Texas Speedzone - Egbert and White dominate Willie Palmer Memorial at Texas Thunder

Willie Palmer Memorial @ Texas Thunder Speedway, 5/24/08
By J M Hallas

Killeen, TX (May 24, 2008) - Texas Thunder Speedway hosted the 17th Annual Willie Palmer Memorial race on the 1/4 mile high banks in Killeen. Palmer was a long time race fan stationed at Ft. Hood who lost his life in battle during the first Gulf War. Dan Corbin & Associates stepped up adding $200 to the purse for highest finishing car in each feature displaying Willie Palmer graphics.

P J Puts Away Field in Modified Main
To say that Copperas Coves, P J Egbert is on a hot streak would be an understatement. The former IMCA South Central Region National Champion, as well as past Rookie of the Year, took his tenth win of the season and ninth in a row. Egbert got around Ben Ketteman, who would later claim, on lap 7 and then held off defending track champ Pat McGuire after a late caution to add to his impressive total.

The 21-car, 20-lap IMCA Modified field was led to green by Chuck Bayles and Jacob Dunn. On the first try, Bayles was slow on take off with Rick Green coming from row three to the lead. In the back of the field Jason Bernal spun to bring out a caution and set up a complete restart. The second start saw Bayles again unable to get up to speed, this time with Dunn with Dunn getting the top spot. Dunn got freight-trained on lap 1, with Ketteman getting the point, Green second and Andrew Simmerman third.

Egbert was already marching forward on lap 2 getting fifth from Dunn after starting from row six. Egbert then picked off another past track champ, Hardy Henderson on lap 3 for fourth. Simmerman got by Green on lap 4 for second and Green, apparently unhappy with the pass tried to take Simmerman out but spun himself out instead high in turn 4. Lee Chasse spun in front of the lead pack to bring out a caution on lap 5.

The restart saw Egbert gt by Simmerman but Simmerman, in a borrowed Egbert car, fought back for he spot and was challenging Ketteman for he lead. Egbert got another run, going three wide past both Simmerman and Ketteman. But yellow waved when Bill Lecompte and Benji Kirkpatrick tangled on the front stretch giving Ketteman the lead back. It didn't take Egbert long on the lap 6 restart to get past Ketteman for the lead, with McGuire sliding by Simmerman for third.

McGuire then got along side Ketteman for second while Henderson and Simmerman ran side by side for fourth. Ken Old tried to move in on Simmerman for fifth, but spun in turn 3. At the crossed flags it was Egbert, McGuire, Ketteman, Henderson and Simmerman. Yellow waved on lap 12 when Dunn spun in turn 4, with Chasse spinning in turn 3. On the restart, Egbert got a good jump on McGuire, while Simmerman got by Henderson for fourth and along side Ketteman for third getting the spot on lap 14.

Henderson then got past Ketteman leaving him battling with Jason Honey when the two made contact and lost spots. Bayles brought out yellow on lap 16 when he spun. Once back to green, Egbert got another jump on McGuire, while Green worked his way back to fifth after his earlier spin. As the white flag waved, Egbert had built a goo lead over McGuire cruising on to victory unchallenged in the Greg May Chevrolet, D&D Cabinets, Phils Motorsports, Abilene Powder Coating, Pro Image Graphics, Lingo Race Engines, S&S Motorsports, Hoffman Chassis.

“I was just letting them know the fast way round this track” replied the confident young Egbert regarding his three wide pass for the lead. This ten out of twelve for the season and nine in a row. I think the record is mine now.”

“We'll be in Waco tomorrow night looking to go to the Winners Circle. We really don't focus on points. We just race each race one at a time and however the season ends up is how it is.

“I thought Ben(Ketteman) and I were good friends. He dumped me last night and tore u a bunch of stuff. I guess he's still mad for him running into me. I guess we'll see how fast his motor is next weekend. Next week it will be his motor in Victory Lane. That's the ultimate slap in the face after a claim.”

