Texas Speedzone - Texas Thunder Speedway Recaps and Results, 5/13/06

Texas Thunder Speedway - 5/13/06

By J M Hallas

Killeen, TX (5/14/06) - I finally got the opportunity to make it back up to one my favorite dirt tracks, Texas Thunder Speedway in Killeen. The racing is always good with plenty of side by side racing on the high-banked 1/4 mile clay track. The track was in excellent condition and the IMCA modified were super fast in the main event. The IMCA Stocks ran more laps door to door than single file in their always exciting feature.

Having had the chance to run a few races here myself, it was like a homecoming of sorts with plenty of familiar faces. It was also interesting to find several of the other pavement racing crowd in attendance as those series take some time off in their seasons.

Egbert’s Egg-cellent Adventure in Weekend Sweep
Dodge Country IMCA Modified
Chuck Bish and David Hanusch led the 17-car IMCA Modified main event to green with Hanusch coming out turn 2 first with three wide racing from third on back. Pat McGuire was able to get by Hanusch to lead lap 1 as Allen Waltermire slowed. Trevor Egbert moved into second with last weeks winner, Ken Old taking third. Waltermire would come to stop on track to bring out the yellow on lap 2.

On the restart, T. Egbert tried to get under McGuire in turn 1, with Brian Killingsworth getting by Old for third. P J Egbert moved into the top five on lap 3 getting by Hanusch and quickly catching Old and Killingsworth. It was three wide for third on lap 4 with P J Egbert and Killingsworth still side by side on lap 6. PJ Egbert finally secured the spot on lap 7 and caught cousin Trevor for second and took the spot.

Current points leader, Danny Gribble moved into the top five getting by a slowing Killingsworth on lap 8. At the crossed flags it was McGuire, with P J Egbert closing, T. Egbert, Old and Gribble rounding out the top five. P J Egbert caught McGuire on lap 11 and ducked inside getting by for the lead on lap 12. Behind them Gribble and Old were swapping fourth in a fierce battle. Gribble got past Old and T. Egbert on lap 12, but Old fought back to repass Gribble for third on lap 13.

P J Egbert began inching away from McGuire on lap 14, while Old and Gribble were wheel to wheel for third on lap 15. P J Egbert continued to lengthen his lead over McGuire and when the white flag waved he had nearly a full straightaway lead. At the checkers it was P J Egbert completing the weekend sweep in The Pflugerville Engine & Machine, Big Tex Autoplex, Phils Motorsports, Nightmare Graphics, Greg May Honda, Mid-Tex Motorsports, Cooper & Bright Plumbing, Kramer Trucking, Wel Ran Construction, D&D Cabinetry, Donnie Moore Chassis, his second win of the season. The win closed up the points chase as he climbed to within two points of Gribble.
“ I pretty much just dodged everybody and kept the car rolling(through the corners)”, said Egbert. “I owe all the credit to my dad who has been on my butt trying to get me to work on the car more during the week and to the Killingsworth’s for helping me get this car and with the set-up.”
“I think I caught him(Pat McGuire) sleeping. The past couple weeks he’s got in the lead and no one’s been able to run with him. I don’t think he anticipated me to challenge him.”
Egbert, who also won the Mini Stock feature added, “I really don’t have any trouble going from one car to the other. Both cars handle extremely well. I can go anywhere on the track with either car.”

IMCA Modifieds
Pos/Car #/Driver/Start
1 707 PJ Egbert (9)
2 9 Pat McGuire (4)
3 27 Danny Gribble (8)
4 52/555 Ken Old (5)
5 78/70 Trevor Egbert (7)
6 15 Andrew Simmerman (12)
7 4 David Hanusch (2)
8 24 Gary Simmerman (10)
9 19 George Lamphere jr (3)
10 247 Bill Lecompte (15)
11 41 Mitch Hardman (13)
12 357 Brian Killingsworth (11)
13 20x Chuck Bish (1)
14 7 J D Schlies (14)
15 44 Allen Waltermire (6)
16 25 Dan Roberts (17–moved to back from 4th)
17 717 G W Egbert (16)
39 Paul Mullins—DNS
18 Jason Hubert—DNS
66 Chuck Bayles—DNS

Heat winners, P J Egbert, Old and McGuire

Stevens Stellar in SportMod Main
Hertz Rent-a-Car IMCA Southern SportMods
Former road racer, Robert Carr and Larry Ware paced the 10-car IMCA Southern SportMod feature to green with Carr grabbing the early lead. L. Ware went low on Carr on lap, with Shad Stevens looking to go three wide. L. Ware got the top spot on lap 2, but was quickly pressured by Stevens. The two ran side by side on lap 2, while Kenny Ware moved into fourth.

