SHUMAN, GILPIN, HOWE, AND HAMILTON ALL WINNERS AT BLOOMINGTON By: Chris Nunn A heavy race track made way for some lightning fast and close racing Friday night at the Bloomington Speedway. With the track needing some extra time to be worked in, hot laps started an hour and a half late. This was due to the track personnel not wanting to send cars out on an unsafe racing surface. The wait was well worth it as all four features were nailbiters and had the crowd on edge all night long. Ethan Barrow and Chase Briscoe led the field to the green flag in the Sprint car feature, with Briscoe leading the first circuit. Casey Shuman moved from third to second, getting around Barrow, leaving Barrow to contend with Jordan Kinser on the ultra-fast surface. The yellow would fly on lap three, as Shelby VanGilder spun in turn four. A multi-car accident on the ensuing restart slowed things down again. Brady Short was able to move into fourth when racing resumed, getting around Kinser. By the nine lap mark, the top two cars of Shuman and Briscoe were almost a full straight head of the third place car of Barrow. Just before the halfway mark, Shuman and Briscoe would wage a back and forth, high and low battle for the lead as the duo worked towards lapped traffic. Shuman took the lead from Briscoe on lap 12, and led Briscoe, Barrow, Short, and Kinser at halfway. Short was able to get around Barrow for third, but the show was about to begin up front. Shuman and Briscoe played an absolute perfect game of cat and mouse through lapped traffic. Briscoe would try the high side, but couldn’t make it work. Shuman held his line through lapped traffic, with Briscoe trying everything he could with laps ticking down. With just three to go, Briscoe was on the move, closing in on Shuman. With one lap to go, Briscoe decided to make his move. He tried a slide job going into turn one, but couldn’t make the pass. Going into turn three, he tried the same move, and made contact with Shuman. Shuman and Briscoe both kept it in the gas, and finished almost neck and neck, with Shuman picking up the win. Shuman noted in victory lane that “I don’t care if I have to finish upside down, as long as I crossed the line first. I’m not mad at Chase (Briscoe) if I was in his position, I would have done the same thing” Sprint car heat race winners were Jordan Kinser, Casey Shuman, and Chase Briscoe Roy Bruce Jr and Greg Amick made up the front row for the UMP Modified feature. A multi car accident took place in turn one on the first lap, unfortunately taking out Bruce, and a handful of other cars. On the restart, Amick would lead the first lap over Joe Godsey. The caution flew once again on lap two as Mike Bechelli spun in turn two. Godsey and Devin Gilpin would battle for second when racing resumed, as Amick started to pull away up front. Gilpin took the second spot on lap eight, moving Godsey to third. The fourth place running car of Jacoby Hines broke, relegating him to the infield on lap 11. Amick started to catch the tail end of the field, allowing Gilpin to close in ever so slowly. With two lapped cars between the leaders, the field took the halfway signal. On lap 15, Gilpin had cleared the lapped cars and had clear sailing towards the leader. Amick threw another lapped car at Gilpin, this time it worked, as Gilpin couldn’t move under the lapped car. With five to go, a lapped car made contact with Amick, allowing Gilpin to slide under for the lead. That was all it took for Gilpin, as the current UMP National Modified points leader won his second straight feature at Bloomington over Amick, Kenny Carmichael Sr, Godsey, and Derek Groomer rounding out the top five. UMP Modified heat winners were Devin Gilpin, Bryson Clark, and Joe Godsey Travis Howe took the lead from his pole starting spot of the Super Stock feature, and led the first lap with Steve Hawkins in tow. Aaron Fields started sixth and had worked his way to third by lap five. Fields and Hawkins battled for second, as Howe worked through lapped traffic ahead of them. A gaggle of five lapped cars battled for position ahead of the leaders, allowing Hawkins and Fields to close in on Howe. Fields worked around the outside of Hawkins to take the second spot on lap 15. The caution would fly on lap 16, making it a nine lap shootout. Fields and Howe battled for the lead on the restart, with Fields trying to move under Howe for the lead. The top three cars ran nose to tail with just five laps to go. With four to go, Hawkins tried to get second from Fields, but couldn’t do it. With just two to go, Hawkins erupted in sparks, but still held third. Up front, Fields made a last lap charge and worked to the outside of Howe coming out of turn four. Howe was able to take the win just by a half a car length over Fields. Super Stock heat winners were Travis Howe, Steve Hawkins, and Travis Todd Greg Garrison led the first lap of the Hornet feature from the second starting spot, with Keegan Cox glued to his back bumper. Cox slammed into the rear of Garrison, then into the side of him in turn one, and took the lead away. Through all of that mayhem in turn one, Matt Hamilton took second from Garrison. One lap later, Cox lost his wheel and almost turned over, bringing out the caution. This gave the lead to Hamilton, with Garrison right on his tail. Luke Bland, having to start tenth, had moved to the third spot just before the halfway mark. The top three ran literally nose to tail as they moved in on a lapped car. With two laps to go, Hamilton held a car length advantage over Garrison. With one to go, Garrison tried to get Hamilton loose, but wasn’t able to shake him up. Hamilton was able to take the win over Garrison and a hard charging Bland in third. Hornet heat race winners were Jeff Patterson, Luke Bland, and Keegan Cox Next weekend will feature the USAC National Midgets for “Indiana Midget Week” along with the Non Winged Sprint Cars, and UMP Modifieds. The Super Stocks and Hornets will have the evening off.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 04:19:29 +0000
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