Over 100 cars invade the speedway

By Mike Hughes

May 3rd, 2010

News Main Photo

     Over 100 race cars in five divisions filled the pit area Friday evening, April 30.

     Ronnie Hill led the first 6 laps of the 20-lap Teels Trucks IMCA Modified A-main trailed by Marty Clark and Scott Brown.  Cautions on laps 3, 5, and 7 kept the field close.  After the restart on lap 7 when Jerry Phillips stalled, Hill led the field back to green, followed by Clark and defending track champion Corey Lagroon.  But heading down the backstretch, Clark and Lagroon made a sandwich out of Hill as one passed low, the other high, giving Lagroon the lead, followed by Clark and Hill.  But with 2 laps to go, the 'Minneapolis Missle' Dave Hardesty chased down and passed Lagroon to take the lead and the win.  Lagroon settled for second, followed by Mike Petersilie, Darrick Klima, and Clark.  Heat race winners were Lagroon, Hardesty, and Danny Morrison, while 'Gorgeous' George Tyler topped the B-feature field.

     Josh 'The Hammer' Hudson of Kensington led all 20 laps of the Adronics Elrob IMCA Stock Car main event, but caught a break near the end of the race to score the win.  Terry Franz hounded Hudson the entire distance, then the final caution waved on lap 19, setting up a green-white-checkered finish.  After the restart, Franz made the pass on Hudson, only to have the caution wave once again before the lap was completed, giving Hudson the top spot back on the restart.  Hudson held on for a trip to victory lane, trailed closely by Franz, heat one winner Terry Cunningham, Pat Bedore and Keith Riley.  Hudson won the other heat race.

     Belleville's Tyler Frye won his second Prater Oil IMCA Northern Sport Mod feature race of the season at the 3/8-mile oval.  Frye took advantage of his outside pole starting position to take the lead at the drop of the green.  Chris Heim kept close to Frye and was within a car-length at the halfway mark of the 15-lap event, but Frye held Heim at bay the remainder of the race to notch the victory with Mathew Crowell, Cory McGann and Dustin McClurg completing the top five.  Troy Robinson, Frye, and Clayton Wilson won the three heat races, with Frye also claiming the win in the Oldham Sales cash dash.

     Josh Latka of Hays led from green to checkered in the Lock N Load IMCA Hobby Stock feature.  The caution flag only waved twice during the 15-lap event, but finished second, followed by Aaron McBride, Mark Normandin and Cody Graham.  Heat race winners included Jerry Hudson, Pfannenstiel and Latka.

     The Steel Fabrication IMCA Sport Compact main event got off to a rough start when Shianne Carter and Nicole Woods crashed on the backstretch, bringing out a red flag.  Both cars were done for the night, and Woods was taken to the hospital for observation.  Victoria's Jesse Dunlap took the lead when the race restarted and led the entire 15 laps to make his way to victory land.  Allen Rice finished second, followed by Art Herzog, Doug Kreutzer and Nick Wolff.  Dunlap and Rice were victorious in the two heat races.

     It was 'Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night' with area Relay for Life members competing in a lawn mower race during intermission. Area Relay fo Life team members raised dollars for a very worthy cause through advance ticket sales.

     The evening's race sponsor was Carrico Implement and Toys 4 Trux, both of Hays.

     Racing action returns to the 3/8-mile oval Friday night, May 14.  The IMCA-sanctioned Modifieds, Stock cars, Hobby Stocks and Northern Sport Mods return, along with the Crazy Figure 8's.  Race time is 7:30pm.