Top Guns at Winston Motor Speedway Lead the Way

Friday, August 4, 2006
Top Guns at Winston Motor Speedway Lead the Way

The divisional points leaders at Winston Motor Speedway showed why they are at the top of the standings on Friday August 4th. Four out of the six divisions saw drivers who entered the night at the top of the standings take the main event win for their respective class. This combined with one of the fan favorites making her way to victory lane and it proved to be another great night of racing.

Twenty-two Late Model started the Main event, but when the dust settled the same driver continues to make his way to the front. Point’s leader Kevin Nelson started in the sixth position, by lap three he was in the lead. By lap five Nelson was already lapping cars. Only a late caution saw his lead challenged. On the final restart with three laps to go ironically it would be his son Kevin Nelson Jr trying to take away his celebration in victory lane. Nelson Jr had started sixteenth and proved that he was not going to make it easy on his father. On the final start Nelson went to the high groove and Nelson Jr went low. Nelson began to pull away. Nelson Jr was suddenly in a battle for second. Tom Dusen had used the high groove all night to make his way from sixth and challenge for the runner-up spot. On the final lap Dusen completed the pass along the front stretch to grab the second spot. Tom Sprague Jr and Dean Huizenga rounded out the top five. The win for Nelson was his eighth of the season and secured his spot at the top of the point standings. Heat race winners were Tim Stott, Brain McQueen and Dusen. Rich Neiser took Dash race honors. Josh Slade was the fastest in Time Trails.

Andy Sprague dominated for eighteen of the twenty lap Michigan Modified feature. With only two laps remaining a caution was the last thing he wanted to see. Unfortunately a spin by a lapped car brought out the yellow and placed divisional points leader Mike Wilbern on his rear bumper. On the final start Wilbern made his way inside Sprague and his way to victory lane for the seventh time this season. Rich Neiser, Tim Tuttle and Nate Bostrom completed the top five. Heat race wins were garnered by Neiser and Wilbern. Sprague swept the Dash and Qualifying events.

Sportsman driver Greg Smith continued his quest for his fifth consecutive Sportsman championship. Starting in the fourth position the present Points leader and Fast Qualifier of the night made his way to the lead on lap three and never looked back. The win was the tenth of the season for Smith. The battle for second was won by Rob Sternberg over Mike Lynn. Mike Anderson and Bud Steinman rounded out the top five. Steinman and Chad Weinrick were Heat Race winners. Mike Peterson won the Dash event.

At less than five feet tall and weighing less than 100 pounds you would never guess that Sadie Klien was a racecar driver. Entering the tenth grade at Oakridge High School this fall she will be trading her driving suit for a cheerleading uniform. Don’t let the petite ness and cheerleader looks fool you. Starting on the outside of the front row she left no doubt in anyone’s mind she can drive. Klien led every lap to take her second feature win of the season. Mike Epplett held of a hard charging Tony Weinrick for second. Jerry Fairchild and Nathan Walton completed the top five. Stan Dodds and Walton won Heat races. Weinrick took Dash event honors. The fastest in Time Trials was Jerry Fairchild.

In the Mini Stock division Zak Rounds made a pass for the lead on lap three and never looked back. The win was Rounds second of the season. Mark Farber, Brad Bates and Carl McCann completed the rundown. McCann won the Heat race. Bates won the Dash event and Farber was the fastest in Qualifying.

Young Gun Driver Blake Meyering won the Feature, Heat and Dash events. Meyering's eleventh Feature win continued his dominance and padded his Points lead. Kiley Kennedy, Adam Spencer, Jordon Praay, and Eric Harrald rounded out the field. Kennedy was the fastest in Time Trials.

Next Friday August 11th kicks off a run of season championship races. The Sportsman and Young Gun divisions take center stage. Will anyone be able to knock Sportsman driver Greg Smith or Young Gun driver Blake Meyering off their winning pedestals? For the best in Family Entertainment along the Lakeshore make your way to Winston Motor Speedway.