McGill Claims Wild Late Model Win At Legendary Hilltop

By Gerry Loudin

It was definitely not a “usual” night at the races at the Legendary Hilltop Speedway for race event #18. Three new winners earned places in Victory Lane, along with three repeaters as the 2014 season is now down to two races.

One of the new winners emerged in the Mike’s Auto Body WRA Mini-Wedge feature, as Kenzie “Roo Roo” Dotson led from green-to-checker for her first ever Hilltop victory. Thirteen-time-winner Zach Carr chased her all 12 laps but could not seriously challenge for the win. Coleman Evans, Alyssa Nething, and Samantha Roush finished in the top 5; Evans and Dotson were the heat winners.

The Kryptonite Race Cars AMRA Late Models provided more than their share of door-to-door racing, drama, and controversy. Veterans Butch McGill and Steve Lucas won heats, along with Chris Garnes, but Lucas was unable to make the call for the feature, so Chris Carpenter moved up to start beside McGill. McGill took the lead, which he held through halfway. Tyler Carpenter, from 8th, joined his brother and McGill to battle for the lead; Ty got inside McGill and took the lead, leaving Chris to duel with McGill. Racing behind the leaders, Garnes, Travis Brookover, Mike Benedum, and Jeromy Misel provided their own action, exchanging positions several times. Garnes spun while running third before halfway, and exited two laps afterward. With three to go, the evening’s drama hit its peak when both Tyler and Chris spun simultaneously in turn 2, bringing out the caution; both were judged responsible; Tyler exited with front suspension damage, and Chris was forced to restart from the tail, leaving McGill in the lead. McGill would hold off the late challeges of Brookover and Benedum for his second Hilltop win of the season; Misel (in the Curtis Towing 53C) and Corey DeLancey (from 12th) rounded out the top five. Garnes won the 3rd heat. Ronnie Mayle and fast qualifier Derek Doll were both early scratches, eliminating the need for a b-main.

It was another smooth night for Kenny Johnson in the Octane Race Products AMRA Modified main. From his inside-pole starting spot, he led the distance for his 8th “Top win of the season, and 16th(?) overall, and maintained his AMRA point lead. Kyle Bond, Robbie Evans, and Tyler Evans dueled each other for the right to challenge Johnson. Bond would spin seven laps in, leaving Jeremy Blake and Roy Roush to race with the Evanses. Robbie would eventuall clear Tyler for second, but could not mount enough to overtake the 30-year-veteran Johnson. Robbie, Tyler, Blake, and Roush finished in the top 5. Roush and J. P Roberts wrecked on the final lap of their heat; Roberts was done for the night, while Roush made repairs and started 19th in the feature. The Mod consi was also scratched when Tommy Powell dropped from competition. Johnson was fast-qualifier; he, Cody Faulk, and K. Bond won the heats.

The FWD 4-Cylinder main went non-stop, with Tom Adkins outrunning his cousin Dennis for his fifth win of the year. New track champ Sam Dickel, Bob Moore, John Rankin, Martin Gibson, and Josh Fulks finished behind the Adkinses. Dennis won the lone heat.

Another new Hilltop winner earned a trip to winners’ circle, as Danny Thomas–a crate late model regular–piloted the Cody Brightwell-owned #79 past early leader Darin Clark for the EDGE Hot Mod honors. Thomas and Clark were followed at the finish by Martin Lamm, Brad Dickson, and Mike Lauer. Clark was fast qualifier; he and Kendall Hodge won the heats; Clark clinched the 2014 track championship. The Hot Mods are not on the schedule Sept 19 so all can compete in the Workingman’s Championship.

