By Jimmy Rouse- Bubba Raceway Park Media
The RaceCar Engineering Late Models, Barrett’s Race Cars Hobby Stocks, Amsoil V-8 Thunderstocks, Mini Stocks, and Gladiators were all set to take to the track and they all gave it their best. Of course, points are on the line and every driver wants to be part of the battle.
The Barrett’s Race Cars Hobby Stocks had 21 show up and they all put on a fantastic battle. Chad Scranton started on the pole and pulled away at the start. On lap 6 Cory Hupp, Heat race winner, slowed in turn 2 causing a chain reaction in which Steve Osteen slowed and Phil Brown did as well. Osteen and Brown made contact and Brown hit the tire and flipped his #13. Brown was okay after the accident. Under the red flag the points leader and 2nd place driver, Tim Powers, pitted meaning he’d have to drive the 44 back through the field. The green flag fell again and the final 14 were caution free. Chad Scranton made it 3-for-3 as he’s missed a few races in 2011 while Kevin Durden had to settle for 2nd. Brett Barrett put his 109 in 3rd with a fantastic run and Tim Powers salvaged some points with 4th, his worst finish of 2011. Jeff Rodgers rounded out the top 5. Buck Woodhouse had a calm night with 6th the result, Joe Belkey was 7th, Joe Boyd a quiet 8th, Devin Walker did an impressive job for 9th, and James Erickson steadily moved up the grid for a top 10.
Mini Stock action was also very calm with the only caution coming out on lap 11 for Jimbo Bird when part of the engine left the 1994 champion stranded in turn 3. The restart had 3 of John Yates’ cars in the top 4 and all 3 drivers are very competitive. Jamie Burrows and Ray Folwell made contact in turn 2 for the lead and Folwell, the points leader, spun into the infield. Folwell dropped to the back and that allowed Buddy Pope and Brittany Yates to pressure Burrows. Jamie Burrows wouldn’t let it happen and he took win #1 in 2011 while Buddy Pope again settled for 2nd. Brittany Yates gained a few points with 3rd, “Flyin” Ryan Babcock took 4th, and William Killanger, Jr. rounded out the top 5. Ray Folwell was 6th, Jimbo Bird 7th, Ray Ethridge in 8th, Kody Kinsey took 9th, and JP Podbeusek was 10th.
A 17-car field of Late Models rarely goes caution free, but the Bubba Raceway Park Late Model drivers showed their worth over the 25 lap run. To bet against Ivedent Lloyd, Jr. anytime, especially when he’s been this strong, is to make a strong statement. Lloyd drove straight to the lead from the outside pole and didn’t relinquish it for more then 2 seconds. At the half-way point of the feature it was obvious that Austin Kirkpatrick and Christian Augspurger were the fastest cars on track. What was not obvious was whether or not traffic was an influence. “IceMan” had the task of catching Lloyd while Augspurger had to drive through the field. With 3 to go Kirkpatrick got right on Lloyd’s rear-end and stayed there until turn 2 on the white flag lap where he passed Lloyd, but the traffic finally helped Lloyd and Kirkpatrick lost the ground and didn’t get it back. Lloyd took the win with ‘IceMan” in 2nd, Christian Augspurger did take 3rd with a drive through the field from 9th, JO Nobles took home 4th, and Jeff Mathews took another top 5 in the Late Model. Dillon Wood lost points with 6th, “Catfish” Keith Nosbisch was 7th, Tyler Ivey took 8th, Brandon DeWitt 9th, and Richard Ferry rounded out the top 10. Of course, as the checkers fell Len Parrish became a fireball down the backstretch. Parrish was okay.
Even the Amsoil V-8 Thunderstocks took part in the night of few cautions. On lap 7 the first lead change took place when Chad Scranton passed Jon Layerd. On lap 10 Brian Shea, the man who entered the night 1st, hit the turn 3 wall after his throttle stuck. A lap after the restart Chad Scranton slowed and stopped in turn 3. Scranton didn’t return. On lap 14 Richard Calmes lost his tire and brought out the 5th yellow of the entire night. Jonathan Appleby brought out the yellow on lap 16 when he stopped in turn 1. Mike Stalnaker took the lead from Jason Gamble with 2 to go, right before the yellow came out for debris. The final 2 went green and Mike Stalnaker put red in victory lane. John Thorpe gained a few points with a 2nd place finish, Jason Gamble put the 21 in 3rd stopping his recent slide and he also retook the points lead. Jon Layerd finished 4th giving Eddie Tillander’s Certified Automotive Repair Team a 3-4, and Gary Champion did an absolutely incredible job for 5th. Tim Mathieu, Eddie Lentz, Brian Shea, Matt Schell, and Ron Adams finished 6th-10th, respectively.
