By Chad Buford
California, MO(May 30th)-On a night where family and friends celebrated the life of Jesse Hockett, it was only fitting that one of his former cars would be in victory lane. Driving a JEI that his father Dennis purchased from Hockett over the winter, Adam Jones won his first Winged Outlaw Warrior A Main Sunday night at Double X Speedway.
The A Main got off to a rough start when Dakota Carroll rolled to a stop in turn three after contact with another car. She suffered front end damage and would not be able to continue. When the green reappeared, Jones would take the lead as Jonathan Cornell powered his way to the front from his third row starting spot. With only a lap in the books, the yellow would come out for Jon Corbin, who had stopped on the frontstretch. Corbin’s night would also be done.
On the restart, Cornell would work his way past Jones and into the lead. The lead duo was followed closely by Tyler Blank and Rusty Potter. With five laps in the books, the yellow would come out for Curtis Boyer who rolled to a stop in turn four. Boyer’s night would also be done and his second place standing in WOW points would take a huge hit. At this point, the crowd was getting excited as Randy Martin had moved from eighteenth to tenth in the Jesse Hockett ART with Don Ott power. On the next attempt of green flag racing, Kyle Bellm would bring out the yellow as he spun off of turn two.
Once again, Cornell took off in the lead followed by Jones and Blank as Austin Alumbaugh began to heavily pressure Potter for fourth. On lap nine, Alumbaugh made the pass stick and Curtis Evans also made his way near the top five. Martin had also moved up a spot into ninth as he was aggressively attacking the cushion. With nine laps in the books, Martin looped his car in turn four bringing out the yellow.
Cornell once again shot into the lead as Blank would muscle his way past Jones and into second as he had found the rubber down low. Blank was working his way up to Cornell when action was stopped as Bellm spun in turn one and was hit by Taylor Walton. Both drivers would be done for the evening.
Once again when the green appeared, Cornell shot into the lead. As he slid up to the cushion, Blank stayed in the rubber and shot by him down low. Jones continued within striking distance in third and would make his way past Cornell for second on lap fifteen. With sixteen laps now in the books, the red would come out on lap sixteen for Potter, who had turned on his side in between turns three and four. After getting set back on all fours, “The Pup” would be able to continue.
Once restarted, Blank and Jones ran down low and Cornell continued his attack of the cushion. On lap seventeen, Alumbaugh would get by Cornell down low as Eric Todd, who started on the pole and dropped to eighth, made his ascent back to the top five.
It looked as though Blank was on his way to his first career WOW victory when disaster struck the young gasman on lap twenty-two. As he made his way down the backstretch being closely followed by Jones, Brad Yoder had spun in turn three. Blank got on the brakes hard, but he still made contact with Yoder as Jones slipped by unscathed. Blank continued, but smoke bellowed from his car as he pulled to a stop in turn three the next trip around after suffering heavy damage to his headers. The hometown driver had put on a great show, but his night was over in the Blank’s Backhoe/Schlotz Landscaping JEI.
Taking advantage of Blank’s misfortune, Jones would motor on to the win unchallenged in his Clint Conder-wrenched Wireless Horizon/Harry J’s Steakhouse JEI with Hovis power. Todd made a huge move forward over the last couple of laps to add to his series point lead in the AmsOil Maxim with Joe Todd power. Alumbaugh continued his strong weekend finishing third in the Rick Wood Masonry/Alumbaugh Heating and Cooling XXX with BRE power. Brad Graham moved his way up at the end into a solid fourth place finish in the Prater Body Works Maxim with Hatfield power. Evan Martin also worked his way into the top five in his Heidbreder Foundation Service/Francis Trucking Maxim with Buzzard power. Josh Fisher was sixth followed by Randy Martin. Todd McVay, Cornell, and J Kinder rounded out the top ten.
In a great show of generosity, the Double X fans donated over $2000 to the Hockett family as the drivers went through the grandstands with their helmets at intermission.
The Winged Outlaw Warriors will be back in action on Friday June 11th at the LA Raceway in LaMonte, MO.
Double X Speedway
May 30th
22 cars
1st Heat-(8 laps)
1. 21T Eric Todd-Falcon, MO(1) 2. 3P Rusty Potter-Boonville, MO(7) 3. 9M Jon Corbin-Kansas City, MO(3) 4. 4 Evan Martin-California, MO(8) 5. 04 Brad Graham-Springfield, MO(4) 6. 12X Brad Yoder-Park Hill, MO(5)-DNF 7. 93-Taylor Walton-Warrensburg, MO(3)-DNF 8. 14K Kyle Bellm-Nixa, MO(6)-DNF
2nd Heat-(8 laps)
1. 75 Tyler Blank-California, MO(2) 2. 1A Adam Jones-Wright City, MO(1) 3. 86 Josh Fisher-Smithton, MO(3) 4. 38 Cody Baker-Lone Jack, MO(6) 5. 72 Curtis Boyer-New Haven, MO(5) 6. 165 Haley Arnold-Sedalia, MO(7) 7. 88 J Kinder-Holt’s Summit, MO(4)
3rd Heat-(8 laps)
1. 28 Jonathan Cornell-Sedalia, MO(1) 2. 33 Austin Alumbaugh-Higginsville, MO(2) 3. 1P Curtis Evans-Norborne, MO(7) 4. 11C Dakota Carroll-LaMonte, MO(3) 5. 9C Tony Crank-Sedalia, MO(4) 6. 77 Randy Martin-California, MO(6) 7. 89 Todd McVay-Grain Valley, MO(5)
A Main-(25 laps)
1. 1A Jones(2) 2. 21T Todd(1) 3. 33 Alumbaugh(6) 4. 04 Graham(13) 5. 4 E. Martin(10) 6. 86 Fisher(8) 7. 77 R. Martin(18) 8. 89 McVay(21) 9. 28 Cornell(5) 10. 88 Kinder(20) 11. 1P Evans(9) 12. 9C Crank(15) 13. 38 Baker(11) 14. 3P Potter(4) 15. 165 Arnold(17) 16. 75 Blank(3)-DNF 17. 12X Yoder(16)-DNF 18. 14K Bellm(19)-DNF 19. 93 Walton(22)-DNF 20. 72 Boyer(14)-DNF 21. 9M Corbin(7)-DNF 22. 11C Carroll(12)-DNF