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Jackson, Moff winners on Desoto's opening night
By SCOTT LOCKWOOD
Desoto Speedway
A contingent of some of the state’s top drivers helped usher in a new season with an exciting night of racing before a big crowd on Saturday Night at Desoto Speedway.
Ander Jackson started on the pole and led the early stages of the Sunshine State Challenge Series Street Stock feature. Jackson, Danny Caylor and Kenny Gibson wasted no time in pulling away from the rest of the field in the early stages of the race. As the leaders weaved their way through lapped traffic, Caylor went through the middle of Jackson and a lapped car to get the lead on lap 11.
Less than a lap after the lead change Garrett Thompson spun coming out of the second turn and collected Jason Bartram in the incident. Gibson dove through the grass to miss the accident and made it through unscathed. Gibson got by Jackson for second on the restart and just before the caution flew again for Mike Rowland’s blown engine. He and Caylor would race side-by-side for the top spot on the ensuing restart, with Gibson assuming the top spot on a debris caution on lap 17.
Gibson spent the next 10 laps up front with Caylor directly in tow. Caylor got by Gibson on the outside on lap 32 and the pair caught the lapped car of Tom Potts in turn three. Gibson dove inside of Potts coming into turn one, but got into Caylor and forced both lead cars to spin. Gibson admitted fault for the incident by tapping his roof, which allowed Caylor to keep the top spot instead of being sent to the rear of the field. Caylor paced the field until smoke appeared from his car with five laps to go. That allowed Jackson to pounce from third to first, and he would go on to the victory. Donnie Powers finished second, while Caylor limped home in third place. James Nanney and Bobby Huffstutler rounded out the top five.
The Sunshine State Challenge Series Open Wheel Modifieds brought 16 cars to Desoto’s high banks. LB Skaggs lead a three-car battle with Doug Moff and Greg Krom in the opening laps. Moff spent several laps on Skaggs’ bumper and finally took the top spot on lap 17.
As Moff set sail, Skaggs and Krom battled for the runner-up spot. Krom got by Skaggs just before a caution flew on lap 33. Richie Smith got by Krom with seven laps to go, but was unable to mount a challenge on Moff in the closing laps. Krom, Eric Rudd and Bobby Baldwin rounded out the top five.
A strong field of cars were on hand for the Round Daddy Robert and Daryl Smith Memorial 30-lap non-wing sprint car feature. Heat race winner Mickey Kempgens jumped into the lead at the start of the race and was challenged almost immediately by Shane Butler. Butler bided his time and got by on the outside just before the caution flew for Johnny Gilbertson’s stalled car on lap nine.
Butler held the top spot over Kempgens until the leaders caught a group of lapped cars with about 10 laps to go. Kempgens used one of the lapped cars as a pick to retake the lead and was pulling away when Butler spun a lap later in turn one.
Kempgens drove away from the rest of the field after the restart and cruised to the victory. Clayton Donaldson finished second and Matthew Hall, who won the night’s other heat race, finished third.
In the 25-lap modified mini feature, Dave Davis grabbed the lead at the green flag and was quickly joined at the front of the field by Mike Kerrivan. The duo raced side-by-side for several laps before Kerrivan emerged with the top spot on the eighth lap. Kerrivan and Davis followed each other nose-to-tail through lapped traffic in the middle stages of the race, but Kerrivan pulled away over the final few laps for the victory. Davis was the only other car to finish on the lead lap.
In other action Saturday night, Ren Wright Jr. came from the back of the field to win the Mini Stock feature.
Desoto Speedway will be in action again next Saturday night with the Southern Sprint Car Shootout Series, Sportsman, Mini Stocks, TQ Midgets and Bombers.
Photo: Rick Anges interviews sprint car legend Jack Hewitt during tonight's intermission
1-21-2017
DESOTO SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS
Sprints
1. 68 Mickey Kempkipkins
2. 9 Clayton Donaldson
3. 87 Mathew Haall
4. 22x Darrin Miller
5,4 Travis blimister
6. 8 Kurt Taylor
7. 15 Troy Thompson
8. Wendy Mathis
9. 18 Shane Butler
10 4x Jimmie Miltner
11 17 Todd Donaldson
12 22 Johnny Gilbertson
Open Wheel Modified
1. 46 Doug Moff
2. 42 Richie Smith
3.45 Greg Krom
4. 12 Eric Ruddby Baldwin
6, 1 Roger Blevin
7. 71 L.B. Skaggs
8. 23 Todd Brown
9. 09 Don Skaggs
10. 0 Troy Robinson
11. 75 Bobby Blake
12. 5 Kendall Anderson
13. 44 Michael Lawhorn
14. 33 Chris Allen
15. 29 Bobby Mobley
16. 14 Don Skaggs
Street Stock
1. 91 Ander Jackson
2. 4p Danny Powers
3. 3 Danny Caylor
4. 6 James Nanny
5. 07 Jeff Prescott
6. 74 Bobby Huffstetler
7. 11 Travis Barfield
8. 41 Steven Osteen
9. . 23 Kenny Gibson
10. 71 Darrin Ellis
11. 57 Garrett Thompson
Mod Mini
1. 45 Mike Karrivan
2. 6 Dave Davis
3.58 Cody Coffman
477d Dav[d Myers Jr.
5. 89 Josh Smith
6. 9 Scott Bumgarner
7. 2 Jimmie Wood
8 . 92 David Myers sr.
9. 77R Rachelle Rudolph
Mini Stock
1. 008 Ren Wright jr;
2. 55 Ken Lararsh
3. 001 Adam Larsh
4 83 Justin Ryan
5. 007 Matt Owens
By SCOTT LOCKWOOD
Desoto Speedway
A contingent of some of the state’s top drivers helped usher in a new season with an exciting night of racing before a big crowd on Saturday Night at Desoto Speedway.
