Danny Smith Claims Sprint Cash At Atomic
7 min read
By Scott Wolfe
CHILLICOTHE, OHIO-Another great night of racing met with fantastic feature races, including a down-to-the-wire finish in the Sport Mods that saw young lady driver Emily Jordan claim an exciting victory at the Atomic Speedway. Thirty-eight 410 sprint cars turned out for the $3,000-to-win headliner that saw Chillicothe, Ohio driver Danny Smith claim the victory in the Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association event. J.P. Roberts, Gallipolis, Ohio won the AMRA Octane Modified main in a flag-to-flag victory and Rob Smith claimed the Street Stock feature.
Atomic owner Brad McCown beat the odds and the weatherman in a Saturday that was forecasted to have an 80 percent chance of rain. Going lean on the water and working for two weeks to get a smooth racing surface, the track absorbed a couple waterings that ultimately made for some great racing action. New clay and a new turn three wall were visual improvements to an already first-class facility.
Ervco sponsored the sprint cars and the race’s $3,000 to-win price tag.
“That was worth the wait,” said Danny Smith, the 410 sprint winner. “It was a long night. The track was just right; when they (Atomic crew) got it right, they really got it right.”
“I got into third place and sort of lost sight of the leaders, then bam there they were,” added Smith. “Atomic Speedway was my favorite track long before I ever moved into town–I always have loved to race here.”
“The OVSCA is a good deal. It’s been around now for a few years and really helps keep the local cars around, and gives us drivers something extra to shoot for.”
Ronnie Blair and Nathan Skaggs paced the field to the drop of the green flag with Blair leading the first two laps. Skaggs anchored a turn one slide job to perfection to take the lead. He led the next 18 circuits and at a couple points led by nearly half a track.
Skaggs worked traffic to perfection, but after gaining a clean slate of turf ahead of him, he began to waiver. With Skaggs’ lead quickly decimating, Cole Duncan began to reel the defending OVSCA champ in–hook, line, and sinker–but in doing so brought Danny Smith and Greg Wilson along for the ride.
On the 19th circuit Duncan captured the top spot, but Smith and Wilson made it a four-way race; all four cars blitzing the high-banks in nose-to-tail fashion. Duncan’s lead was short as Smith blasted by with eight laps to go. Wilson raced around Duncan and Skaggs as well and he appeared to have something extra for Smith. Fans rose to their feet with great enthusiasm.
Smith, however, was the master of lapped traffic and put two cars between he and Wilson with four laps remaining. Wilson cleared the back-markers, but it was too little, too late for the Benton Ridge, Ohio driver. Freedom 40 winner Randy Hannagan again came on strong at the finish to take third.
Danny Smith, Greg Wilson, Randy Hannagan, Cole Duncan, Nathan Skaggs, Jimmy Stinson, Ron Blair, Jimmy Nier, Todd Kane, and Tyler Courtney rounded out the top ten. Jimmy Stinson was the Hummel Factory Kahne Racing Shocks Hard charger in a 14th to 6th place run.
The Sport Mod feature went green-white-checkered with a dramatic finish as Bob Crace, Jr. and Emily Jordan rubbed doors on the white flag lap after Jordan had led the entire race. Jordan fought back to collect her senses, but her competitive spirit shined through as she drove it into turn three super-hard in an effort to reclaim the lead.
With Crace on the high-side, Jordan drifted high with the cars once again making contact. Crace–on the outside– climbed the wall, sparks-a-flying with smoke in the air for added special effects. Jordan crossed the line first by a half car length with Crace crossing the line on the wall amid a wall of smoke.
Third place Jason Cottrill saw his good run go down the tubes as he looped his mount in evasive action and did not cross the finish line. Sam Hobbs had a good run to third. Jordan won $1,000 compliments of Atomic Speedway, Bobst Auto Parts and Tim Hattle Trucking.
Rounding out the top ten were Emily Jordan, Bob Crace, Jr., Sam Hobbs, Adrian Doles, Chris Shelton, Billy Landthorn, Robert Lunsford, Fred McGlone, Jason Cottrill, and Jeff Gillman.