Dodge Country IMCA Modifieds
1. 707 P J Egbert
2. 9 Pat McGuire
3. 707x/15 Andrew Simmerman
4. 63 Hardy Henderson
5. 82 Rick Green
6. 44 Allen Waltermire
7. C4 Cham Savage jr
8. 555/47 Benji Kirkpatrick
9. 37 Ben Ketteman
10. 35 Wayne Walker
11. 7 J D Schleis
12. 20 Mike McCarthy
13. 247 Bill LeCompte
14. 107 David Goode
15. 19 George Lamphere jr.
16. 4H Jason Honey
17. 52 Ken Old
18. 66 Chuck Bayles
19. 93 Jacob Dunn
20. 49 Lee Chasse
21.066 Jason Bernal
555x Joey Craig---DNS

37 Ben Ketteman claims 707 P J Egbert(Egbert opts for swap)

IMCA Modified heat winners, 9 Pat McGuire, 82 Rick Green, 4H Jason Honey

White Whips 'em One More Time
Former IMCA SSM Champion Keith White put another notch in his 2008 victory belt as his Texas Thunder roll continued. White, who started in row three made a quick charge to lead on lap 1. Another points contender, Eric Tomlinson tried to hang with White for as long as he could, but in the end it White with the win.

As the field took the green for th 15-lap IMCA SSM main, polesitter David Goode jr got a bad start, giving Mitch Tierney the lead in turns 1-2. White charged along the bottom getting the point in turns 3-4. White, Tierney and Tomlinson were almost three wide for the lead, but White held on, while Tomlinson got by Tierney. Brandon Stewart took third from Tierney on lap 3.

By lap 5 White was stretching out hi advantage over Tomlinson and coming to halfway it was White, Tomlinson, Stewart, Tierney and Gary Thomas in the top five. Stewart lost third after a half spin in turn 4, falling to fourth and loosing a lot of ground. From there it was all White, all the way to the checkers in the Braka Operating, Tracy's Auto Sales, All-Tex Cabling, D&S Painting, Pflugerville Engine & Machine, Big Chief Chassis.

Danny Transmissions IMCA Southern Sportmods
1. 1 Keith White
2. 45t Eric Tomlinson
3. 48 Mitch Tierney
4. 2 Brandon Stewart
5. 14 Gary Thomas
6. 36 Tim Foster
7. 107 David Goode jr.
8. 05 Ryan Anderson

IMCA SSM heat winner, 2 Brandon Stewart

Walter Wins at the Wire
Ronnie Ellis jr. got out front at the start of the 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature and looked to be on his way to the win. But not so fast....this is the highly competitive I-stock class. Mike Walter ran Ellis down in the final five laps taking the lead on the final lap to edge Ellis out at the checkers.

Outside polesitter, Colton Monroe was first into turn 1, with Joseph Charnock and Joey Craig going too high from row two. This gave Ellis the opening to jump through and when Monroe got loose n turn 4 , grab the lead. Daniel Shipler and Buck Owens had a brief side by side battle for third until Shipler got sideways, giving Charnock fourth in the process. Shipler then fell back into the clutches of Robin Rasmussen , with Monroe lurking.

At halfway it was Ellis, Walter, Owens, Charnock and Rasmussen running door to door with Shipler for fifth. Rasmussen secured the position on lap 8, with Eric Jones following into sixth. Up front the chase was on as Walter cut into Ellis' lead lap by lap. With two to go, Walter got along side Ellis going down the back stretch. As he duo took the white flag, Walter inched ahead and stole the win in his TTD Bookkeeping, Ultimate Sports Bar, The Candy Shop, TNT Reconstruction sponsored Chevy.

Dan Corbin & Assoc. IMCA Stock Cars
1. 107 Mike Walter
2. 124 Ronnie Ellis jr.
3. 8 Buck Owens
4. 27 Joseph Charnock
5. 3 Robin Rasmussen
6. 84 Eric Jones
7.712 Colton Monroe
8. 555 Joey Craig
9. 24d David Dunn
10. 434 Chris Ochoa
11. 517 Ed Keiner
12. T4 Tony Hamil
13. 38 Daniel Shipler
14. 31 Chuck Hatfield

IMCA Stock Car heat winners, 124 Ronnie Ellis jr., 712 Colton Monroe

In a fitting finish, Walter and Ellis squared off for the finals in the IMCA Stock Car King of the Hill challenge. The two stayed door to door throughout the entire lap, with Ellis getting ½ car length on lap 1. Ellis took the top spot in turns 1-2, with Walter trying a last ditch effort going into turn 3. Walter's dive bomb move came up short as he spun, with Ellis redeeming himself claiming KotH bragging rights for 2008.

