Eck, Fields, Wissinger, Surra, Shaffer Pick Up Thunder Mountain Wins

By: Zach Garman

Knox Dale- As the sun went down over the speedway, cars made their way on the track for hot laps to start the evening off. First on hand was the Windstream Semi Late Models for a makeup feature that was from 5/18. Gabe Shaffer and Milo Kemmer would make up the front row for the 20 lap feature event. The drop of Bobby Gearhart’s green flag would pick things up as Shaffer moves to the early lead with Dalton Gustafson, Doug Surra, and Milo Kemmer battling for the second position. Shaffer would drift high for a moment as Kemmer would pull even with him going down the front stretch. Right behind Shaffer and Kemmer was a fast moving Doug Surra. Surra would reel in Shaffer to take the lead and collect his first victory of 2018. Some great racing was all throughout the field during this feature. Surra was followed by Shaffer, Gustafson, Nate Snyder, Kemmer, Todd English, J Challingsworth, Joey Kot, Deegen Watt and Eric Lucas.

The pure stocks would make their first appearance at Thunder Mountain this season as Josh Fields and Kylee Brown made up the front row for their 15 lap feature event. Fields, Dennis Harrison, and Rich Waltman Jr would battle for first and second at the early part of the feature. A strong running Ray Hickok Jr would move up to third on lap five and had his sights on second before his car had some mechanical issues and laid fluid on the front stretch. On the next restart, Fields jumped out to the early lead with Tim Steis knocking on Fields rear end to take the lead. Another caution would bunch the field up again. The next restart seen Bill Mumau battling Steis for second as they go three wide with Fields coming out of turn four. Mumau would hold on to second as Josh Fields went on to win the first ever pure stock feature event of 2018 at Thunder Mountain. Fields was followed by Mumau, Steis, Dillon Smith, Dennis Harrison, Andy Frey, Eric Hulings, Kylee Brown, Ray Hickok Jr, Rich Waltman Jr. Heat winners were Tim Steis and Rich Waltman Jr.

Doug Eck and Larry Hallenbougah made up the front row for the Legend Powersports 25 lap feature event. Eck would jump out to first as Gale Huey followed behind him in second. Matt Lux would move into fourth as Charlie Powell stayed in third before Lux would take over the third position. Powell and Huey go door to door down the front stretch for second as Charlie Powell would take over the second position coming out of turn two. A caution for debris would bunch the field up for the first time in the feature event. On the restart, John Brisky in Billy Dickon’s 32 moves to third as Huey, Jon Lee, and Lux battle for fourth. Two laps later another yellow flag would appear for a spun Jeff Sweeney in turn two. A lap 13 restart seen Eck still out front as John Brisky battles Charlie Powell for second. Matt Lux would pull even with Powell and take over second before Powell loses power and slows on the front stretch. Another driver working his way through the field was the 57S of Levi Sikora. Sikora would move up to seventh after he started last in the pack. The fans got a nice treat as Matt Lux finds some “go-go juice” on the highside and goes door to door with Doug Eck for first. At the end of the dog fight, Doug Eck would go on to win the the feature event leading all 25 laps. Eck was followed by Lux, Brisky, Lee, Huey, Redden, Sikora, Hallenbougah, Sweeney, John Weaver, Lindenpitz, Teats, Powell, and Fenton. Heat winners were John Brisky and Doug Eck.

Luke Barnett and Dalton Gustafson led the way to Bobby Gearhart’s green flag for the Windstream Semi Late Model 20 lap feature event. Gabe Shaffer would move into second as Gustafson powers to first before a caution for Todd English. On the restart, Joe Martin moves to second before another caution flag flies. Under this caution, Martin would go pit side for a flat left rear. Shaffer and Barnett would battle for first as Doug Surra set his sights on the front two. Third time’s a charm? Not this time. On the third restart Gustafson tries to take back the lead before he spins in turn two collecting five other cars to bring out the red flag. Kemmer, Lucas, Fulmer, Gustafson, and Barnett were all involved. As the laps would wind down, a hard charging Nick Loffredo battled Surra for second. At the end, it was all Gabe Shaffer as he went on to pick up his first ever semi late win. Shaffer was followed by Surra, Loffredo, Barnett, Carbaugh, English, Snyder, Gustafson, Kemmer, J. Challingsworth, Kot, Watt, Fulmer, Lucas, and Martin. Heat winners were Dalton Gustafson and Nick Loffredo.

DJ Clark and Wayne Truitt made up the front row for the Bubba’s Racing Supply Front Wheel Drive 15 lap feature. Clark would jump out to the early lead with pressure from Zack Wissinger. Wissinger would take over first as Clark tries to wheel in Wissinger. A caution on lap four for

Curtis Mohney wound bunch the field up as Clark and Truitt battled for second on the restart. Clark and Truitt wound trade paint as Wissinger held on to win first. Clark settled in second as Wissinger went on to win the feature event. Heat winners were Wayne Truitt and Zack Wissinger.

Also on hand for the evening was the Offroad Racing Series ATVs/UTVs. Mike Hoffman went on to win the ATV feature and Bill Vancuren won the UTV feature. Hoffman and Zitler were the heat winners.

Next week, Thunder Mountain will be taking the week off. Join us on June 29th for the $1,000 to win front wheel drive race! Thank you to everyone who supports Thunder Mountain Speedway!