Fred McGlone, coming from 22nd to 16th, was the Sport Mod hard charger.
“I worked hard for it (the win) the whole race and I wasn’t gonna let anyone else get it,” said Jordan amid numerous cheers. “I wasn’t going to run out of racing room.”
J.P. Roberts led flag-to-flag to claim the Advanced Services Modified main. Roberts was challenged early by Kenny Johnson, but Johnson’s mount went sour on the fifth circuit. That allowed Roberts to clearly flex his muscle with a skilled pack of hungry talent racing behind him.
Dave Warnock had a Rocket-on-a-rail and went after the first-place Johnson. Dave McWilliams came on fast, but late to break into the top three. Shawn Holiday, Nathan Loney and Fireball Pinkerton engaged in head-to-head combat throughout the race.
“It was the first time I ever won a race on the high side,” laughed Roberts. “The car was perfect and was smooth and fast. The track was a little dusty at first, but it was fast.”
Rounding out the top ten were J.P. Roberts, Dave Warnock, Dave McWilliams, Shawn Holiday, Nathan Loney, Dave Fireball Pinkerton, Adam Colley,Mike Long, Donnie Miller, and Anthony Slusher. The hard charger of the race was Chris Kruetzkamp with a 18th to 11th run.
“The car ran really well tonight,” said Rob Smith who scored his third win of the year in the Street Stock division. ” I had no idea how far ahead I was. I just knew I had to keep going.”
Rounding out the top ten were Rob Smith, Justin Poling, Tommy Mossbarger, Brandon Thompson, Larry Highland, Donnie Jeschke, Dave Landman, Adam Jones, and Brian McQuay (DNS). Tommy Mossbarger was the hard charger in a 9th to third place run.
Tim Howard once again cleared the way to victory in the Enduro. The top ten rolled down like this- Tim Howard, Derrick McCluskey, Jason Edwards, Tyler Moore, Craig Edwards, Blake Sheets, J.D. Broughton, , Scott Clark, Dough Mullens and Kenny Coleman.
For more information please call 740-703-9749 or 740-663-4141 or visit the Atomic Speedway website at <<>> Atomic is located 12 miles South of Chillicothe, Ohio off SR 23, two miles out Blain Highway between Chillicothe, Ohio and Waverly, Ohio at Alma.
Upcoming Events:
September 13- DARF NIGHT- Sprints, AMRA Late Models, AMRA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Sport Mods
September 20- BOB CRACE SR MEMORIAL- $5,000 to win AMRA Late Models, AMRA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Sport Mods
September 27- FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT #2 Sprints, AMRA Late Models, AMRA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Ohio Valley Roofers Legends
October 4-Season Championships: $2,500 to win Sprints & Late Models, $1,000 to win Modifieds
October 11- Cancer Awareness Night: Sprints, Late Models, Modifieds, Street Stocks, Sport Mods
3 DAY OPEN WHEEL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Sprints, Non Wing Sprints Unsanctioned with
Modifieds
October 23- Sprint Practice, Non Wing Qualifing & Heats, Modified Qualifying & Heats
October 24- Sprint Qualifying & Heats, Non Wing B-Mains, Modified B-Mains, DASH FOR CASH in ALL 3 CLASSES $1,000 TO WIN
October 25- Sprint B-Mains & Feature $15,000 TO WIN, Non Wing Feature $5,000 TO WIN, Modified Feature $5,000 TO WIN, “Charlie McCann Winged Sprint Memorial” Non-Qualifiers $2,065 to win
