From Scott Wolfe
Stewart, OH — (August 24, 2013) — A huge crowd and 102 cars packed the pits to honor the memory of Sarah Bond with the running of the Sarah Bond Big Three Friday night at Skyline Speedway where Wellsburg, WV driver Corey Conley brought home the $2,000 to win AMRA Kryptonite Late Model main over Chris Carpenter, Parkersburg, WV. In the campanion 410 Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association main event veteran Danny Smith, Chillicothe, Ohio claimed the win over early leader Josh Davis (Chillicothe), while 23 year-old Dan Ebert from Lake Shore, Minnesota, an up and coming star in the Octane AMRA Modifieds, claimed the modified $2,000 pay day.
In the Late Model division the father-son duo of Chris and Freddie Carpenter set the pace for the thirty-lap event. The Carpenters took the lower line on the start, opening the door for second-row starter and the night’s fast-timer Corey Conley to blast to the high side. Conley took the lead and although challenged on numerous occassions the veteran led gree-to-checkered.
Hightlighting the event was the early-race challenges from Chris Carpenter, who on several occasions edged by Conley in the turns. Chris Garnes was cited for a spin on lap 12 and went to the tail. Meanwhile, a torrid battle had developed between Chris Carpenter, Freddie Carpenter, Jason Montgomery, and Tyler Carpenter.
That foursome and Conley separated themselves from the rest of the pack, until another restart tightened the field for a second time. Conley’s Rocket Chassis again burst into the lead, but slowly put some distance between himself and second place Carpenter.
Garnes charged from the tail to seventh spot before his mount suffered mechanical woes and went pitside. Other on-track battles saw Andy Bond, Ronnie Mayle, Travis Brookover, Ralph Withem, and Steve Bigley slashing and dashing their way toward a top ten, while fighting it out for position.
The Hard Chargers in the Late Models were Ronnie Mayle, Steve Bigley, and Dan Morrison each moving up five positions. Mayle went from 12th to 7th, Bigley went from 15th to 10th, and Morrison went from 17th to 12th.
Rounding out the top ten were Corey Conley, Chris Carpenter, Freddie Carpenter, Jason Montgomery, Tyler Carpenter, Andy Bond, Ronnie Mayle, Travis Brookover, Ralph Withem, and Steve Bigley.
“I just tried to keep the car settled,” said a jubilant Conley in victory lane. “This track has always had some slick spots and some places where you get great traction. I just tried to keep the car under me and stay straight and fast.”
“I am really proud to win this race for the Bond family. There are a lot of great racers down here in this area and to win is special. Larry and I go back a long way the Bond’s have always earned a lot of respect. To win this Sarah Bond Memorial is really an honor.”
“Corey had a little more forward bite off the turns,” said a somewhat dejected Chris Carpenter. “I gave him all I had, but that forward bite is what we needed and that was probably the difference in us winning and placing second.”
In the 410 sprint main, Josh Davis and Greg Mitchell paced the field to Todd Gorrell’s green flag. Chris Myers scrubbed off some speed from his third row start, while Davis started to stretch it out over the rest of the field. Wes McGlumphy was on a mission and began a charge from deep in the pack to a top five.
Mitchell slowly started to fade as Jimmy Stinson, Nathan Skaggs, Kory Crabtree, and Danny Smith grappled for position, sometimes three wide coming off the turns. Stinson scrubbed off some speed allowing a three-car battle to unfold between Skaggs, Crabtree, and Smith.
With Davis comfortably out front Chris Myers and Keith Baxter came together on the backchute on lap 15, leaving Baxter’s mount disabled. The restart saw Smith starting on Davis’ rear nerf bar with Crabtree and Skaggs in tow. In two laps Smith had the lead and motored on toward the win.
Behind Smith’s JD Engines/Maxim Chassis and rounding out the top ten were Davis, Kory Crabtree, Nathan Skaggs, Wes McGlumphy, Jimmy Stinson, Aaron Higgins, Greg Mitchell, Dave Dickson, and Chris Myers. In the Sprints the Hard Charger was Wes McGlumphy moving up nine positions. McGlumphy went from 14th to 5th.
“Hard work and Hard Running put us in position to win,” said Danny Smith. “We haven’t run here much this year and we spent a lot of time on the road. I just had to race the race track as well as race Josh. The engines we put together are a little stronger that what we are used to and had a little too much power for what I needed here.”
“But it all worked out and it was good to win on my nephew David’s Birthday!”
