Five for Round 5; Thunder Rolls at Riverside and The Peak! Cody Morris I-44 Riverside Speedway Public Relations Saturday, May 3rd I-44 Riverside Speedway / Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Champions Cup Round 5 A delightful night for the 405, as balance was restored both on the hardwood and the high banked 1/5th mile red clay oval of I-44 Riverside Speedway. Despite four separate open wheel specials in the immediate region and a high anxiety game 7 for OKC’s beloved Thunder, a few hundred fans honored Lawn Chair Alley to watch 83 entrants chase Round 5 of the 2014 Champions Cup. Pretty cool thing we introduced with the Champions Cup. What started as just a neat name on the fly has been transformed into a better plan of actually having a Champions Cup very similar to the Stanley Cup the NHL plays for each year. Feature winners get plaques and those are awesome, but to have a Champions Cup that each season’s champ gets their name etched in to - that’s just fresh. Running down sponsors for it, but that kind of information is best released during the week - because we have loads to share from Champions Cup R5 as well as a pair of explosive events that are now directly in our sights. We couldn’t have asked for much more for Round 5. Weather is an unfortunate fact of life in outdoor sports. And last week it struck a nerve as forecasters called for premature doom early in the week. Still had a great race, just had to do without a few dozen “West-siders”. This week the tables turned as a truly beautiful evening welcomed race fans and we even had a break in the wind by Oklahoma standards. The Junior Sprints were the pleasant surprise of the night with 15 youngsters entering the event. The Turf Tire division kept its’ long streak of double digit turnouts alive, albeit by the slimmest of margins. Eight romped in Restricted with a few Texans joining a few more locals in eyeing a return next week. And the headlining Non Wing and A Class bounced back with 22 and 27, respectively. With exception of the April 26th weather-that-never-came, a historic start to the season continues. And we have two more huge shows before taking a breath on Memorial Holiday Weekend. Next week, Saturday, May 10th, I-44 Riverside will feature another star studded program reminiscent of what we did barely a month ago when we pulled nearly 170 entries. The Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series will be back home after a showdown in the Show Me State this weekend. The popular Outlaw class will also return to headline Champions Cup Round 6. Seven classes of the best open wheel racing in the area, a most fitting occasion to officially debut the first section of our new grandstand! And also to celebrate the birthday of our #1 fan. But hey - keep Lawn Chair Alley alive, as the terraces will be wide open and unobstructed. Team Green rocks Lawn Chair Alley, and in two weeks, on Saturday, May 17th - we will rock Team Green. Everyone will - as I-44 Riverside will Go Green for Jeramiah. It’s a very meaningful two weeks for Jeramiah Green as it is for the Riverside racing family. This next week, as we host a seven class spectacular and unveil our first section of stands, Jeramiah will celebrate his 10th birthday on that night (May 10th). Then just a week later on the 17th, our action packed little corner of southwest OKC Goes Green for Jeramiah. In the coming days, everyone will learn about and celebrate our hero, a true Champ that has faced the hardest adversity and beats it back with happiness and a smile. In fact, leading with this news is a struggle because it’s hard to pivot back to Round 5 Recap. Please stay tuned to I-44 Riverside Speedway outlets, on our official website and Facebook page, for details on all aspects of both upcoming event. We had a hell of a show in Champions Cup Round 5 tonight, time for The Rundown - and a return to chronological order as it happened. JUNIOR SPRINTS Connor Thompson paced the pole of the 15 lap main event with El Reno’s Jack Hall alongside, but it was Ardmore’s Jessie Kelly darting to the front to lead the opening lap. The March of