Edwards Dominants in Second Straight NASCAR Victory

Johnson hangs on for 5th straight NASCAR Championship
Written By: Matt "Night" Rider

 MIAMI, FL.- The Ford 400 at Homestead Speedway lived up to it's billing on Sunday afternoon.  Roush Fenway racer Carl Edwards (Pictured Left) gained the lead early and never looked back, scoring his second straight NASCAR victory. The story of the day was Hendrick racer Jimmie Johnson, who took the checkers in second place, en route to his fifth straight NASCAR Championship. Richard Childress Racing ace Kevin Harvick finished the day in third place, ending the Chase in third place, forty-one points behind Johnson, and just two points behind second place Joe Gibbs racer Denny Hamlin (Pictured Right). A great run for Richard Petty Enterprise racer Aric Almirola ended in a fourth place showing. Almirola's Richard Petty Enterprises teammate AJ Allmendinger nabbed a much needed top five finish.
 

Polesitter Kasey Kahne (Pictured Left) had a solid day, coming home in sixth. Kahne will go into surgery at 5:30 AM Tuesday morning to repair his knees. Stewart-Haas teammates Ryan Newman (7th) and Tony Stewart (8th) turned in solid top ten finishes. Roush-Fenway driver Matt Kenseth flirted with the top five all day, ending the season with a nineth place finish. Greg Biffle came back from early contact with Denny Hamlin to take tenth.

Hamlin's day was a battle to say the least. Early on in the race, Hamlin made incidental contact with Biffle, which results in a spin, after taking the green flag in 37th. Kevin Harvick braved a late pit road speeding penalty to take third place in both the race and the points. Hamlin took the checkers in fourteenth place.

The Championship run was not easily to say the least for Johnson (Pictured Right). Johnson battled back from slow pit stops, to take the title, his fifth straight. In comparison to other major professional sports team winning five straight titles, the Yankees and John Force come to mind. The New York Yankees won five Championships in the 1960's, and Force's marvelous run to 10 straight NHRA Championships in the 1990's. Congrats to Jimmie Johnson on his fifth NASCAR Crown. I want to congratulate both the 24 and 48 pit road crews for their will to get Johnson up front all year long. Great Job guys. I can't wait to see what next season brings.

NASCAR Results credited to:
http://www.nascar.com/races/leaderboard/cup/race/

Carl Edwards Picture credited to:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0904/cbk.final.four.celebrity.picks/content.18.html

Denny Hamlin Picture credited to:
http://stockcarracing.automotive.com/49648/scrp-0607-denny-hamlin-biography/index.html

Kasey Kahne Picture credited to:
http://rubbingsracing.com/rubbingsracingWP/2010/10/22/nscs-kasey-kahne-and-red-bull-racing-address-the-media-2/

Jimmie Johnson Picture credited to:
http://www.tailgate365.com/nascar/2009/12/jimmie-johnson-named-ap-athlete-of-the-year/

Special Night of Recognition for Miami County Speedway

Peru native Braiden Black among 2010 track champions
Written By: Matt "Night" Rider
Photos By: Fred Patton(www.fredericsphoto.com)

PERU, IN.- On Saturday, November 20th, the VFW Building was the sight of the 2010 Awards Banquet for the Miami County Speedway. MCS crowned five new track champions in five different classes (Junior, Restrictor, Wing, Non Wing, and Senior), as well as recognizing it's track officials. Hardware for the Rookie of the Year was also awarded.

After a big dinner of ham and/or chicken and noodles, it was time to give out all the awards. First off was the recognition for the many track officials. Track officials being recognized included the Watts family (Eric, Mary Jo, Krista (Pictured Left), and Elizabeth), Kevin Ping, track officials (Ricky, Kelvin, EMS workers Wayne and John), announcer Rob, Fred Patton, John Wiedeman, and me (track reporter) was presented a certificate of recognition, along with a very nice winter jacket with the Miami County Speedway logo on the left side and the worker's name on the right side.

The program shifted to recognizing the track sponsors this year. Track sponsors being recognized for 2010 included;  Red Dot Trophys, Miami County Trucking, Thrifty Muffler, Bretzman, Finer Details, Maximum Power Sports (formerly Max Pitts), Drew Olsen Graphics, Brandt's Harley-Davidson, Kokomo Honda, OSR Bikes & Motors, Gamester Racing Products (GRP Chassis), Hyper Racing, Wooten Power, Southside Sales, Patio Furniture Enterprises, Factor One Racing, C&D Racing, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Kokomo (Indiana).

 After announcing the business sponsors for 2010, the program moved into the top tens for each of the five different classes of micro sprint racing this season. First up was the Junior Class. Taking tenth place honors was Devan Myers. Nineth went to Kiara Abbott, while Jacob Kernel ended the season in eighth. Seventh went to Kiara's bigger brother Stanley Abbott, while Jerrod Van Ness walked away with sixth. Kameron Butcher ended the season in fifth, while Jacob Bigger came home fourth. A pair of Denver natives finished second in third in the Junior points. Justin Harper ended the year in third, while second place honors went to Seth Ireland. Kokomo, IN. racer Kayaleb Bolton (Pictured Right) is your new 2010 Miami County Speedway Track Champion for the Junior Class.