“I didn’t need that last restart,” noted Josh Davis. “You get a restart and get Danny Smith on your back bumper…well, that’s just not a good thing. In the last 2-3 years, I have led every single race that pays $2,000 to win or more, and each time Danny has come back to win and I’ve finished second.”
In the Octane AMRA Modifieds pole sitter Dan Ebert made the trip from Minnesota very worthwhile. Ebert has been working for infamous Jackie Boggs over the past few months; and at Jackie’s urging he was able to bring his modified down for the tour.
On Ebert’s only other visit to Skyline, Ebert started scratch and finished in the top two.
Roy Roush with 17 feature wins was knocking on the door for win number 18.
In Dan’s third year of racing cars, the hard-charger moved into the WISSOTA Midwest Modified division. Dan’s goal from the start was to earn the title of National WISSOTA Midwest Modified “Rookie of the Year.”; and with 191 Rookies entered, Dan was the winner.
Ebert launched into the lead and led green to checkered in his Impressive Race Cars Chassis Arctic Cat #60 and 355 homebuilt small block chevy.
“My team has worked hard tonight and they always give it 100 percent”. said Ebert. “It’s good to be able to come here and win.”
Ebert came home ahead of Roy Roush to round out the top ten, John Burdette, Jeremy Berwanger, Travis Dickson, Robbie Evans, Kenny Johnson, Jess Hartman, Tyler Evans, and Kyle Bond.
Again great racing took place all over the race track. Burdette took the initial lead in the RV1x before Ebert took the lead in his own # 60. Ebert at one point nearly half-tracked everyone only to have a caution slow the action and erase the nice lead. Berwanger and Kenny Johnson fought hard most of the race with Berwanger prevailing. Other close action highlighted the various races for position in the pack.
Travis Dickson and Robbie Evans had good runs to the front as Ebert held off Roush for the win.
For more information please visit << www.skylinespeedway.net >> or call 304-539-4410 or the track phone at 740-662-4111.
Zach Carr won the Mike’s Auto Body Mini-wedges from a field of 12 cars..
Skyline will host the Harvest 50 Saturday, Sept. 28.
The summary: August 23
410 Sprint Cars (17)
Fast Time: Jimmy Stinson 11:99
Dash: Jimmy Stinson, Greg Mitchell, Nathan Skaggs, Danny Smith, Josh Davis, Chris Myers
Heat One: Josh Davis, Kory Crabtree, Jimmy Stinson, Aaron Higgins, Brian Benson, Andre Layfield
Heat Two: Greg Mitchell, Chris Myers, Ryan Broughton, Keith Baxter, Mark Imler, Kris Davis
Heat Three: Nathan Skaggs, Danny Smith, Dave Dickson, Jeff Conrad, Wes McGlumphy
Feature: Danny Smith, Josh Davis, Kory Crabtree, Nathan Skaggs, Wes McGlumphy, Jimmy Stinson, Aaron Higgins, Greg Mitchell, Dave Dickson, Chris Myers, Ryan Broughton, Mark Imler, Brian Benson, Keith Baxter, Andre Layfield, Kris Davis, Jeff Conrad
KRYPTONITE AMRA Late Models (29)
Fast Time: Corey Conley 13:44
Heat One: Chris Carpenter, Corey Conley, Tyler Carpenter, KC Burdette, Bub Crum, Darrin Roush, Tom Hendrix, Tanner Hendrix, Sara Fiest, Jeremy Blake
Heat Two: Freddie Carpenter, Jason Montgomery, Andy Bond, Mike Smith, Randy Armes, Jason Gillian, Larry Bond, Mike Foggin, Ryan Leckrone, David Pryor
Heat Three: Chris Garnes, Ralph Withem, Travis Brookover, Ronnie Mayle, Steve Bigley, Dan Morrison, Brian Eaton, J.R. Crum, George Klintworth
B-Main: Darrin Roush, Dan Morrison, Jason Gillian, Brian Eaton, Larry Bond, Tom Hendrix, Ryan Leckrone, J.R. Crum, George Klintworth, David Pryor, Sara Fiest, Tanner Hendrix, Mike Foggin, Jeremy Blake
Feature: Corey Conley, Chris Carpenter, Freddie Carpenter, Jason Montgomery, Tyler Carpenter, Andy Bond, Ronnie Mayle, Travis Brookover, Ralph Withem, Steve Bigley, Mike Smith, Dan Morrison, Randy Armes, Chris Garnes, Kc Burdette, Darrin Roush, Bub Crum, Jason Gillian