Nelson, Smith and Guinn on a Roll at Winston Motor Speedway

Friday, May 5th 2006

Nelson, Smith and Guinn on a Roll at Winston Motor Speedway

Winston Motor Speedway fans were treated to some great two and three wide racing on Friday, May 5th. Mother Nature provided cool temperatures but the fans did not mind, as the racing action was fast and furious. Before the end of the night three drivers were three time feature winners on the season and three drivers were first time feature winners on the season.Kevin Nelson is six inches away from winning every feature race of the season in the Late Models. Nelson’s second place finish last week is his only kink in his racing armor at Winston Motor Speedway. Fast Qualifier Tim Stott’s inversion draw placed Nelson on the outside pole. Nelson went unchallenged leading every lap and pulling away from the field. The battle for second was entertaining as it seemed Rich Neiser and Tom Dusen swapped positions on every lap. At the flagstand Nesier edged Dusen for the runner-up spot. Matt Pickard and Rob Taylor completed the top five. Heat Races were won by Larry Passenier and Nelson. Dusen was the Dash event winner.

The Michigan Modifieds were paced early in their event by Fast Qualifier John McCaul. Mike Wilburn made an inside pass of McCaul to grab the lead on lap nine. A caution for Matt Sprague clipping the turn one wall one lap later put him on the wrecker hook and saw McCaul head to the pits for repair unrelated to Sprague’s demise. On the restart it was clear who the fastest car on the track was. Starting in the eighth position youngster Nate Bostrom was getting grip on the bottom line and picking off cars one by one. By lap sixteen of the twenty-lap event Bostrom had cleared the rest of the field and made a pass in turn three of leader Wilburn. Bostrom then began to pull away to pick up his first win of the season. Wilburn settled for second. McCaul made his way all the way back from the rear to finish third ahead of Rich Neiser and Derek Poland. Winners of the Heat Races were Julie Taylor and McCaul. Dash event honors went to Poland.

For seventeen laps Mike Welch looked like he was going to win his first event of the season in the Sportsman division. Welch was all alone out front as Mike Lynn and Greg Smith were in a heated battle for second. With five laps to go Smith finally cleared Lynn and set his sights on Welch. Smith’s car seemed to get better while Welch’s car seemed to slow. With two laps to go Smith made his way by Welch coming out of turn two grabbing the point. It would be Smith’s third feature win of the early season. Lynn also was able to make his way by Welch on the final lap to capture second. Welch, Chad Weinrick, and Mike Anderson rounded out the top five. Jamie Gilmore and Welch were heat race winners. Smith swept the Dash and Time Trial events.

The Bomber Division continues to be one to the most balanced classes. In four weeks there have been four different winners. This week Stan Dodds was the man of the hour as he held of the hard charges of Keith Chrysler and Nate Walton. Sadie Klien and Bob Shirk completed the top five. Fifteen-year-old Justin Gilmore picked up his first checkered flag of his career in the first Heat Race while Dodds won the second Heat Race event. Klien was the Dash event winner. Tim Jeffries was the Fastest in Time Trials but saw his motor sour as he went by the flagstand ending his racing evening.

Mini Stock Driver Jared Guinn became the third driver of the evening to pick up feature win number three on the season. Guinn used a great restart after a caution to pass two cars heading into turn one early in the race to take the lead and never look back. Mark Farber, Carl McCann, Stephen Thebo and Tom Guy rounded out the top five. Zak Rounds was the Heat Race winner. Guinn won the Dash event and Farber was the Quick Qualifier.Young Gun driver Tyler Wagner held off a hard charging Blake Meyering to pick up his first feature win on the season. Sisters Kiley and Desiree Kennedy were third and fourth. Eric Harrald completed the top five. Kiley Kennedy won the Heat race. Wagner won the Dash event. Meyering was the fastest in Time Trials.

Winston Motor Speedway will have the Great Lakes Outlaw Modified series on hand Friday May 12th along with a five of its regular racing divisions. The Michigan Modifieds will have the night off. For the Best in Family Entertainment along the Lakeshore make your way to Winston Motor Speedway.