CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Despite a rainy Friday, the first annual Dirt Track World cup Late Model Classic went down in the books as a huge success with Conley, GA driver Shane Clanton taking the $20,000 victory in the competitive Late Model main. Dale Blaney, Hartford, Ohio claimed the 410 sprint main, while Kevin Morehouse of Newark, OH took the Advanced Services Modifies sanctioned by the Tri-State Modified Association.
The modified feature was a doozy! The well-scripted event saw great racing and late race drama with side by side racing throughout the pack. Pacing the field to the line were pole sitters Kevin Morehouse and Ben Adkins, West Portsmouth, Ohio. 2008 K-C Late Model Champion Ben Adkins put his #53 on the point and was likely going to ride off into the sunset. Instead the Newark Tornado Kevin Morehouse, the pole sitter, stormed back into the picture and after a lap 22 restart, got the jump on the high flying Adkins. How quickly Adkins' dominance had changed from winning shoe-in to battle royal.
Morehouse made it stick as Adkins' mount fluttered on the high side, then the chase resumed in reverse order with Adkins now in the catbird seat. The Newark, Ohio driver put his Bob Pierce race car back in overdrive and pounded the K-C turf to the tune of his 22nd win in 2009 all in the same machine.
Although he would have liked a win, Mark Dickson was pleased with the hard-charging honors. Dickson of Gallipolis, the 2009 Tyler County Speedway Champion, came from 26th to twelfth after starting as the Tri-State Modified provisional starter.
Battling early for second was David McWilliams and Jess Hartman with the Jason Montgomery/Dave Rollins/Chi-town Community car #X bolting into the mix. The biggest race was a few rows back for the 8th position between J.P. Roberts, Bobby Kitchen and Keith Burner, which lead to a caution just two laps later when Kitchen and Berner made contact in turn four.
For twenty of the thirty laps Jason Montgomery and Chris Stotts went side-by-side. The competitive action was hard-nosed old-style racing. Likewise, Rick Aukland and Jess Hartman really hammered out a gentlemanly battle. When the cream came to the top Morehouse brought home the win over Ben Adkins, Rick Aukland, Jess Hartman, Jason Montgomery, Chris Stotts, Keith Berner, Rob Stambaugh, Michael Davis, and David McWilliams. Seventy-two modifieds and 22 sprints were in the house as the support divisions for a huge K-C Tri-fecta of first class racing.
Veteran Jim Nier and second generation driver Dallas Hewitt paced the field to the start of the 410 sprint green flag. Nier jumped out to a lead with Blaney on his tail. Blaney and Nier sparred side by side for the initial laps, then Blaney nearly made a pass for #1 on lap five. Two laps later the veteran of the World of Outlaws and former All-Star Champ made it stick on lap seven.
On lap eight Keith Baxter was making a pass, but lost his front axle and got into the wall, then went off the track on the hook ending a great run for the talented racer.
On the restart, Blaney, often a K-C low-rider, put his George Fisher mount on the high side and blitzed to a 5-car lead over Nier. Josh Davis took evasive action and was called for the stop two laps further into the game, but his mount was disabled.
Aaron Higgins and Cale Conley battled hard for fourth after the restart and Nier was able to stay somewhat within striking distance though lap 15 when Blaney again stretched it out.
As the front of the pack stretched away from inner-city congestion, fireworks flew within the 5-9 positions of Wilson, Hewitt, Linder, Duncan, and Dickson. Duncan pressured Linder for 7th from every angle as the leaders approached lapped traffic on lap 16. At the end it was Blaney's Maxim with George Fisher power over Jim Nier, Cale Conley, Aaron Higgins, Greg Wilson, Mike Linder, Cole Duncan, Dallas Hewitt, Dave Dickson, and Bryce Dickson.
"Jimmy is awful good here and is hard to beat. He beat me here on the All-Star Race, so I knew it would be a challenge," said Blaney. "We didn't fair well at Eldora last week, so we kind of redeemed ourselves. It's always good to have a race the next week after you've had a hard week. Tonight was our night."
"I give all the credit to George Fisher and this TI22 team. They are the ones that make it work. This is a new car that George built this week."
K-C has concluded it's racing season and is anxious to release an early 2010 Race schedule soon.
