Texas Speedzone - P J Egbert rolls on for Heart O' Texas Speedway win, 5/25/08

P J Finds Pay Dirt Again
BY J M Hallas

Kileen, TX (May 25, 2008) - Despite having his engine claimed at Texas Thunder Speedway Saturday night, Copperas Cove's P J Egbert got the ultimate revenge. Egbert used the motor he got with the swap option and parlayed that into yet another victory for the former IMCA Regional Champion and Modified Rookie of the Year.

“We drug it from the infield to the trailer behind the mule, took it back to the shop, cleaned it up, changed valve covers and put it in.” replied Egbert afterwards.

“I think we got a better motor than we gave away,” added Phil Egbert.

The 23-car 20-lap IMCA Modified main was paced to green by Jason Honey and Andrew Simmerman. Honey go into turn 1 first with Simmerman, Egbert and Keith Green three wide for second. Simmerman and Egbert continued to run side by side for second on lap 1, with Egbert getting the position. Egbert then began to put the heat on Honey for the lead. Caution waved on lap 4 when Ben Ketteman and Ron Vandiver got together in turn 4. Under caution, Green pitted from fourth with a flat and returned.

On the restart, Simmerman, on the top side, got a run on Honey for the lead. Egbert choose the low side going three wide with Honey and Simmerman. Egbert and Simmerman both got past Honey on lap 5, with Simmerman leading on lap 6. Egbert wasted little time getting by his back up car driven by Simmerman for the lead on lap 7. In the pack, Pat McGuire and Benji Kirkpatrick both went around Johnny Sheets for fifth and sixth.

Lap 8 saw Friday's HOT Speedway winner, J P Dowell get by Honey for third, with Kirkpatrick passing McGuire for fifth. Dowell then moved into second, taking the spot from Simmerman on lap 9. At the crossed flags it was Egbert just getting into lapped traffic, Dowell, Simmerman, Honey and Kirkpatrick in the top five. Honey's top five run came to end when he spun on lap 10. Matthew Martin, Green and Vandiver tangled trying to avoid Honey, with Steven Carter spinning in the melee.

Once back to green, Kirkpatrick got under Simmerman for third, Kenny Stone took fifth from McGuire, and Sheets slowed stacking up the back half of the field. Egbert got a scare on lap 13 when Chuck Bayles spun in front of him allowing Dowell to close in. Dowell took a look inside Egbert when yellow waved for a spring lying on the track.

On the restart the top four got away clean, with Kirkpatrick pressuring Dowell for second. Egbert inched away to a two car edge over Dowell, while Martin, Hardy Henderson and Brian Killingsworth battled for seventh. As the white flag waved, Egbert had doubled his margin over Dowell and ran to yet another win in the D&D Cabinets, Phils Motorsports, Greg May Chevrolet, Pro Image Graphics, S&S Motorsports, Lingo Race Engines, Hoffman Chassis.

“I want to thank Ben Ketteman for sponsoring our motor tonight,” commented Egbert sarcastically. “It was the his new motor. We didn't have a back up so we put his in.”

“I knew my cousin(J P Dowell) was back there and that he'd try to challenge me, but I always know that he'll run me clean. I don't have to worry about him sliding in there and taking me out or anything.”

“This was our thirteenth win for the season. We have 76 wins total in Modifieds since I started. We're looking to catch Ken Old who has 81, so we're trying to make it. It will pretty neat catching him in wins, he's been racing since before I was born. Then maybe I'll get recognized for what I've accomplished.”

“Our bankroll isn't big enough for us to try to run an ASCS car,” added Egbert regarding moving up to another class. “But....If a ride or opportunity opened up, we'd sure jump on it. It would be nice if I got a ride in one of those. We'll just have to see what happens. It would be a little different, but like the mod, it's all about throttle control.”

IMCA Modified Main
1. 707 P J Egbert
2. 715 J P Dowell
3. 47 Benji Kirkpatrick
4. 5K Kenny Stone
5. 707x/15 Andrew Simmerman
6. 9 Pat McGuire
7. 63 Hardy Henderson
8. 11 Matthew Martin
9. 357 Brian Killingsworth
10. 111 Ron Vandiver
11. 4H Jason L Honey
12. 37 Ben Ketteman
13. 76s Cody Daniel
14. 118 Steven Carter
15. 066 Jason Bernal
16. 96 Johnny Sheets
17. 5 Keith Green
18. 66 Chuck Bayles
19. 01 Tanner Whitmire
20. 30 Chase Jupe
21. 011 Mac Harmon
22. 87 Justin McCoy
23.412 Marc Beltz

IMCA Modified heat winners, 101 Tanner Whitmire, 11 Matthew Martin, 47 Benji Kirkpatrick

Shannon Dulock got the lead of he 20-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature with Randy Sodek and Mike Robertson in pursuit. Robertson took second from R. Sodek on lap, with Nathan Sodek getting by R. Sodek for third a lap later. On lap 4 it was three wide for the lead in turn 1 with Dulock holding off Robertson and N. Sodek. Robertson continued putting the pressure on Dulock as they ran door to door.

