Record Car Counts Highlight Legendary Hilltop Season Ender
5 min read
A total of 105 race teams and costumed children made the final night of the 2014 season at the Legendary Hilltop Speedway one for “the books”. The car-count was the highest since the track’s re-opening two summers ago. And with 40+ costumed children parading around the grandstand area during intermission, it was a reminder of the coming of fall to the area.
Once again the Mike’s Auto Body WRA Mini-Wedges split its drivers into two features, and for the third consecutive week, the ladies dominated. Kenzie Dotson and Grace Misel split the wins; it was Misel’s first of the summer, and Dotson’s third. Trophies were presented by Roush Racing. Zach Carr was the season champion, with 13 feature wins.
A record number of 34 Super Late Models signed in this evening. Six preliminaries were run to narrow the field to its standard 18 starters. Steve Lucas was fast qualifier; heats went to Lucas, Chris Garnes, Colten Burdette, and Travis Brookover; consis were won by J. R. Weekley and Jonathan Sheets. Garnes took the lead from the outside pole at the drop of the green, a lead he would keep throughout, in spite of several challenges by Lucas. Lucas took the lead once, on lap 14, but a caution voided the pass, and Lucas was unable to reclaim the lead thereafter. For Garnes, it was his first Hilltop win of the season. Lucas, Brookover, Tyler Carpenter, and Freddie Carpenter finished behind Garnes. T. J. Watson advanced the most positions, coming from 18th to 9th at the checkered. Jeromy Misel won his third consecutive championship.
The Modified feature was a caution-filled affair, with only one run of five laps between yellows during the entire 20-laps. Kenny Johnson, from the inside pole, led the first 16 times while being challenged by Jim Fordyce, Anthony Kincade and Rick Venham Jr. Venham spun on lap 5, and went pitside; Fordyce also spun while running 3rd, but recovered to finish 7th. Roy Roush climbed into the top 5 by lap 7, getting as high as 3rd, but his car came up lame on lap 14, eliminating him. Kincade was finally able to get the lead from Johnson following a lap 17 restart, and went on to his first Hilltop win. Johnson, Andy Bond, Kyle Bond, and Tyler Evans completed the top five; Steven Dotson came from 14th to finish 6th. Johnson was fast qualifier; he, Fordyce, and Venham won the heats, with Mike Conkle winning the consi. A total of 27 Mod teams were on hand for the season finale. Johnson was the track champion, as well as the 2014 AMRA Modified champion.
Mick Baker finished the Hilltop season with his second consecutive EDGE Hot Mod win. Kendall Hodge, winner on 9/26, led the first nine laps, but spun on lap 10, handing the win to the veteran Baker. Codi Brightwell had a solid run for second; Lou Ennis, Hodge, and Martin Lamm finished officially in the top five. Ten-year-old Harrison Hall crossed second; he was driving a “Sport Mod” with which he won the season championship at Brush Creek Motorsports Park…it was agreed before racing that he could compete, and be paid for last place in the class since his racecar did not comply with the local Hot Mod rules. Darin Clark, with 5 wins, is the new track champion.
The FWD 4-cylinder feature went non-stop, with Denzil Barker Jr. earning his second “Top win of the season. Barker managed to outrun Kyle Moyer, Sam Dickel, Derek Penley, and Troy Dabbs. Dennis Adkins was fast qualifier; he and Barker won the heats. Dickel’s consistant efforts earned him the season championship.
The Pure Stock class ran for the second straight week, with ten signing in. Mike Mason and Scott Rooks won the heats; Rooks led thru halfway while Mason dueled with Aaron Ellis and Duane Stiers. A flat left-rear tire derailed Rooks’ run, with Mason inheriting the lead. Mason held off late charges by both Ellis and Stiers for the win; Ellis, Stiers, fast qualifier Brandon Francis, and Greg Ley.
Only three Mod Lites entered; Tom Keplinger, his son Dylan, and Ryan Hitt (winner on Sept. 19). Tom led the entire 10 laps for the win followed by Hitt and D. Keplinger.
Legendary Hilltop Speedway management wishes to thank all race teams, fans, sponsors, and staff for their support during the outstanding 2014 season. Twenty-two races were held during the summer, which takes much effort from everyone involved, and management is much appreciative of everyone’s contributions during the summer. Banquet information will be released as soon as it’s available.
