Season Championships in the Book at
Plymouth Motor Speedway
By: Lisa Jump
Plymouth, IN (September 6, 2008) - Saturday night was
Season Championship night, as well as the Third Leg of the Triple
Crown, at the Plymouth Motor Speedway. The track had a good
turn out for their last regular racing event of the 2008 season.
First event of the features only night was the front wheel
drive feature. Right after the green flag flew, caution came
out when Mike Lets went around in turn two and collected Scott
Russo and Robert Reed. Steve Reinholt took the early lead but
lost it on lap seven when Eric Kiser over took him. Kiser's
lead was short lived, when Kelton Kaechle took over with seventeen
to go. Kaechle held on to win the feature followed by Kiser,
Reinholt, Greg St De Jean and Bryant Ragsdale. As of press time,
the season champion was still being determined.
Next up was the big event for the night. Twenty-four late
models took to the track for the 100 lap Third Leg of the Triple
Crown. Only 12 laps into the event caution flew when Brent Jack
got loose in turn three and collected Ron Maynard and Rick Hahn
with damage to both. Michael Thayer led the field with Brian
Muick and Brandon Maynard in close pursuit. On lap 48, Brent
Jack pulled to the infield with smoke billowing from his car
from a fire in the engine compartment. Jack Landis was the man
to watch as he made his way through the field of cars and managed
to take third position with 44 laps to go. With 39 laps to go
Landis took over the lead from Thayer and left Thayer and Muick
to battle for second. With 69 laps in the leaders were working
on lapping the field. Landis held on for the big win followed
by Thayer, Steve Stacey, Muick and JR Roahrig. Steve Stacey
was crowned as Season Champion in the late model division.
Mini stocks were the next class to take to the track for their
feature. Twenty-six minis started the feature! The 50 car of
Craig Frase took the lead early on. Eleven laps into the feature
the caution flag flew multiple times when Ryan Yarch went around
in turn two, Dave Biesemeyer went around between turns three
and four, and Shane Eldridge got loose out of turn two. Frase
held the lead until lap 35 when Patrick Tranter passed him.
Tranter held the lead for a short time with Michael Mast passing
him with three to go. Mast got the win followed by Tranter,
Jim Newman, Cecil Van Blaricom, and Darin Harrell. Rich Hensley
was the Season Champion in the mini stock division.
The sportsman A feature was run next. Twenty cars went around
for 50 laps. Barry Holdeman took the lead early on. Caution
came out with 29 laps to go when there was a pipe on the track
in turn one. Upon the restart, Brian McFadden and Nick Pressler
were battling for position in turn one when the two went around,
McFadden was sent to the tail. With 22 laps to go, Billy Rumbaugh
had something break sending his car hard into the turn one wall,
with it finally coming to a rest along the pit wall. Rumbaugh
was helped out of his car and appeared to have an injured leg
as he left the racing surface in an ambulance. When the feature
restarted, Holdeman was still leading the field with Pressler
and Dave Mania close behind. With only five laps to go, Mania
managed to take the lead. Mania got the victory followed by
Pressler, Gary Wyerck, Barry Holdeman and Matt Elliott. Mike
Schewchuck was crowed the season champion in the sportsman division.
Only twelve cars made it out for the thunder car 20 lap feature.
Shawn White took the lead early on with Rick Boal close behind.
Only three laps into the feature, Adam Woodward went around
in turn one and collected Boal and Joe Clark and Corey Lindsey.
Boal and Clark would retire their cars to the pits for the evening.
The event would be shortened by five laps at this point due
to the extended clean up and number of cars involved. White
held onto the lead until there were only 10 laps to go, when
Kevin Woodcox would take over. Woodcox got the win followed
by Dave Long Jr. for second, Shawn White, Troy Lindsey and Jim
James. Joe Clark secured the season championship crown for the
thunder car division.
Last event for the evening was the sportsman B feature. Only
eight cars took the green flag for the fifteen lap event. Lisa
McFadden took the early lead until lap 7 when she went around
coming out of turn four and had to retire to the pits. Greg
Gifford took over the lead position where he would remain to
claim the victory. Mark Vance Jr. finished second, followed
by Matt Sparks, John Streeting Jr. and Doug Bannow.
While the regular season racing is over, be sure to check
out the Stock Car Festival at Plymouth Motor Speedway the weekend
of September 20th and 21st. For more information visit www.plymouthspeedway.net
or call the track at (574) 936-0900.
See you in 2009!
|
