By T.J. Buffenbarger
KALAMAZOO, Mi. (July 26, 2019) — Bobby Santos III won the main event Friday night at Kalamazoo Speedway for the Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Super Sprints. Santos originally from Franklin, Massachusetts passed Kody Swanson with three laps to go and held off Swanson for the victory. The win was Santos sixth victory of the 2019 season driving for car owner Richard Fieler.
Santos was able to use some of the slow traffic to set up his winning move.
“We had a good car. I saw myself catching (Swanson). It was just a matter catching a yellow or catching a break. The lapped traffic helped us out a little bit and opened the window for me to slip under him.”.
Russ Gamester and Swanson started on the front row for the 30-lap main event. Swanson led early while Caleb Armstrong wrestled the second spot away from Gamester. Santos made his presence felt from fifth starting spot up into third before lap 10 and taking over second from Armstrong on lap 14 with fast qualifier Kyle O’Gara right behind him in third.
Santos began chipping away slowly at Swanson’s lead as they entered lapped traffic. With two laps to go Swanson got held up behind a slower car just enough for Santos to drive to the bottom of the track in turn one to take the lead. Swanson hung to Santos back bumper but couldn’t get back by as Santos went on to win over Swanson, O’Gara, Armstrong, and Gamester.
Afterwards Santos understood Swanson was not going away quietly after his pass for the lead.
“Kody is one of the best, so you never know what he had in store over the last two laps,” said Santos. “I just got by him and tried to hit my marks for two laps.”
Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Super Sprints
Kalamazoo Speedway
Kalamazoo, MI
Friday July 26, 2019
Qualifying:
1. 67-Kyle O’Gara, 12.847
2. 56-Tyler Roahrig, 12.898
3. 55-Taylor Ferns, 12.929
4. 22P-Bobby Santos, 12.955
5. 7C-Caleb Armstrong, 13.020
6. 42-Jason Blonde, 13.042
7. 4-Kody Swanson, 13.066
8. 51-Russ Gamester, 13.083
9. 67c-Charlie Schultz, 13.159
10. 74-Tony Main, 13.218
11. 17H-Jim Heeney, 13.245
12. 1-Christian Kohler, 13.262
13. 22R-Derek Snyder, 13.293
14. 4J-Chris Jagger, 13.304
15. 0-Doug Dietsch, 13.384
16. 27-Teddy Alberts, 13.428
17. 35-Christopher Randolph, 13.507
18. 53-Justin Harper, 13.784
19. 0-Joey Irwin, 13.944
Heat Race #1:
1. 67-Kyle O’Gara
2. 22A-Bobby Santos
3. 4-Kody Swanson
4. 22R-Derek Snyder
5. 27-Teddy Alberts
6. 74-Tony Main
7. 0-Joey Irwin
Heat Race #2:
1. 51-Russ Gamester
2. 4J-Chris Jagger
3. 7C-Caleb Armstrong
4. 56-Tyler Roahrig
5. 17H-Jim Heeney
6. 35-Christopher Randolph
Heat Race #3:
1. 1-Christian Kohler
2. 42-Jason Blonde
3. 67c-Charlie Schultz
4. 0-Doug Dietsch
5. 55-Taylor Ferns
6. 53-Justin Harper
Feature:
1. 22A-Bobby Santos
2. 4-Kody Swanson
3. 67-Kyle O’Gara
4. 7C-Caleb Armstrong
5. 51-Russ Gamester
6. 42-Jason Blonde
7. 56-Tyler Roahrig
8. 55-Taylor Ferns
9. 74-Tony Main
10. 1-Christian Kohler
11. 35-Christopher Randolph
12. 17H-Jim Heeney
13. 0-Doug Dietsch
14. 27-Teddy Alberts
15. 22R-Derek Snyder
16. 4J-Chris Jagger
17. 53-Justin Harper
18. 0-Joey Irwin
19. 67c-Charlie Schultz