In a traditional event billed as the Ike Moler Memorial Tuneup event it was $1500 on the line for the winner of the 30 lap late model feature event on July 31 at Moler Raceway Park.
In heat race action it was Mark Frazier of Chillicothe winning heat race number one while Clarksville’s John Whitney would outdual Chris Shannon of Bethel and Devin Gilpin of Columbus, IN to win heat race number two. In the feature event it was Frazier to the lead in turn number one but Whitney would quickly work to the top spot before completing the first lap.
Frazier,Gilpin, and Chad Stapleton would stage a great battle for the second spot but once the leaders got to lapped traffic, Whitney was able to put some distance on the pack and pull away to his second feature win of the season at MRP in his Stephan’s Heating and Cooling, Tom and Jerri Adams sponsored Swartz chassis. Gilpin would come home second with Frazier, Stapleton, and Shannon completing the top five spots.
The Tarvin Auto Service Freedom 4 division would take to the track next and at the start it was polesitter Dustyn Fisher having some problems and dropping back to fifth position. Sean Jones would go from his outside pole position to the lead with Eric Weaver and Joey Wykoff in close pursuit.
Wykoff would get past Weaver for second position on lap five but it appeared as if he had nothing for Jones out front. A caution with three laps to go allowed Wykoff to close the gap and get a good restart on Jones. Wykoff was able to take the lead on lap 13 and go on to win his first ever feature event at MRP in his Liberty Collision Center, Spade Motorsports sponsored machine. Jones would come home in second position with Kyle Tarvin, Weaver, and Frank King rounding out the top five.
Matt’s Graphics UMP Modifieds were up next and in the heat races it was Devin Gilpin taking a narrow win in heat number one over Boog Verdon while it was Jimmy Lennex, Jr. winning heat race number two in runaway fashion.
In the feature event it was Gilpin to the lead in his Impressive Chassis, Mike Shell Race Engines, Vallery Chevy sponsored machine at the drop of the green flag. Despite numerous early cautions slowing things it was Gilpin out front with Lennex in second spot throughout. Lap 16 made things interesting as Gilpin would have some noticable mechanical issues but keep the car out front while Lennex would pull out of the race pushing Adam Stricker up to second spot. Gilpin was able to hold on and claim his sixth feature win of the season at MRP in the modified division and his 26th feature win of the season in the open wheel division. Stricker would come home in second spot with Colin Green, Larry Pickelheimer Jr, and Patrick Alcorn coming home in top five positions.
The Diamond Cut Lawn Care Sport Mod division would see 11 machines take to the track and in the closest finish of the night would see the defending track champion Andy Trout take his third feature win of the season by a matter of inches over Tony Seibert at the line. The Seip’s Carquest Auto Parts, Jones Farm, Elizanda Lumber, Diamond Cut Lawn Care sponsored machine was also victorious in heat race number one. Burt Crawford would come home in the third spot with Daryl Phelps and David Latham completing the top five spots. AJ Ganino was the winner of heat race number two while Casey Phelps won the Diamond Cut Lawn Care Dash.
The final division on the night would see 16 DRC Crazy Compacts take the green flag and a great battle up front between heat race winners Willie Butler and Blake Gibson would see the top six cars race side by side often running three wide as a group.
Butler would lead the first three laps but Gibson would take the lead in lap four with heavy pressure from Kevin Stamper and Bubba Gibson. By the midpoint of the race it was Blake Gibson and Bubba Gibson running first and second. At the end they would stay that way as Blake Gibson would park his Bill’s Auto Service, Pines Mobile Home Village, Brewer Auto Body sponsored machine in victory lane. Bubba Gibson would come home second while Stamper, Jason Borgenmenke, and Brandon Stephens would complete the top five spots. Brandon Stephens won the Diamond Cut Lawn Care Dash.
Moler Raceway Park will be closed Aug. 7 and return on Aug. 14 with the Victor “Ike” Moler Memorial with Late Models paying $3000 to win and $300 to start, plus Crazy Compacts and UMP Modifieds (No Sports or Freedom 4’s).
Visit www.molerracewaypark.com or www.speednetdirect.com for complete results and www.youtube.com/molerracewaypark for videos of the night’s action.
