6/16/2014
Sprint Source
Four Earn Repeat Scores | Grissom Becomes 35th Riverside Winner
Cody Morris
I-44 Riverside Speedway Official Release
Saturday, June 14th, 2013
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Thrills and Spills were abundant in Round 10 of I-44 Riverside Speedway’s Inaugural Champions Cup and 72 teams signed in to battle it out on the semi banked, 1/5th mile red clay oval.
Some news and notes before launching The Rundown.
Father’s Day Weekend is just a great time for racing, and the program commenced on that very note as I-44 Riverside Speedway introduced a new wrinkle that will now start each race night.
Each week a different class will gather in the front walkway and introduce themselves to the swelling crowds at OKC’s Place to Race. It was fitting that a dozen of our beloved young Junior Sprints were the very first to greet speedway fans and nearly all with their Dads (and Moms!) proudly accompanying them.
Next Saturday, June 21st race fans will meet the stars of THE Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series. Next week we also feature the first ever Mid Season Championship as we mark the halfway point of Champions Cup action.
The Champions Cup is a concept similar to hockey’s Stanley Cup in which from this year forward, each class will have a Cup with each season’s champ emblazoned into it. Far too often, track champions are remembered only for a brief time, and over enough of it, it’s remembered only by those that spent thousands of hours and many more thousands in chasing the glory. The commitment and Hard Charging of our track champions will be remembered not only in writings such as these, but in the hardware that each new champion that earns the honor of his or her name next to the Champions before them.
There are 22 rounds to the Champions Cup, 22 nights of racing in which racers can earn points to that end. It sounds a lot better than weekly shows with dates that are also easily forgotten. It’s cooler in universal regard to win Round 12 of the Champions Cup, rather than just a weekly winner of a date no one will ever remember. The full breakdown of how Champions Cup points are earned/distributed is available to all by visiting the Track Info tab on www.i44riversidespeedway.com. Current Champions Cup point standings are also featured in the points section, as well as a full breakdown of last season’s final point standings.
The Mid Season Championship is an entirely new first as well. One that marks the halfway point in the march to the first Champions Cup. That 11th round is upon as all five classes battle next Saturday to crown the best racer and team in each class at the halfway point.
Fitting that that battle is joined by the 5th serving of the Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series to central Oklahoma race fans. Four Midget outings have produced four separate winners and this serving was added just a month ago due to high demand from both teams and fans. It has all the promise to be the very best yet.
Track POWRi West and I-44 Riverside outlets in the coming days to dig the details.
Next week’s POWRi West Midget and Mid Season Championships is just the first of a trio of specials in the coming month. On Saturday, June 28th I-44 Riverside happily welcomes Kids Night presented by Fenton Motors. All our youthful fans 12 years and younger will dig Champions Cup Round 13 free of charge, and we’ll have treats and prizes of wide variety on hand that night as well.
I-44 Riverside will be off over the 4th of July holiday weekend, but then explode back to action with the POWRi West Midgets back to headline July 12th action that will also feature the five Champions Cup divisions vying for Round 13 rights. Breaking news on this show - the Outlaw mini sprint division will be showcased that night as well - making for 7 classes of bad ass open wheel action. Many regional Outlaw teams have been chomping at the bit of late, here you go guys!
It will be the 2nd Outlaw event of the season before that class headlines our biggest annual show each season - the 15th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals - held each year on the first weekend of August. This year, practice night will be held on Thursday, July 31st, before the battle for the $30,000 purse commences with heats and qualifiers on Friday with main events featured on Saturday, August 2nd.
With the surface scratched on the schedule for the next two months, we recap the past 24 hours with the weekly Rundown, who had to go it alone with Jeramiah directing Team Green racers somewhere in turns 3 and 4. Champ was missed!
