"Wild Bill" Kopka Tames Putnam Limited Late Models
By Jon Harney
Limited Late Models were the main event at Putnam County Speedway and yellow was the predominant color of the evening. The 30-lapper saw many early favorites knocked out of contention in separate incidents. Marion Sizemore's #2 looked like the car to beat but the X-1R sponsored machine of #33 "Wild Bill" Kopka stuck with Sizemore lap after lap and appeared to get stronger as the race progressed. Opportunity finally came when Sizemore pushed high exiting turn four. Kopka made the inside pass and won going away. Sizemore was second, third was #71 David Shugart, fourth was #02 Travis Rhoden, and fifth was #15 Joe Grubb.
Flagman Harvey Hooten was forced to continue his yellow-flag aerobic program throughout the Modified feature. A strong field of 20 Modifieds took the green with Tim Zackery's #12 Mopar winning the drag race to turn one. The race saw many more yellow flag laps than normal as several drivers - including many of the frontrunners - had trouble negotiating the dry-slick surface. Throughout the cautionfest, Zackery held off stern challenges from second place finisher #205 Bobby Dixon and third place finisher #32 Robby Barris to lead all laps and take the checkers in the abbreviated 12-lap race. #41 Gary Sexton just narrowly beat #7 Gary Gross at the line for fourth.
Greg Fife took advantage of his pole starting position to stay out of trouble and post a green-to-checkers victory in Street Stocks. Several incidents repeatedly juggled the lineup and involved every car except Fife's #71. #4 Chris Vogel was on Fife's tail the entire race until he spun in turn four on the last lap. Points leader Kenny Hall found an opening and bypassed the traffic jam to finish second. #23 Richard Adams was next to pick his way through the turn four mess with #44 Ronnie Grubb and Vogel in tow.
Hobby Stocks delighted the crowd with their strongest turnout of the season. Twenty cars started the feature led by #72 Albert Hall. The only driver with anything for Hall in the early going was Ronnie Soltis whose #61 Diamond S Trucking Camaro closely trailed the leader. Hall's car broke in mid-race giving Soltis the lead. Soltis battled #1 Chip Owen in the final laps to take his second Hobby win. Behind the leaders were the Fords of #21 David Miller and #99 Danny Miller with #66 Dave Dowling Sr. getting paid for fifth.
Mike Tripp's #61 doesn't have the strongest motor in the Pure Stock division, but no other car can touch him through the turns. Tripp dominated an 18-car field to take his fourth win of the season and extend his points lead over David Conner. #19 Skip Talbot made a late-race move on #5 L.J. Klemons to claim second. Grady Lundquist had a good run in his #G7 Camaro for fourth and Shawn Buchanan's #28 rounded out the top five.
Mini-Stocks had the night off but will return on Saturday 26 for heat and feature action along with the other five regular Putnam County Speedway divisions.
