Sat., Aug. 3 by Chris CoxA spirited crowd was on hand Saturday night at Montpelier Motor Speedway to see four divisions and a total of 95 car/driver combinations compete. The U.M.P. Late Models, Super Streets, U.M.P. Modifieds and Street Stocks entertained those in attendance with dazzling displays of side-by-side, three-wide, and for one memorable moment, four-wide racing.
In the U.M.P. Late Models final appearance of the season, it was Jerry Bowersock of Wapakoneta, Ohio winning the feature by a car-length over Warsaw, Indiana's Randy Woodling, last week's feature winner. Polesitter Woodling had sprinted to an early comfortable lead with Mike Bechelli of Eaton, Indiana, Bowersock, and Wayne Maffett Jr. of Mansfield, Ohio battling ferociously for second place. Bechelli was closing in on the leader in the middle stage of the race until his right rear tire began to go flat. Bowersock, in his first appearance at Montpelier Motor Speedway this season, finally caught Woodling on lap 13, wheeling his #17 Ponderosa Steakhouse machine underneath Woodling in turn 3. Bowersock appeared to be on his way to an easy victory until Bechelli's tire finally went flat, causing him to spin, and bringing out the yellow on lap 15. After the final restart, Woodling made several attempts to pass, but Bowersock was able to hold on for the victory. Woodling finished second, followed by Bruce Hogue of Akron, Indiana in third, and Logan Beckwith of Hanover, Michigan in fourth.
The Super Street feature was won by Lima, Ohio's Tony Anderson, the class point leader who won for the third time this season. Richmond, Indiana's David Smith dominated the race until he stalled on lap 10. Then, Anderson and Joe Mauller of Richmond, Indiana exchanged the lead several times until a spinning car brought out another yellow flag on lap 12. On the restart, Anderson, in his #22T Custom Staffing sponsored racer, blew past Mauller on the inside in turn 1 and led for the remaining 8 laps of the race. He beat Mauller by a couple of car lengths. Chad Franks of Portland, Indiana finished third, followed by Jerry Butler of Jackson Center, Ohio in fourth.
Elvin Herschberger of Peru, Indiana continued his recent success in the U.M.P. Modified class, winning for the second week in a row and fifth time this season. Herschberger, who started on the pole, flew to an early lead, only to see it wiped out when a spin and a stalled car brought out the caution on lap 6. Several yellow flags slowed the pace for the remainder of the race, which was ultimately shortened to 12 laps due to a 30-minute time-limit. Hershberger won under the yellow followed by Josh Scott of Grand Rapids, Ohio, and Albion, Indiana's Todd Sherman.
The Street Stock feature finish was nothing short of high drama with Upland, Indiana's Dan Draper Jr. capturing the victory after leader David Norman of Bluffton, Indiana broke a tie-rod and crashed on the last turn of the last lap. It was Draper Jr's first victory of the season in his #3D Hidden Storage/T.C. Trucking stock car. John Kramer of Marion, Indiana finished right behind Draper for second, followed by Dusty McCollum of Marion, Indiana in third.
Two other events of note occurred during the evening. First, a Late Model heat was red-flagged when police, fire, and ambulance crews had to leave the track to attend to an emergency situation. Within a few minutes, the crews returned to the track and racing resumed.
The second event happened during the first Modified B-main. A spectacular crash involving at least 5 cars took place on the frontstretch just short of the start/finish line. #89H Brad Heady and #7M Lonnie McIntyre appeared to get the worst of the wreck with the left front of McIntyre's car coming to rest on the hood of Heady's car. Thankfully, all of the drivers appeared to be O.K. after the accident.
Elvin Herschberger - Modified feature winner
(on left) Super Street feature winner Tony Anderson - (right) Street Stock feature winner Dan Draper, Jr.
Photos by J & D Photos
Catch them every Saturday at the track!