November 1- Topless Weekend- DAN RENO MEMORIAL WEEKEND $2,222 TO WIN for Modifieds, plus Late Models, Street Stocks, Sport Mods
THE SUMMARY: Atomic Speedway/September 2014
PINE TREE TOWING AND RECOVERY 410 Sprints (38)
Fast Time: Mark Imler 13:329
Heat One-Aaron Higgins, Ronnie Blair, Mark Imler, Josh Davis, Kory Crabtree, Tyler Courtney, Wes McGlumphy,Eddie Slone, Bob Tucker, Dean Kester
Heat Two-Randy Hannagan, Nathan Skaggs, Jim Nier, Jimmy Stinson, Kirk Jeffries, Nate Reeser, Adam Strausser, David Smith, Jeff Conrad, Nick Roberts
Heat Three-Cole Duncan, Dave Dickson, Brandy Bower, Ryan Broughton, Mark Coleman, Jamie Myers, Brian Nuckles, Ed Neumeister, Jason Dollick,
Heat Four-Greg Wilson, Danny Smith, Todd Kane, Jesse McCreary, Mitch Harble, Kevin Roberts, Cody Gardner, Brian Benson, Jordan Harble
B-Main One:Tyler Courtney, Kory Crabtree, Wes McGlumphy, Adam Strausser, David Smith, Kirk Jeffries, Eddie Slone, Bob Tucker, Jeff Conrad, Nate Reeser, Dean Kester, Nick Roberts
B-Main Two: Mitchell Harble, Cody Gardner, Mark Coleman, Jamie Myers, Ed Neumesiter, Brian Benson, Brian Nuckles, Kevin Roberts, Jason Dollick, Jordan Harble
Feature:Danny Smith, Greg Wilson, Randy Hannagan, Cole Duncan, Nathan Skaggs, Jimmy Stinson, Ron Blair, Jimmy Nier, Todd Kane, Tyler Courtney, Josh Davis, Aaron Higgins, Kory Crabtree, Mitch Harble, Codyt Gardner, Dave Dickson, Mark Imler, Jesse McCreary, Ryan Broughton, Brandy Bower.
ADVANCE SERVICES H & C AMRA MODIFIEDS (21)
Heat One-Shawn Holliday, J.P. Roberts, Dave McWilliams, Adam Colley,John Brady, Dave Jamison, Tony Siebert
Heat Two-Kenny Johnson, Dave Warnock, Mike Long, Anthony Slusher, Kevin Mayabb, Bert Crawford, Ron Stack
Heat Three-Dave Pinkerton, Nathan Loney, Donnie Miller, Weston Crosby, Jason Bilyeu, Chris Krustzcamp,Mike Webber
Feature: J.P. Roberts, Dave Warnock, Dave McWilliams, Shawn Holiday, Nathan Loney, Dave Fireball Pinkerton, Adam Colley,Mike Long, Donnie Miller, Anthony Slusher, Chris Kruetzkamp, Weston Crosby, Kevin Mayabb, Dave Jamison, Bert Crawford, Tony Seibert, Ron Stack, John Brady, Jr., Kenny Johnson, Jason Bilyeu, Mike Webber (DNS)
C & M Racing Equipment (22)
Fast Time: Eric Berry 16:898
Heat One-Eric Berry, Jason Cottrill, Harley Martin, Sam Hobbs, Steve Noble, Robert Lunsford, John Cuckler
Heat Two-Bob Crace, Jr., Mitchel Fields, Billy Bowles, Adrian Doles, Billy Landthorn, Larry Brumfield, Jeff Gillman, Fred McGlone
Heat Three- Ricky Neace, Emily Jordan, Chris Shelton, Jr.,Mike Brust, Brennan Bobst, Greg Litteral, David Lunsford
Feature: Emily Jordan, Bob Crace, Jr., Sam Hobbs, Adrian Doles, Chris Shelton, Billy Landthorn, Robert Lunsford, Fred Md Glone, Jason Cottrill,Jeff Gillman, Harley Martin, Steve Noble, Ricky Neace, John Cuckler, David Lunsford, Eric Berry, Larry Brumfield, Billy Bowles, Brennan Bobst (DNS)
Racer’s Edge Supplements Street Stocks (10)
Heat One-Rob Smith, Justin Poling, Adam Jones, Brandon Thompson, Larry Highland, Casey Barr, Donnie Jeschke, Dave Landman, Tommy Mossbarger, Brian McQuay
Feature: Rob Smith, Justin Poling, Tommy Mossbarger, Brandon Thompson, Larry Highland, Donnie Jeschke, Dave Landman, Adam Jones, Brian McQuay (DNS)
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