the Wild Bunch had begun from the back as Riverside features an inverted starting format (high points start in the back). Just a lap later, Enid’s Emme Johnson overtook the point. The fourth round was the trickiest, with a domino effect knocking Kayden Cole out of third and slowing the field. Actually it stopped the field, as we go red on most Junior Sprint stoppages to help the growing talents out on their running order until they, and staff, hone proper sign language skills. Bridgecreek’s Christopher Wells shot from fourth to the lead on the restart, but Johnson chased Wells the next several rounds as she gets closer and closer to that first career win. With Wells in command and eyeing his second score of the young season, Lawton’s Dylan Pendergrass actually had a five race win streak until Wells’ broke it, and Dylan was back up front with Calera’s Ryder Laplante fighting him him every step of the way. Wells went on unabated to earn #2 for HasWells Construction and Team Green, while Pendergrass narrowly bested Laplante for runner up honors. Emme Johnson placed fourth with Chickasha’s Brant Woods completing the top five finishing order. Pendergrass and Collinsville’s Kale Drake each earned heat race wins over the 15 car field. Junior Sprint A Feature (20 laps): 1. 72 Christopher Wells (12); 2. 22 Dylan Pendergrass (11); 3. 88R Ryder Laplante (9); 4. 12E Emme Johnson (8); 5. 16 Brant Woods (5); 6. 72c Kayden Cole (6); 7. 007 Jacob Long (7); 8. 1 Bryce Barnett (3); 9. 28 Connor Thompson (1); 10. 12 Jessie Kelley (4); 11. 66 Nick Rainey (14); 12. 05c Jordan Williams (13); 13. 22x/77 Kale Drake (10); 14. 14 Talon Hoahwah (15); 15. 37 Jack Hall (2) Lap Leaders: Jessie Kelley 1, Emme Johnson 2-4, Chris Wells 5-20 Hard Charger: Wells/Pendergrass +11 NON WING Yukon’s Dillon Laden was back in fine form following a nasty flip a couple weeks ago, pacing the pole of the 20 lap Non Wing main event with Cory Wiegart alongside. Laden led the first two circuits until Fletcher native and defending winged 600 titlist Blake Dacus battled past just before the first yellow on lap 3 for a stalled 2012 Non Wing champ Derrick McBride. Good company for the young Yukon upstart. Wiegart and Laden swapped positions soon after the restart as they chased Dacus, but Cyril’s MelMark all star Cord Dodson was on the prowl - moving from 18th (yes - 18th) to fly by everyone just past the halfway point. Dodson was half of the MelMark domination two weeks ago when MelMark backed pilots swept stock 600 action, but Dodson also has a wince in that memory. Dodson was absolutely sensational the first ten laps of the Ryan Craighead Memorial back on April 5th, was leading by nearly ¾ of a lap before getting entangled with a lapped car just before rain postponed that event to April 19th. Dodson eventually ended that run two weeks later with a third place finish, albeit the disappointment of having the race under his thumb before misfortune struck. Surely it wouldn’t happen again. Right? Wrong. And it was brutal. Dodson drove the perfect race for 19.75 laps, but it was that last turn, in fact an infield tire, that would undo Dodson’s Round 5 perfected. It was gut wrenching for just about everyone…..except Blake Dacus. Probably not the way Dacus wanted to score his first Non Wing win of the season, but with Paul Albers Performance Plus power and Dacus Heat & Air support, Blake was still first to the finish line. Cory Wiegart earned the runner up nod, his best finish this year, while McBride rebounded from the lap 3 spin to get third at the finish line. Dillon Laden righted his wrong luck from a couple weeks ago with a fourth place finish and El Reno’s reigning Turf Tire champ Tony Penick continues to show his mettle as he advanced from 13th to complete the top five finishing order. Lawton’s Brandon Boggs earned Hard Charger status and also the lead in the Non Wing Champions Cup. Only ¼ of the way through the season, but already halfway to the mid-season championship. Boggs bolted from 17th to 6th. Dacus, Bobby Springer, and Jeff Rury earned heat race wins over the 22 car field. Non Wing A Feature (20 laps): 1. 