Ander Jackson started on the pole and led the early stages of the Sunshine State Challenge Series Street Stock feature. Jackson, Danny Caylor and Kenny Gibson wasted no time in pulling away from the rest of the field in the early stages of the race. As the leaders weaved their way through lapped traffic, Caylor went through the middle of Jackson and a lapped car to get the lead on lap 11.
Less than a lap after the lead change Garrett Thompson spun coming out of the second turn and collected Jason Bartram in the incident. Gibson dove through the grass to miss the accident and made it through unscathed. Gibson got by Jackson for second on the restart and just before the caution flew again for Mike Rowland’s blown engine. He and Caylor would race side-by-side for the top spot on the ensuing restart, with Gibson assuming the top spot on a debris caution on lap 17.
Gibson spent the next 10 laps up front with Caylor directly in tow. Caylor got by Gibson on the outside on lap 32 and the pair caught the lapped car of Tom Potts in turn three. Gibson dove inside of Potts coming into turn one, but got into Caylor and forced both lead cars to spin. Gibson admitted fault for the incident by tapping his roof, which allowed Caylor to keep the top spot instead of being sent to the rear of the field. Caylor paced the field until smoke appeared from his car with five laps to go. That allowed Jackson to pounce from third to first, and he would go on to the victory. Donnie Powers finished second, while Caylor limped home in third place. James Nanney and Bobby Huffstutler rounded out the top five.
The Sunshine State Challenge Series Open Wheel Modifieds brought 16 cars to Desoto’s high banks. LB Skaggs lead a three-car battle with Doug Moff and Greg Krom in the opening laps. Moff spent several laps on Skaggs’ bumper and finally took the top spot on lap 17.
As Moff set sail, Skaggs and Krom battled for the runner-up spot. Krom got by Skaggs just before a caution flew on lap 33. Richie Smith got by Krom with seven laps to go, but was unable to mount a challenge on Moff in the closing laps. Krom, Eric Rudd and Bobby Baldwin rounded out the top five.
A strong field of cars were on hand for the Round Daddy Robert and Daryl Smith Memorial 30-lap non-wing sprint car feature. Heat race winner Mickey Kempgens jumped into the lead at the start of the race and was challenged almost immediately by Shane Butler. Butler bided his time and got by on the outside just before the caution flew for Johnny Gilbertson’s stalled car on lap nine.
Butler held the top spot over Kempgens until the leaders caught a group of lapped cars with about 10 laps to go. Kempgens used one of the lapped cars as a pick to retake the lead and was pulling away when Butler spun a lap later in turn one.
Kempgens drove away from the rest of the field after the restart and cruised to the victory. Clayton Donaldson finished second and Matthew Hall, who won the night’s other heat race, finished third.
In the 25-lap modified mini feature, Dave Davis grabbed the lead at the green flag and was quickly joined at the front of the field by Mike Kerrivan. The duo raced side-by-side for several laps before Kerrivan emerged with the top spot on the eighth lap. Kerrivan and Davis followed each other nose-to-tail through lapped traffic in the middle stages of the race, but Kerrivan pulled away over the final few laps for the victory. Davis was the only other car to finish on the lead lap.
In other action Saturday night, Ren Wright Jr. came from the back of the field to win the Mini Stock feature.
Desoto Speedway will be in action again next Saturday night with the Southern Sprint Car Shootout Series, Sportsman, Mini Stocks, TQ Midgets and Bombers.
Photo: Rick Anges interviews sprint car legend Jack Hewitt during tonight's intermission
1-21-2017
DESOTO SPEEDWAY RACE RESULTS
Sprints
1. 68 Mickey Kempkipkins
2. 9 Clayton Donaldson
3. 87 Mathew Haall
4. 22x Darrin Miller
5,4 Travis blimister
6. 8 Kurt Taylor
7. 15 Troy Thompson
8. Wendy Mathis
9. 18 Shane Butler
10 4x Jimmie Miltner
11 17 Todd Donaldson
12 22 Johnny Gilbertson
Open Wheel Modified
1. 46 Doug Moff
2. 42 Richie Smith
3.45 Greg Krom
4. 12 Eric Ruddby Baldwin
6, 1 Roger Blevin
7. 71 L.B. Skaggs
8. 23 Todd Brown
9. 09 Don Skaggs
10. 0 Troy Robinson
11. 75 Bobby Blake
12. 5 Kendall Anderson
13. 44 Michael Lawhorn
14. 33 Chris Allen
15. 29 Bobby Mobley
16. 14 Don Skaggs
Street Stock
1. 91 Ander Jackson
2. 4p Danny Powers
3. 3 Danny Caylor
4. 6 James Nanny
5. 07 Jeff Prescott
6. 74 Bobby Huffstetler
7. 11 Travis Barfield
8. 41 Steven Osteen
9. . 23 Kenny Gibson
10. 71 Darrin Ellis
11. 57 Garrett Thompson
Mod Mini
1. 45 Mike Karrivan
2. 6 Dave Davis
3.58 Cody Coffman
477d Dav[d Myers Jr.
5. 89 Josh Smith
6. 9 Scott Bumgarner
7. 2 Jimmie Wood
8 . 92 David Myers sr.
9. 77R Rachelle Rudolph
Mini Stock
1. 008 Ren Wright jr;
2. 55 Ken Lararsh
3. 001 Adam Larsh
4 83 Justin Ryan
5. 007 Matt Owens
Attached Files