SUMMARY
SUPER LATE MODELS (34, 3 from each heat and consi)
Fast Qualifier: Steve Lucas
Heat 1: Lucas, Tyler Carpenter, Kenny Johnson, Darin Roush, Bub Crum, Vernon Mardis,George Klintworth, Randy Wynett, DNS Jason Gillian
Heat2: Chris Garnes, Robbie Scott, D. J. Cline, J. R. Weekley, Kirk Phillips, Johnny Vandale, Doug Kenworthy, Mike McGinnis, DNS Tim Stanley
Heat 3: Colten Burdette, Freddie Carpenter, Tony Roush, T. J. Watson, Jonathan Sheets, Jeromy Misel, Mike Taylor, Wade Sigler
Heat 4: Travis Brookover, Greg Gellner, Dan Morrison, Kenny McCain, Pete Crum, William Robinson, Dave Hilton, Dylan Bledsoe
Consi 1: Weekley, D. Roush, B. Crum, Mardis, Phillips, Vandale, Wynett, McGinnis, Kenworthy
Consi 2: Sheets, Misel, Watson, Taylor, Robinson, Sigler, P. Crum, McCain, Hilton, Bledsoe
Feature: Garnes, Lucas, Brookover, T. Carpenter, F. Carpenter, Scott, Burdette, Gellner, Watson, T. Roush, Weekley, Morrison, D. Roush, B. Crum, Johnson, Misel, Sheets, Cline
MODIFIEDS (27, 5 from heats, 3 from consi)
Fast Qualifier: Kenny Johnson
Heat 1: Johnson, Tyler Evans, Jess Hartman, Kyle Bond, David Godfrey, Mike Conkle, James Lennex Jr., Dusty Boley, Ronnie Pickens
Heat 2: Jim Fordyce, Andy Bond, Anthony Kincade, Nick Corbitt, Steven Dotson, Chad Roush, Nathan Perkins, Marc Martin, Tom Arnott
Heat 3: Rick Venham Jr., Roy Roush, Darrin McDonald, Bill Pritchard Jr., Terry Hinkle, Frank Roush, Harrison Hall, Tommy Powell, DNS Donnie Nething
Consi: Conkle, Lennex, Boley, F. Roush, Pickens, Perkins, C. Roush, Hall, DNS Nething, Martin, Powell, Arnott
Feature: Kincade, Johnson, A. Bond, K. Bond, Evans, Dotson, Fordyce, Godfrey, Lennex, R. Roush, Pritchard, Boley, McDonald, Venham, Hinkle, Hartman, Corbitt, Conkle
EDGE HOT MODS (11)
Fast Qualifier: Mick Baker
Heat 1: Kendall Hodge, Baker, Harrison Hall, Daniel Muldrew, Johnathan Arnold, Levi Nolan
Heat 2: Codi Brightwell, Lou Ennis, Tim Pennell, Martin Lamm, Levi Flesher
Feature: Baker, Brightwell, Ennis, Hodge, Lamm, Muldrew, Flesher, Arnold, Nolan, Pennell, Hall
FWD 4-CYLINDERS
Fast Qualifier: Dennis Adkins
Heat 1: Kyle Moyer, Adkins, Troy Dabbs, John Rankin
Heat 2 Denzil Barker Jr., Sam Dickel, Jarrod Heiss, Tyler Kosinar, Derek Penley
Feature: Barker, Moyer, Dickel, Penley, Dabbs, Rankin, Heiss, Adkins, Kosinar
PURE STOCKS (10)
Fast Qualifier: Brandon Francis
Heat 1: Mike Mason, Duane Stiers, Francis, Brad Stoner, George Klintworth
Heat 2: Scott Rooks, Aaron Ellis, Greg Ley, Jennifer Mason, C. J. Dotson
Feature: M. Mason, Ellis, Stiers, Francis, Ley, Klintworth, J. Mason, Stoner, Rooks, Dotson
MOD LITES
Feature: Tom Keplinger, Ryan Hitt, Dylan Keplinger
MIKE’S AUTO BODY WRA MINI-WEDGES
Heat 1: Kenzie Dotson, Alyssa Nething, Levi Jones, Grace Misel
Heat 2: Samantha Roush, Tanner Martin, Lucas Shaw, Drake Meeks, Caleb Nolan, Mallorie Weidger
Feature 1: Dotson, Roush, Martin, Jones, Nething
Feature 2: Misel, Shaw, Meeks, Weidger, Nolan
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