29 Blake Dacus (6); 2. 3 Cory Wiegart (2); 3. 98 Derrick McBride (9); 4. 18 Dillon Laden (1); 5. 88 Tony Penick (13); 6. 2B Brandon Boggs (17); 7. 02 Bobby Henning (15); 8. 96R Jeff Rury (7); 9. 7 Cord Dodson (18); 10. 03 Kyle Hedrick (4); 11. 24N Matt Nelson (19); 12. 29D Blake Dewberry (21); 13. 25s Bobby Springer (5); 14. 28x Brian Martin (20); 15. 59 Josh Jewell (11); 16. 4T Caleb Thompson (3); 17. 32k Chris Kelly (12); 18. 58 Philip Fessler (8); 19. 24L Caleb Lovelady (16); 20. 28v Junior Vickman (10); DNS: 002 Jimmy Smith, 10 Matt Pagel Lap Leaders: Dillon Laden 1-2, Dacus 3-11, Dodson 12-19, Dacus 20 Hard Charger: Brandon Boggs +11 RESTRICTED McKenzie Laplante paced pole of the 15 lap Restricted main event with Moore’s Kyle Thompson alongside. Only 8 Restricted entries, but nearly half that margin locally were forced out and eye a Round 6 return next week with some Texas talent headed this way too. While it was the smallest field of the night, it definitely had the wildest finish. Not a single stoppage to this contest, and Thompson, who finished last in his heat, was in form when it counted. Thompson had the early lead, but Bethany’s Matt Moore has proven to be a strong contender every time out. Moore caught the leader just five laps in. It appeared Thompson’s lead would soon vanish, but Thompson was resilient, fighting off Moore turn for turn. Thompson kept recent mechanical woes in his rear view along with Moore, but with three to go and coming up on a couple lapped cars, the plot deepened. Moore had the momentum to challenge the leader as they crossed under the white flag and veered into turn one, Moore went high of the leader but was met by the rear of a lapped car and became entangled for about 100 feet. As Moore struggled to wrestle free, reigning Restricted champ Logan Davis spun out of third, with 2012 Restricted champ Tanner Conn nearly doing the same in the same exact spot. Never did hear word of fluid on the track. Through the chaos, Thompson cruised on to his first career win for the young Thompson racing brothers. Moore did get unhinged in time to swipe second, but it was Choctaw’s Nathan Rainey that was the big winner of the last lap riot, moving past both Conn and Davis for third, with the latter to completing the top five finishing order. Restricted A Feature (15 laps): 1. 57T Kyle Thompson (2); 2. 9m Matt Moore (8); 3. 99 Nathan Rainey (5); 4. 78 Tanner Conn (6); 5. 14D Logan Davis (7); 6. 7m McKenzie Laplante (1); 7. 72c Kaylee Cole (4); 8. 21k Kobe Simpson (3) Lap Leaders: Kyle Thompson 1-15 Hard Charger: Matt Moore +6 TURF TIRE Dusty Devine said this week that he would need a small miracle to make it out to race day. Something divine must have occurred. Good thing it did, whether it was Devine or whoever the 10th entrant was - it kept the double digit streak of Turf Tire showings alive. Which for any fan of Riverside the past few years - you know that’s kind of a big deal (as is the growth in the other classes as well). Long story longer, Devine paced the pole with El Reno’s third Penick alongside, but leading the first four rounds of the 15 lapper. Jared Morris was the pilot of choice in the #93x ride, as brothers swap that ride seemingly at random, and he overtook the lead and went unchallenged after a lap 6 restart to score a dominant win. I think this is his second win, if not then the brothers’ Morris have both earned one. The Rundown has went too long without a correction, so why not tee this one up? The cool thing about this race was the three wide battle of Brian Penick, reigning Turf Tire champ Jeremy Penick, and Rick Kirkes. Those three took the white flag in perfect three wide alignment in their battle for third. While Morris secured the win and track favorite Willie Vickman scored second, Jeremy Penick bested that three way battle to complete the podium, with Kirkes fourth in his first TT run of the year, and Brian Penick taking 5th - cool fact------à all three Penick’s scored top five finishes in Round 5. Double digits means two heats - and those were bested by a couple Vickman’s (Willie & Brian). The first callout of The