Burdette Night At The Bullring!

(Middlebourne, WV) The Hometown Racing Association proved that they are ready for the Memorial Day themed ‘Jackpot 100’ / ‘Let it Ride 55’ headliners by staring the weather forecaster down, calling his bluff and pushing their chips into the center of the table. The results were a full night of racing featuring 4 new feature winners, a pair of guaranteed starting positions for the Memorial weekend classic, and another pit full of quality racers that once again topped the century mark. The 106 car field event was fully completed by 10:15pm as track staff and competitors cooperated in outrunning the impending rain, getting the 4th show in the books for the 2015 season.

A single early race caution was the only thing that slowed a wicked fast Late Model feature race. Parkersburg, WV drivers Colton Burdette and Freddy Carpenter dueled side by side for 6 circuits before Burdette was able to shake Carpenter and grab sole possession of the lead. Once out front, Burdette ran flawlessly, worked lapped traffic with ease and cruised to his first ever Tyler County Speedway feature win. Afterwards Burdette said “In the past, I think I could have ran just as fast around here on a bicycle. I never could find the speed needed, but this car was near perfect tonight. The crew gave me an awesome ride tonight”. In addition to ringing up his first Bullring feature win, Burdette can bank on a guaranteed starting position for the 4th annual Jackpot 100 race this coming weekend. Chasing Burdette to the checkered were Freddy Carpenter, Kyle Thomas, Tyler Carpenter and Steve Wilmoth.

The Open Wheel Modifieds also had a qualifier on tap, as a starting spot in the ‘Let it Ride 55’ waited for the winner of the 20 lap main. An old fashioned alley fight would best describe this action packed feature. A tightly packed 4 car lead battle in the races opening laps was eventually won by J.E. Stalder, who blasted around the extreme high line and initially looked to have the field covered. A lap 11 caution brought the fox back to the hounds and the real race began. Coolville, Ohio’s John Burdette worked the middle of the track and constantly pestered Stalder for the lead position while Jess Hartman and Jesse Wisecarver ran wheel to wheel in the tussle for third just off Burdette’s quarter panels. With just 4 circuits remaining, Stalder brushed the turn 2 fence and rolled to a stop with a flat right rear tire. Burdette held off Hartman who shaded Wisecarver by .07 seconds in the photo finish for second. Todd Higgins and Chad Smith rounded out the top 5. “I really hadn’t planned on racing this year, but (car owner) Chris Fordyce called and asked me if I wanted to race a little for him. The pressures off for next weekend now, because we know we’ll be in the show” said Burdette in his post-race interview.

The EDGE Hot Mod feature race was a dandy, as Darren Glover worked to fend off Travis Thomas who was joined by Brian Shaffer in the second half of the 15 lap main. With Glover running the top and Thomas the middle, the lead duo ran 5 laps side by side before encountering lapped traffic. Shaffer joined the fray at this point and Thomas pounced on an opening to grab the lead with 4 laps remaining. Shaffer’s late race spin in the bid to take the lead slowed the race for just its 2nd caution and set up a 3 lap chase to the checkers. Middlebourne, WV’s Thomas held off Glover’s last ditch attempt to retake the point, earning his second feature win in a row. Glover, Kenny Isner, Allen Moore and Curtis Watson completed the top 5 finishers.
Roland Bell and Kenny Isner went side by side for 5 of the 8 laps in the ‘Crack the Whip’ race before Bell took control. The win was worth $150, with runner-up Isner taking $100 home for his runner-up efforts and 3rd finishing Brian Shaffer pocketing $50. Former track promoter and long time track and class supporter Sonny Spencer sponsored the event.

The FASTRAK Late Model main was dominated by Greenwood, WV’s Daniel Hill. Hill established his lead early in the feature and cruised to his first feature win of the 2015. Despite a pair of single car spins bunching the field behind Hill, the 3rd generation racer never faltered and at the end of the 20 laps had a 2 second advantage over runner up Ryan Payne. Danny Thomas, Tyler Stutler and Kyle Thomas followed the duo to the pay window.