After his big night, Bolton said, "My season was awesome. I'm happy to win the Junior Class Track Championship this year."

Bolton would like to thank his Mom and Dad, Ryan Kline, his Uncle Jimmy, Moser Automotive, Al Parigen (Parigen Engines), his Ma and Pa Bolton, Mama and Papa Joyce, Miami County Speedway and Tim McKey for all their support this season.

 Next up to be awarded was the top ten finishers in the very tough Restrictor Class. Gavin Taylor came home tenth, while Andrew Smith finished the year in nineth. Lauren Longbrake ended up eighth, while Dalton Walker took seventh. Barbie Kimmel walked away with sixth, while fifth went to Deavan Bolton. Cole Angle was fourth, while third belonged to Shelby Larson. Zach Shepler ended the year in second. Peru native Braiden Black (Pictured Left) was crowned as your 2010 Track Champion in the Restictor Class.

"We had a great season. It feels awesome to take home the Track Championship in the Restrictor Class this year," Black said.

"I would like to thank George and Tammy Gamester (GRP Chassis, my Dad (Todd Black) and my Mom (Michelle Black) and everyone that helped me this sesaon. I would also like to thank my girlfriend Katie Milroy," Black continued.

The Senior Class Top Ten followed the Restrictor Class. Finishing tenth in the Senior Class in 2010 was Tony Carlson, while Wesley Bigger finished nineth. Eighth went to Gary Miller, while Bob Baker ended the year in seventh. Joe Taylor came home sixth, while Clarance Hoch came home fifth. Greg Baer ended the season in fourth, while third went to Bruce Bretzman, while Mike Stahl took second place honors. Your new 2010 Miami County Speedway Track Champion for the Senior Class was Flora, IN. racer Cory Angle (Pictured Right).

After taking home the first Senior Class Track Championship at Miami County Speedway, Angle said, "My season went pretty good. My boy (Cole) never flipped. We had a pretty good season."

"I would like to than my Dad (Ed). My Dad also was the crew chief. I would also like to than my sister (Carla Tetralua), along with my sponsor Singletree Trucking Transportation for all their help this season. One more person I would like to than is Cole's friend Dylan Cromer for helping us in the pits."

The Wing Class was the fourth of the five classes to be recognized. Taking tenth place this season in the Wing Class was Joe Taylor. Sam Kimmel raced his way to a nineth place finish. Randy Shilling ended the year in eighth, while seventh went to Chris Smith. Tyler Courtney came home in fifth, while fourth belonged to Austin Mead. Ben Taylor took third place honors, while second went to Bob Bourff. Your new 2010 Miami County Speedway Track Champion in the Wing Class is Kokomo racer Logan Jarrett (Pictured Left).

"We had a pretty good season. This is my first Track Championship," Jarrett explained.

"I would like to thank all my sponsors, as well as my Mom and Dad, and Sister for all their support this season," said Jarrett.

The fifth and final class to be recognized was the Non-Wing Class. Aaron Davis ended the year in tenth, while Kris Knox took home nineth. Eighth place went to Sam Kimmel, while Zeke Lewis raced his way to seventh. Tyler Courtney ended the year in sixth, while Ben Taylor took home fifth. Brandon Rose came home third, while Laine Hite raced his way to second. Your new 2010 Miami County Speedway Track Champion in the Non-Wing Class is North Manchester, IN. native Jordan Lambert (Pictured Right).

After his big night, Lambert said, "We had a pretty successful season. I think we won six Non-Wing features this season."

"I would like to thank my Dad (Steve Lambert) and my Mom (Linda Lambert), Schrader Auto Parts, Ridge Company NAPA, and KC Hughes," Lambert continued.

Following the five class trophy presentions (Upper Center), it was time for the Rookie of the Year awards to be handed out. The first of the five Rookie of the Year awards went to Denver, IN. native Seth Ireland in the Junior Class. The Restrictor Rookie of the Year was next, and that went to Dalton Walker. There was no Rookie of the Year award handed out for the Senior Class, because they were all adults and this was the first full year racing for the class at Miami County Speedway. The Rookie of the Year in the Wing Class went to Randy Shilling, while Jordan Sterling brought home the Rookie of the Year in the Non-Wing Class.

The awards portion of the night ended with the presentation of the Max Lambert Sportsmanship Award. Brothers Austin and Chase Mead were both awarded the Max Lambert Sportsmanship Award. The voting for the award resulted in a tie for both the Mead brothers.

There will be no big changes to Miami County Speedway for next season. "We poured fifty more loads of dirt on the track two weeks ago," MCS Track Co-Owner Norm Bailey said.

"We added the fencing a week ago. Everything else should be the same as last year," Bailey explained.

 "The season went well. We would like to thank the racers, car owners, track staff, and fans for a great 2010," Bailey continued.

