AMRA HEATS UP TOWARDS FINAL POINTS RUN

By Scott Wolfe

MT. ALTO, WV- The American Motor Racing Association (AMRA) is well past the halfway point of the 2010 racing season. As a result it is getting to be crunch time for the barnstorming group of weekend warriors in  both the AMRA Late Model and AMRA Modified Divisions.  Currently Chris Garnes of Evans, WV leads Andy Bond in the Late Model National Standings and Kenny Johnson, Mineral Wells, WV, narrowly leads Robert Garnes 1072 to 1037 in the Modified standings after July 9 racing.
 Rounding out the top five in the Modifieds are Vince Conrad, Brett Hamilton, and Russell Erwin, who are well within striking distance of the points' championship. All top ten runners--J.P. Roberts, Tony Garber, Jason Montgomery, and Doug Henry also still have a chance at the crown.
 In the late models, although Garnes has a huge lead, Bond, Chris Carpenter, Larry Bond and Dan Morrision are thick into the chase.  Delmas Conley, Butch McGill, Travis Brookover, Audie Swartz, Greg Oliver, and the ever-consistent Tony Roush have poised themselves for a run at the title.
 Following are some results from reporting tracks in the AMRA family:

POTOMAC SPEEDWAY, BUDD'S CREEK, MARYLAND
 Potomac Speedway is a proud member of the AMRA family and as a result some of the AMRA heavy hitters have pounding the Budd's Creek turf with Eric Erwin taking last weeks A-main.  AMRA stalwarts Tony Garber, Russell Erwin, and Dan Arnold challenged in the highly competitive battle.
HEAT-Eric Erwin,Tony Garber,Dan Arnold
Feature: Eric Erwin,Tony Garber, Russell Erwin,Dan Arnold,Tony Quade, Robbie Kramer,Renee Weeks,Lance Grady, Chris Arnold

OHIO VALLEY SPEEDWAY  Lubeck, WV

 The MALTA AMRA modified feature was run first on the program with Robbie Evans and Rod Sayre drawing the front-row starting positions. Sayre took the initial lead but was challenged by Ken Riddle for the first three laps until Riddle’s mount suffered terminal rear suspension damage, forcing him out after three laps.  Sayre went unchallenged for the lead until a lap 17 caution and restart, with most of the racing action going on behind him.  Evans, Kurt Stacy, Frankie Roush, and  Darren Roush occupied the top spots behind the leader until a flat tire on lap 15 forced Evans out.  Darren Smith, who started on the tail by request, made his way to the runner-up spot by the last caution, and provided one last challenge for the lead, but Sayre was up to the task and held on for his third OVS win of the year over Smith, Stacy (who recovered from an early caution), F. Roush, and D. Roush.  Riddle, F. Roush, and Evans won the heats for the 17-car field. 
 The late model feature was one of the most closely-contested races seen at the Valley in quite some time.  Andy Bond—from his pole position—led the first two laps before being overtaken by Ron Mayle.  Ed Shuman then passed Mayle to lead laps 7-14.  On lap 13, contact between Shuman and a car being lapped caused Shuman to spin collecting seven drivers altogether…all were running for position behind Shuman; all were able to continue with only cosmetic damage apparent to all those involved.  However, Shuman’s car developed a handling problem within two laps, causing him to fade to an 8th place finish.  Meanwhile, Mayle, Jeff Burdette, Andy Bond and Larry Bond put on the kind of race that is becoming the norm at OVS, sometimes going three-wide without touching.  A last-lap encounter with another car being lapped nearly trapped Mayle, but he was able to clear the lapped car and hold on for his first win of the season over Burdette, A. Bond, L. Bond and Roy Roush (from 14th).  Donnie Dotson, A. Bond, and Shuman won the heats for the 18-car field.

Ohio Valley Summary
MALTA AMRA MODIFIEDS:

Heat 1) Ken Riddle, Rod Sayre, Kurt Stacy, Ryan Stoops, Mike Foggin, Chad Roush
Heat 2) Frankie Roush, Darin Roush, Matthew Chenoweth, Ernie Lockhart, Mike Shepherd, Josh Tonkin
Heat 3) Robbie Evans, Don Maloney, Darren Smith, Ron Pickens, Andy Bond
Feature:  Sayre, Smith, Stacy, F. Roush, D. Roush, Shepherd, Lockhart, Chenoweth, Stoops, C. Roush, Evans, Pickens, Riddle, Foggin, Maloney, Bond, Tonkin

LATE MODELS:

Heat 1) Donnie Dotson, Tyler Carpenter, Larry Bond, Dan Talbott, Randy Gibson, Dave Hilton
Heat 2) Andy Bond, Jeff Burdette, Darrin McDonald, Shannon Evans, Denver Gibson
Heat 3) Ed Shuman, Ron Mayle, Dan Morrison, Roy Roush, George Klintworth
Feature:  Mayle, Burdette, A. Bond, L. Bond, Roush, Dotson, Morrison, Shuman, McDonald, Talbott, R. Gibson, Evans, Hilton, Klintworth, Carpenter, Gibson

TYLER COUNTY PR 07-18-10
"Bird" Wilson soars to Road Warrior Tour win.

