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Gibson, Bass take victories at Desoto Speedway
By SCOTT LOCKWOOD
Desoto Speedway
Kenny Gibson and Sean Bass outlasted the competition - and the sweltering
heat - to take victories in the main events on an action-packed night at
Desoto Speedway on Saturday.
Gibson and Jeff Firestine, who set the third and fastest times in
qualifying respectively, started 10th and 12th in the 21-car field after a
12-car inversion. The pair wasted no time charging to the front of the
field and were both in the top five by the time the caution flew for Joe
Gerard's fire on lap seven.
After a rash of caution flags and a restart on lap 17, Firestine went from
fifth to first by passing Gibson and then with a dramatic three-wide pass
of early leader Travis Barfield and Mike Rowland. He was pulling away from
the field when a debris caution flew on lap 24.
James Nanney used a series of cautions and restarts to work his way up to
second place. He spent several laps on Firestine's rear bumper before
losing a little ground to the leader. Firestine was starting to catch the
back of the field when a rear tire flew off Danny Daniels' car right in
front of the leaders to bring out another caution.
Nanney was in position to challenge Firestine for the lead in the final
laps before nearly spinning off turn four. Nanney's misfortune moved Gibson
up to second behind Firestine, who crossed the line first for an apparent
victory. However, Firestine's car failed post-race technical inspection,
which handed the victory to Gibson - his first win of the season in the
Street Stocks.
Danny Caylor recovered from a mid-race spin to finish second, while
Rowland, who nearly spun and lost several spots after battling for the lead
early, rounded out the podium. Barfield and Pete Close completed the top
five in the seventy five lap, Summer Sizzler, Take Aim gun Range Street Stocks.
The Desoto-Auburndale Sportsman Series (DASS) was also on hand for
Sportsman Madness 50, the last race for the class before their 200-lap Fall
Brawl next month. Colin Allman and Patrick Thomas were battling for the
lead on the seventh lap when they got together coming out of turn two.
Thomas made hard contact with the outside wall, and several other cars –
including Earl Beckner and Mike Smith – were collected in the melee.
Beckner, who was running third at the time of the accident, was able to
continue with very little damage and assumed the lead with fast-qualifier
Sean Bass in the runner-up spot. Bass needed just five laps to get by
Beckner for the top spot and quickly set sail from the rest of the field.
His lead was evaporated when the caution flew just past the halfway point
for Josh Borem's spin.
Bass looked like he was on cruise control out front when another caution
for Roger Welch's blown engine bunched up the field again with 10 laps to
go. During the caution, Beckner went into the pits a flat tire and lost his
chance at a win.
The final restart allowed Jason Vail and George Gorham one final shot at
Bass for the lead, but Bass easily fought the pair off and drove away for
the win. Vail held off Gorham for second, while Tom Zimmerman and Bruce
Bennett rounded out the top five.
In other action Saturday night, Aaron Holmes passed Bobby Mobley for the
lead for the final time on lap 18 and went on to his first Bomber win at
Desoto Speedway; Blaine Baer went through the middle on a three-wide pass
on the first lap and went on to win the 25-lap LKQ Pick-Your-Part Pure
Stock feature; Darrin Ellis won the 20-lap Pep Boys Speed Shop Modified
Mini Stock feature; and Johnny Marra won the 25-lap Mini Stock feature.
Racing action returns to Desoto Speedway on July 30 with the Sunoco
Challenge Series Super Late Model, Desoto Pro Trucks, Pure Stocks, Street
Stocks, Modified Mini Stocks, Mini Stocks and Bombers.
By SCOTT LOCKWOOD
Desoto Speedway
Kenny Gibson and Sean Bass outlasted the competition - and the sweltering
heat - to take victories in the main events on an action-packed night at
Desoto Speedway on Saturday.
Gibson and Jeff Firestine, who set the third and fastest times in
qualifying respectively, started 10th and 12th in the 21-car field after a
12-car inversion. The pair wasted no time charging to the front of the
field and were both in the top five by the time the caution flew for Joe
Gerard's fire on lap seven.
After a rash of caution flags and a restart on lap 17, Firestine went from
fifth to first by passing Gibson and then with a dramatic three-wide pass
of early leader Travis Barfield and Mike Rowland. He was pulling away from
the field when a debris caution flew on lap 24.
James Nanney used a series of cautions and restarts to work his way up to
second place. He spent several laps on Firestine's rear bumper before
losing a little ground to the leader. Firestine was starting to catch the
back of the field when a rear tire flew off Danny Daniels' car right in
front of the leaders to bring out another caution.
Nanney was in position to challenge Firestine for the lead in the final
laps before nearly spinning off turn four. Nanney's misfortune moved Gibson
up to second behind Firestine, who crossed the line first for an apparent
victory. However, Firestine's car failed post-race technical inspection,
which handed the victory to Gibson - his first win of the season in the
Street Stocks.
Danny Caylor recovered from a mid-race spin to finish second, while
Rowland, who nearly spun and lost several spots after battling for the lead
early, rounded out the podium. Barfield and Pete Close completed the top
five in the seventy five lap, Summer Sizzler, Take Aim gun Range Street Stocks.
The Desoto-Auburndale Sportsman Series (DASS) was also on hand for
Sportsman Madness 50, the last race for the class before their 200-lap Fall
Brawl next month. Colin Allman and Patrick Thomas were battling for the
lead on the seventh lap when they got together coming out of turn two.
Thomas made hard contact with the outside wall, and several other cars –
including Earl Beckner and Mike Smith – were collected in the melee.
Beckner, who was running third at the time of the accident, was able to
continue with very little damage and assumed the lead with fast-qualifier
Sean Bass in the runner-up spot. Bass needed just five laps to get by
Beckner for the top spot and quickly set sail from the rest of the field.
His lead was evaporated when the caution flew just past the halfway point
for Josh Borem's spin.
Bass looked like he was on cruise control out front when another caution
for Roger Welch's blown engine bunched up the field again with 10 laps to
go. During the caution, Beckner went into the pits a flat tire and lost his
chance at a win.
The final restart allowed Jason Vail and George Gorham one final shot at
Bass for the lead, but Bass easily fought the pair off and drove away for
the win. Vail held off Gorham for second, while Tom Zimmerman and Bruce
Bennett rounded out the top five.
In other action Saturday night, Aaron Holmes passed Bobby Mobley for the
lead for the final time on lap 18 and went on to his first Bomber win at
Desoto Speedway; Blaine Baer went through the middle on a three-wide pass
on the first lap and went on to win the 25-lap LKQ Pick-Your-Part Pure
Stock feature; Darrin Ellis won the 20-lap Pep Boys Speed Shop Modified
Mini Stock feature; and Johnny Marra won the 25-lap Mini Stock feature.
Racing action returns to Desoto Speedway on July 30 with the Sunoco
Challenge Series Super Late Model, Desoto Pro Trucks, Pure Stocks, Street
Stocks, Modified Mini Stocks, Mini Stocks and Bombers.
Attached Files