IMCA Stock Car King of the Hill, 124 Ronnie Ellis jr. defeats Mike Walter

Richard Valentine got the early lead in 20-car, 20-lap Street Stock feature, but a multi-car tangle on lap 1 quickly brought out caution. On the restart Danny Dunn got by Joe Fuller for third, but Fuller came back. Bradley Sims joined that fight, and it was on three wide for third, with Dunn again getting the spot. Valentine got sideways on lap 4 trying to avoid a slower car, then spun himself from the lead on lap 5. This handed the lead to Ryan Ellis for the restart that saw Fuller, Dunn and Sims again trying three wide, with Sims getting the position.

A loose bumper on the track brought out yellow on lap 7. Once back to green Brian Mendenhall got by Dunn for third. Coming to halfway it as Ellis, Sims Mendenhall, Dun and Chris Florio. Florio then picked off fourth from Dunn, leaving him in a battle with Tim Carmen jr. and Albert Wininger jr. for fifth. Sims had problems on lap 15 pulling of from second. This left Ellis with nearly a straightaway lead on the second place battle between Flori and Mendenhall. At the checkers it was Ellis grabbing the victory, in an IMCA legal Hobby Stock.

Cleo Bay Honda Street Stock
1. 14 Ryan Ellis
2. 21 Chris Florio
3. 88 Brian Mendenhall
4. 40 Albert Wininger jr.
5. 0 Tim Carmen jr.
6. 84 Eric Jones
7. 63 Danny Dunn
8. 83 Dennis Simmons
9. 3 Clint Williams
10. 22w Justin Wierenga
11. 35 Chris Wilkinson
12. 00 Joe Fuller
13. 74s Bradley Sims
14. 19r Dean Silva
15 007 Chuckee Nourse
16. 96v Richard Valentine
17. 55 Robert Roysdon
18. 4 Ken Plonsky
19. 2 Kevin Ashley
20. 555 Joey Craig

Street Stock heat winners, 0 Tim Carmen jr., 21 Chris Florio, 14 Ryan Ellis

The first Texas Twister feature saw Noah Wearmouth grab the early, which he surrendered to T J Yagalla on lap 3 when pulled off. Yagalla build a slight lead over Michael Hilliard, Gage Fuller and Aaron Headrick as they scrapped it out for second. Fuller and Hilliard caught Yagalla in traffic and tried three wide for the lead. Fuller and Hilliard made contact, with Fuller spinning and Hilliard loosing ground.

Budweiser Texas Twisters

Feature #1
1. 190 T J Yagalla
2. 16 Aaron Headrick
3. 72 T J Jacobs
4. 91F Gage Fuller
5. 829 J D Hardcastle
6. 10A Shane Stevwing
7. 20 Jackie Ashlock
8. 254 Kent Brown
9. 105 John Lamphere
10. 351 Daniel Rediker
11. 23 Michael Hilliard
12. 2K Kevin Ashley
13. 353 Noah Wearmouth
14. 42 Jacob Wininger
15.11 Keith Desmarais

Texas Twister race #2 got off to a rocky start when Taylor Fuller got hooked and turned sideways. Fuller over-corrected and turned around until it dug in and barrel-rolled numerous times down the back stretch. Fuller was able to crawl out of the wreckage, uninjured. On the next start, James Deane got out front, with Billy White hot on his tail. Deane and White battled side by side, while Randy Doyle moved in on both. White used the high side to get by Deane on lap 5. Doyle got past Deane, but slid too high giving the spot back.

Billy McCloud then passed Deane, but suffered a similar fate as Doyle, falling back to sixth. Doyle, Deane, McCloud and David Holtz started a place swapping, paint trading all out fist fight for second. Doyle finally got clear, while Holtz was shown the black flag for rough driving. Up front it was White running uncontested to get the victory.

Feature #2
1. 7 Billy White
2. 65 Randy Doyle
3. 37 James Deane
4. 573 Billy McCloud
5. 77 Matthew Fitzgerald
6. 14 Brent Dalton
7. 77y Kevin Yagalla
8. 148 Trent Dalton
9. 48 James Herring
10. 170 Phil Egbert
11. 351L Douglas Lind
12. 00 Taylor Fuller
13. 118 David Holtz