The race was halted coming to lap3 when K. Ware made contact with Kevin West. As West turned sideways the left rear dug in and turned him over. West’s landing was even harder as he landed and hung on the front stretch guard rail. West was a little woozy as he climbed from the car, but the current point leader was alright and the car done for the night.

Back to green, L. Ware got good jump on the field, but Stevens ran L. Ware back down. When L. Ware got sideways in turn 1 Stevens took advantage and grabbed the lead on lap 4. Trace Crawford’s chance to take over the points lead from West came to an end when he pulled off from fifth. Chuck Schoenfeld and Carr battled wheel to wheel for fourth until Carr tried a little off course racing sliding over the edge of turn 3.

Coming to halfway it was Stevens, L. Ware, Michael Walter, Schoenfeld and Jason Hoffman in the top five. L. Ware and Walter made slight contact fighting for second giving Schoenfeld a run to get around Walter for third. Walter’s troubles got worse as he expired a motor on lap 11 and rolled to a stop to bring out a yellow.

On the restart, L. Ware dove inside Stevens and got the lead on the back stretch, but Stevens battled back retaking the point going through turns 3-4. At the same time Hoffman was taking third from Schoenfeld. L. Ware continued to put the heat on Stevens until he spun himself around on lap 13. At the white flag, Stevens had a good lead on the fight for second between Hoffman and Schoenfeld and was able to take the win in the Anderson Auto Salvage, Vinyl & Graphics by White, The Car Shop, All Sports Trophy, Smileys Chassis with a motor built by his father.
“It was clean racing,” said Stevens about his battle with Ware. Larry and I know each other and we’re not outsiders that come in and beat up on everybody. We just go out there and race. It took a while to get it set-up. It’s still not right, but I’m getting more comfortable. It’s coming around.”

IMCA Southern Sportmod
1 231 Shad Stevens (3)
2 9x Jason Hoffman (9)
3 14 Chuck Schoenfeld (10)
4 77 Larry Ware (2)
5 07 Michael Walter (8)
6 27 Robert Carr (1)
7 63c Trace Crawford (6)
8 83 Kenny Ware (5)
9 11w Kevin West (7)
10 17w Billy White (4)
424 Mike McDougal—DNS

Heat winner Stevens

Waco Warrior Ends Savage Streak
Dan Corbin & Associates IMCA Stock Cars
Twenty-two IMCA Stocks took the field for the 20 lap main led by Chris Lanham and D J McWilliams. Lanham was first out turn 2 with the lead, while the pack battled three wide behind him. Tommy Honey got clipped by Jason Honey and did a half spin through the infield losing many spots. With Lanham still holding the lead, points leader Eric Jones and McWilliams were side by side for second and Jesse James Cox jr was door to door with Benji Kirkpatrick for fourth. On lap 4 Jones got inside Lanham on the back stretch but Lanham was able to hold off the charges.

Kirkpatrick and Cox continued to fight it out side by side for third now, with Justin McGehee and Bradley Simms door to door for fifth. The top three of Lanham, Jones and Kirkpatrick had sorted out single file and just started to get away when yellow waved for McGehee stalled in turn 3 and got rear-ended by Jacob Dunn. Once back to green, Kirkpatrick dove inside Lanham to grab the point on lap 8. At halfway the top five were Kirkpatrick, Jones, Lanham, Cox and Sims.

Caution waved on lap for debris on the track, during which time several cars pitted with flat tires. On the restart, Kirkpatrick got away from Jones by three car lengths while Lanham and Sims made contact battling for third. Caution was quickly back out when Cox got into Dunn who spun in turn 3. Sims was given the black flag for a broken suspension forcing him to give up fourth.

