By John Rittenoure
Salina, Oklahoma (September 29, 2018) – It has been awhile since Mike Goodman last visited the AMERI-FLEX / OCRS winners circle. Eight years in fact as his last series win was in October of 2010 at the Outlaw Motor Speedway. But the three-time series champion timed his return to victory lane perfectly Saturday at the Salina Highbanks Speedway.
Goodman led the final 20 laps of the 27 lap feature, which was extended from 25 laps in honor of Greg Hodnett who lost his life recently, to win the AmeriFlex Challenge III presented by Grand National Trailers.
A new record purse of over $26,000 was up for grabs and 32 race teams showed up for a piece of the pie that guaranteed $1,000 just to start the main event. But they could not stop Goodman from going home with the $3,000 winners check.
Goodman started fifth in the 22-car main in his Premiere Machine / Goodman & Associates / Twister Chassis / DSO Racing Engines sprinter and worked his way into second behind pole setter and series points leader Alex Sewell. On lap seven, Goodman was able to race past Sewell for the lead and never looked back.
Alex DeCamp charged his way from the eighth starting position to pass Sewell for second and tried to reel in Goodman but could close the gap. Pole starter Sewell held on to third with 13th starter Joe Bob Lee finishing fourth. Casey Wills earned the York Plumbing Hard Charger award for advancing from 15th to fifth.
The event was originally slated to start 20 cars however, Corvan Robison of Ameri-Flex Hose & Accessories announced in the drivers meeting that he would add $2,000 to the already record purse thus paying the 21st and 22nd place finishers $1,000 as well.
Ameri-Flex / OCRS Sprint Car Series Results
Salina Highbanks Speedway
September 29, 2018
Car count: 32
Drive Shafts, Inc. Heat 1 (8 laps)
1, 30-Joseph Miller[2]. 2, 15D-Andrew Deal[1]. 3, 9$-Kyle Clark[4]. 4, 76S-Shayla Waddell[3]. 5, 007-Michael Bookout[5]. 6, 6-Alison Slaton[6]. 7, 88-Terry Easum[7]. 8, 30J-Larry Bratti[8].
A1 Machine Shop Heat 2 (8 laps)
1, 84-Alex DeCamp[2]. 2, 94L-Layne Himebaugh[1]. 3, 2W-Whit Gastineau[5]. 4, 17-Brent Bates[4]. 5, 20G-Noah Gass[3]. 6, 31-Casey Wills[6]. 7, 22T-Frank Taft[7]. 8, P78-Perry Pickard[8].
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 3 (8 laps)
1, 8-Alex Sewell[2]. 2, 4AM-Mike Goodman[1]. 3, 2-Mickey Walker[4]. 4, 55-Johnny Kent[3]. 5, 5L-Joe Bob Lee[6]. 6, 5$-Danny Smith[5]. 7, 26M-Fred Mattox[7]. 8, 22-David Stephenson[8].
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 4 (8 Laps)
1, 22X-Shane Sellers[3]. 2, 50Z-Zach Chappell[5]. 3, 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[6]. 4, 2E-Shawn Wicker[1]. 5, 79-Tim Kent[7]. 6, 5-Cameron Hagin[8]. 7, 54-Matt Sherrell[4]. 8, 7M-Chance Morton[2]. (DQ- did not report to scales).
Wesmar Racing Engines B Feature #1 (12 laps, top 5 transfer)
1, 2-Mickey Walker[1]. 2, 5L-Joe Bob Lee[4]. 3, 31-Casey Wills[7]. 4, 7M-Chance Morton[2]. 5, 20G-Noah Gass[5]. 6, 79-Tim Kent[6]. 7, 5-Cameron Hagin[8]. 8, 17-Brent Bates[3]. 9, 22T-Frank Taft[9]. 10, 30J-Larry Bratti[10]. 11, 22-David Stephenson[11].
Wesmar Racing Engines B Feature (12 laps, top 5 transfer)
1, 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[1]. 2, 5$-Danny Smith[7]. 3, 55-Johnny Kent[3]. 4, 6-Alison Slaton[6]. 5, 007-Michael Bookout[4]. 6, 54-Matt Sherrell[11]. 7, 26M-Fred Mattox[9]. 8, 88-Terry Easum[8]. 9, 2E-Shawn Wicker[5]. 10, 76S-Shayla Waddell[2]. 11, P78-Perry Pickard[10].
AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories A Feature (27 laps)
1, 4AM-Mike Goodman[5]. 2, 84-Alex DeCamp[8]. 3, 8-Alex Sewell[1]. 4, 5L-Joe Bob Lee[13]. 5, 31-Casey Wills[15]. 6, 94L-Layne Himebaugh[7]. 7, 22X-Shane Sellers[2]. 8, 20S-Sheldon Barksdale[12]. 9, 2W-Whit Gastineau[9]. 10, 50Z-Zach Chappell[3]. 11, 2-Mickey Walker[11]. 12, 76S-Shayla Waddell[22]. 13, 6-Alison Slaton[18]. 14, 22T-Frank Taft[21]. 15, 20G-Noah Gass[19]. 16, 55-Johnny Kent[16]. 17, 15D-Andrew Deal[6]. 18, 30-Joseph Miller[4]. 19, 5$-Danny Smith[14]. 20, 7M-Chance Morton[17]. 21, 007-Michael Bookout[20]. 22, 9$-Kyle Clark[10].
Provisional Starters: Frank Taft & Shayla Waddell
Contingency Award Recipients
Ameri-Flex Hose A Feature Winner: Mike Goodman
Drive Shafts, Inc. Heat 1: Joseph Miller
A-1 Machine Shop Heat 2: Alex DeCamp
Car & Fleet Heat 3: Alex Sewell
Car & Fleet Heat 4: Shane Sellers
York Plumbing Hard Charger Award: Casey Wills +10
Amsoil High Point Driver Award: Shane Sellers
M&W Aluminum Hard Luck Award: Perry Pickard
Wesmar Racing Engines Recipients: Mickey Walker & Sheldon Barksdale
Rod End Supply Recipients: Mickey Walker, Shayla Waddell, Alison Slaton
The AMERIFLEX / OCRS series would like to thank AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories, Grand National Trailer, Devore Tax Services aka H&R Block, Smiley’s Racing Products, Maxim Racing, Grady Oil aka Amsoil, Rod End Supply and the Salina Highbanks Speedway for their participation in the event.
The series also wishes to thank Shane Carson, Jerry Stone, Tommie Estes Jr, Ray Crawford, Terry Doss, Derrill Brazeal, Aaron Lemmons, Jack Wicket, Bob Waller, Don Engle and Marvin Brazeal for their participation in the legends “Meet & Greet” autograph session for the fans.
Next up for the AMERIFLEX / OCRS sprint cars is a stop at the Enid Speedway on Saturday October 6th followed by a visit to the Red Dirt Raceway on Sunday October 7th.