Montgomery Takes Points Lead
Jeff Montgomery won his second race in a row and used the night to pass former points leader Craig Deaver, who entered the event up by twenty-seven points over Montgomery. When things were looking grim for Montgomery, and he felt nothing could go his way, he used Western Speedway to bounce his way to second place in points with a victory, his first of the year. Then on a night where the competition was going to more fierce and every driver was not only driving to win, but driving for the last few points they could scrape together, Montgomery would gain a seventy points on the night and is now leading ASA/NSRA into our final event tonight. Deaver is only looking at six points between him and Montgomery, and now Andy Alberding is within striking distance. Albering is now twenty-five points back from Deaver and thirty-one points back from Montgomery, and after a night like last night, the field is wide open.
As twenty cars came roaring out of turn four for the green flag Montgomery, Alberding and Deaver all looked to advance themselves to the front of a tough crowd. Greg Middendorf, started with the pole position and used it to take the lead off the green flag, Middendorf’s lead would be short lived as Montgomery went on the move from his sixth starting position. Montgomery had moved to second position and was closing in on Middendorf, when disaster struck for point’s leader Craig Deaver, Deaver was looking to make a pass to inside of Bryan Warf and they touched tires, it sent Deaver to the wall where he rode against for about 100 feet before coming to a stop. Deaver walked away with no injuries, but the car was left with the front-end tore up.
On the restart Montgomery wasted no time jumping to the outside of Middendorf and took the lead, at about the half waypoint. Montgomery would never be seriously challenged, even on restarts later in the night Montgomery’s car was like a rocket ship out of the corners. Dan Lyons would take over the second spot after Middendorf broke the rear end loose and spun coming out of turn two. Lyons had nothing for Montgomery, but would be challenged by Mike Murgoitio, Murgoitio would look to the inside of Lyons through one and two and made contact to the inside of Lyons’ car, spinning Lyons around. Both drivers were sent to the back.
Meanwhile Alberding was working his way through the pack and all the spinouts in front of him were helping him, he had moved up to fifth and was challenging Jimmy Ingham. One more caution would come, and on the restart young Sierra Jackson would make a controversial pass to the outside of Alberding in turn three. Dar-Dan racing wanted to challenge that the pass was made before the green flag, but nothing would come of the challenge. Alberding would drop back to seventh, but would make a pass before the night ended and finished sixth.
Brandon Johnson, the local fan favorite, showed once again why his showboating dirt track style of driving makes him a favorite. Johnson had eleven laps left when he decided to make his move, from the eighth position. He was throwing the car sideways and sliding by drivers and moved up to third, many drivers complained Johnson was using the dirt to make advances from the back, but nothing ever came of the challenge. Johnson would go onto finish third and was knocking on the door of Kenny Hamilton when a caution fell on lap 36, and the race was called do to time constraints. Hamilton would finish second in his Pink Lady car, and was gifted the spot when Murgoitio and Lyons were sent to the back.
Jimmy Ingham, had a night for him to remember, he won his heat race, where he passed his dad for the lead, to transfer to the A main, then all night long he ran clean and strong. With Alberding looking for a pass for half the race and then young Sierra Jackson moved her way to his tail tank, but Ingham ran a smooth line and never gave up an inch for passing space, Ingham would finish fourth. Followed by Sierra Jackson, Andy Alberding, Jeff Bird, Randy Anderson, Bryan Warf and Monte Zema Jr. would round out the top ten.
Craig Deaver would start the qualifying fast time and would hold onto it until Brandon “Smoke” Johnson, drove like a man on a mission and pitched his car sideways for two straight laps to walk away with the nights fast time. Deaver would end up third, Alberding was fifth and Montgomery was tenth. Giving each of the drivers a few points, but not enough to do any damage.
Jeff Bird was much the best in the B Dash, jumping out front and never looking back. Bird’s fellow countryman and travel partner, Cameron McLean’ would give Canada another trophy dash win, as he jumped out front and made Alberding work for a pass. McLean held on for the win.
The heat races were a great place for some drivers to make up some ground, and many drivers did just that, Jimmy Ingham would win the first heat and capture a transfer spot, Mike Murgoitio would work from the back of the field to finish second and secure his way into the A main. Bryan Warf would fight his way to the third and final transfer spot. Heat two showed the talent of the sixteen year old Sierra Jackson as she started outside front row and took the lead right off the get go, Jeff Bird looked to the inside of Allan MacLean and Jackson, the three entered turn one three wide and Bird came out in second. The final transfer spot was for grabs and there were three guys who wanted it bad, Jake “Mad” Mann, Hamilton and Craig Deaver, but Hamilton would come out on top and take the final transfer spot. Heat three was all Toby Robbins, from green to checkered he lead the way, Montgomery knew he had to transfer and moved quickly to the second spot and Greg Middendorf held off some late challenges to hold onto the third and final transfer spot. The fourth and final heat had the fast qualifier Brandon Johnson and Andy Alberding who were both looking to transfer out, but Johnson’s vision of transferring would be shot down as Ralph Deaver jumped out front and wasted no time taking the first spot, Dan Lyons dashed for second and R.J. Fronsman was filling the final spot. Alberding worked on Fronsman for two laps when he saw his opening, so he took to the second groove and ran wheel to wheel for a lap before taking the final transfer spot.
The B main was just as exciting, as only eight of the seventeen cars starting would finish. Johnson and Craig Deaver were on the front row and Deaver used his horsepower to out drag Johnson to turn one and Zema followed right behind for second. Then the battle for the final spot, was the place to watch as Jake Mann needed to transfer to the A main, and Fronsman once again was standing in the way of someone who needed to transfer. All a sudden Mann’s car found a new gear and drove right by Fronsman on the high side and took the final spot, Mann continued his charge to the front, when he shut the car down in turn one and jumped out of the car. The engine compartment had caught fire, and Todd Coleman, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time tried avoiding the stopped car and tapped the wall ending his night. Deaver would go onto win, followed by Zema, Johnson, Veenstra, Dubios, Anderson, Fronsman, and Elliot rounded out the transfer spots.