All in all it was very special night of recognition for all of Miami County Speedway. I would like to thank all the drivers, their fans, all the track officials, and fans for a great 2010. I would also like to thank my friend and Miami County Speedway Track Photographer Fred Patton for always supplying Through The Gears with awesome pictures throughout the year. I will be back at Miami County Speedway reporting all the action for my race column Through The Gears. I want to thank all the readers that take time to read Through The Gears. I can't wait to return to Miami County Speedway in 2010.

Edwards Sweeps Weekend at Phoenix

Johnson, Harvick dodge bullet, inch closer to Hamlin
Written By: Matt "Night" Rider

PHOENIX, AZ.- Roush-Fenway racer Carl Edwards (Pictured Left) became only the three NASCAR driver to sweep the weekend's races at Phoenix Raceway. Stewart-Haas driver and South Bend, IN. native Ryan Newman came home second, while third belonged to Joey Logano. Greg Biffle stayed around the front all day, to end the race in fourth, while Hendrick racer Jimmie Johnson limped home in fifth, after going eighty-nine laps on the final mileage run to the finish.

Richard Childress racer Kevin Harvick fought his way to a sixth place finish, after qualifying back in 29th for Sunday's race. Seventh went to Matt Kenseth, while Mark Martin took the checkers in eighth place. Penske racer Kurt Busch ended the race in nineth, while Jamie McMurray hung on to finish tenth.

NASCAR Championship points leader Denny Hamlin (Pictured Right) finished the race in 12th place after leading a big chunk of the race before Edwards took the lead with about 60 laps to go. Hamlin led a total of 118 laps to gain the ten extra points for most laps led, but made a late green flag pit stop on lap 298. After the green flag pit stop, Hamlin found himself in 19th. Hamlin clawed his way back finish 12th.

Hamlin holds a fifteen point advantage of four-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson (Pictured Left), heading into the final race (Ford 300) at Homestead Raceway next Sunday, November 20th. Tune into ESPN on Sunday, November 20th for the final race of the NASCAR Championship Chase this coming Sunday afternoon from Homestead Raceway.

Next up for Through The Gears coverage will be live coverage of the 2010 Miami County Speedway Awards Banquet this Saturday, November 20th. Tune into Through The Gears this coming Saturday for all the coverage from the banquet! 

NASCAR (Phoenix Raceway) Results credited to:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2010/35/data/results_unofficial.html
NASCAR 2010 Schedule credited to:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/
Carl Edwards Picture credited to:
http://fantasyracingcheatsheet.com/nascar-draft-kit/driver/rankings/carl-edwards/19
Denny Hamlin Picture credited to:
http://peopleatnascar.com/category/drivers

Edwards Wins Again at Phoenix

Whitt finishes 15th in NNS debut
Written By: Matt "Night" Rider

PHOENIX, AZ.- Roush-Fenway racer Carl Edwards (Pictured Left) broke free from the pack and never looked back, leading 153 laps en route to another Nationwide win at Phoenix Raceway this afternoon. Kevin Harvick drove his way through the field to earn second place honors, while third went to race polesitter Joey Logano. This year's Nationwide Champion Brad Keselowski used pit strategy early in the race to gain track position. Keselowski ended the day in fourth. Reed Sorenson raced up front for most of the day, taking home fifth.

Aric Almirola got up front early on, and slipped back to sixth. Colin Braun raced his way to seventh, while eighth went to the fast Penske ride of Justin Allgaier. Allgaier has one more race remaining for Penske Racing, before he heads to Turner Motorsports next season. Another Roush-Fenway driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. put together a solid race to take the checkers in nineth, while Steven Wallace rounded out the top ten finishers Saturday afternooon.

Alpine, CA. native Cole Whitt (Pictured Right) qualified 23rd for his first Nationwide race at Phoenix. Whitt was impressive in his Nationwide debut for Red Bull Racing, taking the checkers in 15th place. Look for Cole Whitt to be a top contender in the NASCAR Nationwide Series very soon. Congrats once again to Cole Whitt on a great day in Phoenix.

More racing action from Phoenix Raceway can be seen tomorrow at 3:30 Eastern time, when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hits the Phoenix short track. It's the 9th race of the Chase. Check it out tomorrow on ESPN at 3:30 PM Eastern time.

Nationwide Race Results credited to:
http://www.nascar.com/nationwideseries/leaderboard/race/
Carl Edwards Picture credited to:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/389096-carl-edwards-leads-nationwide-practice-from-darlington-raceway
Cole Whitt Picture credited to:
http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/features/08/05/future.star.cwhitt/index.html

Hamlin Takes A Wild One at Texas

Hamlin is new points leader after Texas victory
Written By: Matt "Night" Rider

FORT WORTH, TX.- Joe Gibbs racer Denny Hamlin (Pictured Left) passed Roush-Fenway racer Matt Kenseth to seel up a big victory at Texas Motor Speedway earlier this afternoon. After the big win, Hamlin holds a thirty-three point advantage over Hendrick driver Jimmie Johnson, and a fifty-ninety point lead over third place Childress racer Kevin Harvick.

Hamlin had a solid day, staying up front despite the downfalls of his Gibbs teammate Kyle Busch. Busch spun out then used an inappropriate hand gesture to relay how he felt to NASCAR officials. NASCAR called Busch to his pits for a two lap penalty. This penalty set Busch back for the remainder of the day.

