Hawkins Grabs Renegades Opener At The Bullring
5 min read(Middlebourne, WV) After a long cold winter Mother Nature finally cooperated and the 2015 racing season at the Tyler County Speedway kicked off with a bang. A rare Friday Night Lights edition of classic ‘Bullring’ action would welcome back 133 eager racers and a full grandstands. On the docket for the 41st season opener at the Middlebourne, West Virginia oval was the 2015 Northern lid lifter for the fledgling Renegades of Dirt Modified Tour, plus the traditional running of the 5th Annual Pat Herrick Memorial for Modlites and $500 to win 4 Cylinder Special event. Picking up impressive wins to usher in the new season were Jacob Hawkins, Derek Doll, Tyler Riggs, Dennis Adkins, Shawn Jett, Darren Glover, Kylie Cross and Tristen Borkoski.
Local hotshoe Jacob Hawkins of Fairmont, WV would kick off the Renegades of Dirt Northern Tour by parking the familiar #13 Two Brothers Motorsports machine into the Tyler County Speedway victory lane for the 3rd straight Renegade visit. It wasn’t easy as Hawkins would wage a mid-race classic ‘Bullring’ war with NC invader Patrick Lyon as the duo clawed, scrapped and slide jobbed the lead back in forth in fantastic fashion until mechanical woes would sideline the impressive Lyon. This would leave Hawkins in the drivers seat with a hard charging Zanesville duo of Cody Parker and Tanner Wilson making it interesting at the stripe. Rounding out the top five were Hawkins, Parker, 12th starting Wilson, a rim riding DJ Cline and Ishua NY’s Rich Michael Jr in the highly competitive field.
In the Chris Metz State Farm Insurance ModLite division presented by Cedar Run Farms a host of stout Modlites were on hand to compete in the $500 to win 5th Annual Pat Herrick Memorial. Adding his name to the prestigious winners list now includes young Tyler Riggs of New Matamoras, Ohio. Young Riggs would lead the way aboard his #99/Kroll Energy/FK Rod Ends/Riggs Pressure Washing/Evolution Chassis. Trailing Riggs at the stripe was a high flying Zak Kimbrew who worked the top shelf to perfection on his way to the runner up spot, Cole Petrelle, Troy Gum and Brandon Fluharty would round out the top five.
One thing is for sure Derek Doll loves opening night at the ‘Bullring’. For the third year in a row the Greenwood, WV speedster aboard the BSI Well Service/Firethorn Marketing/Rocket Chassis #87 would claim victory over a stout field of powerful J&R Excavating Super Late Models presented by Midcap Land & Timber. A charging Paul Wilmoth Jr. from his sixth starting spot aboard his new Kryptonite race car would make the last five laps very interesting as the ‘Gambler’ worked high and low to mount a charge around Doll but to no avail as Doll would go on to claim the opening night spoils. Following Doll and Wilmoth was early race leader Robbie Scott, Kyle Thomas in his Late Model debut and Corey Conley.
In the $500 to win Lipps Towing FWD 4 Cylinder special it was Ohio invader Dennis Adkins aboard the white #4 who would steal the loot and head back to the Buckeye state. Following Adkins across the line was impressive April Tennent aboard the sharp 5.0 machine, the “Birdman” Robert Frohnapfel, Kyle Moyer and Jason Frazier.
A highly competitive and intense Hotmod main would see 23 racers take the green with Middlebourne, WV’s Mick Baker jumping out to an early lead with a hard charging Darren Glover pulling alongside as the duo worked heavy lapped traffic. Misfortune would strike the front running car of Baker as a tangle among lapped cars would send Baker into the turn 1 guardrail ending his bid for the opening night win. Paden City, WV’s Glover would blast around the speedways top shelf aboard his Shaw chassis to secure the win ahead of Travis Thomas, former Pure Stock racer Brian Shaffer, Chris Thomas and Stevi Magyar.
Veteran Shawn Jett, of Salem, WV aboard the sharp 1J/Slicks Detailing/Rocket machine would kick off the 2015 FASTRAK season in grand fashion by holding off last years FASTRAK and TCS track champion Kyle Thomas. Following the duo across the line were a trio of hungry FASTRAK racers in Daniel Hill, Derek Rogers and Danny Thomas.
Opening up the events at the speedway was the youngsters as Kylie Cross and Tristen Borkoski would split dual JJK Mineral MWRA Mini Wedge Main events.
