Don Mahaffey bumped with Rohrer spinning. Rohrer retained his sixth place spot as Mahaffey darted into the pits to change a tire, restarting on the tail. Whipkey continued to lead but Harvey was all over his rear bumper but Whipkey was able to put a little distance over Harvey. the real battle was behind third place running Dunlevy with Pelletier, Tim Ice, and Rohrer battling for spots. Whipkey in the Carter Lumber sponsored machine claimed the win and the $3,000 first place money with Harvey closing in on him at the checker for second. Dunlevy held on for third in a close finish with Pelletier fourth and Tim Ice fifth. Thanks to Jack Woody Excavating the Oakley blacktop compact feature paid $60 to win and $40 for second. Rodney Terry and Bo Hoelscher led the pack to the green with Terry taking the lead but Hoelscher stole it only to see the caution come out as Steve Barnhart spun coming out of turn four. On the restart Hoelscher pulled away building up a big lead as Chris Boggs ran second with Aaron Harshbarger third being pressured by Tim Haerr. Hoelscher weeded his way through lapped traffic as the rest battled behind him. Haerr got around Harshbarger on lap ten and then went after Boggs. Haerr slid inside Boggs for second as he sought leader Hoelscher. Hoelscher claimed his second win of the year and claimed the $60 first place money. Haerr took home the $40 from Jack Woody Excavating with Boggs third as Harshbarger and Holli Eaton were next. The final event of the night was the 40 lap, $800 to win Carter Lumber modified feature with Rodney Kreusch and Jerry Stapleton leading the field to the green. Stapleton shot into the lead as the caution came out on lap two as Dewayne Snyder Jr. blew a radiator hose going out of turn three. On the restart Stapleton stayed in front with Gary Eaton Jr. moving up on the outside as they dueled side by side only to see the caution come out due to a spin on the backstretch. Eaton again pulled aside if Stapleton as they swapped the lead. Stapleton managed to pull off the front spot with Eaton right behind. The pace was slowed again on lap twelve as Jason Mahaffey spun on turn one after contact with Jack Jones with Jones sent to the rear. Fast timer Dick Dunlevy took over fourth on lap fifteen as Mike Stacy came from way back in the pack to move behind Dunlevy. Bill Burba moved into second as Eaton faded to fifth. Stacy then went to work on Dunlevy, passing him on lap twenty-seven and then passed Burba for second and moved on the outside of Stapleton as they battled. Stacy made his pass good on lap thirty one as Stapleton drifted up into Stacy on the frontstretch and spun. Stacy pulled away from the field leaving Burba, Dunlevy, Jack Jones ,Eaton, and Josh Smith behind. Eaton appeared off the pace as he dropped back and with two laps to go it was a mad scramble for positions. At the checker it was Stacy who came from the tail of the eighteen car starting field taking his first win of the year. Bill Burba had his best feature finish as he was runner-up followed by dick Dunlevy, Jason Mahaffey, and Jack Jones. Next Friday night, June 13, the ARCA Lincoln Welders will make their annual stop at Kil-Kare along with a regular program with the gates opening at 6 p.m. and racing at 8 p.m. For complete information visit www.kilkare.com or contact the track, 937 429-2961
Main Event Racing Series Fast time - Dick Dunlevy 12.805 Carter Lumber 100 lap feature - Gary Whipkey, Don Harvey, Dick Dunlevy, Paul Pelletier, Tim Ice, Rich Rohrer, Don Mahaffey, Jimmy Carter, Bill Burba, Joel McKnight, Mike Stacy, John Jenkins, Chris Benson, John Flynn, Dino Long, Burgess White, Kyle Jones, Bill Cantley, John Stroble, John Sandquist, Doug Sommers, Chad Poole
Modifieds Fast time - Dick Dunlevy 13.969 Heat - Jerry Stapleton, Gary Eaton Jr., Dick Dunlevy, Chad Poole Heat - Caleb Reschar, Joe Jennings, Josh Smith, Jamie Brenneman Carter Lumber 40 lap feature - Mike Stacy, bill Burba, Dick Dunlevy, Jason Mahaffey, Jack Jones, Josh Smith, Gary Eaton Jr., Rodney Kreusch, Charlie Davis, Caleb Reschar. Joe Jennings, Jerry Stapleton, Jamie Brenneman, Shawn Stroble, Chad Poole, Neil McCleland, Jimmy Johnson, Dewayne Snyder Jr.
Sport Stocks Fast time - Mike Miller - 14.901 Feature (20 laps) - Mike Miller, Mike South Jr., Steve Salyers, Justin Miller, Mel McMullen, Tony Cottrill, Matt McCarty
Oakley Blacktop Compacts Fast time - Chris Lucas 15.174 Heat - David Boyle, Bryan Lynch, Joe Hoelscher, Davey Shaw Heat - Bo Hoelscher, Chris Boggs, Tim Haerr, Rodney Terry Feature (20 laps) - Bo Hoelscher, Tim Haerr, Chris Boggs, Aaron Harshbarger, Holli Eaton, Chris Lucas, Davey Shaw, Amber Sites, Paul Holley, Rodney Terry, Joe Hoelscher, Bryan Lynch, David Sagers, David Boyle, Ron Sagers, Steve Barnhart
|