On the seventh caution flag (Lap 192), the action turned into a free for all between title contenders Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon (Pictured Right). After Martin Truex Jr. brought out the caution flag, Burton crashed hard into the side of Gordan's DuPont Chevy. The damage was done, as far as the race cars were concerned. After the pile up, a very upset Gordan confronted Burton. The two had an altercation, which the safety officials finally got under control. Then they were both taken into the ambulence for observation. It was another frustrating day for Burton. This time he collected Gordan in the maylay.

Johnson's crew chief Chad Knaus (Pictured Left) made the careful decision to replace the 48 crew with his Hendrick teammate the 24 pit crew for the remainder of the race. Personally, I think is a stupid move. A pit crew may make a few bad pit stops, but a pit crew chief should never replace his original pit crew with another pit crew team. I think it was a bad call by Knaus that ultimately costed the 48 team, as well as Johnson the Championship points lead.

In the late stages of the race, Hamlin had too much for Johnson and Harvick to handle. Hamlin took the checkered flag, while Harvick finished the day with a solid sixth place finish. Johnson was a little off on the restarts and came home nineth. Hamlin carries the Championship lead into the nineth race of the Championship Series (Kobalt Tools 500)  next Sunday, November 14th at Phoenix Raceway.

Race Results credited to:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2010/34/data/results_unofficial.html
Points Standing credited to:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2010/data/standings_unofficial.html
Schedule credited to:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/
Denny Hamlin picture credited to:
http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/headlines/cup/04/19/dhamlin.wins.texas.1/index.html
Jeff Gordan picture credited to:
http://www.seattlepi.com/motorsports/3010ap_car_nascar_gordon_burton_fight.html
Chad Knaus picture credited to:
http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/columns/story?columnist=blount_terry&id=4375301

Keselowski Comes Through at Texas

First NASCAR Championship for Penske, Whitt makes big debut in Phoenix
Written By: Matt "Night" Rider

FORT WORTH, TX.- It was a great day to be a Nascar fan. Carl Edwards walked away with a big win in Nationwide competition today, while his former bitter rival Brad Keselowski (Pictured Left) locked up his first Nationwide Championship with a solid third place finish. This was a big day for not only Keselowki and his family, but also for his car owner Roger Penske. The long-time Indy Car owner now has his first Nascar Championship as a car owner.

Kyle Busch held off a hard-charging Keselowski, finishing the day in second place. Busch won the Camping World Truck race at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night. Now the Nationwide Series looks to Phoenix Raceway. A new face will be waiting for the Nationwide racers when they get to Phoenix next Saturday, November 13th.

Alpine, CA. racer Cole Whitt (Pictured Right) is set to make his debut for Red Bull Racing. Whitt is currently fourth in the K&N East Series po with an average finish of 10.2 for Red Bull Racing. Whitt has made 10 starts in the K&N East Series, with three second place finishes at South Boston Speedway, Lime Rock Speedway, and Gresham Speedway. Before racing in the K&N East Series, Whitt raced for Red Bull in for the National Sprint Car Series (USAC). He is the 2009 Kokomo Speedway (Kokomo, IN.) Track Champion. Look for Whitt to make a big debut in his first race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series next Saturday, November 13th at Phoenix Raceway.


Results credited to:
http://nationwide.nascar.com/nationwide-series/races/2010/results-unofficial/33

Cole Whitt stats credited to:
http://www.colewhitt.com/Latest-News/2010-knpse-season-in-review.html

Pictures credited to:
http://www.cbssports.com/autoracing/story/14251703/keselowski-notches-nationwide-title-at-texas-edwards-wins-race
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://hometracks.nascar.com/files/imagecache/driver_image_big/2010_NKNPS_East_profile_2_Whitt.jpg&imgrefurl=http://hometracks.nascar.com/drivers/nknps_east/cole_whitt&usg=__sYhAQyDf0HK0ofdHrwTwXhUBOsA=&h=550&w=700&sz=56&hl=en&start=14&sig2=I9vCl3nFjG59szbM_l13tQ&zoom=1&tbnid=_c2XrAjEZq4FCM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=165&ei=deHVTIKCEtXNngfM0oS6CQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcole%2Bwhitt%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D1024%26bih%3D587%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C345&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=255&oei=buHVTIyCJZeanAfvzpSwBQ&esq=2&page=2&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:14&tx=94&ty=81&biw=1024&bih=587

One Night to Remember at MCS

 Bourff battles through nasty flip to win the Sr. A-Main
Written By: Matt "Night" Rider
Photos By: Fred Patton (www.fredericsphoto.com)

PERU, IN.- Threatening skies cleared way to a very fast, action-packed micro sprint racing, last night at Miami County Speedway. Crowds of people came to help celebrate Fan Appreciation Night, sponsored by Brandt's Harley-Davidson on Saturday. All proceeds from Saturday night went to the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana.

