6/11/2018
Salina Highbanks Speedway
Keeter repeats; Shoemaker, Kirby, Shive pick up first wins
photo credit: No Limit Photography by B. Dilbeck
K&N Night at the Races was a wild success with just under 100 racecars piling into the pits to perform in front of a large crowd of race fans. The first half of the program consisted of heat races in all four NASCAR Whelen All-American Series divisions as well as twin B-Mains in both the S&J Plumbing Pure Stock and AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories B-Mod divisions. At intermission a brief re-watering session did just enough to knock down the dust and bring the topside of the surface back to life to provide a racetrack that was drivable from top to bottom.
The S&J Plumbing Pure Stocks were the first A-Main to hit the track with a full field of drivers ready to battle. With just a few laps completed Josh Shive drove his way to the lead and battled with his brother Jordon Shive until five laps to go. While Jordon was no longer a factor for Josh to deal with the young gun then had to contend with veteran Nathan Campbell who began pressuring Shive along the bottom of the speedway. Shive never faltered though, rolled the topside to near perfection and landed his first career victory. Campbell finished second, Billy Arnold shook off the heat race blues by winning the B-Main and driving up to third, Jack Kirby took fourth, and Jordon Shive held on for fifth.
The AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories B-Mods rolled out second with a full field of cars that raced two and three-wide from the front of the field to the back. The opening 18 laps went caution-free with Paul Cates leading the first 16 and Justin Shoemaker sliding to the lead on lap 17. The caution on lap 18 set up a double-file restart that would put fans on the edge of their seat. Cates broke on the restart allowing Shoemaker to slip away from the field. However, a three-car slide and slugfest ensued for the second place spot between Dylan Cantwell, Chris Hawkins, and point leader Clint Johnson. By the time the dust settled Shoemaker claimed his first win of the season, while Cantwell countered a last lap slider from Johnson to finish second. Jonathon Shoemaker and Hawkins finished fourth and fifth, respectively. Luck fell Carl Conley II’s way again as the 13th place finisher became the first driver to win two AmeriFlex Lucky Draws pocketing an additional $100.
Super Stocks were third up on the card with a near full field of cars shooting it out in a full 20-lap feature. Jack Kirby was the inside pole-sitter and from the time the green flag dropped to the time the checkered was displayed “Cadillac Jack” had the field covered. Some midrace excitement took place around the battle for second between Jason Wayne, the previous winner Dalton Garrison, and Brandon Jarvis, but aside from that the racing stayed clean and green. Kirby, who already has one win on the season in the S&J Plumbing Pure Stock division, picked up his first Super Stock win of 2018. Andy Morris, who won two weeks ago took the runner-up spot and Garrison was on the final step of the podium. Wayne rallied from the back to finish fourth and Ray Roberts logged a top five finish.
The Modifieds headlined K&N Night with a salty field of cars racing for the $750 top prize. It took precisely two laps for Mitch Keeter to pick up where he left off last Saturday, leading the field around a slicked off Salina Highbanks Speedway. Tate Cole made some charges at Keeter but was never able to get alongside the defending track champion. Keeter picked up his second win of the season, also his second consecutive win. Cole finish second, Tad Davis finished third in his first start of the season, John Yeoman dropped from the outside pole to fourth, and Jared Russell rounded out the top five.
One final nightcap – a ten lap Custom Coatings Trophy Car A-Main – remained to officially wrap up the evening’s business. Bobby Edwards would go back to back winning his second race of the year, Craig Boldt was second, Tim Walsh third, Karla Leland fourth, and McKinzie Jones fifth.
Complete results from the Saturday, June 9th program can be found at:
http://www.salinahighbanksspeedway.com/profile/schedule/results.aspx?r=236058&rt=sch
Racing will resume Saturday, June 16th with Buddy’s Home Furnishings Night. All four NWAAS divisions will be in action. Additionally, S&J Plumbing Pure Stock and Super Stock teams will have the chance to compete in the Pit Crew Challenge. The next Custom Coatings Trophy Car race is Saturday, June 23rd.
Submitted By: Elizabeth Davis
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