(Middlebourne, W.V. 7-18-10); The AMRA Road Warrior Tour made it’s first and only stop at the Bullring Saturday. After 21 Modifieds had their turn at the clock, Matt Holcomb was the fastest with a time of 14.25 seconds. Dave Defibaugh, Mike McPhearson, and Mike Wilson scored the prelim honors. Defibaugh jumped to the lead when the field roared to green, but it was Wilson with the point on the first lap. Wilson, Defibaugh, Donnie Nething, McPhearson and Shawn Davis were the early top five. The race stayed green until lap eight when Steve Higgins looped the #7H in turn four. On the ensuing restart Tom Sigler went up in smoke bringing the yellow back out. The caution waved again on lap 10 when McPhearson slowed on the backchute. Wilson was still in command as the next stoppage came on lap 13 for Justin Hart who rolled to a stop in turn four. The remaining seventeen circuits were caution free as Wilson took the white flag as a war between Defibaugh and Nething went on for second. Wilson entered turn three showing a little puff of smoke, as he came through turn four a little more smoke and as he approached the flagstand the engine expired. But he had more than a comfortable lead for the win. Nething beat Defibaugh to the line. Brent Trimble from eighth and Davis were fourth and fifth.
 In the Dodd’s Sporting Goods AMRA Late Models Butch McGill shot to the lead with Robbie Scott (the two Heat winners), Jacob Hawkins, (in the Grainger Motorsports #95), Scott Irvin, and Paul Wilmoth Jr. holding the top five slots. McGill and Scott began dueling for the front spot as Scott secured it on lap three. Wilmoth, Hawkins and Irvin trailed the front duo. The race was slowed on laps three, five, and seven with yellows. On the restart on lap seven Wilmoth rocketed to second and began to pressure Scott. The remainder of the 25 lapper was caution free with Scott darting through traffic giving himself a cushion between himself and Wilmoth. Scott would record his second straight checkerboard at the ¼ mile. Wilmoth had to settle for second. Hawkins was third, and McGill fourth. Tony Roush climbed from sixteenth to finish fifth.

 This week will be the rescheduled ‘Eaton – Childers King of the Ring’ with a $5,000 check awaiting the Late Model driver able to tame to Bullring.
Tyler County Summary:
AMRA Road Warrior Challenge- Mike Wilson, Donnie Nething, Dave Defibaugh, Brent Trimble, Shawn Davis, Brian Probst, Matt Holcomb, Bret Hamilton, Phil Jeffries, Rick Venham Jr., Kenny Johnson, Joe Hamon, Robin Ours, Steve Higgins, Del Cunningham, Ted Bier, Butch Malone, Justin Hart, Mike McPhearson, Tom Sigler, Robert Garnes. Heats; Defibaugh, McPhearson, Wilson.
Fast Time; Holcomb 14.25 seconds.

Late Models; Robbie Scott, Paul Wilmoth Jr., Jacob Hawkins, Butch McGill, Tony Roush, Greg Baumberger, Bobby Hill, Steve Weigle, Scott Irvin, Billy Brown, Richard Frazier, Josh Coffman, Jeremy Misel, Nick Corbitt, Ted Dillie, P J Corbitt, Chad Todd. Heats; McGill, Scott.

Skyline Speeway Results/Stewart, Ohio
Burdette Bounces Competition/ Conrad Conquers AMRA Mods

STEWART, OHIO-A great night of racing, featuring the ARCA Truck Series stars, culminated with a classic AMRA Late Model battle won by young second generation driver K.C. Burdette. The win by Burdette breaks a string of wins by someone named Chris--either Chris Carpenter or Chris Garnes. In the AMRA Modifieds Vince Conrad brought home the big feature win.