Drivers came into the grandstand to collect donations, and greet the crowd of spectators. It was an awesome scene at the Miami County Speedway. In all, MCS raised $1, 024.00 for the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana. Drivers collected $806.00 from fans during intermisson, while MCS donated it's portion ($218.00) to the cause. 

"I'm so proud of our community, drivers, and fans for coming out and supporting the Ronald McDonald House," said MCS Co-Owner Julie Bailey. "We had a lot donated, and we want to thank everyone."

After the intermission concluded, it was time for micro sprint racing. The only B-Main of the night in the Wing Class was won by Brian Busz. Second went to Sharpsville, IN. racer Bob Bourff. Kylee Brown, Sam Kimmel, and Austin Mead closed out the top five that transferred into the Wing A-Main.

The A-Mains began in the Junior Class. Kokomo, IN. native Kayaleb Bolton (Pictured Left) took his fourth straight checkered flag, his nineth win this season.

Delphi, IN. racer Kaleb Kinsler ran second, while third went to Kokomo, IN. native Kameron Butcher. Denver, IN. racer Seth Ireland came home fourth, while Jered Van Ness took fifth.

Next up was the Wing Class feature. The Front Row Challenge came calling, but Pole-sitter Brandon Williams nor Ben Taylor took the offer. The Challenge pot is up to $420 , and will head over to the Non Wing Class next weekend.

Logansport's Chris Smith (#54 Pictured Right) raced his way to the Wing Class feature victory on Saturday night. After the win, Smith said, "This win has been a long time coming."

Indianapolis, IN. racer Tyler Courtney finished in second, with third going to Bloomington, IN. native Tyler Flynn. Kokomo, IN. native Logan Jarrett followed Flynn in fourth, while fifth went to Sharpsville's Bob Bourff.

Mentone, IN. racer Barbie Kimmel (Pictured Left) found victory lane in Saturday's Restrictor Class A-Main. "I'm so happy my Grandma could be here to watch me race tonight. This win was for my Grandma," Kimmel said.

Warsaw, IN. native Zach Shepler continued his good A-Main finishes in second. Jacob Eberly took the checkers in third. Fourth went to Deaven Bolton, while Gavin Taylor grabbed the fifth spot in Saturday's Restrictor A-Main.

The Senior A-Main followed the Restrictor feature on Saturday night. I want to take a little time before I tell you about the Senior A-Main. Sharpsville, IN. racer Bob Bourff (Pictured Right, #97)  won the 25 lap Senior A-Main on Saturday night.

Bourff came back after he flipped hard on the front stretch in the second Senior Class heat. After the crash, the medical staff got the car, and flipped it over. Then Bourff got out, with an injured knee. Let me tell you that I saw a racer on Saturday night. I thought Bourff was done racing for the night, but he surprised me.

"My crew chief Jason Wilson and my Dad Dave Bourff put the car back together," Bourff said after the hard fought night. 

Keep in mind that Bourff also raced in the twelve lap Wing B-Main, where he got second to be able to advance into the Wing A-Main. In the Wing A-Main, Bourff raced his way to fifth.  Then Bourff jumped back in his Senior Class micro sprint that he flipped, and drove from the back to win the twenty-five lap Senior A-Main. That takes a lot of heart from Bourff. I have never seen a driver come back from an injury like that, but I have to give major credit to Bourff and his entire crew for not throwing in the towel.

After a very hard fought Senior A-Main victory, Bourff said, "I thought I would never have a chance of winning."

"Being able to get the Senior A-Main with a tore up car wasn't bad," Bourff said.

Cory Angle ended his night in second place, while third went to Joe Taylor. Greg Baer came home fourth, while Clancey Hoch rounded out the top five finishers in Saturday's Senior Class finale.

There was another awesome finish in Saturday's Non Wing feature. Indianapolis, IN. native Tyler Courtney (Pictured Left) barely beat North Manchester, IN. racer Jordon Lambert to take Saturday's Non Wing feature win.

"I was on the outside. I hit the gas coming out of Turn 4, hoping that it would work, and it did," Courtney explained.

 
"It feels pretty awesome winning tonight. It's been awhile, since I've been in victory lane, here at Miami County Speedway," Courtney added.

Amboy, IN. native Laine Hite took third, while Barbie Kimmel ended her night in fourth. Delphi, IN. racer Matt Johnson closed out the top five finishers in Saturday's Non Wing A-Main.

Miami County Speedway will resume micro sprint racing this Saturday, September 25th. This will be the final points night for drivers and classes.

Awesome Night of Racing at MCS

Written By: Matt "Night" Rider
Photos By: Fred Patton (www.fredericsphoto.com)

PERU, IN.- Yes, I missed last night's Nascar race at Richmond, but I covered some awesome micro sprint racing at the Miami County Speedway on Saturday night. For the second time this year, the Rumble Series roared into Miami County Speedway. Ninety-six cars braved the rain, to come race last night.

In the Junior Class A-Main, Kokomo, IN. racer Kayaleb Bolton (Pictured Left) led from green flag to checkers, for another impressive Junior A-Main win. Following his victory, Bolton said, "It was awesome to win again. The track was good. I would like to thank Ryan Kline, my Uncle Jimmy, Ma and Pa Bolton, Parigen Engines, and Mouser Automotive." Another Kokomo, IN. racer Kameron Butcher finished second. Jered Van Ness took the checkers in third.