A CLASS
Chronological order is jettisoned as the 25 lap A Class main event provided fireworks galore. Yukon’s Philip Fessler paced the pole position with Mustang’s Smokin’ Joe Martin alongside. *Note - Martin has been repeatedly cast as hailing from West Texas. Nope. Just a dozen miles west, not a few hundred. With apologies come amends!
Fessler has had piss poor luck all year, enough so that Champ and I stopped by to offer words of encouragement a few weeks back after Fessler’s fast #58 dropped a chain for another frustrating DNF. It’s encouragement Fessler does not need as he beats demons back with his steering wheel.
The initial start was red flagged when Michael Hall and Bryan Nebgen tangled at the start, ending with Nebgen tumbling in a couple of snap flips. Nebgen was ok, but both racers were done for this one.
The second attempt to start the race succeeded and Fessler ran away with the early lead over Martin.
By the 8th round, two time Champions Cup winner Trey Robb and Ryan Craighead Memorial winner Blake Dewberry had battled up to 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
A Seth Brown spin on lap 8 brought them to Fessler’s tail, a bad break for Fessler as he was zooming far ahead of the pack before the yellow came out.
However, this race proved a lot can happen in 25 laps. Robb quickly grabbed the lead on the restart, with Dewberry 2nd and P14 starter Sterling Hoff up to third by the halfway point.
Robb was pulling away when the final stoppage came on the 17th round. Smokin Joe Martin was around 5th place when his ride suddenly warmed up, steam emitting from his sleek #67, several cars pulled evasive maneuevers, but David Millwee wasn’t so fortunate, the scrum ending with the DAM Racing #27 upside down in turn 3.
Martin pulled into the infield where he unstrapped and exited the car in record time. Turns out something in the radiator malfunctioned, spraying coolant all over the young Mustang racer. Don’t let the term “coolant” sound benign, Martin said that stuff runs at about 200 degrees, and when he felt warm fluid he didn’t think twice about getting out as fast as he possibly could. Racer’s suit and helmet were both soaked. He owes the maker of his racing suit a phone call or e-mail, as it definitely did its’ job. Millwee and Martin were both ok to all onlooker’s relief.
The action heated up faster than Martin’s backside as the winged warriors began their final 8 lap dash to Round 10 glory. Dewberry dove under Robb in turns 1 and 2, but Robb brushed off the assault with precision. Dewberry accepted the leader’s gesture and began shadowing the leader, but toying with a racing line a half to full groove higher than the leader.
Dewberry pulled alongside Robb on the 21st lap and the pair proceeded to race side by side for the next 7 turns in a ultra classic display of wheelman ship ß-----new word?
Robb accepted that Dewberry was present in the higher line and raced his lower one as hard as he could, but Dewberry nipped Robb to lead the 23rd round and rode a monster run down the back straightaway to a firm lead.
El Reno’s Blake Dewberry raged a blitzkrieg over the final 2.5 laps to earn the 21 year old his second A Class Champions Cup main event win (and first since Round 1) aboard the All American Pizza, Outlaw Wings, Select Coatings, Total Collision, and Factory Kahne Shocks backed #29d.
Dewberry was still stoked when he exited his winning mount, threatening a top wing celebration to much fanfare. First to shake hands with Dewberry was runner up finisher Trey Robb, fraught with excitement over their stellar duel in the final laps. Classic stuff guys.
The Lone Texan on hand. Sterling Hoff battled from 14th to third, and with 5 more laps likely had threats of his own to the win. Moore’s Chris Lloyd rallied from 16th to claim fourth, with Chance Terrell advancing 7 spots to complete the top five finishing order.
Philip Fessler shed DNF status and finished sixth, with CC R5 winner Derrick McBride placing 7th. Lawton’s Boss Boggs ran 20th to 8th and sits on a narrow perch atop the A Class field heading into next week’s Mid Season Championship, while Non Wing winner Cody Grissom and Michael Meek completed the top ten finish. Michael Meek is a new addition to the I-44 Riverside racing family. Michael has been kart racing since he was 5 years old, accumulating dozens of championships and a couple hundred wins in an assortment of kart, bandelaro, and legend racing. Keep an eye on the 13 year old piloting the Carol’s Signs and Tee Shirts / Pitstop Hair Shop #21 in A Class action, sky is the limit.