Join us next Saturday Night, April 25th as the ‘Bullring’ will return to its regularly scheduled night of action. On the card will be racing in all classes as its Speed N’ Feed Family Night featuring $1 Dogs at the Bullring Bistro & a Kids Club Money Scramble at intermission. A complete show of J&R Excavating Super Late Models presented by Midcap Land and Timber, Two Brothers Motorsports Modifieds, Peoples Bank FASTRAK Late Models, Chris Metz State Farm Insurance ModLites presented by Cedar Run Farms, Hotmods, Lipps Towing FWD 4 Cylinders, and JJK Mineral MWRA Mini Wedges are on the card.
Gates open at 4, MWRA Mini Wedges kick off at 6:15 with hotlaps/qualifying getting underway at 7. General admission is just $10, children 10 and under are free, with pit admission priced at $30. For more information visit us online at www.tylercountyspeedwayonline.com and Friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
Tyler County Speedway Feature Results for Friday Night, April 17th
Two Brothers Motorsports Modified Renegades of Dirt Feature Results: Jacob Hawkins, Cody Parker, Tanner Wilson, DJ Cline, Rich Michael, Vic Vandergrift, Derrick Ramey, John Sluka, John Burdette, Jesse Wisecarver, Lance Elson, Robbie Evans, Codi Eaton, Jeff Fornash, Tyler Evans, Kevin Miller, Jason Brookover, Patrick Lyon, Jared Hawkins, David Stremme
DNQ: Jeff Johnson, Chris Meadows, Mike Conkle, Kurt Burge, Cody Henthorn, Del Cunningham, Todd Higgins, Bud Watson, Greg Beach, Justin Hart, Chad Smith, Brett Moye
Chris Metz State Farm Insurance ModLites presented by Cedar Run Farms 5th Annual STARS Pat Herrick Memorial Feature Results: Tyler Riggs, Zak Kimbrew, Cole Petrelle, Troy Gum, Brandon Fluharty, Mitch Ward, Tracy Fritter, Troy Collins, Scott Perine, Kacy Campbell, Josh Baldwin, John Cogar, Randy Kerns, Dean Ward, Daniel Eddy, DNS: Ryan Saffell, Bill Watson
J&R Excavating Super Late Models presented by Midcap Land & Timber Feature Results: Derek Doll, Paul Wilmoth Jr., Robbie Scott, Kyle Thomas, Corey Conley, Scott Irvin, Brian Baumberger, Travis Brown, Cody Rogers, Mike Taylor, Levi Flesher, Butch McGill, Sonny Conley, Steve Weigle, Freddie Carpenter
Peoples Bank FASTRAK Late Models Feature Results: Shawn Jett, Kyle Thomas, Daniel Hill, Derek Rogers, Danny Thomas, Todd Chicklo, Joel Prosser, CJ Johnson, AJ Spagnuola, Tyler Stutler, Joe Bowie, Troy Frazier, Ryan Payne
Lipps Towing FWD 4 Cylinder $500 to win Feature Results: Dennis Adkins, April Tennant, Robert Frohnapfel, Kyle Moyer, Jason Frazier, Wesley Tennant, Donnie Wamsley, Billy Bunnell, Ethan Drain, Sambo Cokeley, Rob Martin, Travis Allen, Scott Critchfield
Hotmod Feature Results: Darren Glover, Travis Thomas, Brian Shaffer, Chris Thomas, Stevi Magyar, Alan Moore, Brandon Weigle, Tim Pennell, Tiffany Jackson, Steve Magyar, Brian Clegg, Lindsey Smarr, John Thomas, Mike Harter, Casey Ash, Josh Gump, Cody Todd, Mick Baker, Daniel Muldrew, Larry Higgins, Keesha Beegle, Curtis Watson, Kenny Isner
JJK Mineral MWRA Mini Wedge Feature Results: A Feature: Kylie Cross, Garrett Jones, Philip Bubeck, Mackenzie Perine, Seth Richards, Danny McCune, Tyler Tennant, Brayden Beacher
B Feature: Tristen Borkoski, Gage Stalder, Caiden Black, Levi Jones, Noah Bubeck, Tripp Perine, Skylar Wright, Isaac Jackson, Ashton Jackson, #11, Trenton Baker, Ethan McCune