The top three got away on green, while T. Honey worked his way back to the top five after his earlier spin. The red flag came out on lap 14 when Scott Bowles spun and was hit head-on by B J Dulock. Dulock climbed out uninjured, but Bowles had to be checked out by paramedics. After several minutes, Bowles climbed from the car complaining of abdominal pain, probably from a steering wheel in the ribs.

Once back to green, Kirkpatrick and Jones pulled ahead, with Gary Norman getting by T. Honey for fourth. Norman would bring out the yellow on lap 16 when slid off the back stretch and down the hill. The next restart saw Kirkpatrick get a good jump on Jones as the green waved. Dunn and T. Honey battled door to door on lap 18 for fourth. On the last lap Kirkpatrick had smooth sailing as Lanham challenged Jones for second. As the checkers waved it was Kirkpatrick in the Kinds Automotive, Photos by Debbie, Wise County Detailing, Wilson Chassis Co., Ronnie Cymack Construction, Ray Smalley engine, Home built chassis taking the win and the $25 bonus put up by promoter, Pat Wilson for any of the Waco regulars that could win.
“You just have to drive it like any other track,” said Kirkpatrick. “Figure out what the guys here are doing and beat them. We have to change some gears to run here. It’s a little shorter(than Waco-Bellmead)”
“Money is money! I’ll take it however they want to give it.”added Kirkpatrick regarding the bonus money for the Waco regulars.

IMCA Stock Car
1 47 Benji Kirkpatrick (10)
2 20c Chris Lanham (1)
3 84x Eric Jones (8)
4 18k Tommy Honey (7)
5 93 Jacob Dunn (19)
6 8 Vernon Owens (14)
7 51 Donald Lewis (3)
8 3 Robin Rasmussen (18)
9 86z Zana Craig (13)
10 09 Gary Norman (5)
11 21 Jeremy O’Brien (20)
12 23 Shad Stevens (17)
13 4 Jason Honey (9)
14 318 Scott Bowles (21)
15 251 B J Dulock (11)
16 80 Bradley Sims (6)
17 43 Jesse James Cox Jr (4)
18 44 Ron Simpson (15)
19 58 D J McWilliams (2)
20 79 Justin McGehee (12)
21 T4 Tony Hamil (22)
22 C4 Cham Savage (16)
97x Anthony Otken—DNS

Heat winners J. Honey, T. Honey and Donald Lewis

Kwik Car Oil & Lube Street Stock
Ryan Anderson and Jeremy Adkins paced the seventeen-car Street Stock feature to green. Anderson got out front but in the pack Dave Meadows, Mitch Tierney and Carl Boettcher got tangled in turn 3 to bring about a complete restart. This time Adkins was first out turn 2 with a three wide battle for second behind him. Danny Dunn broke out of that pack and got by Adkins to lead lap 1. Michael Legore grabbed second and was challenging Dunn for the lead on lap 2 while Robert Simmerman got by Adkins for third.

Dunn’s chance at victory ended when he lost a wheel on the back straightaway and spun with Legore just clipping Dunn but able to keep going. Legore would restart with lead on lap 4, but was quickly pressured by defending track champ, Simmerman. Simmerman took over the point on lap 5 as Joe Fuller and Legore fought for second. The two made contact, giving Adkins and Trevor Sparkman the opportunity to get by for second and third.

Sparkman took second from Adkins on lap 6, with Legore taking third back on lap 7. At the mid point it was Simmerman with a big lead, Sparkman, Legore, Adkins and points leader Albert Wininger jr. rounding out the top five. Simmerman lost his half track lead on lap 11 when yellow flew for debris on the track. Simmerman got away while the pack battled to get by a lap car on the restart, with Wininger moving into second.

Sparkman was starting to fade with a flat when he got together with Kelvin Sears and spun to bring out yellow on lap 12. Simmerman again got away from the field as he moved out by ten car lengths back under green. At the white flag, Simmerman had built a healthy lead and was easily able to run off with the win.