Robb, Hoff, and Terrell best heat races over 23 car field.
A Class A Feature (25 laps): 1. 29d Blake Dewberry (18); 2. 12T Trey Robb (19); 3. 39 Sterling Hoff (14); 4. 28c Chris Lloyd (16); 5. 60x Chance Terrell (12); 6. 58 Philip Fessler (3); 7. 98 Derrick McBride (21); 8. 2B Brandon Boggs (20); 9. 76 Cody Grissom (23); 10. 21 Michael Meek (9); 11. 32k Chris Kelly (10); 12. 27d Jared Dunkin (8); 13. 22x Seth Brown (22); 14. 57 Mark Frymire (11); 15. 57D Blaine Denny (4); 16. 27 David Millwee (6); 17. 67 Joe Martin (2); 18. 7D Sierra Davis (7); 19. 17m Mike Matherly (17); 20. 36 Lloyd Smith (5); 21. 60 Bryan Nebgen (15); 22. 95 Michael Hall (13); DNS: 11 Michael Kearnes
Lap Leaders: Philip Fessler 1-8, Trey Robb 9-22, Blake Dewberry 23-25
Hard Charger: Dewberry, Robb +18
NON WING
Cody Grissom paced the pole of the 20 lap Non Wing main event with Philip Fessler alongside after original outside front row starter Marg Rogers didn’t answer the call.
Grissom wired the entire race despite three yellows in the first half of the race. Grissom in a Mustang, Oklahoma native and veteran of Riverside clay, but now spend school year in West Lafayette, Indiana pursuing aviation at Purdue University. A pilot in two rides.
Grissom was beyond dominant, besting the runner up by over half a lap. Sponsor info and more detailed info on this winner will be shared when attained.
Newcastle’s Gage Robb got the best of four way late race battle for the runner up spot. Matt Pagel moved up two spots to claim third, while Anadarko’s Ryan Padgett rode Hard Charger status from 16th to fourth and Lawton’s Brandon Boggs taking a giant step to securing the Non Wing Mid Season Championship with a run from 13th to complete the top five finish.
Cody Grissom and Shelby Burk aced heat races over the 16 car field.
Non Wing A Feature (20 laps): 1. 76 Cody Grissom (1); 2. 12 Gage Robb (9); 3. 10 Matt Pagel (5); 4. 898 Ryan Padgett (16); 5. 2B Brandon Boggs (13); 6. 39 Sterling Hoff (14); 7. 50 Shelby Burk (6); 8. 18 Dillon Laden (8); 9. 98 Derrick McBride (12); 10. 32k Chris Kelly (10); 11. 03k Kyle Hedrick (7); 12. 88 Tony Penick (11); 13. 18x Chance Janway (3); 14. 58 Philip Fessler (4); DNS: 72 Mark Rogers, 007 Cody Carter
Lap Leaders: Grissom 1-20
Hard Charger: Ryan Padgett +12
JUNIOR SPRINTS
Choctaw’s Nick Rainey paced the pole of the 20 lap Junior Sprint main event with El reno’s Jack Hall alongside, but it was inside row two starter Bryce Barnett who led the first round.
Barnett’s lead was shortlived, and Moore’s Kayden Cole powered past the next time by. Cole and Brant Woods offered excellent resistance against the weekly rush from the back from the trio of winner this season (Dylan Pendergrass, Chris Wells, Ryder Laplante).
It became a five way battle before Pendergrass bounced off the turn 4 wall, resting on the front straightaway near the halfway point.
Wells had just grabbed the lead before the yellow and his 5th win of the year seemed without doubt, but Cole and Woods made him earn it.
Woods held pace with Wells and then in the final 5 laps, attempted to pass twice, but Wells fought off the assault for win #5 aboard the HasWells Construction and Team Green #72.
