Hendrick was driving the J & J Hendrick Motorsports Spike sprinter. Hendrick had been searching for this one and for the words that follow such a big win! “This is great! Words can’t describe the feeling! This is by far our biggest win. We had run good but never got a win.” The team’s effort was sponsored by Hendrick Pool & Lawn Service and Competition Suspension.
The 40 lap event rated as one of the wildest features ever presented at the track. There were multiple lead changes in a front running pack of strong contenders. There were breakaway runs that ended unexpectedly. The $5,000 to win was within grasp of as many as eight different drivers and they all went for it producing one exciting event.
Brady Short started on the pole alongside Braylon Fitzpatrick. The two exchanged the lead during the first 14 laps. Fitzpatrick was fast and began to build a substantial lead but spun and made contact while overtaking slower traffic in turn three.
The race restarted for the third time on lap 24 with Jonathan Hendrick now at the point. Daron Clayton had spun on lap 14 to bring out the second yellow! A fourth caution on lap 27 created new opportunities. Wes McIntrye was able to take the lead which he held for the next 8 laps. Kyle Cummins moved up into second and a fierce battle developed again for the lead.
Kyle Cummins made one pass for the lead that a yellow flag erased. Daron Clayton had spun again after working his way up to fourth from the tail. McIntyre then coasted to a stop with the engine failing to make a healthy response on the restart. Cummins had the lead on lap 36. Misfortune struck as Cummins rode up and along the wall in turn two and almost turned over before the car landed on all fours.
Jonathan Hendrick was back in the lead on the restart and would take the checkered flag first. Chase Briscoe made a late race charge after climbing into the top five and passed Joshua Clemons to take second. Briscoe had started 19th in the 23 car field. Clemons was third in an infrequent appearance with the series. Bobby East and Donny Brackett rounding out the top five.
Part of the second five became entangled in turn four on the final lap which brought out the red flag along with the checkered flag. Brandon Morin and Kent Christian were sixth and seventh in the feature with Jeff Bland Jr., Kent Schmidt, and Jordan Kinser rounding out the order of finish.
Kyle Cummins received the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award. Although he did not complete the race he was 11th on the field. Only 7 cars crossed the finish line in a wild night of all out racing! Contact reduced the field by 7 cars and mechanical issues parked another 9. Bobby East was the Keizer Aluminum Wheels Hard Charger of the Race in a performance in which he started 22nd and finished fourth.
The three heat races produced preliminary victories for Brady Short, Kyle Cummins, and Braylon Fitzpatrick.
The Hoosier Tire MSCS Sprints will race next at the Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, IN. The feature will pay $3,000 to win. See the MSCS Sprints at the Return II Putnamville on August 18th. It is the only appearance for MSCS at Lincoln Park Speedway this season.
RACE SUMMARY
“Hoosier Sprint Nationals”
Tri-State Speedway
Haubstadt, IN
August 4, 2012
Hoosier Tire MSCS SPRINTS:
(24 Entries)
First Heat – 1) 11p Brady Short, 2) 92 Daron Clayton, 3) 38p Seth Parker, 4) 4B Donny Brackett, 5) 38 Jeff Bland, 6) 5B Chase Briscoe, 7) 5J Jordan Kinser, 8) 5K Kent Schmidt
Second Heat – 1) 3c Kyle Cummins, 2) 68 Jonathan Hendrick, 3) 71c Joshua
Clemons, 4) 1 Mitch Wissmiller, 5) 56 Jared Fox, 6) 70x A.J.
Martin, 7) 3XL Drew Tarr, 8) 5E Bobby East
Third Heat – 1) 3F Braylon Fitzpatrick, 2) 10 Blake Fitzpatrick, 3) 83 Wes
McIntyre, 4) 3x Dakota Jackson, 5) 70 Kent Christian, 6) 12 Ted
Hines, 7) 98 Brandon Morin, 8) 38w Chet Williams, Scratch
Feature (40 Laps) – 1) Hendrick, 2) Briscoe, 3) Clemons, 4) East, 5) Brackett, 6) Morin, 7) Christian, 8) Bland Jr., 9) Schmidt, 10) Kinser, 11) Cummins, 12) McIntyre, 13) Clayton, 14) Blake Fitzpatrick, 15) Jackson, 16) Short, 17) Braylon
Fitzpatrick, 18) Parker, 19) Martin, 20) Tarr, 21) Hines, 22) Wissmiller, 23) Fox, 24) Williams, DNS