Fireworks. How many folks were disappointed that we missed the fireworks planned for the 4th? Well, as it turned out, we got to see quite a bit this night. The day at Veterans Motorplex started out blisteringly hot (are you detecting a trend here?) but ended up cool and… (sigh) …moist. On the plus side we got more of the show in then the week before, but alas, it was still not a full program. That will have to wait for next weekend, but for this past weekend, we did get to enjoy a somewhat abbreviated show that included loads of action, all starting with…
BABY GRANDS
Danny Trent likes Veterans Motorplex. Really, really likes it. He must…it’s a long haul from Martinsville Indiana (about half an hour southwest of Indy on highway 37) but he’s made it a couple of times this season and it’s paid off on both occasions with wins. Joe McCloud (second) and Justin Shanes tried to keep him honest, but, be fair, Trent was in a different area code this evening and took the heat race as well. Fast qualifier Tim Vinsant was fourth, and an ever-improving Jessie Binkley was fifth.
Baby Grand Feature Race Finish
- Danny Trent (2) 25 laps
- Joe McCloud (15) 25 laps
- Justin Shanes (24) 25 laps
- Tim Vinsant (14) 25 laps
- Jessie Binkley (25) 25 laps
Other finishers: 6. Mark Cole (50) 25 laps, 7. Randy Roper (3R) 25 laps
Baby Grand Heat Race Top Five
- Danny Trent (2) 10 laps
- Justin Shanes (24) 10 laps
- Jessie Binkley (25) 10 laps
- Joe McCloud (15) 10 laps
- Randy Roper (3R) 10 laps
Fast qualifier: Tim Vinsant (14) 14.253
LEGENDS
Oliver Cordell got a great start in the Legends feature and looked solid till a brush with Hunter Wright on lap 13 resulted in an equally solid impact into the first turn wall. Oliver was okay but the 17 was done for the day. Bryson Shaffer and heat race winner Chase Smith then dueled for for the lead till Wright swept past and shortly thereafter Shaffer and Smith made contact, with Shaffer going around and Smith going to the infield. Wright, who also snagged fast time, was then able to cruise to the win, with Shaffer second, Travis Oliver third, and Rod Nelson and Paul Jones scoring the last positions in the top five.
Legends Feature Race Finish
- Hunter Wright (29) 29 laps
- Bryson Shaffer (12) 29 laps
- Travis Oliver (07) 29 laps
- Rod Nelson (35) 29 laps
- Paul Jones (36) 29 laps
Other finishers: 6. Chad Barker (3C) 29 laps, 7. Dale Jackson (75) 23 laps, 8. Chase Smith (10) 17 laps, 9. Oliver Cordell (17) 13 laps, 10. Justin Maxwell (20) 9 laps, 11. Carter Poppawell (19) 6 laps
Legends Heat Race Top Five
- Chase Smith (10) 10 laps
- Hunter Wright (29) 10 laps
- Oliver Cordell (17) 10 laps
- Justin Maxwell (20) 10 laps
- Travis Oliver (07) 10 laps
Fast qualifier: Hunter Wright (29) 14.340
SUPER STOCKS
It’s a fine, rare thing when we get to see the likes of Thomas Pannell and Jeff Belt running in the same race, and while the weather denied us all the chance to see the two battle it out in the feature, we did get a glimpse of things to come in the heat, where Belt wheeled the 00 to a win over Pannell. Fast qualifier (again!) Gus Moody was third.
Super Stock Heat Race Top Five
- Jeff Belt (00) 10 laps
- Thomas Pannell (67) 10 laps
- Gus Moody (48) 10 laps
- Matt Fuqua (93) 10 laps
- Buddy Moody (5) 10 laps
Fast qualifier: Gus Moody (48) 14.379
ROAD WARRIORS
Ah, the Road Warriors. We did at least get to enjoy ten laps of heat race action for the little cars, and this time Godzilla prevailed, Derrick Bissinger gettin’ serious—even arriving early!—and claiming the heat over Aaron Porter and David Lassiter, who had battled his way up through a thick field after starting last. Best news of the night was seeing Nate Allen (who has had rotten luck lately) finally managing to sneak his 01 home in the top five. Megan Allen snagged fast time.
Road Warrior Heat Race Top Five
- Derrick Bissinger (469) 10 laps
- Aaron Porter (04) 10 laps
- David Lassiter (6) 10 laps
- Tony Chambers (43) 10 laps
- Nate Allen (01) 10 laps
Fast qualifier: Megan Allen (14) 17.049
PULL-A-PART PRO 8 LATE MODELS
The fireworks mentioned in the lead of this piece were finally coming to pass, a light show to the east that hinted at the weather to come. Meanwhile, we had a race to run, and after early battles between fast qualifier Dylan Jones, Jonathan Wilhite and Walt Garrison, a spin by Hunter Wright in turn 2 brought out a yellow and a restart on which Dustin Arms grabbed the lead…and showed flames under his car! A caution flag for a safety check became the checkered when the rains began a few laps later and with a mass of rain on the horizon. Arms was declared the happy winner from Garrison, Jones, Wright, and Wilhite. Thomas Pannell took a spin in the 98 and had a very successful day, winning the heat race.
Pull-A-Part Pro 8 Late Models Feature Race Finish
- Dustin Arms (4) 13 laps (race flagged due to rain)
- Walt Garrison (5.3) 13 laps
- Dylan Jones (05) 13 laps
- Hunter Wright (29) 13 laps
- Jonathan Wilhite (71) 13 laps
Other finishers: 6. Thomas Pannell (98) 13 laps, 7. Jake Scogin (15) 13 laps, 8. Blake Isenberg (77) 0 laps, 9. Mark Day (8) DNS
Pull-A-Part Pro 8 Late Models Heat Race Top Five
- Thomas Pannell (98) 10 laps
- Jonathan Wilhite (71) 10 laps
- Mark Day (8) 10 laps
- Walt Garrison (5.3) 10 laps
- Jake Scogin (15) 10 laps
Fast qualifier: Dylan Jones (05) 13.515
PURE STOCKS
No feature for the Pure Stocks either, but we did have an exciting heat race, with Ricky Bobby Groves holding on to the early lead till Donold Webb Jr and Derrick Harrington eased past. The top six then raced in formation for several laps, including Harrington, Webb, Groves, Josh Hood, Willie Coats, and fast qualifier (again!) Michael Williams, till Williams spun and brought out a yellow. At that point it was Harrington versus Webb for the win with Webb just grabbing the position. Hood ended up third, with Groves fourth and Coates fifth.
Pure Stock Heat Race Top Five
- Donold Webb Jr (27) 10 laps
- Derrick Harrington (12) 10 laps
- Josh Hood (08X) 10 laps
- Ricky “Bobby” Groves (125) 10 laps
- Willie Coates (71) 10 laps
Fast qualifier: Michael Williams (91) 14.912
THIS WEEKEND…It’s the Mid-Season showdown…last race before the points reset for the Chase to the Championship! There’ll be 50 laps for the Sportsman, along with exciting races for the Tuners, Baby Grands, Road Warriors, and Pure Stocks…plus 30 laps for the Pest Doctor Road Warriors! Want more? How about a 55 inch 4K Smart TV? We’ll be giving one away to some lucky fan! All this and more at Veterans Motorplex at the Rim, where Family Action is the Attraction!