Woods is ripping the door off the hinges in his pursuit of his first career win, but this night settled for the runner up. Kayden Cole claimed a hard fought third ahead of Ryder Laplante and Dylan Pendergrass.
Junior Sprint A feature (20 laps): 1. 72 Chris Wells (11); 2. 16 Brant Woods (8); 3. 72c Kayden Cole (7); 4. 88R Ryder Laplante (9); 5. 22 Dylan Pendergrass (10); 6. 1 Bryce Barnett (3); 7. 125 Macy Roulain (5); 8. 33 Noah Babb (4); 9. 12 Jessie Kelley (6); 10. 05c Jordan Williams (12); 11. 66 Nick Rainey (1); 12. 37 Jack Hall (2)
Lap Leaders: Barnett 1, Cole 2-7, Wells 8-20
Hard Charger: Wells +10
RESTRICTED
McKenzie Laplante paced the pole of the 20 lap Restricted main event with Layden Pearson slated to start alongside, but mechanical issues forced Pearson out, moving Carson Meek into the outside front row.
A Round 8 Restricted winner, Anadarko’s Ryan Anderson earned the early point, but Tanner Conn got by on the fifth circuit and Restricted point leader Matt Moore moving up to challenge a lap later.
Conn and Moore moved away from the field as Moore probed for opening. That opening appeared to come on the 18th lap as Conn was slowed in lapped traffic, allowing Moore to pass for the lead. But the caution flew for Koda Oller’s second spin and Conn was placed back in the lead.
A three lap shootout was in order, and Moore presented a hefty challenge but Conn held down the point for his second Restricted score of the season aboard the Lyons Security #78. Moore was denied win #5 and settled for the runner up spot in The Vapor Hut #9m.
Anderson finished third with Carson Meek finishing as he started in fourth. Kaylee Sue Cole moved up 1 spot to complete the top five finishing order.
Restricted A Feature (20 laps): 1. 78 Tanner Conn (7); 2. 9m Matt Moore (8); 3. 00R Ryan Anderson (3); 4. 12 Carson Meek (4); 5. 72c Kaylee Cole (6); 6. 99 Nathan Rainey (11); 7. 29 Blake Scott (5); 8. 7m McKenzie Laplante (1); 9. 10k Koda Oller (9); DNS 11 Layden Pearson, 11J Jeremy Rogers
Lap Leaders: Ryan Anderson 1-4, Tanner Conn 5-20
Hard Charger: Conn, Moore +6
TURF TIRE
Dusty Devine and Scott Bigger paced front row for the 20 lap Turf Tire A Feature, but it was Shorty Burks moving up from fourth to lead the first lap. It was a lead he never relinquished.
El reno’s Turf Tire point leader Jeremy Penick moved into the runner up spot late and gained on Burks, but simply ran out of time. Burks won his second Champions Cup race of the season with Penick settling for yet another runner up finish. Runner ups sting Jeremy worse than Turf Toe lol.
Junior Vickman drive his new #27 from sixth to 3rd, with Round 9 winner Brian Penick fourth and Snyder’s two time Champions Cup winner (rounds 3 and 7) completing the top five finish.
Turf Tire A Feature (20 laps): 1. 1x Shorty Burks (4); 2. 28 Jeremy Penick (8); 3. 27 Junior Vickman (6); 4. 33 Brian Penick (5); 5. 21 Josh Bigger (7); 6. 14v Zach Van Zant (3); 7. 20x Dusty Devine (1); 8. 8 Alan Taylor (10); 9. 22s Sheldon Johnson (9); 10. 5m Scott Patraw (2)
Lap Leaders: Burks 1-20
Hard Charger: Jeremy Penick +6
Cody Morris
I44 Riverside Speedway Public Relations
i44riversidespeedway@gmail.com
renegadewriterccc@aol.com
Submitted By: Admin Account
