On Saturday morning Double X Speedway owners Kyle and Carol Wirts had a decision to make which has become all too familiar at race tracks this spring. With water from the weeks rainfall covering half of the infield, they made the choice to open the 2022 season at Double X on Sunday May 1 as advertised. With the help of family, friends and racers alike they began pumping water out of the infield and making everything ready to greet fans and race teams alike. As Kyle Wirts said at 5 pm Sunday when asked about the work required to get things ready, he replied “Yeah, I own a race track but we all like to watch racing too.”
After the initial warm up laps were run it was decided that a little more water was needed to make the track racier and to help settle the new clay put down over the winter. Kyle Wirts’ efforts provided a much improved track surface. A huge thank you to the fans and race teams for your patience as we worked through the track issues.
The Pure Stock cars were first on the card for the evening. Preston McDowell took the lead at the outset and held the point for seven laps of the heat race. Third starting Darn Porter was trying low and high to pass the leader and coming out of turn 4 with the white flag waving he was able to pass for the lead and claim the checkered flag. Preston McDowell finished second, Shane Healea crossed the line in third, Justin McDowell was fourth and Russell Beach claimed fifth.
The 12 lap Pure Stock feature was led to the green by Darin Porter and Preston McDowell. At the outset Darin Porter edged ahead of McDowell into turn one claiming the point. McDowell and Shane Healea would keep pressure on the leader with McDowell pulling alongside on the white flag lap. The lead duo raced side by side down the backstretch. Porter was able to use the top shelf in turn 4 to edge McDowell by less than a car length to take the win. Preston McDowell finished a strong second, Shane Healea scored third, Russell Beach was fourth and Justin McDowell completed the running order. Shannon Sullivan was unable to start the event.
The fan favorite Super Stocks were the second class in competition Sunday evening. Veteran Joe Miller claimed victory in heat race number one over Brandon Dunham, Mark Davis, Eddie Keeran and Tyler Crocker . Heat race number two was won in dominating fashion by Derek Henson. Derek Wiss was second with Dale Berry third, Steve Beach fourth and Jody Romig fifth. The feature event saw Miller and Henson on the front row. Henson continued where he left off in the heat race by leading green to checkered. Derek Wiss had an impressive outing finishing second, Joe Miller finished a solid third, veteran Dale Berry comes home fourth and Mark Davis would complete the top five. Eddie Keeran finished sixth, Jody Romig was seventh, Steve Beach was eighth, Tyler Crocker ninth and Brandon Dunham tenth.
The Winged Sprint Car division had seventeen cars signed in for the evening. Three heat races were contested to set the feature lineup. Heat one saw Jack Wagner claim the victory over brother and teammate Samuel with a last lap pass. Slater Helt ran third. Minnesota’s Ryan Bowers was fourth, Garret Hulsey took the checkered in fifth and Tony Crank finished sixth. Heat two was claimed by Tyler Blank over Riley Goodno, Jarmin Dalitz, Mackenzie Borchers, Russell Potter and Ben Brown. The third and final heat was won by Taylor Walton. Timmy Smith finished a strong second, Tyler Elliott finishes third, Quinton Benson in fourth and Billy Butler in fifth.
The 25 lap feature saw Jack Wagner take the point and lead the first fifteen laps, only slowed by a lap one red flag involving Billy Butler, Ben Brown and Timmy Smith. All drivers were okay but all retired to the pit area with damage. As Wagner led, Tyler Blank and Taylor Walton were keeping the pressure on the leader. Encountering lapped traffic on lap fifteen, Blank was able to overtake Wagner to take the lead. Four laps later Walton moved into the number two spot. Following a lap 20 caution, Walton made a try at the leader, but Blank appeared to grab another gear and open up a five car length lead which he maintained until the checker. Following Blank and Walton were Jack Wagner on third, Tyler Elliott with a solid fourth and Ryan Bowers in fifth. Quinton Benson led the second five in sixth, Samuel Wagner in seventh, Riley Goodno in eighth, Slater Helt was ninth and Garrett Hulsey finished tenth. Mackenzie Borchers finished eleventh, Jarmin Dalitz twelfth, Russell Potter thirteenth, Tony Crank fourteenth, Ben Brown credited with fifteenth, Timmy Smith sixteenth and Billy Butler completed the seventeen car field.
Be sure to join us each and every week for Sunday Night Thunder at Double X Speedway.