4/4/2016
I-35 Speedway
Opening Night Results
Kicking off a night of great racing action was a full field of fast E-Modifieds setting the gold standard in action. Robert Fisk #31b would use an outside front row starting position to take the early lead and use his heat race win momentum to hold the front. Austin Bouzek would try high and low but was unable to shake Fisk who would lead every lap and claim his first ever victory at I-35 Speedway. Bouzek #14 would race hard ending the night a strong second. Randy Smith Jr #20x would race his way through the pack to place third with a great showing by finishing the night a solid fourth. Other heat race winner Matt Dorssom #3d would recover from an early race mishap to place fifth. The other heat race winner was Derek Carney #05.
Pure Stock would roar to the track next and also see a first time winner as Carson Masoner #20 would hold off older brother and heat race winner Conner Masoner #47x to secure the win. Carson Masoner would lead every lap and never relinquish the lead. Amanda Akers #13 would show the ladies came to race as she would post a third place finish holding Austin McKinzie to finish fourth. Gary Akers #31 would develop mechanical issues and place fifth on the night.
Show Me Vintage Racers were the next out on a perfectly prepared racing surface with heat race winner Jeremy Turner #11 taking the early lead. Turner would lead the first few circuits until Brian Strong #711 would take the point but fade as the laps wound down. Elmer Gerloff would take control driving #7 only to see his lead disappear and Jim Clevenger #76 cruise to the win in McCarthy Auto Group Winners Circle. Steve Hughs #01 would come home second with Strong third.
Chargers would take to the fast 3/8ths mile and see 2015 Champion Buz Kaster #54 prove that old guys do still rule as he would charge to victory. Heat race winner Houston Johnson #97 would fade early but make a strong comeback and finish second with Mich Ross #98m third. Marty Powell #9p would have some issues and end the night fourth with Bud Wilson fifth.
Hobby Stock would make an appearance on this night with a familiar face in McCarthy Auto Group Winners Circle as heat race winner Mich Ross #34 would lead every lap and claim the win. Mich would not be denied as other heat race winner John Watson #4w and Greg Gilbert #23g tangled for the runner up spot with Gilbert second and Watson third. David Castellano Jr #11 was the big mover of the race coming in fourth with Chad LeGere #7c fifth.
Great racing action continued with the USRA B-Modified not disappointing the fans in attendance. 2015 Track Champion Tim Eaton would charge to the front and set sail until Ed Noll would find the line and track #211 down. Great racing ensued with Eaton taking the lead and win with Noll #15 a close second place. Big mover and shaker of the race was Steve Starmer #11s as he would race from a twenty-first starting position and work traffic to perfection finishing third on the night. Fourth and fifth place would change many times as heat race winner Shadren Turner #17t and Johnny McGinnis #10 would race to the checkers with Turner fourth and McGinnis fifth. Other heat race winners were Chris Wright #66x and Bud Wilson #20x
USRA Stock Cars would spring into action with side by side action from front to back. Jeff Dixon #88 would take the early lead until Jason Estes #997 would pull ahead and never look back on his way to capture the win. Heat race winner Thomas Roberts #65x would mount a charge on Estes but have to settle for second on this night. One time leader Dixon would slip to third with Jon Boller Jr placing fourth. Austin Bouzek in a Stock Car appearance would place fifth. The other heat race winner was Aaron Sauter #83a.
USRA Modifieds would leave it all on the track with great racing action from start to finish. Aaron Marrant #70 and Zach Sanders #69, both heat race winners, would start on the front row and stay side by side for many of the early laps of competition. Marrant would get the advantage and never look back on his way to victory on opening night. Sanders would hold off a charging Corey Wray #69n to place second with Wray a close third. Derrick Hicks and Nic Bidinger would battle to the checkers with Hicks #78 fourth and Bidinger #3b fifth.
Article Credit: Rick Staley
Submitted By: J D Green