Double-X Speedway
California, MO
July 28, 2019
By: Dean Reichel
With only one week of “Sunday Night Thunder” remaining in the 2019 racing season at Double-X Speedway, many winged sprint cars came out to prepare for the $2000 to win championship presented by Central Missouri Security Services LLC. From North, South, East, West and Down Under, the winged sprint car field was here to put on a show for the fans in the stands.
Before the anticipated action of the winged sprint cars, the always competitive street stocks took to the track to begin the evening. In heat race action John Brooks led early but Joe Miller was able to pass for the lead on lap five and would pick up the win. Brooks was second, John Clancy third, Marshall Berry fourth, Brandon Hays fifth and Justin McDowell sixth. The hobby stocks took to the track for two heat races. In the first heat, Cole Canada took the point at the green flag but was passed out of turn four on the white flag by Kyle Smith who would claim the victory. Canada was second, Jeremiah Wallingford third, Karen Johnson fourth and John Canada fifth. The second heat saw Mike Schrader pick up the win in decisive fashion, Josh Clark “Popeye” was second, Chris Brockert third, Chuck Coffey fourth and Bobby Chilton fifth. The winged sprint cars took to the track with their own version of thunder. Heat race one saw Frank Brown post a flag to flag victory in his #43, Tyler Blank was second, Riley Goodno finished third, Ben Brown fourth, Timmy Smith fifth, Scott Comstock sixth and Tyler Utz seventh. Heat two saw California veteran driver Randy Martin on the pole and he used that to his advantage to move to the lead early and hold off a hard charging Taylor Walton to secure the victory. Walton was second, Aussie driver Jarmon Dalitz was third, Broc Elliott fourth and Kaitlin Boland was fifth. Ayrton Gennetten was unable to start the race.
At intermission over 60 young race fans received backpacks with school supplies courtesy of Tyler Utz Racing and many other drivers and race fans. Next year the goal is to award over 100 of the back to school necessities to kids. Following the intermission giveaways, the street stocks took to the track for their feature event. Veteran John Brooks got the drop on pole sitter Joe Miller at the green flag and held a comfortable lead until a lap six caution bunched the field behind the leader. On the restart it was a continuation of the previous laps with Brooks pulling out to a five car length lead over Miller and maintaining the advantage for the duration. This was Brooks second win of the season at Double-X. Miller crossed the stripe second, Marshall Berry was third, Brandon Hays finished fourth, Justin McDowell was fifth and John Clancy completed the field after retiring with a flat rear tire.
The hobby stock feature saw some intense racing for the first five laps as Mike Schrader and Kyle Smith ran side by side for three laps before Smith would gain the advantage after some contact. Smith would survive restarts for various incidents to claim the victory over Chuck Coffey in second, John Canada in third, and Karen Johnson in fourth. Josh Clark was fifth, Chris Brockert sixth, Mike Schrader seventh, Bobby Chilton eighth, Jeremiah Wallingford ninth and Cole Canada was unable to make the green to complete the field.
The fans in the stands were eagerly anticipating the winged sprint car feature with veteran Randy Martin starting outside row one, and hard charging Tyler Blank on row two. On the initial start four cars came together on the front straightaway with Timmy Smith turning over in the midst of the remaining cars. Smith, Jarman Dalitz and Broc Elliott would retire to the pit area, unable to continue the event. At the drop of the next green flag Randy Martin would take the lead heading into turn one with Taylor Walton and Tyler Blank in tow. A lap five caution would bring the field to Martin’s rear bumper. Walton would close and challenge the leader over the last five laps. Walton would make one last attempt in turn one on the white flag lap, but Martin would hold his line and gain a slight advantage down the back chute and carry it to the checkered flag. Walton earned a well deserved second place, hard charging Ayrton Gennetten coming from 13th to third, Tyler Blank was fourth and Riley Goodno fifth. Ben Brown led the second five with a sixth place finish, Kaitlyn Boland finished seventh, Scott Comstock eigthth, Frank Brown ninth and Tyler Utz tenth. Jarman Dalitz was eleventh, Broc Elliott twelfth and Timmy Smith thirteenth.
Be sure to join us for Championship night next week as the 2019 season of Sunday Night Thunder wraps up with awards presentation and fun races after the $2000 to win winged sprint car feature presented by Central Missouri Security Services.