3/24/2018
Humboldt Speedway
Babbitt secures King of the Bullring Night #1
Humboldt Speedway- The 2018 NASCAR Whelen All-American race season got underway at Humboldt Speedway on Friday evening with five classes in competition, including Mod Lites which are racing to be crowned King of the Bullring. Racing saw past champions pick up where they left off from last season while new winners emerged in other classes.
2017 NASCAR Division II National Champion Cody Jolly, from Jasper, Missouri, jumped out to an early lead in Ray’s Metal Depot B Mod action, holding off Riley Whitworth in a series of late race restarts that saw Jolly’s lead shrink to a few car lengths. Jolly’s victory, his second of the season, capped off an A feature that saw Jolly capitalize on his outside pole starting positions to dominate the race. Whitworth secured second while Matt Rose of Liberal, Missouri advanced ten spots to finish third. Heat race wins went to Jolly, Whitworth and Tim Van Gotten.
NASCAR Street Stocks saw longtime competitor Jason Thurman pick up the win. Thurman, in picking up the win, shook off years of close finishes to visit McCarthy Autogroup / Humboldt Speedway Victory Lane for the first time in 2018. Missouri racers Devin Irvin and Shawn Hendren rounded out the top three. Hendren picked the lone Heat race win.
In Home Savings Bank NASCAR Factory Stocks, 2017 track champion Jon Westhoff started on the pole and led every lap on his way to his first win of the young 2018 season. Westhoff held off former track champion Derrek Wilson on several late race restarts to collect the win. Westhoff used a higher line around the small ? mile Humboldt Speedway as Wilson settled into a lower groove that tightened the lead in the closing laps. Joey Decoster, Wayne Johnson and Krew Walburn completed the top five. In no surprise, Westhoff and Wilson picked up heat race wins to secure their starting spots in the A Feature.
Visiting racers in the Midwest Modified division showcased their skills in an A Feature that saw Colt Cheever from Ozark, Missouri pass fellow Missouri racer Trenton Wynn to pick up his first win at Humboldt Speedway. Midwest Modifieds, having cubic inch limits and RPM limits, make them different from NASCAR sanctioned A and B Mods that regularly compete at Humboldt Speedway. Heat race wins went to Wynn and Shawn Duncan.
In their first night of King of the Bullring action, the Mod Lite division did not disappoint as Channelview, Texas driver Corey Babbitt wrestled the lead away from Oak Grove, Missouri’s Donald Danmar to pick up his first ever victory on Kansas soil. Babbitt, starting outside the pole position, guided his #12 Mod Lite through several late race cautions to outdistance Silvis, Illinois racer John Padilla and Danmar. Mike Morrill of Pleasant Hill, Iowa and Justin Kinderknecht of Salina, Kansas rounded out the top five. Picking up heat race victories were Erin Turner of Von Meter, Iowa, Padilla and Danmar.
Racing continues tonight with Mod Lites racing for $1000 to win and $100 to start the A feature. Other classes competing will be Ray’s Metal Depot B Mods, NASCAR Street Stocks, Home Savings Bank NASCAR Factory Stocks and Midwest Modifieds. Pit Passes are $30 if you hold a current NASCAR License, $35 for those without a NASCAR License. General Admission is $13 for Adults, Children ages 6-12 are just $5. Racing starts at 7:00 pm on Saturday. Remember you can follow up to the minute lineups using the Myracepass app on your smartphone, or visit www.humboldtspeedway.com for results.
Article Credit: Humboldt Speedway
Submitted By: Jeff Fehr