The Summary: K-C October 2 and 3
Advanced Services Modifieds
Heat One-Kevin Moorehouse,Rick Aukland, Michael Davis, David Pinkerton, J.E. Stalder, Bruce Tackach, Bob Crace, Jr., Sam Lovejoy, Jake Keaton, Gary Richard, Philip Bapst, Ricky Neace, Shane Newman
Heat Two-Ben Adkins, Clint Keenan, J.P. Roberts, Robert Garnes, Bud Frazier, Fred Hittle, David Grass, Lonnie Kidd, Jamie Adams, Brian Whiteman, Eddie Harmon, Brent Hole
Heat Three- Jason Montgomery, Bobby Kitchen, Doug Adkins, Mike Gross, Norm Aronhalt, Greg Thompson, Dave Jamison, Bobby Tackett, Mark Luning, Robin Dustin,Jeff Conrad, Joe Crytser
Heat Four- Chris Stotts, Keith Berner, Adam Jordan, Greg Anderson, Mark Dickson, Kenny Johnson, Sean Schobeloch,Jason Cottrill,Randy Anderson, Joe Hamon, Fred Hardbarger, Louis Krushansky
Heat Five-Dave McWilliams, Rob Stambaugh,Mike Long, Doug Betts, Craig Christian, Rick Walker, Will Rowe, Nick Katterhenry, Scott Bowersock, Roger Shadwick, Tommy McClain, Josh Brickey
Heat Six-Jess Hartman, Josh Edmisten, Todd Robinson, Anthony Slusher, Jason Hall, Cliff Crank, Miles Cook, Donnie Ferguson, Mitchell Sharp, Brandon Morrow, Mike Matney
B-Main One
Sam Lovejoy, Brian Whiteman, Dave Pinkerton, Eddie Harmon, Robert Garnes, Jamie Adams, David Grass, Shane Newman, Ricky Neace, Dale Lyons, Fred Hittle, Lonnie Kidd, Jake Keaton, J.E. Stalder, Bruce Tackach, Bob Crace, Jr., Bud Frazier, Philip Bapst, Gary Richard, Brent Hole
B-Main Two
Mike Gross, Greg Anderson, Robin Dustin, Mark Dickson, Louis Krushansky, Norm Aronhalt, Mark Luning, Dave Jamison, Joe Hamon, Jason Cottrill, Fred Hardbarger, Jeff Conrad, Kenny Johnson, Bobby Tackett, Greg Thompson, Sean Schobeloch, Randy Anderson, Joe Cryster
B-Main Three
Doug Betts, Craig Christian, Jason Hall, Cliff Crank, Scott Bowersock, Nick Katterhenry, Roger Shadwick, Will Rowe, Tommy McClain, Anthony Slusher, Josh Brickey, Miles Cook, Mitchell Sharp, Donnie Ferguson, Eric Arledge, Rick Walker, Brandon Morrow, Mike Matney
Top Ten Qualifying in Modifieds
Car# Driver Hometown Qualifying time
53 BEN ADKINS W. PORTSMOUTH, OH 15.711
7 DOUG ADKINS W. PORTSMOUTH, OH 15.923
1* BOBBY KITCHEN GROVE CITY, OHIO 16.131
X JASON MONTGOMERY JACKSON, OH 16.265
5 JESS HARTMAN ZANESVILLE, OH 16.288
8 DAVE PINKERTON WAVERLY, OH 16.295
0 MARK DICKSON GALLIPOLIS, OH 16.301
18 KEITH BERNER MILLERSBURG, OH 16.301
67 ROBBIE STANBAUGH SUNBURY, OH 16.324
28 KEVIN MOREHOUSE NEWARK, OH 16.335
Sprints
Fast time: Pill draw
Heat One-Dallas Hewitt, Cale Conley, Keith Baxter, Dave Dickson, Josh Davis, Kory Crabtree, Rick Fraley, Charlie Fisher
Heat Two-Jimmy Nier, Brandy Bower, Alec Martin, Greg Wilson, Eddie Slone, Nick Naber,Jimmy Stinson
Heat Three-Dale Blaney, Aaron Higgins, Mike Linder, Cole Duncan, Bryce Dickson, Randy Fink, Todd Kane (DNS)
Feature-Dale Blaney, Jim Nier, Cale Conley, Aaron Higgins, Greg Wilson, Mike Linder, Cole Duncan, Dallas Hewitt, Dave Dickson, Bryce Dickson, Alec Martin, Brandy Bower, Kory Crabtree, Eddie Slone, Rick Fraley, Charlie Fisher, Randy Fink, Josh Davis, Keith Baxter, Todd Kane, Jimmy Stinson, Nick Naber
