8/5/2017
RacinBoys
Boat takes Belleville prelim
By Bran Gapinski (Belleville, KS) -- Defending champion Chad Boat captured the 25-lap feature on Friday Night, kicking off the 40th annual Belleville Midget Nationals on the Belleville High Banks. The victory in the USAC National Midget Championship Series event, was his third straight at the track tying the Belleville Nationals record of Stan Fox's three victories during the 1979-80 events.
PHOTO: Defending Belleville Midget Nationals winner Chad Boat battles Holly Shelton on the way to preliminary victory Friday night at Belleville High Banks Speedway--CREDIT: Ken Simon
Holly Shelton led the opening lap while Boat quickly moved from his third place starting position passing Shelton for the lead exiting Turn 4 to complete the second lap. One lap later the caution appeared for a stalled car.
USAC points leader Spencer Bayston took over the second position one lap later. Boat and Bayston pulled away from the field, with Boat leading Bayston by 1.2 seconds at the completion of the tenth lap.
At the midway point of the event Boat began to lap the tail of the field. Fifth place running Brady Bacon came to a stop bringing out the caution with seven laps remaining due to a flat tire.
On the restart Boat led Bayston, Shelton, fast qualifier Tanner Thorson and Shane Golobic. Boat maintained his advantage with Bayston closing the margin during the final two laps. Boat who driving the Tucker-Boat Motorsports owned Spike/Toyota No. 84,finished two-car lengths ahead of Bayston. Thorson, Shelton, and Golobic completed the top five.
"This sets us good for tomorrow, were continuing last year's performance the car was perfect, fortunatlely the late race caution didn't hurt us" commented Boat.
The team of Will Popelka and Dustin Vannortwich won the 15-lap Cruisers feature.
SUMMARY
PROSOURCE QUALIFYING: 1. Tanner Thorson, 67, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-17.373; 2. Spencer Bayston, 97, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-17.390; 3. Chad Boat, 84, Tucker/Boat-17.511; 4. Ryan Robinson, 21, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-17.625; 5. Brady Bacon, 76m, FMR-17.627; 6. Holly Shelton, 67k, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-17.641; 7. Justin Grant, 39BC, Clauson/Marshall-17.663; 8. Brayton Lynch, 1k, RKR-17.664; 9. Tyler Courtney, 7BC, Clauson/Marshall-17.689; 10. Tanner Carrick, 71k, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-17.773; 11. Shane Golobic, 17w, Clauson/Marshall/Wood-17.780; 12. Jerry Coons Jr., 25, Petry/Goff-18.020; 13. Scott Hatton, 1, Hatton-18.144; 14. Jeff Stasa, 91s, SBR Motorsports-18.286; 15. Matt Johnson, 85, Central Motorsports-18.589; 16. Terry Goodwin, 2G, Goodwin-18.650; 17. Ryan Oerter, 43, RKO Management-19.266; 18. Collin Rinehart, 20, Rinehart-20.153; 19. Zach Middleton, 43a, RKO Management-20.182; 20. Robert Bell, 71-1/2, Bell-20.662; 21. Ashley Oerter, 16, RKO Management-21.679; 22. Randy Oerter, 48, RKO Management-21.846; 23. Cody Brewer, 96, Central Motorsports-NT.
SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Grant, 2. Thorson, 3. Carrick, 4. Robinson, 5. Hatton, 6. Goodwin, 7. Middleton, 8. Randy Oerter. 2:21.20
COMPETITION SUSPENSION (CSI) SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Golobic, 2. Bacon, 3. Bayston, 4. Lynch, 5. Stasa, 6. Ryan Oerter, 7. Bell. 2:23.14
BENIC ENTERPRISES/INDY RACE PARTS THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Boat, 2. Coons, 3. Shelton, 4. Rinehart, 5. Courtney, 6. A.Oerter. NT
FEATURE: (25 laps) 1. Chad Boat, 2. Spencer Bayston, 3. Tanner Thorson, 4. Holly Shelton, 5. Justin Grant, 6. Ryan Robinson, 7. Tyler Courtney, 8. Shane Golobic, 9. Brady Bacon, 10. Jerry Coons Jr., 11. Tanner Carrick, 12. Terry Goodwin, 13. Jeff Stasa, 14. Brayton Lynch, 15. Scott Hatton, 16. Robert Bell, 17. Matt Johnson, 18. Randy Oerter, 19. Ashley Oerter, 20. Zach Middleton, 21. Collin Rinehart, 22. Ryan Oerter. NT
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Lap 1 Shelton, Laps 2-25 Boat.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
