by Dusty Wiegert
The end of 2004 marked a first for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Topless Outlaw Racing Association. It was the first time the series had seen a new champion other than three time champion Larry McDaniels. Saturday night Steve Kosiski began his quest to repeat as champion and grabbed a solid early lead in the title hunt as he clean swept the O’Reilly TORA Feature at their inaugural appearance to the 3/8 State Fair Speedway in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
A four abreast lineup saluted the fans of State Fair Speedway just prior to the A Feature event. At the drop of the green it was Raymond Merrill shooting out on top but a pileup was triggered in turn two when Al Purkey and Gary Gorby made contact, collecting Bud Longpine, Randy Timms, Ryan McAninch, Steve Foster, and Larry McDaniels. McDaniels headed to the pits for repairs to the left front of his machine while Timms, who won the topless modified portion of the show earlier in the evening, was less fortunate, he was out for the rest of the night.
The restart saw another spin, this time by the “Flyin’ Hawaiian” Earl Kinderknecht, also in turn two.
The third time was a charm as the field went green with Merrill once again out pulling the rest of the field. Lap 5 saw another caution as John Ewell spun in turn two.
One more lap was led by Merrill before the yellow flew again on lap 6, this time when McAninch and Ted Martin made contact sending Martin for a spin in turn 1.
Three more Merrill led laps went by before another yellow on lap 9 for John Ewell who came to a stop in turn 3. On the restart the yellow came out again, this time for Andy Gerstonkorn who spun in turn 2. Early front runner Gorby also had to leave the race with a flat left front.
One more lap down before yet another yellow flew for Delbert “The Iceman” Smith as he rolled to a stop in turn 3.
Two more completed laps were put in the books before the eighth and final yellow was flown on lap 12 for Bullet Bob Ewell spinning in turn 4.
As the race got away from the yellow flags Merrill covered the field with no problem, leaving Purkey and Kosiski to battle for the second place spot. Lapped traffic became an issue with 10 laps to go as Merrill encountered some heavy traffic. Kosiski and Purkey battled with the traffic as well, allowing Kosiski to pull away from Purkey. With just 3 laps remaining Kosiski had caught Merrill, and shooting off of turn 2 took the lead away as Merrill was blocked by the lapped cars. Kosiski held on to take the win in his first visit to the track since 1984. Merrill ran second, Kuntz & Co. Rookie of the Year candidate Craig Preble made a great run starting fourteenth and finishing third, Purkey fourth, and Kinderknecht in fifth.
Frank McGehee led from the pole at the start of the race to the finish to win the B Feature. Longpine, Gerstonkorn, and Kelly King also transferred to the A Feature.
Merrill won the first heat race of the evening, beating out McDaniels and Smith. Kosiski took control of the third heat ahead of Kinderknecht and Timms while Purkey won heat 3 ahead of Gorby and McAninch.
The series now has a month long break before their next race at Hutchinson Raceway Park on June 10 followed up on the night after at the Thunderhill Speedway on June 11.
For more information on the O’Reilly TORA Late Models visit www.toraracing.org
RESULTS
Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1) Raymond Merrill, Sallisaw, OK 2) Larry McDaniels, Valley Center, KS 3) Delbert Smith, Wichita, KS 4) Ted Martin, Bennington, KS 5) Shawn Brassfield, Ada, OK 6) Frank McGehee, Wichita, KS 7) Bud Longpine, Drummond, OK 8) Andy Gerstonkorn, Independence, KS
Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1) Steve Kosiski, Papillion, NE 2) Earl Kinderknecht, Salina, KS 3) Randy Timms, Oklahoma City, OK 4) Steve Foster, Abilene, KS 5) Bob Ewell, Forney, TX 6) Kelly King, Iowa Park, TX 7) Jared Hicks, El Reno, OK 8) Justin Hoepker, Iola, KS
Heat 3 (10 laps) – 1) Al Purkey, Coffeyville, KS 2) Gary Gorby, Caney, KS 3) Ryan McAninch, Wichita, KS 4) Jerrod Reimer, Hutchinson, KS 5) Craig Preble, Yutan, NE 6) John Ewell, Forney, TX 7) Robert Jones, Oklahoma City, OK 8) Charlie Randolph, Muskogee, OK
B Feature (15 Laps) – 1) McGehee 2) Longpine 3) Gerstonkorn 4) King 5) Hicks 6) Randolph 7) Jones 8) Hoepker
A Feature (30 Laps) – 1) Kosiski 2) Merrill 3) Preble 4) Purkey 5) Kinderknecht 6) Randolph 7) McAninch 8) Martin 9) King 10) Gerstonkorn 11) Foster 12) B. Ewell 13) McGehee 14) Gorby 15) Reimer 16) Smith 17) Brassfield 18) J. Ewell 19) Jones 20) McDaniels 21) Longpine 22) Hoepker 23) Timms 24) Hicks
The end of 2004 marked a first for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Topless Outlaw Racing Association. It was the first time the series had seen a new champion other than three time champion Larry McDaniels. Saturday night Steve Kosiski began his quest to repeat as champion and grabbed a solid early lead in the title hunt as he clean swept the O’Reilly TORA Feature at their inaugural appearance to the 3/8 State Fair Speedway in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
A four abreast lineup saluted the fans of State Fair Speedway just prior to the A Feature event. At the drop of the green it was Raymond Merrill shooting out on top but a pileup was triggered in turn two when Al Purkey and Gary Gorby made contact, collecting Bud Longpine, Randy Timms, Ryan McAninch, Steve Foster, and Larry McDaniels. McDaniels headed to the pits for repairs to the left front of his machine while Timms, who won the topless modified portion of the show earlier in the evening, was less fortunate, he was out for the rest of the night.