Rundown occurs now - where are all these “Texas Turf Tire” teams??? Keep hearing about em’, yet to see em’. If it was warm weather they were waiting on, step outside in a few hours. The Rundown tempts a laugh at a recent wedded Turf Tire winner. Wandering if shackles were placed on the race car, but not on Thunder game 7. A most conspicuous absence, but coupled with the announcement of the next round of Thunder playoffs (for the first time in three weeks - NOT on a Saturday!) - somewhat satisfying ingredients for a return. Or perhaps it was another reason altogether and The Rundown is spinning tires. This class is too much fun. Turf Tire A Feature (15 laps): 1. 93x Jared Morris (5); 2. 75 Willie Vickman (7); 3. 28 Jeremy Penick (9); 4. 72k Rick Kirkes (10); 5. 33 Brian Penick (2); 6. 28v Junior Vickman (4); 7. 14v Zach Van Zant (3); 8. 14J Philip Giles (8); 9. 21 Josh Bigger (6); 10. 20x Dusty Devine (1) Lap Leaders: Brian Penick 1-4, Jared Morris 5-15 Hard Charger: Jeremy Penick / Rick Kirkes +6 A CLASS David Millwee was scheduled to start the pole, but opted for the tail. No matter, Dam Racing was still on the pole in the form of Jared Dunkin with Logan Davis enjoying less limited 600’s alongside. Dunkin led the first half of this 20 lap Round 5 finale, but it was Newcastle’s Derrick McBride moving up from tenth to take the lead just past the halfway point. McBride led Dunkin and Non Wing winner Blake Dacus late, with Cord Dodson and Amarillo’s Danny Davidson the next duo back. Track laid a groove of rubber by the late stages, and Davidson was thriving in it, pressing Dodson’s #7 for fourth. Pressed too hard with two to go, as contact stamped an end to a miserable night for Dodson. It was of no consequence to the leader, however, as McBride put the Wildcat Express #98 in victory lane with Dacus and the Hard Chargin Davidson up from 14th to steal third. Choctaw’s Bobby Springer advanced from 12th to fourth with Lawton’s Brandon Boggs moving up four slots to complete the top five finishing order. Michael Hall, Philip Fessler, Dacus, and Caleb Lovelady powered to heat wins over the 26 car field, with Cord Dodson earning the first of four transfers out of the 12 lap B Feature. A Class B Feature (12 laps - top 4 advance to A Feature): 1. 7 Cord Dodson (8); 2. 60x Chance Terrel (6); 3. 22 Teri Burk (7); 4. 57 Mark Frymire (1); 5. 45B Jeremy Butler (3); 6. 36 Lloyd Smith (4); 7. 11 Michael Kearnes (2); 8. 002 Jimmy Smith (10); DNS: 67 Joe Martin, 57D Blaine Denny Lap Leaders: Michael Kearnes 1-2, Cord Dodson 3-12 A Class A Feature (20 laps): 1. 98 Derrick McBride (10); 2. 29 Blake Dacus (11); 3. 16x Danny Davidson (14); 4. 25s Bobby Springer (12); 5. 2B Brandon Boggs (9); 6. 27D Jared Dunkin (1); 7. 24L Caleb Lovelady (8); 8. 57 Mark Frymire (18); 9. 7 Cord Dodson (15); 10. 22 Teri Burk (17); 11. 95 Michael Hall (6); 12. 29D Blake Dewberry (13); 13. 60 Bryan Nebgen (4); 14. 60x Chance Terrell (16); 15. 7LD Logan Davis (2); 16. 27 David Millwee (19); 17. 32k Chris Kelly (5); 18. 37 CJ Brewer (3); 19. 77D Dean Drake (7); DNS: 58 Philip Fessler Lap Leaders: Jared Dunkin 1-11, Derrick McBride 12-20 Hard Charger: Danny Davidson +11 ------------------------------------------------------------------ The Round 5 Rundown is retired, but I-44 Riverside outlets still have a dearth of detail to share about upcoming races on May 10th and 17th. Seven classes was tough last month, but we are gluttons for punishment like you guys are for bad ass racing, so POWRi West Midgets and Outlaw micros spearhead Round 6 next week. And if you don’t have some green, get ya some, because Riverside Goes Green on Saturday, May 17th before taking a much needed deep breath over Memorial Holiday Weekend. Stay tuned to i44riversidespeedway for updated point standings and official details and coverage of the upcoming action. Or Like and Follow us on Facebook. Thanks to our racing family for a quality outing, we welcome each of you back and more the next two weeks for some sensational specials we have in store.
Posted on: Sun, 04 May 2014 15:44:16 +0000
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