Peru, IN. native Brandon Rose (Pictured Right #67) won Saturday's Nonwing A-Main. "It feels like a big weight off my shoulders," Rose said. "The track was good all night. I want to thank Rick Haley and Kevin Rose for their support." Joe Leek came home second, while North Manchester, IN. racer finished third.

Sharpsville racer Shelby Larson (Pictured Left #74) held off a hard-charging Zach Shepler to win her second consecutive Restrictor A-Main feature. "It feels great. It feels better than my first win. I would like to thank my sponsors: White's Meat Market, Advanced Auto Parts, JML Electric, Golden Corral, and Steel Dynamics Inc. for all their support," Larson said. Peru, IN. native Braiden Black rounded out the top three finishers in Saturday's Restrictor feature.

Francesville, IN. racer Jeremy Glasford (Pictured Right) won the twenty lap Senior A-Main on Saturday night. After the big win, Glasford said, "I'm just excited to come out and race on September 11th. I want people to remember the soldiers overseas, and the families that lost loved ones in the September 11th attacks. I also want to thank my sponsors: Fratco and Cash-N-Go of Rochester, IN." Delphi, IN. native Rob Johnson took the checkers right behind Glasford in second, while Gary Miller finished third.

The fifth and final Wing feature was won by Sharpsville, IN. native Bob Bourff (Pictured Left). "I had to work for that one. It was a tough win tonight. I would like to thank AJ Atherton for his great Afro by Benic shocks," Bourff said. Remington, IN. racer Sara Elrod took second place honors, while third went to Kokomo, IN. native Logan Jarrett.

Next weekend will be a special one for Miami County Speedway. On Saturday (September 18th), MCS will be hosting it's Fan Appreciation Night. Everyone will get in free of charge for grandstand seating. Bring your pop can tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House. The sponsor, Brandt's Harley Davidson of Wabash, IN. will have a poker run, with donations going to the Ronald McDonald House. It will be a lot of fun micro sprint racing action next Saturday, September 18th at Miami County Speedway.

Amazing Memorial Day Weekend at MCS

Great weekend for Bolton and Bourff, Special feature wins for Hughes, Larson, and Shepler

Written By: Matt "Night" Rider

 Photos By: Fred Patton

 MCS Logo credited to: http://www.pacechassis.com/contactlinks.html  

                                                            Herron/Lambert Memorial 

Saturday, September 4, 2010

PERU, IN. - Right off the bat, I want to say that this is going to be a different style of writing. I've been blessed to be able to write and cover racing, so from now on I'm going to add more details to my race stories. 

On Saturday (September 4th), the Miami County Speedway hosted the Herron/Lambert Memorial, kicking off the first of a two night racing series this weekend. One hundred and two micro sprints showed up to ace on Saturday night, some traveling as far as Jackson, Michigan. It is really awesome to see racers from other states come race at Miami County Speedway. 

  

On Saturday night, the Non wing class raced two B-Mains. Winning the first Non wing B-Main was Aaron Davis. Jacob Melvin finished second, while Amboy, IN. native Laine Hite finished third. Mentone, IN. racer Sam Kimmel took the checkered flag in the second Non wing B-Main. Kimmel was followed by Chris Smith in second and Braxton Hanft in third. The lone B-Main for the Wing Class was won by John DeGood. Kokomo, IN. racer Logan Jarrett raced his way to second, while third belonged to Kendallville, IN. native Joe Taylor.

The A-Main features started with the Junior Class. Kokomo, IN. racer Kayaleb Bolton (Pictured Left) won the first of his two feature victories in the Juniors. After the victory, Bolton said, "It felt awesome to win tonight." Kameron Butcher took second place honors, while Jered Van Ness raced his way to third. Denver, IN. racers Justin Harper and Seth Ireland rounded out the top five finishers in Saturday night's Junior A-Main. 

The Non wing feature was next. On Saturday night, the Non wing class drew the Front Row Challenge. Polesitter Logan Jarrett and second place starter Zeke Lewis both declined the Challenge, taking moving the pot to $360 for Sunday night's Wing A-Main. 

Lewis (Pictured Right) held off a hard-charging Jarrett to win Saturday night's Non wing A-Main. After the hard fought race, Lewis said, "It feels pretty awesome to win tonight. The track was good around the top. My motor likes to run the top." Delphi, IN. racer Matt Johnson raced his way to third. 

Next up in the program was the Restrictor A-Main. Warsaw, IN. native Zach Shepler (Pictured Left) held on for the exciting Restrictor feature win on Saturday night. After the big win, Shepler said , "It felt really good to win tonight. This is my first feature win. It felt great." Peru, IN. racer Braiden Black came away with a hard fought second place finish. Craig Swartz, Cole Angle, and Barbie Kimmel raced their ways to top five finishes in Saturday night's Restrictor A-Main.  