The restart saw another spin, this time by the “Flyin’ Hawaiian” Earl Kinderknecht, also in turn two.
The third time was a charm as the field went green with Merrill once again out pulling the rest of the field. Lap 5 saw another caution as John Ewell spun in turn two.
One more lap was led by Merrill before the yellow flew again on lap 6, this time when McAninch and Ted Martin made contact sending Martin for a spin in turn 1.
Three more Merrill led laps went by before another yellow on lap 9 for John Ewell who came to a stop in turn 3. On the restart the yellow came out again, this time for Andy Gerstonkorn who spun in turn 2. Early front runner Gorby also had to leave the race with a flat left front.
One more lap down before yet another yellow flew for Delbert “The Iceman” Smith as he rolled to a stop in turn 3.
Two more completed laps were put in the books before the eighth and final yellow was flown on lap 12 for Bullet Bob Ewell spinning in turn 4.
As the race got away from the yellow flags Merrill covered the field with no problem, leaving Purkey and Kosiski to battle for the second place spot. Lapped traffic became an issue with 10 laps to go as Merrill encountered some heavy traffic. Kosiski and Purkey battled with the traffic as well, allowing Kosiski to pull away from Purkey. With just 3 laps remaining Kosiski had caught Merrill, and shooting off of turn 2 took the lead away as Merrill was blocked by the lapped cars. Kosiski held on to take the win in his first visit to the track since 1984. Merrill ran second, Kuntz & Co. Rookie of the Year candidate Craig Preble made a great run starting fourteenth and finishing third, Purkey fourth, and Kinderknecht in fifth.
Frank McGehee led from the pole at the start of the race to the finish to win the B Feature. Longpine, Gerstonkorn, and Kelly King also transferred to the A Feature.
Merrill won the first heat race of the evening, beating out McDaniels and Smith. Kosiski took control of the third heat ahead of Kinderknecht and Timms while Purkey won heat 3 ahead of Gorby and McAninch.
The series now has a month long break before their next race at Hutchinson Raceway Park on June 10 followed up on the night after at the Thunderhill Speedway on June 11.
For more information on the O’Reilly TORA Late Models visit www.toraracing.org
RESULTS
Heat 1 (10 Laps) – 1) Raymond Merrill, Sallisaw, OK 2) Larry McDaniels, Valley Center, KS 3) Delbert Smith, Wichita, KS 4) Ted Martin, Bennington, KS 5) Shawn Brassfield, Ada, OK 6) Frank McGehee, Wichita, KS 7) Bud Longpine, Drummond, OK 8) Andy Gerstonkorn, Independence, KS
Heat 2 (10 Laps) – 1) Steve Kosiski, Papillion, NE 2) Earl Kinderknecht, Salina, KS 3) Randy Timms, Oklahoma City, OK 4) Steve Foster, Abilene, KS 5) Bob Ewell, Forney, TX 6) Kelly King, Iowa Park, TX 7) Jared Hicks, El Reno, OK 8) Justin Hoepker, Iola, KS
Heat 3 (10 laps) – 1) Al Purkey, Coffeyville, KS 2) Gary Gorby, Caney, KS 3) Ryan McAninch, Wichita, KS 4) Jerrod Reimer, Hutchinson, KS 5) Craig Preble, Yutan, NE 6) John Ewell, Forney, TX 7) Robert Jones, Oklahoma City, OK 8) Charlie Randolph, Muskogee, OK
B Feature (15 Laps) – 1) McGehee 2) Longpine 3) Gerstonkorn 4) King 5) Hicks 6) Randolph 7) Jones 8) Hoepker
A Feature (30 Laps) – 1) Kosiski 2) Merrill 3) Preble 4) Purkey 5) Kinderknecht 6) Randolph 7) McAninch 8) Martin 9) King 10) Gerstonkorn 11) Foster 12) B. Ewell 13) McGehee 14) Gorby 15) Reimer 16) Smith 17) Brassfield 18) J. Ewell 19) Jones 20) McDaniels 21) Longpine 22) Hoepker 23) Timms 24) Hicks
