POSTED 6-1-09 HIGHLAND RIM SPEEDWAY RACE RECAP

Highland Rim Speedway Race Recap May 30, 2009 – Highland Rim Speedway closed out May with some great racing action in all eight classes! A caution riddled Rim Runner race started the night’s action. Kevin Figeuroa split it up the middle making it three wide on the start to snatch the lead. Paul Lambert didn’t make it easy on him. The pair ran wheel to wheel for several laps before Lambert completed the pass for the top spot. A lap later, Figeuroa, Donold Webb and Bevin Wilson crossed up in turn four. All three were able to continue but the crash gave Lambert a break. On the restart, Lambert shot out over the rest of the pack, leaving them to shake it out among them. Second place finisher, Philip Bilyeu had a good race going with Steven Hobock for most of the race until Hobock bounced off the wall in turn two, allowing Webb to take 3rd place. With just three laps to go, Adam Felts’ engine let go, but he was still able to limp around to a fifth place finish. Toby Tobitt walked the dog in the Challenger Class. Toby stretched out into the lead with the wave of the green flag and never looked back. Tobitt, Jamie VanEtten and Billy Schaffer broke out into their own three car race pulling away from the pack. Just past the halfway point of the race, mechanical problems forced VanEtten’s night to end too soon. Tobitt and Schaffer circled the track, gobbling up asphalt, putting every other car down at least one lap by the time the checkers flew. Tobitt was victorious followed by Schaffer. Christopher Zentz came away third with Kenny Newsom taking the fourth spot. Austin Beatty survived an early race spin to finish fifth. The Front Wheel Drive Modified race came all the way down to the wire. Chris Allen took the lead on lap one with Joey Williams all over him for the spot. A restart following a spin on lap two allowed David Hummel to pull up on Williams. The duo had a hard race going for the second spot before they tangled going into turn two. Williams slammed the wall hard ending his night. The rest of the 15 car field did an excellent job of missing Williams’ car as it sat crossways across the track. A couple laps later, Hummel got squirrelly coming out of turn four and almost had it straightened back up but the 08 car of Jared Eidson caught him sending him around. On the restart, Scott Conner made his move on Allen for the top spot. Conner looked under Allen on lap nine but wasn’t able to complete the pass. Two laps later, Conner took the lead but only for a lap. Caution flew for a spin with just two laps to go. On the restart, Allen dove under Conner to try and take his lead back. The pair ran wheel to wheel for the final two laps with Allen stretching it out by a fender over Conner at the wire! Allen’s teammate, Scott Allen came home third with Jerry Nuckols and Benjamin Pulley rounding out the top five. Chuck Adkins won his second Pro Truck feature of the year holding off Zach Evans. Adkins took the lead from Buddy Williams on lap two and checked out on the field. Evans tried to run down Adkins, but it wasn’t meant to be. Evans rolled in second. Ryan Arms took the third spot. Williams slid home fourth. Matt Spurlock had a rough night, coming in for some pit work before the green flag ever flew. Spurlock was posted as fifth place finisher. The checkers flew for Daniel Barnes in the Super Stock feature. Barnes pulled under Roger Birdsong, Jr. on lap seven to take over the lead. Birdsong made Barnes work for it for a couple laps before he could complete the pass. With Barnes in the lead, he opened up some track over Birdsong as Josh Hood moved in to challenges Birdsong. Caution on lap 14 gave Hood a break. On the restart, Hood stuck right with Barnes. Hood gave Barnes a bit of a love tap as they rocketed down the back stretch. Both competitors nearly looped it but were able to straighten it back up. Another car wasn’t so lucky bringing out the final caution. Barnes held the lead on the restart with Birdsong right in his tire tracks. At the line, Barnes had the win just a car length over Birdsong. Charlie Briley was third. Tink Jackson and Willie Coats were fourth and fifth respectively. The Sportsman feature saw a first time winner – Chris Willard. Willard inherited the lead from Thomas Pannell when his car died on lap seven at the start finish line. Willard had a strong lead, holding off birthday boy, Johnathan Wilhite. Wilhite kept the heat turned up on Willard. Caution at the midway point of the race for debris bunched the field back up. On the restart, Brice Crabtree got a little loose allowing Willard and Wilhite to pull away. The lead got erased in the closing laps when Crabtree looped it going into turn one. Johnathan Dishman had no where to go and slid into Crabtree. Both were able to continue on. Willard charged out front to take home the trophy. Whilhite, Ezell and Dishman fought it out finishing second, third and fourth respectively. Crabtree coasted home fifth. Less than a fender decided the Late Model feature. Davey Coble grabbed the lead early in the race with Bobby Terry and Mike Barrett nose to tail behind him. The top three pulled out like a freight train in their own three car race. Barrett dove under Terry on lap ten for second. Just five laps later, Barrett got a bit out of shape but was able to gather it back up without loosing the spot. Coble looked like it would be his trophy. But with thee to go, Barrett made his move running the final laps door to door with Coble. At the stripe, Barrett had the advantage by less than a fender! Terry faded at the end but wound up third. Ricky Patton took fourth with James Willard in fifth place. The Taxi Division winner was not the first person to the line. Eugene Anderson lead early in the race with William Newton on his bumper. Terry Swift used the old chrome horn and split the two stealing the lead on lap five. Swift checked out on the pack until a spin brought the pack back together. Tink Jackson used the restart to make a run on Swift. Both push out front as Newton , Tim Bork, and Michael Maynard battle for third. Maynard makes it three wide on the back stretch to the high side to take the position. Swift was first to the line four car lengths ahead of Jackson . Maynard held off Newton to cross the line third. But in post race inspections both Swift and Maynard were found with rules violations. Jackson was proclaimed winner with Newton taking the second spot. Michael Womack finished third. Fourth place was Charles Pruett while Jason Ladd came away with the fifth spot. Racing continues next weekend at the Rim with racing in seven classes for nearly 200 laps of high banked racing excitement! And as an added bonus, anyone in Springfield (37172) can get into the grandstands absolutely FREE!! Just come show your drivers license with a Springfield zip code and get in for FREE! Make plans now to see what’s new at the Rim! Grandstand Admission is $10, Youth 6-12 is $5, Children 5 & Under are free with a paid adult. Pit Admission is $25. Racing starts at 6:00 pm. Pit gates open at 1:00 pm, grandstands at 3:00 pm. Qualifying at 4:00 pm. Highland Rim Speedway is a high banked 1/3 mile asphalt track competing weekly from March through October. For more information check the website www.highlandrim.com. Tammy Kelly Highland Rim Speedway