Sharpsville, IN. racer Bob Bourff (Pictured Right) won the first of two straight Senior Class features on Saturday night. After the race, Bourff said, "It was pretty good to win tonight. This is my 117th career feature win." Tony Carlson took the checkers in second place, while third went to Gary Miller. Mike Stahl raced his way to fourth, while Peru, IN. native Bruce Bretzman took fifth in Saturday night's Senior A-Main.  

Remington, IN. racer Sara Elrod won the fifth and finale feature on Saturday night in the Wing Class. After the win, Elrod said, "It felt great to win tonight." Kokomo, IN. native Chris Smith came home second, while Kokomo, IN. racer Logan Jarrett ended his night in third.    

 Spectacular Night of Racing at MCS

 Sunday, September 5, 2010

PERU, IN.- The action-packed micro sprint racing returned to Miami County Speedway on Sunday night. This was seriously one of the most amazing nights of racing, that I've covered at MCS. The Junior Class took the wings off for the night. Eighty-two micro sprints showed up to race on Sunday night. The Hard Chargers from the Herron/ Lambert Memorial on Saturday night were Kameron Butcher, Barbie Kimmel and her brother Sam Kimmel, Chris Smith, Cory Angle, Matt Johnson, and Randy Shilling. Each of the Hard Chargers received $50.00.

Kokomo, IN. racer Kayaleb Bolton (Pictured Left) won his second straight Junior Class feature of the weekend. About the win, Bolton said, "It felt awesome to win both Junior features this weekend." Kokomo, IN. racer Jered Van Ness came home with a hard fought second place showing. Denver, IN. natives Seth Ireland and Justin Harper took third and fourth place. Jacob Moore rounded out the top five finishers in Sunday night's Junior A-Main. 

Next up was the Wing A-Main. Polesitter Bob Bourff and second place starter Austin Mead declined the Front Row Challenge. The Challenge pot is now at $380.00 for next weekend's race. Bourff (Pictured Right #67) went on to win the Wing feature on Sunday night. At one point, I wrote in my race notes, that Bourff was racing like a man possessed. Columbia City, IN. racer Blaine Culp took second place, while third belonged to Saturday night's Wing A-Main winner Sara Elrod. Kokomo, IN. native Logan Jarrett raced his way to a hard fought fourth place finish. Fifth place went to Kokomo, IN. racer Chris Smith. 

Shelby Larson (Pictured Left) made her first trip to victory lane, by winning Sunday night's Restrictor feature. After the exciting win, Larson said, "It felt great to win. This is my first feature win. I screamed, I was so excited. I didn't know what to do. This is awesome." Saturday night's Restrictor A-Main winner Zach Shepler raced his way to finish second. Craig Swartz ended the night in third. 

Bourff (Pictured Right) won his second straight Senior Class feature on Sunday night. After winning two features, Bourff said, "It felt awesome to double up (winning two features in one night) tonight. It doesn't happen very often. The two feature wins gave me a total of 119 career features." Tom Corcoran finished second, while Peru, IN. racer Bruce Bretzman took the checkers in third place. 

The final feature of the weekend was the Non wing feature. This is the one feature that really put a cap on one heck of a special night of racing at MCS. Peru, IN. native KC Hughes (Pictured Right) made his long awaited trip to victory lane, winning Sunday night's Non wing feature. After the special win, Hughes took a few minutes to reflect upon what just happened. "I can't really describe it. It's been about two years since I've won a feature. I didn't think I was gonna get another win. George Gamester builds one hell of a race car," Hughes said. North Manchester, IN. racer Jordon Lambert came home second, while Peru, IN. native Brandon Rose raced his way to a hard fought third place finish.

I want to take a second to say that I saw the true heart of a racer on Sunday night. Other racers came up to Hughes to congratulate him on his big win. I would also like to send my congrats to KC Hughes, his family , and the entire Gamester Racing Products crew. I also want  to send my congrats to all of the first time feature winners, as well as all the feature winners from this past weekend's races. I want to thank all of the track officials, drivers, and their families for letting me cover the racing each weekend. It really excites me to see the future of racing at Miami County Speedway.

Exciting Saturday Night at MCS

 Van Ness, Jarrett return to victory lane

Written By: Matt "Night" Rider
Photos By: Fred Patton (www.fredericsphoto.com)
Ronald McDonald House Logo: http://www.rmhc-neo.org/gallery/RMH-Stacked-Logo-Blk-Red.jpg

PERU, IN.- The Miami County Speedway returned to action by hosting an exciting Saturday night of micro sprint racing action. All five classes (Junior, Non Wing, Wing, Restrictor, and Senior) put on a great show for the fans.

Kokomo, IN. racer Jered Van Ness (Pictured Left) won his third straight Junior feature. After the win, Van Ness said, "It felt good to win my third straight race tonight." Kokomo, IN. native Kayaleb Bolton finished right behind Van Ness in second place. Third went to Denver, IN. racer Justin Harper. Denver, IN. native Seth Ireland raced his way to fourth, while Kokomo, IN. native Kameron Butcher rounded out the top five finishers in the Junior feature. 

