9/4/2010
Sprint Source
Ben Wagoner Picks Up Second Career Win at CJ Speedway!
(Bill W) September 3, 2010 – Ben Wagoner picked up his second career win with the Ideal Ready Mix Sprint Invaders on Friday night at the CJ Speedway in Columbus Junction, Iowa. The win came aboard the Wagoner Farms #84, as he led the distance for the $1,200 prize.
Things got off to a rocky start for several competitors. With a failed mount in hot laps, Kaley Gharst jumped aboard Mark Tischer’s sprint car to finish the night. Feature pole-sitter, Bobby Mincer, could not start the event. Tim Moore tangled with another car in the 4-wide parade lap, ending his night, and Russ Hall was done before a lap could be completed as well.
Once the feature was green, Wagoner shot out front to a comfortable margin over David Hall. Gharst suffered a blown tire with two laps down, ending his night. On the restart, Wagoner led Hall, Ryan Jamison, Andy Huston and Seth Wilke back to green. Matt Sutton had worked his way to sixth, and in the next few laps, picked off Wilke, Huston and Jamison to move into the show position.
At the halfway point, the last slowdown occurred when Huston, who was running sixth, blew his left rear tire. The restart did not phase Wagoner, as he went on to win in dominating fashion. Hall followed him in second, until he ran out of fuel coming to the checkers. That allowed Sutton to pick him off for the runner-up position. Jamison followed in fourth, and Jimmy Davies was fifth.
“We’ve worked really hard all week,” said Wagoner in Victory Lane. “We’ve had some problems with this car. It was perfect tonight, and this was a great way to start our weekend. I have to thank DWT Wheels, R2C Performance Filters, and the rest of our sponsors. Without them, we wouldn’t even be out here.”
“We dug ourselves a big hole in the beginning,” said the second running Sutton. “We made the mistake in the heat race (flat tire after contact with Jamison). I told the guys to leave it loose for the top, but we definitely found something on the bottom of one and two and made some ground up. It felt like a Full Moon, but I don’t see one.”
“Ben had a good line out there, and I was just kind of feeling the place out,” said Hall. “It was slick on top and you had to be careful, but we ran well. Finally, I started running out of fuel. The car handled well considering we were in the frontstretch wall at Knoxville last Saturday. It was a good time running with the Invaders.”
David Hall and Russ Hall won the heats. The next event for the Sprint Invaders will be Sunday, September 12 at Quincy Raceways in Quincy, Illinois.
Ideal Ready Mix A Main (25 laps): 1. 84, Ben Wagoner, Emden, IL (1) 2. 3, Matt Sutton, Macomb, IL (11) 3. 51, David Hall, Des Moines, IA (4) 4. 51J, Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis, IA (5) 5. 99, Jimmy Davies, Oquawka, IL (10) 6. 38, Seth Wilke, Burlington, IA (8) 7. 53H, Matt Harms, Chillicothe, IL (12) 8. 61J, Mark Ellefritz, Mediapolis, IA (9) 9. 40, Andy Huston, Roseville, IL (3) 10. 14P, Kaley Gharst, Decatur, IL (13) 11. 16HD, Donnie Steward, West Burlington, IA (13) 12. 45c, Russ Hall, Pleasant Hill, IA (2) 13. 10T, Tim Moore, Rock Island, IL (7) DNS – 15, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA, Mark Tischer, Hannibal, MO. Lap Leader: Wagoner 1-20. Hard-Charger: Sutton.
Golden Eagle Distributors – Budweiser of Burlington Heat #1 (8 laps, Top Three to Shake-Up Dash): 1. David Hall (1) 2. Kaley Gharst (4) 3. Ben Wagoner (3) 4. Ryan Jamison (7) 5. Tim Moore (2) 6. Mark Ellefritz (6) 7. Matt Sutton (5) DNS – Mark Tischer
Cole Implement of Media, Illinois Heat #2 (8 laps, Top Three to Shake-Up Dash): 1. Russ Hall (3) 2. Andy Huston (2) 3. Bobby Mincer (6) 4. Seth Wilke (1) 5. Jimmy Davies (4) 6. Matt Harms (5) 7. Donnie Steward (7)
Ideal Ready Mix Shake-Up Dash (6 laps): 1. Ben Wagoner (1) 2. David Hall (2) 3. Andy Huston (3) 4. Kaley Gharst (6) 5. Bobby Mincer (5) 6. Russ Hall (4)
Contingency Awards
Rod End Supply – Donnie Steward, Tim Moore
Saldana Racing Products – Matt Harms
Weld Racing – Russ Hall
Hepfner Racing Products – Mark Ellefritz
Brake Man – Andy Huston
Submitted By: Bill Wright