This past Saturday night at Auto City was an awesome night of racing with the Windpushers 70 presented by O’Guinn Family Funeral Homes for the modifieds, also the V.R.O.A. vintage modifieds, the Herald Pure Stocks and Auto City Figure 8’s all in action.

Before any of the racing started, the United Way and UAW hosted the annual car show and cruise in the parking lot of Auto City and did their traditional lap around the track during the National Anthem. And the UAW donated the checkered flags for the feature winners this night as well. But then it was onto the racing.

For the Windpushers 70, it was a stout field of modifieds in the pits. With many past champions and feature winners attending, but it was an Auto City past champion, Travis Eddy (#78) taking the top spot with a fast time of 16.02 and teammate Chris Sterns piloting Travis’s Bristol Motor Speedway car (#M78) to have second fast time. On another note, Josh Delong (pure stock driver of the #067) jumped into Donny Matteson’s #12 to pilot it for the night.

With the Herald Pure Stocks qualifying, it was the 2016 Champion of Josh Delong (#067) pulling double duty claiming the fast time with a 16.48.

And the V.R.O.A Modifieds fast qualifier was Ryan Boorsma (#12) with a 17.78.

So the field was set for all classes and the racing started under a beautiful sunlit night. The first heat race of the night was the Herald Pure Stocks and with some shuffling between Tom Logie (#71), Tim Shann (#22), Roy Long III (#14) and Anthony Richardson (#422), when it was over, Anthony Richardson got his first ever pure stock win as a part of the T.S. Racing team.

 

The fast heat for the pure stocks had plenty of action happening as well with Andrea Baxter (#5), Randy Clayton Jr, (#54) and a host of others, but when it was all said and done, it was again, another first time winner in the pure stock division being Bryan Thompson (#66).

The ‘fast dash’ for the top seven modifieds was up next with eight laps to get it done. With all wanting to be in that top spot as it was a ‘winner take all’ race, Joey Morisette (#4) ended up crossing the finish line first for the win.

So it was onto the V.R.O.A Modifieds heat races and in the first one, it was Tom Boorsma in his Wood Bros. David Pierson lookalike #21 taking the win. In the second heat, that went to the #83 of Rob Parker.

 

The autograph session was next on tap for the fans and with the sun still shining, the fans got to head out onto the track and meet the drivers in the divisions racing. After that concluded, it was the kiddy stocks turn to race on the front stretch. It is always a crowd favorite as well as for the parents of the kids racing.

 

Now it was onto the feature races. The “Windpushers 70” was first up and with twenty cars starting for 20 laps, everyone knew it was going to be a good race. There was a seven car inversion for the fast qualifier. As the field was getting the white flag to the green, the #b71 of Brett Hahn stalled on the front stretch and had to be pushed off and the green flag has to be delayed. So with him off the track, it was now time for business. The green flag flew and the race was on. As the field maneuvered for position, it was Joey Morisette, Mike Luberda Jr. (#0), Josh Ware (#7) and others working their way to the front. With a couple cautions being shown, one for a spin and another for David McManus (#20) going over the hill in turns one and two and a few competitors dropping out, it was Josh Ware and Travis Eddy who surfaced to the top two positions. In pursuit of those two were Mike Luberda and Joey Morisette still in the hunt. But on the last caution restart with Josh Ware on the inside and Travis Eddy on the outside, it was Josh getting the jump and never looked back. He stretched his lead going through lapped traffic and when the checkered flew, it was Josh taking the win and Travis coming home second.

 

Then it was onto the quarter mile for the Herald Pure stocks. With a good field and the sun going down and the full moon coming out, it was an awesome race. The front row consisted of Roy Long III (#14) and Jeff West (#3w). The field battled three wide for most of the first laps.

But it was J.T. James Clayton (#55) who ended up making his way to the front (and note after missing the last race weekend) and was stretching his lead with every lap. As the rest of the drivers battled and a couple yellow flags flew, the top spots were occupied by James Clayton, Josh Delong (#067), Michael Hayes (#12), Randy Clayton Jr. (#54) and Chan Lamson (#888). As the laps wore down, it was Chad in pursuit of James for the lead. They battled side by side for a number of laps, but as the twenty five laps were complete, it was again Chad Lamson taking another feature victory and padding his points lead in the pure stock class.

 

The V.R.O.A. Vintage Modifieds were up next for their thirty lap feature and their Mid-Season Championship. As the vintage steel coupe, six cylinder modifieds battled side by side with their open wheels, it was Tom Boorsma (#21) making his way to the front again for the win and the mid-season championship trophy. Battling for second was Ryan Boorsma (#12) and Loren Peterson III (#39) and as they went back and forth, when they crossed the finish line it was Loren beating out Ryan for that second spot on the last lap. Jason Burrus (#99) did make his way up near the front but then faded for an unknown reason. Also Rob Parker (#82) was up battling near the front early, but faded back as the race went on.

 

The Auto City Figure 8’s were up next for the last race of the night. Leading them to the green was Brett Mars (#27) and once the green flew, they were off and running. Josh Delong (yep, #067) got up to the front spot fast and was wheeling his car to try and distance himself from the pack. As the fifteen laps counted down, it was again Chad Lamson (#888) working his way up to battle with Josh. As those two took right turns and left turns, it was Chad getting the edge and taking the lead and keeping it for another win in the figure 8. Josh did finish second.

 

Racing will be back at Auto City on July 22^nd with the Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Super Sprints, the MCR Dwarf Cars with the Tommy Bowles Memorial Race, plus the Herald Pure Stocks and the Auto City Figure 8’s. Racing starts at 7:00pm. Go to www.autocityspeedway.com for more information.