Robertson got the nose out front on lap 6, with Dulock coming back beating Robertson to the line by a bumper. Robertson retook the point by inches on lap 9 and was leading at halfway with N. Sodek, R. Sodek and Jeff Kinnaird rounding out the top five. Dulock, running the bottom, got back to the lead on lap 13, while Kinnaird got by R. Sodek for fourth. On lap 16 Dulock bobbled in turn 4 giving Robertson the lead back, and N. Sodek second. Coming to the checkers it was Robertson, a member of Texas Motor Speedway's fire crew, taking the victory by two car lengths over N. Sodek

IMCA Hobby Stock feature
1. 17 Michael Robertson
2. 60 Nathan Sodek
3 47 Shannon Dulock
4. 07 Jeff Kinnaird
5.33C Charles Cosper
6 7C Chris Ater
7.60R Randy Sodek
8.48 Justin Fowler
9.7 Jaron Shahan
1018 Jeremy Hendrix
11. 99 Steve Young
12.63 Andy C Roller
13.25 Micheal D Guenat
14. 3D Dylan Smith
15.5R Rickey Rodriguez
16.46E Brain Edmonds
17.5C Chris Cogburn

IMCA Hobby Stock heat winners, 47 Shannon Dulock, 33C Charles Cosper

Ed Thompson beat Brant Willis into turn 1 for the lead of the Street Stock feature. Matt Hood got by Willis for second on lap 1. Willis then spun and got tagged by Paul Bolfing. On the restart Mark Guerin tried to get second from Hood as they ran side by side. Hood held off the challenge and M. Guerin fell back in line in front of son, Brandon Guerin. Hood then got sideways and took a trip through the infield, loosing numerous spots. Bowling's problems continued as he got into and up on the back stretch wall bringing out caution. This was a break for Hood who got his spot back for the restart.

Once back to green, Thompson got a good jump with Jason Gauntt taking fourth from B. Guerin. Yellow was back out again on lap 5 when Mike Golightly and Lewis Blackwood hooked bumpers. As green waved again, B. Guerin tried the high side to get back by Gauntt. B. Guerin was beginning to make headway until he slowed and stopped in turn 4 on lap 9. Thompson and Hood got away clean on the restart putting distance on M. Guerin, Gauntt and Teresa Waller, who worked hard for the top five spot after starting near the back. In the final laps M. Guerin closed on Hood while Waller pressured Gauntt for fourth. Thompson was able to grab the victory by several car lengths, with Waller getting by Gauntt for fourth.

Street Stocks
1. 181 Ed Thompson
2. 3A Matt Hood
3. 42 Mark Guerin
4. 3T Teresa Waller
5. 73 Jason Gauntt
6. 71 Tommy Kirkpatrick
7. 2 John Heffelfinger
8. 173 David Khoury
9. 32 Bill Eller
10. 49 Mike Golightly
11. 74 Lewis Blackwood
12. 3 Mike Sutherland
13. 7 Chuck Hamlin
14. 12 Brandon Guerin
15. 2w Justin Wierenga
16. 11 Marshall Saucedo
17. 18 Paul Bolfing
18. 81R Darrell Stanford
19. 29 Brant Willis

Street Stock heat winners, 18 Paul Bolfing, 71 Tommy Kirkpatrick

The 20-car, 20-lap Pure Stock feature saw Timmy Kemp jump out front on green with Mitchell Wachsmann suffering a flat and tapping the wall in turn 2, while Thomas Schmidt and David Whitlock tangled coming to yellow. Kemp led the field back to green with Melvin Kemp, Kevin Smith and Marshall Saucedo in pursuit. Smith then pulled to the hot pit from third, while Tommy Honey and Jeff Sheppard got by Saucedo for third and fourth.

T. Kemp and M. Kemp had begun to pull away when yellow waved on lap 8 for Edward Harrow who stopped on the track. On the restart, T. Kemp got a good jump, with Honey getting second from M. Kemp. Honey and M. Kemp continued to fight for second with Sheppard joining the fray. Kirk Tidwell moved to a top five spot getting around Jimmy Reid jr on lap 14. Up front, T. Kemp was easily slicing through traffic, while M. Kemp pulled to the infield with overheating issues. At the checkers it was T. Kemp sporting a new look, new car and new color first across the finish line.

Pure Stocks
1. 1 Timmy Kemp
2. 18K Tommy Honey
3. 17 Jeff Sheppard
4. 48T Kirk Tidwell
5. 5R Jimmy Reid jr
6. 68 Wade White
7. 31 David Whitlock
8. V18 Kenny Merritt
9. 27 Thomas Schmidt
10. 22 Jack Jenkins
11. 54 Melvin Kemp
12. 32 Joe Williams
13 99 Timmy Kemp jr.
14. 29 Michael Votow
15. 94 Mitchell Wachsmann
16. 3 Edward Harcrow
17. 88j Gaylon Johnson
18. 57 Kevin Smith
19. 59x Ronnie Bell jr.
20. 11 Marshal Saucedo
15 Markiss Harcrow---DNS

Pure Stock heat winners, 94 Mitchell Wachsmann, 17 Jeff Sheppard, 1 Timmy Kemp