A wild late race restart saw Josh Baldwin grab the point from race long leader Mitch Ward, then bring out a caution of his own when his entry went up in smoke, putting Brandon Fluharty up front. New Martinsville, WV’s Fluharty turned back the field the final 2 circuits in the always competitive Mod-Lite main. The win was Fluharty’s first of the 2015 campaign, with Kacy Campbell, Gabe Phillips, Dean Ward and Mitch Ward rounded out the top 5 finishers.

Proctor, WV’s Wesley Tennant has got his groove on, winning his 2nd feature of the season in the FWD 4 cylinder class. Tennant hounded early race leader Randy Seckman before wrestling the lead away at the mid race point. Tennant was followed across the line by April Tennant, Randy Seckman, Donnie Wamsley and Jason Frazier.

Thomas Motorsports (Danny Thomas #7 FASTRAK LM) sponsored the trophies for the MWRA Mini-Wedge features, as Tristen Borkoski bested Tripp Perine and Levi Jones in the junior class, and Kylie Cross outdueled Jacob Ice and Garrett Jones in the advanced main.

Join us Friday-Sunday, May 22-24 at the Tyler County Speedway for the 4th Annual Jackpot 100 weekend featuring the World of Outlaw Late Models, Craig Wayne Boyd, the Renegades of Dirt and so much more!

Saturday Night, May 16th RESULTS:

J&R Excavating Super Late Models presented by Midcap Land & Timber: Colton Burdette, Freddie Carpenter, Kyle Thomas, Tyler Carpenter, Steve Wilmoth, Paul Wilmoth, Mike Benedum, Steve Weigle, Billy Brown, Donnie Dotson, Dan Morrison, Levi Flesher, Cody Rogers, Dylan Bledsoe, Butch McGill. (DNS – Andy Bond)

Two Brothers Motorsports Modifieds: John Burdette, Jess Hartman, Jesse Wisecarver, Todd Higgins, Chad Smith, Nick Corbitt, Del Cunningham, Josh Tonkin, Kurt Burge, Brad Clark, Cody Henthorn, J.E. Stalder, Jeff Fornash, Bob Page, Tommy Powell, Scotty Peltz, Justin Hart.

EDGE Hot Mods: Travis Thomas, Darren Glover, Kenny Isner, Allen Moore, Curtis Watson, Chris Thomas, Brandon Weigle, Steve Magyar, Brian Butler, Doug Carson, Stevi Magyar, Brian Shaffer, Larry Higgins, Cody Brightwell, Daniel Muldrew, Tiffany Jackson, Roland Bell, Josh Gump, Casey Ash. (DNS – James Magyar, Mick Baker, Brian Clegg)

Peoples Bank FASTRAK LM: Daniel Hill, Ryan Payne, Danny Thomas, Tyler Stutler, Kyle Thomas, Chad Green, Joel Prosser, Todd Chicklo, Chuck Kimble, Troy Frazier, A.J. Spagnuola, Jamie America.

Chris Metz State Farm Modlites presented by Cedar Run Farms: Brandon Fluharty, Kacy Campbell, Gabe Phillips, Dean Ward, Mitch Ward, Josh Baldwin, Scott Perine, John Cogar Sr., Ryan Saffell, Troy Collins, Cody Anderson, Daniel Eddy.

Lipps Towing 4 Cylinders: Wesley Tennant, April Tennant, Randy Seckman, Donnie Wamsley, Jason Frazier, Timothy Drain, Ethan Drain.

JJK Mineral Mini-Wedge juniors: Tristen Borkoski, Tripp Perine, Levi Jones, Ethan McCune, Skylar Wright, George Casto, Allen Clark, Trenton Baker, Isaac Jackson.

JJK Mineral Mini-Wedge advanced: Kylie Cross, Jacob Ice, Garrett Jones, Dalton Anderson, Makenzie Perine, Roo Roo Dotson, Tyler Tennant, Hannah Jackson.