 Kokomo, IN. racer Logan Jarrett (Pictured Right) raced his way to another impressive feature win in Saturday night's Wing feature. "It felt great to win tonight. This is my fourth feature win at Miami County Speedway in recent weekends. I can't thank my Mom and Dad enough for all their support," Jarrett said. Taylor Courtney took the checkers in second place. His brother Tyler Courtney finished in third, while Chris Smith raced his way to fourth. Kris Knox rounded out the top five finishers in the Wing feature.

Amboy, IN. racer Laine Hite (Pictured Left) won a fast-paced Non Wing feature from the pole position. After getting the big win, Hite said, "It felt good to win tonight. This is my first feature win at Miami County Speedway this season." Kokomo, IN. native Chris Smith finished second, while third went to Kokomo, IN. racer Logan Jarrett. Camden, IN. native Chris Miller came home with a hard fought fourth place showing. Fifth went to Kris Knox. 

Pierceton, IN. racer Brent Busz (Pictured Right) took the checkered flag winning the Restrictor feature. "It felt awesome to win tonight. I haven't won at this track in a long time. It feels awesome," Busz said. Shelby Larson raced her way to a hard fought second place finish. Third belonged to Cole Angle, while Craig Swartz took fourth. Gavin Taylor ended the night in fifth.

 Peru, IN. native Bruce Bretzman (Pictured Left) came home with a big victory in the Senior finale. After the big win, Bretzman said, "It felt great to win tonight. This is my first feature win of my career. It's a lot of hard work, but this feels great." Bob Bourff finished right behind Bretzman in second place. Cory Kennel ended his night in third, while fourth went to John DeGood. Mike Stahl rounded out the top five Senior finishers.

 Next weekend is a special weekend for the Miami County Speedway. Miami County Speedway will be racing not one but two night (Saturday and Sunday) September 4th and 5th. On Saturday, September 4th, Miami County Speedway is hosting the Lambert/Herron Memorial Race. The Lambert/Herron Memorial Race on Saturday night will also include the regular program of Juniors, Restrictors, Seniors, Non Wings, and Wing Classes. On Sunday, September 5th, the Miami County Speedway will host it's action-packed regular program. Special note for racers on Sunday, September 5th, the Junior Class will be running non wing. Come out and join the fun this coming weekend at the Miami County Speedway. Admission is $5.00 a person with children 12 years old and under getting in for free. 

 A special reminder for race fans to put down on your calendars. On Saturday, September 18th, the Miami County Speedway will be hosting it's Fan Appreciation Night sponsored by Brandt's Harley Davidson of Wabash. The general admission will be FREE to all race fans on Saturday, September 18th. There will also be a Poker Run with all proceeds to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana. All the classes will also be racing for an additional $50.00 to win. For more information on the upcoming racing events and times, please visit the official website for Miami County Speedway at http://miamicountyspeedway.com/. Come out and join in the fun at Miami County Speedway! I'll be there will you?

Van Ness Victorious in the Junior Special

Jarrett wins second straight Wing feature

Written By: Matt "Night" Rider
 Photos By: Fred Patton (www.fredericsphoto.com)

PERU, IN.- Kokomo, IN. racer Jered Van Ness (Pictured Left) won the Junior Special this past Saturday night at the Miami County Speedway. After the big win, Van Ness said, "It felt great to win the Junior Special tonight. I'd like to thank my Dad and Papa for their support." Denver, IN. native Seth Ireland raced his way to second in the Junior Special. "It feels pretty good to get second in the Junior Special," Ireland said. Kokomo, IN. racer Kameron Butcher finished third in the Junior Special. "It felt good to get third in the Junior Special," Butcher said.

North Manchester, IN. native Jordan Lambert (Pictured Right) won the Non Wing feature on Saturday night. "It felt good to win tonight. My Dad put together one heck of a car tonight," Lambert said. Peru, IN. racer Brandon Rose took second place honors, while third went to Jacob Moore. Amboy, IN. native Laine Hite took fourth, while Zeke Lewis raced his way to fifth in Saturday night's Non Wing feature.

Peru, IN. racer Braiden Black (Pictured Left) came away with a hard fought win in Saturday night's Restrictor feature. After the win, Black said, "It felt good to win tonight." Zach Shepler put together a solid run to finish second. Shelby Larsen hung around the top three to finish in third. Fourth went to Mentone, IN. native Barbie Kimmel, while Jacob Melvin rounded out the top five in Saturday night's Restrictor feature.

Kokomo, IN. native Logan Jarrett (Pictured Right) won his second straight feature in the Wing Class on Saturday night. After the victory, Jarrett said, "Winning two in a row is crazy. I can't thank my Mom, Dad, and all my sponsors enough for all that they've done." Kendallville, IN. native Joe Taylor raced his way to second. Third went to Kris Knox, while Randy Shilling took the checkers in fourth.

The last feature of the night was the Senior Class feature. Robert Parrish (Pictured Left) won the Senior Class feature on Saturday night. Mike Stahl finished second, while third went to Jeff Weideman.

 Miami County Speedway will not be racing next Saturday, August 21st, but they will return to action on Saturday, August 28th. Come out and enjoy some action-packed micro sprint racing at the Miami County Speedway. I will be there, will you?