Wilmoth, Thomas among repeat winners at speedway
With the radar showing storm clouds rumbling their way toward Tyler County Speedway, Ma Nature was nice enough to send the wet stuff around the Bullring. Once again a full field of cars treated the 4H / FFA Hometown Heros of Doddridge, Gilmer, and Calhoun counties to three and four wide racing on the quarter mile.
Before the evening got under way, Floyd Rainey who had been a crew member of the Deitch’s race team had passed away from a heart attack. Late Model driver Ron Deitch was given the task of making a lap around the speedway while scattering Rainey’s ashes. After a somber moment the crowd, gave Rainey a round of applause.
In the Dodd’s Sporting Goods Late Model action first time ever visitor Matt Mallett, Steve Weigle, Billy Brown and K C Burdette grabbed heat wins. D J Cline snared the consey.
As the field came to the green flag Weigle jumped to the point followed by Mallett, Burdette, Paul Wilmoth Jr., and Brown. Weigle held the lead as Wilmoth began to work his way to the front. By lap seven Wilmoth was on Weigle’s tail. Wilmoth continued to dog Weigle just as in the heat race earlier, but this time on lap 10 Wilmoth shot by for the spot.
The green stayed out as Wilmoth began to build a full straight away lead by lap 18. The first yellow fell on lap 23 when Mark Banal slowed on the backchute. Wilmoth, Weigle, Burdette, Freddie Carpenter(from ninth), and Mallett were the top five. On the restart Mallett got loose in turn two bringing the caution back out. The remaining two circuits went unstopped as the Midcap Land and Timber / Monroe Excavating #B1 collected his fourth feature win. Weigle, Burdette, Carpenter and Butch McGill (from thirteenth) filled out the top five.
Kyle Thomas won the first heat of the United Rental Industrial Division FASTRAK Late Models giving him the pole in the feature. That gave him a slight advantage as he snagged the front spot as the race began.
On lap one the caution waved as Jeff Fornash slapped the back chute guard rail and that sent into an oncoming Bill Shaffer who had nowhere to go and clocked Fornash head on. Both drivers were unhurt but the cars were badly damaged. Thomas would continue to command as he was never seriously challenged. Thomas who had drove the Paint By Grover car the last two weeks (normally driven by Cody Hardesty) while his rearend was getting repaired, was back in his Aluminum Service Center / Joy’s Disposal #57 for his third checkerboard. Derek Doll, Daniel Hill, (from seventh) Kris Southern (from eighth) and Jacob Lash rounded out the top five.
When the Bridgeport Equipment & Tool TSMA Modifeds came to life Shawn Davis was the earlier pace setter with Mark Dickson, Mike Wilson, Donnie Nething and Corey Conley in tow. Dickson pressured Davis and stole the point on lap three. The first stoppage came on lap seven when Justin Hart spun in turn four. M. Dickson, Davis, Wilson, Nething and Travis Dickson were now the top five. The race continued with Wilson hounding Davis and was able to take second on lap 11.
The caution came out on lap 17 when Conley spun Nething in turn two. M. Dickson, Wilson, T. Dickson, Davis and Nething were the new top five. As the white rag was displayed T. Dickson was riding the high side and motored to second hot on Dad’s deck lid. On the final circuit T. Dickson made his move but came up a little short as Dad was the victor. M. Dickson driving the A M Commodities / Fannin Farms #0 made his second trip to victory lane. T. Dickson, Wilson, Davis, and Nething were second through fifth. It was the fifth time this season that the Dickson’s finished first and second.
At the start of the Sigler Fabrication Hot Mods outside pole setter Mike Conkle got into pole setter Devin Verardi looping him sending Conkle to the tail and setting up a complete restart. On the second try Verardi shot to the front with Travis Thomas, Roland Bell, Codi Eaton and Kenny Isner following. On lap three Eaton expired an engine dumping fluid around the 1/4 mile. Verardi was still showing the way, when he slid high in turn four on lap eight allowing Thomas to close in. Thomas couldn’t make a serious bid for the lead as Verardi put his Wheeling Tire / Lisa’s Hair Um sponsored machine into victory circle for the second time. Thomas, Isner, Conkle and Levi Flesher were second through fifth.
The Herrington Yoak Ford and Pre Owned Auto saw Brandon Fluharty use his outside pole spot to grab the point and drive off as his AAA Homes sponsored #25 got the checkers a fifth time. Mitch Ward, Josh Baldwin, Zack Watson and Mitch Herrick rounded out the top five.
In the Wells Inn / Champion Sport Cards & Trophies Eco Flyer 4 Cylinders, Josh Fulks fended off the field to capture his first victory of the year. Bill Doll crossed in second, Zack Jones was third, Donnie Wamsley and Justin Mozena were fourth and fifth.
The Outlaw Graphic and Automotive Services Mini Wedges started the evening off with three and four wide racing around the quarter mile. Alec Frazier emerged from the pack for his first win of the season. Hunter Partridge, Wesley Baker, Shayla Griffey, and Trey Watson were second through fifth. Stone Energy sponsored the tophies.
This week at the Bullring it’s 4 pack night. 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 drinks and 4 popcorns for $44. Plus the top three in each class will receive trophies from Tim and Brandi Carson.
Advanced tickets and reserved seating is available for the Black Diamond on the Web site at “http://www.tylercountyspeedwayonline.com”>www.tylercountyspeedwayonline.com or www.blackdiamond125.com.