The Gladiators are an all stock division which means that whether they go left or right, the car should be the same. On lap 6 Casey Feaster in 1 of the 3 S&S Roofing cars overtook Jerry Taylor for the lead. On lap 8 the field caught back up after a caution for Richard Todd’s turn 2 (old turn 3) spin. Feaster held onto the lead for 5 laps, but Reid Christensen let it go no further. On lap 13 Robert Graham spun after contact with Scott Gruber. Then the 54 spun on lap 14 setting up a 1 lap dash. Richard Todd was making an impressive comeback that was ruined on the restart when contact with Will Dunnavant ended their nights on the frontstretch. “The New Dominator” Reid Christensen made it 3-in-a-row with Casey Feaster in 2nd. Tony LaPorta finished 3rd with Brandon Haseleu 4th, Steve Johnson 5th, and Scott Gruber 6th. “The Dominator” Steve Cox has lost his edge on the field and could only salvage 7th. Robert Graham was 8th, The 54 in 9th, and Chase Gustafson was 10th. Double Points and $300 will always make for an exciting feature in the Gladiators.
Next week it’s the Top Gun Sprint Cars, UMP Open-Wheel Modifieds, Hobby Stocks for $750, Gladiators, and a Sportsman race. For more information you can go to www.bubbaracewaypark.com or call the Speedway hotline.
Bubba Raceway Park Results (9/10)
RaceCar Engineering Late Models
1- 21 Ivedent Lloyd, Jr.
2- 11K Austin Kirkpatrick
3- 35 Christian Augspurger
4- 18JO JO Nobles
5- 33 Jeff Mathews
6- 1W Dillon Wood
7- 02 Keith Nosbisch
8- 47 Tyler Ivey
9- 2 Brandon DeWitt
10- 71 Richard Ferry
11- Z Tim Zackery
12- 45 Bobby Richardson
13- 58 Chris Fontaine
14- 51A Larry Anderson
15- 72P Len Parrish
16- 51 Doodle Pipken
17- 23VP VP Pipken
Barrett’s Race Cars Hobby Stocks
1- 7S Chad Scranton
2- 56 Kevin Durden
3- 109 Brett Barrett
4- 44 Tim Powers
5- 95 Jeff Rodgers
6- 55W Buck Woodhouse
7- 12 Joe Belkey
8- 83 Joe Boyd
9- 55JR Devin Walker
10- 7E James Erickson
11- 69 Tommy Ausburn
12- 08 William Edwards
13- 81 Donald Woosley
14- 27A Cody Albright
15- 18 Eric Armino
16- 96J Scott Hass
17- 91 Rick Reed
18- 88H Howard Osteen
19- 27H Cory Hupp
20- 88J Steve Osteen
21- 13 Phil Brown
Amsoil V-8 Thunderstocks
1- 8 Mike Stalnaker
2- 114 John Thorpe
3- 21 Jason Gamble
4- 02 Jon Layerd
5- 23 Gary Champion
6- 14M Tim Mathieu
7- 96Z Eddie Lentz
8- 19 Brian Shea
9- 57 Matt Schell
10- 118 Ron Adams
11- 54 Glenn Baum
12- 3W Vaughn Woodall
13- 18 Chris Watson
14- 121 Gordon Cade
15- 64 Jonathan Gillette
16- 5W Doug Webster
17- 34 Mark Trexler
18- 76 Chris Shea
19- 60 Jonathan Appleby
20- 4C Richard Calmes
21- 27S Chad Scranton
22- 3 Jeff Baer
23- 49 DJ Horiski
24- 21M David Miller, Jr.
Mini Stocks
1- 41 Jamie Burrows
2- 81 Buddy Pope
3- 53 Brittany Yates
4- 9 Ryan Babcock
5- 74 William Killinger, Jr.
6- 21X Ray Folwell
7- 12 Jimbo Bird
8- 21 Ray Ethridge
9- 11 Kody Kinsey
10- 30 JP Podbeusek
Gladiators
1- 30 Reid Christensen
2- 81F Casey Feaster
3- 3T Tony LaPorta
4- 3 Brandon Haseleu
5- 81 Steve Johnson
6- 69 Scott Gruber
7- P38 Steve Cox
8- 126 Robert Graham
9- 54 unlisted driver
10- 10 Chase Gustafson
11- 43 Richard Todd
12- 41 Will Dunnavant
13- 77K Matt Kramer
14- 83 Kody Fisher
15- 67 unlisted driver
16- 31 Jerry Taylor
17- 112 Jason Brown
DNS- 26X Dennis Sanderson