Wilson grabs a victory in Kinross

An early evening shower washed out qualifying on Lock City Home Center Night at the Kinross Speedpark. Track crews were able to dry the track in time for the scheduled start and fans enjoyed a full program of racing for the eighth time this season.

Eric Fountain took the first checkered flag of the evening winning the 4 Cylinder Dash. Mick Pieri won the Pure Stock Dash, Mike Fox the Factory Stock Dash, and Josh Ware in the Late Model Dash.

James Thompson led the field to the green for the start of the first 4 Cylinder heat race. He pulled out front to the lead with some hard racing going on back in the pack. Eric Fountain worked his way to the front and took the lead about mid-race. He held the lead until the last lap when he got caught up in traffic, allowing Brandy Clawson to make the pass for the victory. Chris Brady finished third.

The first Pure Stock heat race featured lots of tight racing. Dan Shumbarger ran away from the field to take the win. The rest of the field ran very close together with lots of beating and banging between the cars. Mick Pieri finished second, and Randy Touchtone third.

Mark Beaudoin started on the front row sporting a nice, new paint job. He ran fast while leading the entire race. Paul Fox and Larry Young Jr. brought out the only caution when they touched going into turn three. Pee Wee Fountain spun trying to avoid the close action in front of him. Beaudoin was the winner with Cecil Piche second, and Paul Fox third.

The first Late Model heat saw Josh Ware take the lead early and never be challenged. Rick Leonard and Tim Aho had the best battle of the race running each other very clean. Aho held on for second with Leonard third.

With rain in the area track officials decided to run the feature races before the second heats. The 4 Cylinders lined up first. Several complete restarts were required to get this race underway. When the cars finally made a clean lap, Tony Rankin was in first place. Rankin led much of the race before being run down by Eric Fountain. Lap traffic played a role in the finish with Rankin holding on for the victory. Brandy Clawson finished second, and Eric Fountain third.

The Pure Stock feature was a very tight race. Mike Babcock was the early leader. There were a couple cautions as a result of the closely competitive field. John Clawson took the lead on the last restart and drove off with the victory. Dan Shumbarger finished second, and Ray Golladay Jr. third.

Larry Young Jr. and Mark Beaudoin ran side by side at the front of the field in the Factory Stock feature. Beaudoin moved into the lead with the field falling into single file behind him. Cecil Piche reeled him in and made a nice pass for the lead. Piche ran away from the field to take the win. Paul Fox finished second and Larry Young Jr. third.

Rick Leonard and George Wilson started on the front row in the Late Model feature. Wilson took the lead early with Josh Ware close behind. Ware ran right behind Wilson for several laps before slipping under him in turn four to take the lead. Ware was the race winner with Wilson second and Tim Aho third.

With the weather still great, the last round of heat races were started next. Tony Rankin and Don Dangler Jr. put on a great battle in their 4 Cylinders. They had lots of side by side racing for the lead. They touched once on the last lap but each gave each other room to correct and race to the checkered. Tony Rankin was the winner with Dangler second and Eric Fountain third.

Dan Shumbarger led another incredibly tight field of Pure Stocks in the second heat. Eight cars ran lap after lap back in the field literally touching each other every time around the track. John Clawson made a last lap stab for the lead but backed off after touching Shumbarger in turn three. Shumbarger was the winner with Clawson second and Nicole Rader third.

The Factory Stocks put on another great race with the field separated by the slimmest of margins. Paul Fox held off the field for the win. Cecil Piche finished a close second and Larry Young Jr. third.

In one of the best Late Model races this area has seen in quite some time, Rick Leonard and George Wilson ran door to door with Josh Ware a close third. These three cars ran lap after lap as close as three cars could possibly run each other. Everyone ran each other clean while putting on a tremendous race. Wilson held on for the win, with Leonard second and Josh Ware third.

Racing action resumes again this Friday at Kinross Speedpark. For more information, log onto www.kinrossspeedpark.com.

(Submitted by Steve Lawson)