6/24/2018
Salina Highbanks Speedway
Wolff triumphant in epic slide job showdown; Hansen, Artherton, Campbell, Metcalf also win
photo credit: No Limit Photography by B. Dilbeck
The June 23rd program at Salina Highbanks Speedway was fast-paced and full of action as teams competed for NASCAR Whelen All-American Series points. Following heat races fans saw four teams compete in the AmeriFlex B-Mod Pit Crew Challenge before Features rolled out. A-Main competition was nothing short of entertaining as two drivers collected their third wins of the season, while three others visited Bull Tuff Mud Company Ready Mix Victory Lane for the first time in 2018.
Although the S&J Plumbing Pure Stock heat races and A-Main were each ran in the daylight, the heat race and the A-Main were day and night difference for Nathan Campbell. Campbell struggled in the heat finishing outside of an invert position but turned things around at A-Main time to drive from the seventh row winning his third race of the season. Campbell held off the Shive Brother trio as Jordon Shive finished second, Erick Shive third and Josh Shive fourth. Just behind those three Jimmy White rounded out the top five.
The AmeriFlex B-Mods ran second in the program. The first half of the event was a shootout between two Neosho, Missouri racers, Clint Johnson and Chris Hawkins. However, by lap nine the two had a disagreement regarding real estate in turn three sending Hawkins to the back and eliminating Johnson from the race. From that point, Brett Hansen took over and held off challenges from Cody Jolly to score his first Highbanks victory since 2016. Jolly finished second, Hawkins recovered to third and also won the Pit Crew Challenge prior to the A-Main, Kenton Allen logged another top five finish in fourth and Justin Shoemaker advanced five positions to finish fifth. Ninth place finisher Jonathan Shoemaker was lucky again winning an additional $100 in the AmeriFlex “Lucky Draw.”
The largest field of the season thus far in the Super Stocks hit the Highbanks third for a 21-car, 20-lap A-Main. Nick Artherton led six laps in the first half of the event before Jason Wayne led at the crossed flags. Wayne surrendered the lead back to Artherton on lap eleven and from there the Bartlesville, Oklahoma racer cruised to his first ever Highbanks victory. Jeff Metcalf stormed up through the field finishing second from the 12th starting spot in his return to racing after roughly a month’s absence. Wayne faded to third but held off hard-charging Billy Kelley who started 18th and finished fourth. Boone Johnson completed the top five.
Just as the title implies the Modified A-Main was jammed full of slide jobs. The vast amount of sliders began around the halfway point when Tyler Wolff and Justin Rexwinkle swapped positions a few times in the race for second. After a few laps Wolff disposed of Rexwinkle and set his sights on the race leader, Jonathon Beyer. Beyer maintained the lead officially in the exchange until lap 16 when Wolff cleared Beyer for the final time en route to his third win of the season; Beyer finished with the runner-up honors. Another slide job contest settled the race for third as well as Mitch Keeter bested Rexwinkle in that duel. Jared Russell, fresh off a win at Thunderbird Speedway, finished fifth.
Round four for the Custom Coatings Trophy Cars capped off the night. New entry Jason Metcalf came from the final row to win the event. Karla Leland finished second, Gene Pearce third, Craig Boldt fourth and Landon Frailey fifth.
To view Bull Tuff Mud Company Ready Mix Victory Lane photos from the June 23rd program visit:
http://www.salinahighbanksspeedway.com/gallery/?g=15077
For full results visit:
http://www.salinahighbanksspeedway.com/profile/schedule/results.aspx?r=236064&rt=sch
Next up is the 5th Annual Freedom Classic presented by ARMI featuring the Lucas Oil MLRA and Comp Cams Super Dirt Series Late Models on Friday, June 29th and Saturday, June 30th. Full event details can be found online and on the track’s social media outlets.
Submitted By: Elizabeth Davis