Street Stock
1 1 Robert Simmerman
2 40 Albert Wininger jr
3 69 Michael Legore
4 82 Lee Chase
5 9 Carl Boettcher
6 20 Trevor Sparkman
7 36x Lisa Parent
8 27 Tim Fasano
9 7 Jeremy Adkins
10 30 Kelvin Sears
11 05 Ryan Anderson
12 19R Dean Silva
13 00 Joe Fuller
14 53x Chris Ochoa
15 63 Danny Dunn
16 74 Dave Meadows
17 48 Mitch Tierney
29 Scott Wilson—DNS
96 Paul Kohl—DNS

Heat winners Dunn, Legore and Meadows

Budweiser Racing Texas Twisters
The new “fun class” started 12 car led to green by James Tanner jr and Clint Williams. Tanner got out turn 2 first, but it was Chris Ware with run down the back stretch getting by J. Tanner to lead lap 1 as Williams faded in the pack. Chris Florio got by Williams for third on lap 2, while point leader Gary White took fifth from Ronnie Tanner. White then ran down Williams taking fourth on lap 4.

Meanwhile up front Ware was having troubles getting out of turn 4 and slid high giving J. Tanner the chance to grab the top spot on lap 5. Ware tried to battle back with he and J. Tanner making contact on lap 8. This gave Florio a run on Ware to snag second. In a battle for fifth White and Jesse Call went three wide around a lap car on lap 9.

In the final laps Florio closed in on J. Tanner and caught the leader on lap 12. Florio tried to dive under J. Tanner through turns 3-4 on lap 12 and 13 as the fight for the win heated up. Finally on lap 14 Florio got a good run down the back straight and dove in under J. Tanner. The two traded a little paint as the bumped and rubbed through the corner with Florio coming out with the lead. Florio would be able to hold off J. Tanner the final lap to take the hard earned win.

Texas Twisters
1 71 Chris Florio
2 17t James Tanner
3 20 Jesse Call
4 1 Gary White
5 35 Clint Williams
6 88 Brian Menderhall
7 829 J D Hardcastle
8 00 Chris Ware
9 F5 Chase Simpson
10 177 Ronnie Tanner
11 7 Jared Bouchie
12 17 Neil Elliott
37 James Deane—DNS
2 Larry Tuerck—DNS

Cottman Transmission Mini Stocks
Daniel Shipler and Rickey Reid led the 10 car Mini Stock main to the green flag with Reid getting the early lead. Ronnie Ellis jr quickly caught Reid and got under Reid in turns 1-2 to grab the point on lap 2, while P J Egbert was making his way to the front. The modified ace got by Shipler for third on lap 2 and was side by side with Reid for second on lap 3 before taking the spot. Julie Kelly Zwiefelhofer brought out the yellow on lap 4 when she spun in between turns 1-2.

Ellis got a good restart while Jason Hoffman moved in to challenge Egbert for second. The two veterans drivers were door to door on lap 5 and still catching Ellis. Coming to the line on lap 6 it was three wide for the lead with Ellis having slight edge. Egbert was the first one out turn 2 and led at the line on lap 7. Ellis gave Egbert a tap on lap 8, while Hoffman got along side.

As Hoffman and Ellis battled for second, points leader, Travis Zwiefelhofer closed in the duo and got by Ellis for third on lap 10. As the white flag waved, Egbert had a car length on Hoffman while Mike Autrey joined the fight for third. As Egbert was taking the checkers, his fifth win in the Mini Stock, Ellis and T. Zwiefelhofer made contact giving Autrey the shot to get third.

Mini Stock
1 712 PJ Egbert
2 39x Jason Hoffman
3 1 Mike Autrey
4 14 Ronnie Ellis jr
5 20 Travis Zwiefelhofer
6 44 Rickey Reid
7 17w Gary White
8 38 Daniel Shipler
9 5 David Stewart
10 202 Julie Kelly Zwiefelhofer
11 62 Larry Sanders

Kwik Car Oil & Lube Jr. Mini Stock
In the Jr Mini Stock class for kids 13-16 it was Joseph Charnock getting out front at the start of the 10 lap feature. Charnock was challenged by defending track champion and current point leader Colton Monroe. Monroe hounded Charnock for the last half of the race, but at the checkers it was the 14 year old Charnock holding off Monroe for his first ever win.

Jr. Mini Stock
1 22 Joseph Charnock
2 712 Colton Monroe
3 244 Brad VanMarter
4 14E Ryan Ellis
5 62 Chris Sanders