From Dean Reichel
With a nice field of cars and fans in the stands, Sunday Night Thunder continued for the 2017 season at Double-X Speedway in California, MO. The “Commerce Bank Night at the Races” began on a somber note as those in attendance were informed of the burns received by local sprint car driver Bailey Elliott and his father Marc as they were getting their race car ready at their shop in California, MO. Both were treated for their injuries in Columbia, MO and released Sunday evening. All of us at Double-X wish a complete recovery to both.
In the winged sprint cars, Lanny Carpenter proved that “old guys” can still do the job….almost. For 22 laps Lanny ran the cushion in his black 24 sprinter, but on lap 23, Tyler Blank executed a pass in turns one and two to take the lead from the Clarksburg, MO veteran. Blank would lead the final three circuits to claim his second feature victory at Double-X in as many weeks. Carpenter would claim a strong second with rookie Ayrton Gennetten having another strong run finishing third. TJ Muths of Sedalia crossed the stripe in fourth and Todd McVay would round out the top five. Scott Comstock and Tyler Elliott completed the field. Muths claimed the heat race victory over Carpenter and Blank.
Excitement in the open wheel classes continued in the 600cc Winged Micro Sprint class. Miles Paulus and Philip Dietz brought the field to the green and it was Dietz taking the early lead with Paulus trying high,low and in between to mount a pass on the leader. Finally on lap 12 of the 15 lap main event Paulus was able to edge by Dietz and not look back as he claimed the win. Dietz had his best showing at Double-X in taking second, Jack Wagner crossed the line in third, Jimmy Dowell had a stringrun in fourth and Braydon Cromwell was fifth. Paulus claimed the first heat over Jack Wagner and Dowell with Dietz winning the second heat over Cromwell and Rudy Reyes.
A first time feature winner graced victory lane in the street stock division. First year driver Marshall Berry claimed the feature victory after passing his dad in the closing laps. It was not an easy victory as Evan Hays was trying every move he could to make a pass for the lead. Ultimately Berry would prevail with Evan Hays finishing second, James Keeran had a very good run in claiming third with Brandon Hays in fourth and Dale Berry completing the top five. Mark Davis would win the heat race over Dale Berry and Keeran.
In the Hobby stock class, Chuck Coffey claimed feature victory number three on the season in a convincing manner. The closest battle of the night was for second place with Kevin Prall edging Chris Brockert for second at the finish line. Brockert would earn third, Aaron Brookshier finished fourth and Jeremiah Wallingford completed the top five. Coffey won the heat race over Brookshier and Brockert.
Next Sunday night to honor dads on Father’s Day, the ASCS Warrior Region Sprint Cars are scheduled to be on tap along with the remaining weekly classes. Be sure to join for a special evening of Sunday Night Thunder.
Double X Speedway Results-
Winged Sprint Cars-
Feature Event- 1. 75-Tyler Blank, California; 2. 24-Lanny Carpenter, Clarksburg; 3. 3-Ayrton Gennetten, Versailles; 4. 65-T.J. Muths, Sedalia; 5. 89-Todd McVay, Grain Valley; 6. 15S-Scott Comstock, Prairie Home 7. 49-Tyler Elliott, California
Heat Race- 1. Muths; 2. Carpenter; 3. Blank; 4. Comstock; 5. Gennetten; 6. McVay; 7. Elliott
600cc Winged Micro Sprints-
Feaure Event- 1. 98P-Miles Paulus, Marshall; 2. 14-Philip Dietz, Lake Ozark; 3. 73J-Jack Wagner, Lone Jack; 4. 88J-Jimmy Dowell, Boonville; 5. 4C-Braydon Cromwell, Lone Jack; 6. 26B-Nick Rasa, Sedalia; 7. 35T-Tyler Dowell, Marshall; 8. 73S-Samuel Wagner, Lone Jack; 9. 81T-Rudy Reyes, Marshall; 10. 15-Lucas Boland, Columbia; 11. 02-Austin Crane, Ashland; 12. 75-Travis Arnold, Pilot Grove; 13. 88jx-Sumar Twenter, Sedalia
Heat 1- 1. Paulus; 2. J. Wagner; 3. J. Dowell; 4. T. Dowell; 5. Arnold; 6.Twenter; 7. Rasa
Heat 2- 1. Dietz; 2. Cromwell; 3. Reyes; 4. S. Wagner; 5. Crane; 6.Boland
Street Stocks-
Feature- 1. 4-Marshall Berry, Tuscumbia; 2. 54-Evan Hays, California; 3. 52J-James Keeran, California; 4. 4U-Brandon Hays, California; 5. 05-Dale Berry, Tuscumbia; 6. 56-Mark Davis, Grovespring; 7. 25-Joe Miller, Centertown
Heat Race- 1. Davis; 2. D. Berry; 3. Keeran; 4. E. Hays; 5. M. Berry; 6. B. Hays; 7. Miller
Hobby Stocks-
Feature- 1. 171-Chuck Coffey, Windsor; 2. 14-Kevin Prall, Sedalia; 3. 82-Chris Brockert, Versailles; 4. 7X-Aaron Brookshier, Warsaw; 5. 84-Jeremiah Wallingford, Prairie Home; 6. 33-Drew Tully, Carrollton; 7. 11-Mike Schrader, Sedalia; 8. 18-Dave Richardson, Syracuse
Heat Race- 1. Coffey; 2. Brookshier; 3. Brockert; 4. Schrader; 5. Prall; 6. Wallingford; 7. Tully; 8. Richardson