From Scott Wolfe
Stewart, OH — (May 17, 2013) — The old adage that “Some things never change” held true once again at Skyline Speedway where former champions dominated victory lane for the 2013 season opener Friday night. Three-time defending Skyline track champions Jimmy Stinson of Vandalia, Ohio (Sprints) and Chris Garnes, Evans, West Virginia (AMRA Kryptonite Late Models) joined three-time defending Octane AMRA Modified champion Kenny Johnson, Mineral Wells, WV on the podium after claiming big wins. Zach Carr won the Mike’s Auto Body Mini-Wedges feature.
None of the races were cakewalks on the super fast, but choppy 3/8 mile red clay oval. Heavy rains Wednesday night and Thursday made the speedway grounds somewhat soupy, but the track crew did a great job in manicuring the track to get the racing in on a long-delayed season opener. The cool breeze from Friday’s nearby rain did not temper the hot on-track action.
Young Nathan Skaggs took the early lead in the Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association A-main, but was quickly challenged by Jimmy Stinson. That duo battled tooth-and-nail for nearly eight laps until Stinson threaded the needle between two lapped cars, and as the door closed Skaggs had to lift and was never able to challenge Stinson again.
Stinson half-track everyone by mid-race, but as the laps ticked away young Kory Crabtree began to reel in the leader. A lapped car slowed Crabtree with three laps to go, but Crabtree persisted and dove in under Stinson on the last lap only to have the high-riding Stinson carry the momentum for a two-car length win in the B & J Welding and Contracting #84.
Rounding out the top ten behind Stinson were Crabtree, Aaron Higgins up from 9th, Ryan Broughton, Nathan Skaggs, Josh Davis, Wes McGlumphy, Dave Dickson, Sam Ashworth, and Greg Mitchell. McGlumphy was the hard-charger in a 16th to 7th place run.
In the AMRA Kryptonite late models the records show that Chris Garnes led every lap. That was somewhat deceiving as numerous times Travis Brookover edged by only to be stifled by Garnes’ momentum. Brookover tried every move to try to overcome Garnes, going low, then high and back to the inside perimeter of the track. Numerous cautions slowed the otherwise competitive event, but in most cases that played into Brookover’s hand.
On lap ten both K.C. Burdette and Fast Freddie Carpenter passed Brookover for second, but a bobble by Burdette allowed Brookover to fight back to second. Nick Dohm, who exited with mechanical problems and Derek Doll were in the hunt all night long, but the big story was the 15th to 4th run by Steve Bigley, whose mount misfired on the last restart to end his awesome run. Andy Bond was free-wheeling on two wheels much of the race at full throttle, advancing at one point from 10th to third. Ralph Withem, the B-main winner, blasted from 16th to fourth to earn hard-charger honors.
Burdette suffered mechanical woes and went pitside. Lap 18 saw both Bond and Carpenter get by Brookover momentarily as the fierce battle for a top spot continued. Brookover recovered, but the beneficiary was Garnes who legged-it out over the competition as they fought among themselves for second.
Rookie J. T. Conley came from 18th to 7th, while Bob Adams, Jr. leaped from 14th to 8th, and Pete Crum rallied from 17th to 8th. Rounding out the top ten behind Garnes were Brookover, Andy Bond, Ralph Withem, Freddie Carpenter, Derek Doll, J.T. Conley, Bob Adams, Jr., Pete Crum, and Dan Morrison.
The Octane Race Products AMRA Modifieds produced another great battle. Kyle Bond dogged veteran Kenny Johnson in the early going and took the lead on lap three, as Roy Roush moved into the frey and helped occupy Johnson. Roush fought Bond for first, allowing Johnson to drop under both AMRA stalwarts and back into the lead. Roush and Johnson then ignited a seven-lap battle that saw the duo swap positions at least six times during that segment of the race. Roush officially edged by on lap ten, but a lap later Johnson nosed by. Racing side-by-side the next two laps, the pair rubbed wheels and Roush spun.
That moved former champ John Burdette, who has sat out much of several years to coach his kids. Burdette coached his varsity girls’ basketball team into the state quarter finals this past March. Burdette hadn’t lost his touch and tried his hand at taming the always crafty Johnson. Burdette edged alongside Johnson twice, but couldn’t make it stick as Johnson marched on to victory. Shawn Donahue had marched from 14th to third at one point, but with five laps to go lost the handle and went to the tail. Still in a fight for hard charger, Donahue fought back to 5th ahead of official hard-charger Gary Gould. Gould blasted from 16th to 6th.