 Late Model driver Jeff Burdette had to be proud. Both of his sons sat on the front row for the exciting 25-lap event. K.C. Burdette aboard the Freddie Carpenter C-4, numbered with a K.C. 44 for the evening's event got the jump on younger brother Colten. Colten held his own for several laps in second, but after a lap eleven caution waved for Ralph Withem, veteran Chris Garnes too over second on the restart. Garnes was up from seventh position in one of many strong charges.
 Two laps later Chris Carpenter rocketed into the mix. Carpenter was up from 11th to third, and advancement of eight positions, a drive that allowed him to share hard-charger honors with Travis Brookover up from 18th to 11th. Scott Wolfe bagged Larry Bond and Jeff Burdette for sixth after a twelfth place start. That ignited a three-way battle for fourth between Roy Roush, Colten Burdette and Wolfe. Roush finally passed Burdette on the last lap for fourth. Bub Crum and Nick Corbitt had strong runs into the top ten, while Larry and Andy Bond fought hard for seventh.
 No one however, could stop the high-flying K.C. Burdette. Garnes and Carpenter nipped at his heels, but Burdette was the class of the field on this night. Rounding out the top ten were Burdette, Garnes, Carpenter, Roy Roush, Colton Burdette, Scott Wolfe, Larry Bond, Nick Corbitt, Andy Bond, and Bub Crum.

 In the exciting AMRA Modified main, Vince Conrad led flag to flag to make it a clean sweep after the young driver also won his heat. Conrad got the jump on veteran J.P. Roberts and blasted into the lead, first holding off Roberts then the craft Doug Henry. Jeremy Blake got by Roberts on lap five and made a bid at Henry. Conrad was unshakeable as he fended off competitors for the big Skyline win. Kenny Johnson, the AMRA point leader, blitzed from 12th to fourth, but his run ended their. Frank Roush was having a great night with Darin Roush just a couple positions back in eighth. Jason Armes, in a rare Skyline appearance, made his track time worth the effort as the Belle, WV driver blitzed from 15th to sixth.
 Lots of passing took place througout the race, however, all eyes were on the top five positions. When it all panned out Conrad come home the winner ahead of Henry, Blake, Johnson and Roush. Jason Armes, J.P Roberts, Darren Roush, Toby Roush, and Curt Stacy rounded out the top ten. Armes was hard charger of the race.
 Skyline Speedway continues action next Friday night in all classes with Fan Appreciation Night. For further information visit << www.skylinespeedway.net >> or call 304-539-4410 or the track phone at 740-662-4111.

The Summary: Skyline Speedway 7 16 2010
AMRA Late Models
Fast Time: Andy Bond
Heat One: KC Burdette, Nick Corbitt, Andy Bond, Ton Roush, Justin Powell, Chadd Todd, PJ Corbitt, Joey Harper
Heat Two: Colton Burdette, Roy Roush, Bub Crum, Nick Dohm, Steve Bigley, JR Crum, Ted Dilley, Zack Dohm
Heat Three: Larry Bond, Chris Garnes, Chris Carpenter, Audie Swartz, Jarod Circle, Robert Kiser JR, Dan Morrison
Heat Four: Ralph Withem, Jeff Burdette, Scott Wolfe, Ronnie Mayle, Travis Brookover, Ernie Hoschar, Jeremy Misel
B-Main: Travis Brookover, Steve Bigley, P.J. Corbitt, Ted Dilley, Jeremy Misel, Robert Kiser JR, Jarod Circle, Dan Morrison, Chad Todd, JR Crum, Justin Powell, Joey Harper
Feature: K.C. Burdette, Chris Garnes, Chris Carpenter, Roy Roush, Colton Burdette, Scott Wolfe, Larry Bond, Nick Corbitt, Andy Bond, Bub Crum, Travis Brookover, Tony Roush, Nick Dohm, Steve Bigley, Audie Swartz, Ron Mayle, Jeff Burdette, Ralph Withem

MALTA AMRA MODIFIEDS

Heat One: Vince Conrad, Darrin Smith, Mike McPherson, Rick Venham SR, Darren Roush, Ryan Stoops
Heat Two: J.P. Roberts, Toby Roush, Curt Stacy, Frankie Roush, Chad Roush, Nick Carr, Shawn Donahue
Heat Three: Doug Henry, Jeremy Blake, Jeremy Roush, Kenny Johnson, Jason Armes, Rick Venham JR, Ryan McGrath
B-Main: Rick Venham JR, Shawn Donahue, Nick Carr, Ryan Stoops, Ryan McGrath
Feature: Vince Conrad, Doug Henry, Jeremy Blake, Kenny Johnson, Frankie Roush, Jason Armes, J.P Roberts, Darren Roush, Tobby Roush, Curt Stacy, Nick Carr, Shawn Donahue, Jeremy Roush, Darren Smith, Rick Venham Sr, Mike McPherson, Rick Venham Jr, Chad Roush