Tyler County Speedway
April 7, 2012
_______________________________________

Garnes takes career first win at Tyler County Speedway

by Jeff Yost
MIDDLEBOURNE, WV (April 7) - Another good crowd and nearly full pit area of over 125 cars braved even cooler temperatures from the second night of door to door racing at Tyler County. Also special guest Bobby Dale Earnhardt, grandson of Dale Earnhardt Sr. was visiting and told the crowd that he plans on racing in the Super Late Models at the Middlebourne facility this year. “I better bring my A game to race with these guys” The young Earnhardt was excited to get started at the Bullring in the coming weeks.

In the Wagon Wheel Bar and Grill Super Late Models Chris Garnes, Butch McGill, and Jacob Hawkins notched heat honors as Sonny Conley snared the consey. The feature began as Hawkins, McGill and Garnes roared three around the ¼ mile. At the stripe McGill was in command. Hawkins was second Garnes, Donnie Dotson and Derek Doll were the top five. Garnes pressured Hawkins and took the spot on lap 11. McGill was still showing the way, but Garnes began to chip away at the cushion McGill had built. Darting in and out of traffic the front duo were nose to tail. With just five circuits to go Garnes made his move and motored around McGill for the lead. Garnes in the Tri Valley Builders sponsored #42 then drove away to collect his first career victory at Tyler County. McGill, Hawkins, Freddie Carpenter and Dotson crossed second through fifth.

After one jump start from outside pole setter Chad Green, Kyle Thomas outdragged Brandon McGrady to the front in the United Rental Industrial Division Edge tracing League Late Model finale. Thomas would hold the spot wire to wire for the W G Motorsports first checker board of the season. McGrady held off a late chrge from Danny Thomas for second, Derek Rogers, and Green filled out the top five.

The 2 Brothers Motorsports TSMA Modifieds received the green flag and pole setter Matt Holcomb, and outside pole Roy Roush raced door to door for the first five go rounds. Holcomb in the Holcomb Racing / Coyote Race Cars #11 would secure the position and would never be challenged. With a fierce battle developing behind the leaders, Mark Dickson, Brandon Barnhart Tyler Carpenter, Kenny Johnson, Travis Dickson then later Mike Wilson dueled for the spots. Yellows slowed action on laps 11, 14, 15 16 and 17. When the checkers fell Holcomb was alll alone out front with Carpenter, Johnson, M. Dickson and Wilson finishing second through fifth.

The highlighted division was the Bridgeport Equipment and Tool TSMA Modifieds as their class sponsor had representatives in attendance. Travis Thomas would take the lead at the outset and withstood the yellow fever marred event to capture his first win of the season. As the time limit reached it’s end Thomas placed the Sigler Fabrication / J W Morgan Construction #18 in victory circle. Codi Eaton, Devin Verardi, Steve West, and Kenny Isner rounded out the top five. During the feature first timer Cody Bragwell slammed the turn one and two guard rail sending him barrel rolling. Luckily Cody was unhurt.

Tracy Fritter, Kenny Meadows and Brandon Fluharty fought hammer and tong for the front slot in the Herrington – Yoak Mod Lite finale. Fritter held the point at the drop of the green, but Meadows and Fluharty dogged him circuit after circuit. Fluharty got around Meadows and tracked Fritter down. Fluharty snared the spot with five go rounds remaining. With two laps to go Fluharty’s engine let go handing the lead back to Fritter.

Fritter driving the Extreme Motorsports #29S fended off Meadows for the victory. Steve Weekley, Jamie Watson and Mitch Ward finished the top five.

Donnie Wamsley was the first repeat winner of the young season as he took the Custom Engraving Eco Flyer 4 Cylinder feature. Wamsley bested Billy Bunnell, Josh Fulks, Samantha Frazier and Rickie Wright.

In the first feature of the MWRA Mini Wedges, Taking his second checkerboard of the year Brandon Weigle crossed the stripe ahead of Trey Watson, Wesley Baker, Georgie Tennett, and Jordan Doty. In the second feature Jackson Jacobs collected his career first as he out ran Tiffany Jackson, Hayden Jacobs, Buckwheat Wright and Jacob Ice. Trophies were sponsored by, Tyler Riggs and Scott Irvin.

This week is the Bullring Bailout BOGO Night (Buy 1 Get 1 One)

Every 38th fan receives a TCS Stimulus Package and the 1040th Fan through the gate receives a free night in the VIP Suite! So Bring the kids, Bring a friend, Bring a friends kid as it’s so much fun so close to home! Plus Kids Club Candy Scramble!

Late Models (30); Chris Garnes, Butch McGill, Jacob Hawkins, Freddie Carpenter, Donnie Dotson, Derek Doll, Doug Dodd, Steve Weigle, Corey Conley, Sonny Conley, Tyler Carpenter, Nick Corbitt, Dusty Hamrick, Paul Wilmopth Jr., Mike Basich, Jim Quaigg, Scott Irvin, Tracie Sampson. Heats; Garnes, McGill, Hawkins. Consey; S. Conley. DNQ; Jeremy Misel, Ed Shuman, Doug Wriston Jr., Joel Prosser, Darren Roush, Chris Parks, Norm Weaver, David Gibson Jr., Marshall Wiblim, Joey Harper.

Edge Late Models (21); Kyle Thomas, Brandon McGrady, Danny Thomas, Derek Rogers, Chad Green, Charles Daugherty, Daniel Hill, Shawn Jett, Jeff Fornash, Greg Hicks, Michael Griffin, Joel Prosser, C J Johnson, Lincoln Campbell, Melvin Ferguson, Mike Thorne, Eric Glover, Kenny Harris, Brian Baumberger, John Watson. Heats; McGrady, Green, Rogers. DNQ; Bill Shaffer.

Modified (25); Matt Holcomb, Tyler Carpenter, Kenny Johnson, Mark Dickson, Mike Wilson, Jess Hartman, Brandon Barnhart, Chris Basich, Roy Roush, Donnie Nething, Tommy Powell, Travis Dickson, Shawn Donahue, Robbie Scott, Bruce Takack, Tom Sigler, Kurt Burge, Rick Venham. Heat; Holcomb, Roush, M. Dickson. Consey; Powell. DNQ; Justin Sinnett, Junior Payne, Cody Henthorn, Cody Rogers, Gerald Deitch, Mark Deitch, Kenny Harris.

Hot Mods (19); Travis Thomas, Codi Eaton, Devin Verardi, Steve West, Kenny Isner, Mike Lauer, Mike Conkle, Rod Nething, Lindsey Smarr, Stevi Magyar, Bill Wilson, Chris Thomas, Levi Flesher, David Kile, Curtis Watson, Chris Ice, Cody Bragwell. Heats; Thomas, Ice. DNS; Jennifer Martin, Anastasia Jones.

Mod Lite (18); Tracy Fritter, Kenny Meadows, Steve Weekley, Jamie Watson, Mitch Ward, Matt Ward, Mike Herrington, Jim Ruckman, Aaron Deitch, Anthony Cavicchia, Troy Collins, Daniel Eddy, Brandon Fluharty, Tyler Riggs, Josh Baldwin, Brian Herrington, Bill Thorla. Heats; Fritter, Meadows. DNS; Ryan Baker.

4 Cylinder (15); Donnie Wamsley, Billy Bunnell, Josh Fulks, Samantha Frazier, Rickie Wright, Jason Frazier, Frank Jones, Keith Leek, David Bunnell, Mike Harter, Zack Jones. DNS; Bill Doll, John Carter.