For the first time, the Mod Lite class made an appearance at the track. Several drivers made the two-hour trip from the north-central West Virginia area to compete. Mitch Ward and Jeff Fornash led the field to the green. Fornash took the initial lead, with Ward, Randy Kerns, and A. J. Spagnulo in line behind. Ward brought out the first caution with a spin on lap 2. Two laps later, his brother Matt Ward began to catch fire, and got into second behind Fornash, and took the lead at the crossed-flags. With two to go, Forinash had retaken the lead; Matt would spin to lose second, and Mitch would catch the end of the turn 2 guardrail and flip his car. Mitch was okay, but out of the race. Fornash would lead the final two laps to become the first Mod Lite winner at the track. Kerns, Spagnulo, Bob Stackpole, and Matt Ward would complete the top five. Tom Keplinger was fast qualifier, but had problems after, finishing 11th; Mitch Ward and Fornash won the heats. The Mod Lites will be on the track schedule for both the next two weeks.

Next Friday, Sept. 19, will headline the second annual Ohio River 40s, with 40-lap main events for both the AMRA Late Models and Modifieds; the Mod Lites, FWD 4-Cylinders, and WRA Mini-Wedges are also on the schedule. Championship night will be the following Friday.

SUMMARY

AMRA LATE MODELS

Fast Qualifier: Derek Doll, 13.414

Heat 1: Butch McGill, Chris Carpenter, Andy Bond, Tyler Carpenter, Eric Foster, Scott Robinson, Doll

Heat 2: Steve Lucas, Travis Brookover, Mike Benedum, Corey DeLancey, Adam Miller, Jordan Taylor,

Heat 3: Chris Garnes, Jeromy Misel, Dylan Bledsoe, Jason Gillian, Jeremy Blake, Bob Adams, William Robinson

Feature: McGill, Brookover, Benedum, Misel, DeLancey, Bond, Foster, C. Carpenter, Adams, Miller, T. Carpenter, Gillian, Blake, Taylor, Garnes, Bledsoe, W. Robinson, S. Robinson, DNS Ron Mayle, Doll

AMRA MODIFIEDS

Fast Qualifer: Kenny Johnson 14.690

Heat 1: Johnson, Tyler Evans, Tom Sigler, Andy Bond, Frank Roush, Jeremy Jarvis, Tommy Powell

Heat 2: Cody Faulk, Larry Bond, Darrin McDonald, Jeremy Blake, Randy Bohan, J. P Roberts, Roy Roush

Heat 3: Kyle Bond, Robbie Evans, Rick Venham Jr., Marc Martin, Dusty Boley, Tyler French

Feature: Johnson, R. Evans, T. Evans, Blake, R. Roush, K. Bond, Martin, Sigler, F. Roush, Boley, French, Bohan, Venham, Faulk, Jarvis, A. Bond, L. Bond, Powell, McDonald

EDGE HOT MODS

Fast Qualifier: Darin Clark

Heat 1: Clark, Dan Thomas, Martin Lamm, Tiffany Jackson, Jonathan Arnold, Sheila Donohue

Heat 2: Kendall Hodge, Brad Dickson, Mike Lauer, Kevin O’ Dell, Jeff Gorrell

Feature: Thomas, Clark, Lamm, Dickson, Lauer, Arnold, Jackson, Gorrell, Hodge, Donohue, O’Dell

MOD LITES

Fast Qualifier: Tom Keplinger 15.446

Heat 1: Mitch Ward, Randy Kerns, Bob Stackpole, Carl Jones, Rob Ely, Keplinger

Heat 2: Jeff Fornash, A. J. Spagnulo, Matt Ward, Ryan Hitt, Gabe Phillips

Feature: Fornash, Kerns, Spagnulo, Stackpole, Matt Ward, Phillips, Hitt, Jones, Mitch Ward, Ely, Keplinger

MIKE’S AUTO BODY WRA MINI-WEDGES

Heat 1: Coleman Evans, Alyssa Nething, Grace Misel, Tanner Martin

Heat 2: Kenzie Dotson, Zach Carr, Samantha Roush, Makiya Powell

Feature: Dotson, Carr, Evans, Nething, Roush, Misel, Martin, Powell