Nier, Montgomery, Johnson Claim Skyline Wins

By Scott Wolfe
STEWART, OHIO-Billy Jarrell’s Skyline Speedway officially kicked off the Memorial Day weekend Friday, May 24 with another exciting night of racing in three classes. Jimmy Nier, Piketon, Ohio claimed the $1,500 win in the Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association 410 A-main, Racin’ Jason Montgomery, Jackson, Ohio claimed the Kryptonite AMRA Late Model main, and Kenny Johnson went 2-for-2 for the season with a clean sweep in the Octane AMRA Modifieds. Zach Carr won his second consecutive Mike’s Auto Body Mini-Wedge main.

In the OVSCA Sprint main Jimmy Nier went green-to-checkered for the win, but not without a fight. Dave Dickson and Jimmy Stinson, respectively the OVSCA and Skyline 2012 champions marched 1-2-3 in close order in the early portions of the race. Dickson and Stinson fought side-by-side, then Dickson broke free to chase down Nier. Dickson remained close for several laps, but Nier began to stretch it out. Following a caution for Wes McGlumphy Dickson restarted on Nier’s tail. Dickson again lurked in the wake, but Nier eventually stretched it out for a convincing win.

From lap 14 through 25 Kory Crabtree and Stinson literally went side-by-side. Crabtree would edge by in the turns, but Stinson carried the momentum in the run off the turns. Stinson won the battle for position with Crabtree settling in ahead of his earlier victim Josh Davis who nailed down fifth. The Hard Charger in the Sprints was Wayne McPeek moving up seven positions from 15th to 8th. Rounding out the top ten behind Nier were Nier, Dickson, Stinson, Kory Crabtree, Josh Davis, Nathan Skaggs, Aaron Higgins, Wayne McPeek, and Chris Myers.

The Kryptonite Late Model main went down in similar fashion. Chris Garnes led the first lap, but Jason Montgomery dove low into turn one, then rooted out Garnes for the top spot. From that point on Montgomery went on a tear, that saw him lap all but five cars from the 17-car line-up. K.C. Burdette then went to work on Garnes. That duo put on a great show, going back and forth and changing positions numerous times before Burdette took over second on lap ten. Still the battle continued.

Montgomery, however, was flat-out flying. Burdette suffered a flat tire on the 23rd lap and fell off the pace. Fast Freddie Carpenter and Travis Brookover were marching up the ladder. Carpenter took over third late in the race after bagging young Colten Burdette. Brookover ran a smooth race to finish in the top five and was the last car not to be lapped.The Hard Charger in the Late Models was Travis Brookover moving up five positions from 10th to 5th. Rounding out the top ten were Montgomery, Garnes, Carpenter, Colten Burdette, Travis Brookover, Larry Bond, Steve Bigley, Andy Bond, Ralph Withem, and K.C. Burdette.

Perhaps the best race of the night was the tantalizing battle between defending 3-time Octane Modified champ Kenny Johnson and Andy Bond in the modified feature. Johnson led the first four circuits after Bond flanked him the previous three rounds. Still a classic side-by-side dual, Bond and Johnson continued the battle royal. Johnson moved to the low side and edged out Bond for the top spot on the eleventh circuit.
Veteran Bond continued the combat, but as his tires began to fade Johnson blitzed on to the win. John Burdette had made the race a three way race for about five laps in the opening part of the race, and then Burdette had to hold off charges of Gary Gould, who ran one of his best races. Gould was in the hunt for the duration and fended off two local hot-shoes in James Dennis and Jeremy Berwanger. After having a flat in his heat Berwanger had to start scratch and made the best of it. Jeremy Berwanger, moving up nine positions from 15th to 6th, was the hard-charger of the race. Rounding out the top ten were Johnson, Bond, Burdette, Gary Gould, James Dennis, Jeremy Berwanger, Jeremy Blake, Brian Williams, Robert Garnes, and Jerrad Willis. Brian Williams, the first heat winner, made the trip from Fayetteville, Arkansas.

For more information please visit << www.skylinespeedway.net >> or call 304-539-4410 or the track phone at 740-662-4111.

The Summary: 5/24/2013

410 Sprint Cars (18)
Fast Time: Aaron Higgins 11:38
Heat One: Jimmy Nier, Mark Imler, Aaron Higgins, Nathan Skaggs, John Shewbrooks, Eric Martin
Heat Two: Jimmy Stinson, Bob Tucker, Wes McGlumphy, Greg Mitchell, Ryan Broughton, Nick Ley (DNS)
Heat Three: Dave Dickson, Josh Davis, Kory Crabtree, Chris Myers, Wayne McPeek, Jeff Conrad
Feature: Jimmy Nier, Dave Dickson, Jimmy Stinson, Kory Crabtree, Josh Davis, Nathan Skaggs, Aaron Higgins, Wayne McPeek, Chris Myers, Mark Imler, Ryan Broughton, Wes McGlumphy, Bob Tucker, Eric Martin, Jeff Conrad, John Shewbrooks, Greg Mitchell

KRYPTONITE AMRA Late Models (17)
Fast Time: Chris Garnes 13:39
Heat One: Chris Garnes, Colten Burdette, Freddie Carpenter, Travis Brookover, Randy Armes, Brian Daniels
Heat Two: Jason Montgomery, Larry Bond, Steve Bigley, Ralph Withem, Bob Adams, Jr., George Klintworth
Heat Three: K.C. Burdette, Pete Crum, Andy Bond, Jason Gillian, Tyler French
Feature: Jason Montgomery, Chris Garnes, Freddie Carpenter, Colten Burdette, Travis Brookover, Larry Bond, Steve Bigley, Andy Bond, Ralph Withem, K.C. Burdette, Randy Armes, Pete Crum, Jason Gillian, Brian Daniels, Bob Adams, Jr., Tyler French, George Klintworth

OCTANE AMRA MODIFIEDS (15)
Heat One: Brian Williams, John Burdette, James Dennis, Jeremy Blake, Jerrod Willis, Jesse Rupe, Kyle Bond, Jeremy Berwanger
Heat Two: Kenny Johnson, Andy Bond, Gary Gould, Robert Garnes, Mitchell Sharp, Brad Willis, Jason Brooks
Feature: Kenny Johnson, Andy Bond, John Burdette, Gary Gould, James Dennis, Jeremy Berwanger, Jeremy Blake, Brian Williams, Robert Garnes, Jerrod Willis, Kyle Bond, Jesse Rupe, Mitchell Sharp, Jason Brooks, Brad Willis

Mike’s Auto Body Mini-Wedges (8)
Feature: Zach Carr, Austin Washburn, Ryan Bigley, Kasey Rankin, Evan McPherson, Kalista Barnes, Tanner Martin, Seth LaGraff