Early challengers in the race were Andy Bond, Mike McPherson, James Dennis and Jeremy Blake.
Rounding out the top ten behind Johnson and Burdette were James Dennis, Robert Garnes, Shawn Donahue, Gary Gould, Jesse Rupe, Mitchel Sharp, Jamie Gillian, and Jeremy Blake.
Zach Carr won the Mini-Wedge main over Austin Washburn and Kasey Rankin.
Racing continues Friday, May 24th in all four classes. For more information please visit << www.skylinespeedway.net >> or call 304-539-4410 or the track phone at 740-662-4111 or visit us on Facebook on our venues page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Skyline-Speedway-Official-Venue-Event-Page/193868397323815?ref=hl or the Skyline Speedway Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/skyline.speedway .The summary: 5/17/2013
410 Sprint Cars (18)
Fast Time: Nathan Skaggs 10:75
Heat One: Nathan Skaggs, Ryan Broughton, Jesse McCreary, Mark Imler, Todd Kane, Wes McGlumphy
Heat Two: Jimmy Stinson, Greg Mitchell, Dave Dickson, Eddie Slone, Bob Tucker, John Shewbrooks
Heat Three: Kory Crabtree, Josh Davis, Aaron Higgins, Sam Ashworth, Brian Benson, Eric Martin
Feature: Jimmy Stinson, Kory Crabtree, Aaron Higgins, Ryan Broughton, Nathan Skaggs, Josh Davis, Wes McGlumphy, Dave Dickson, Sam Ashworth, Greg Mitchell, Todd Kane, Bob Tucker, Mark Imler, Brian Benson, Eddie Slone, Eric Martin, John Shewbrooks, Jesse McCreary
KRYPTONITE AMRA Late Models (26)
Fast Time: Chris Garnes 12:52
Heat One: Chris Garnes, Chris Carpenter, Freddie Carpenter, Andy Bond, Steve Bigley, Pete Crum, J.T. Conley, Kenneth Roberts, Darrin Roush
Heat Two: Travis Brookover, Nick Dohm, Derek Doll, Rod Conley, Bob Adams, Jr., Jeremy Blake, Eric Francis, Tom Hendrix
Heat Three: KC Burdette, Tony Roush, Randy Armes, Dan Morrison, Jason Gillian, Ralph Withem, Tyler French, George Klintworth
B-Main: Ralph Withem, Pete Crum, J.T. Conley, Eric Francis, Jeremy Blake, George Klintworth, Tyler French, Tom Hendrix (DNS), Kenneth Roberts (DNS), Darrin Roush (DNS)
Feature: Chris Garnes, Travis Brookover, Andy Bond, Ralph Withem, Freddie Carpenter, Derek Doll, J.T. Conley, Bob Adams, Jr., Pete Crum, Dan Morrison, Jason Gillian, Steve Bigley, Rod Conley, KC Burdette, Chris Carpenter, Randy Armes, Tony Roush, Nick Dohm
OCTANE AMRA MODIFIEDS (18)
Heat One: Kenny Johnson, Robert Garnes, James Dennis, Jesse Rupe, Brad Willis, Gary Gould
Heat Two: Kyle Bond, Vince Conrad, John Burdette, Jerrad Willis, Shawn Donahue, Mitchel Sharp
Heat Three: Roy Roush, Mike McPherson, Andy Bond, Jeremy Blake, Tyler Hendrix, Jamie Gillian
Feature: Kenny Johnson, John Burdette, James Dennis, Robert Garnes, Shawn Donahue, Gary Gould, Jesse Rupe, Mitchel Sharp, Jamie Gillian, Jeremy Blake, Roy Roush, Kyle Bond, Andy Bond, Jerrad Willis, Brad Willis, Tyler Hendrix, Mike McPherson, Vince Conrad
Mike’s Auto Body Mini-Wedges (6)
Feature: Zach Carr, Austin Washburn, Kasey Rankin, Ryan Bigley, Tanner Martin, Evan McPherson (DNS)