By JM Hallas

PLEASANTON, Texas – It’s hot!

To say the weather is hot would be an understatement and redundant, but so is the racing at I-37 Speedway just south of Pleasanton. Saturday night was a regular points night with all six classes in action on the ¼ mile, semi-banked, dirt oval. Starting tonight the kids Go-Karts were also included with three age groups competing on the mini-track.

This weekend the track, plus James Adams Racing Photography, added to the Pure Stock payout making it $400 to win in the 20-lap feature. Right now the two Dakotas (Heinaman and Hurley) are in a heated battle for the points lead, along with their on-track battles, usually for the lead. Coming in, Heinaman leads the way in class by 15 over Hurley. Last race winner, William Saunders is third followed by William Cavender and Mason Casteneda in the top five.

In other classes, Preferred Motors (Scott Ball) chipped in a huge $300 increase for the Sport Modifieds upping their winners share to $750. Robert Velasquez threw $150 into the Sport Compact class with them now running for $300 to win. Robert Kelm was challenged to drop to the back for an extra $100 if he wins.

Modified winner Greg Dinsmore. Photo by JM Hallas

Dinsmore Dominant in Modified Main

Kerrville’s Greg Dinsmore has been searching around for his past I-37 track championship form and may have found the sweet spot again. Starting from outside the front row, Dinsmore led all twenty laps in the Modified main event. He was chased throughout by Cody Leonard, but after several circuits would put distance on the Corpus Christi young gun. As the race wound down, Dinsmore had a full straightaway on Leonard going unchallenged to the checkers.

At the start of the 20-lap Modified main Dinsmore powered off the high side of turn 2 for the lead trailed by Leonard, Talon Minten, Jeremy Davenport and Jason Borlace. Minten would slip too high and fall back to seventh while Dinsmore and Leonard began to check out on the field. Minten’s problems continued when he stopped in turn 2 for the races only caution.

On the restart Donald Banker moved in to battle with Borlace for fourth. At halfway it was Dinsmore, Leonard, Davenport, Banker and Borlace in the top five. As the laps clicked off, Dinsmore pulled away to grab the victory in the Sundowner Performance Diesel Repair, Texas Land Restoration, Performance Towing, Race Safe Technologies, The Alignment Shop, Wehrs, Sanderson Motorsports, Fast Shafts, AFCO, Six-Two Graphics, Friesen crate powered, BMS Chassis.

“We kinda threw the proverbial kitchen sink at it,” exclaimed Dinsmore. “After the heat race it was pushing like a dump truck. It acted like the right front wasn’t there. We changed all the shocks, a bunch of angles and ride heights. I didn’t know if it would go left or right. But she went, it was good.”

“I felt the car out running around under caution. I felt a lot better about the car before the race even started. You know early if the car is going to hit or miss. It was getting a lot of dig. The crate was only about half throttle, but it was going. It would take off and hold the speed in the corner really well.”

“It was all about the right front. We did a lot of work in the shop and changed the shock. It may have had a bent shock. Whatever all we changed I’m going to go back through it and mark it. At the end of the last year we raced here, is where it’s at now.”

“I didn’t plan on running for points anywhere this year. I want to take a couple weeks off here and there. When it finally cools off I want to hit some of the bigger shows. That’s my reason to race it to figure out what was going on. I’ve been fighting the car until now. Tonight it felt really good.”

Modifieds

8g Greg Dinsmore, 137(12) Cody Leonard, 91 Jeremy Davenport, 125 Jason Borlace, 77 Robert Liese jr., 92 Jake Rollings, 377 Donald Banker, 14t Talon Minten

Modified heat

Heat 1; 137(12) Cody Leonard, 8g Greg Dinsmore, 91 Jeremy Davenport, 14t Talon Minten, 125 Jason Borlace, 377 Donald Banker, 92 Jake Rollins, 77 Robert Liese jr.

Sport Modified winner Broc Bowen. Photo by JM Hallas

Bowen Best for Bonus Bucks

Goliad’s Broc Bowen has found his groove at I-37 recently taking home his fourth win in a row. Bowen, from the pole jumped out front while the battle for second started. That fight continued throughout the 20 lapper, while Bowen was on cruise control. Even after a late restart Bowen, in the Gamewell Fishing Charters, CBR Shocks, Triple Cross Ranch, Performance Graphics, Clarient Oil, WW Bodies, T’s on the Square, Fletcher Custom Race Engines, Hughes by 89 Motorsports Chassis, edged away to a six car length advantage as they came to the checkers.

The race got off to a shaky start when Bart Wilcox stopped in turn 3 stacking up the inside line even before the green waved. Once green did wave it was Bowen grabbing the point followed by Talon Minten, Cody Leonard, Johnny Torres and Trent Beaver in pursuit. Bowen got some space when T. Minten and Leonard ran side by side for second.

Leonard got the spot with Torres coming through to third and Rusty Head taking fifth from Beaver. Chris Swenson went off the back stretch on lap 6 for a caution. Back under green Bowen again used a second place fight to ease away. This time it was Leonard and Torres swapping the spot for numerous laps. At the mid-point it was Bowen, Leonard, Torres, T. Minten and Head.

A couple yellows for debris came in the last half of the race, but on the move was Ray Doyon III, in his first start of the season. Doyon made his way into the top five with five to go getting the spot from Head. Back up front, Bowen was putting some room between he and the Leonard-Torres battle still going for second. At the finish it was Bowen by a handful of car lengths taking the victory.

“Since the Summer Showdown, even though we didn’t get to run our feature, I think we found something out,” replied Bowen. “It takes a lot of discipline to run this track. You’ve got to feather the throttle around this track. You have to keep the car straight to go fast here.”

“I was a little concern watching everyone run the top in the other features. In the heats it was everyone on the bottom. When I saw everyone on top I wasn’t sure what to do. I did a little of both during the feature searching around.”

“It wasn’t so much on who was coming behind me, but driving the line that didn’t have all the bumps. In (turns) 1-2 you could enter high but have to cut the car down to the bottom on corner exit. If you went through the bumps it was nothing but dust coming off and you’d spin the tires.”

“I thought I had them covered. My only concern was someone dive bombing on a restart or something. That was about my only concern tonight. It wasn’t easy. It was a hard track to drive. It was slick and dusty. I didn’t run a perfect race. I messed up a couple times and thought someone would get around me in (turns) 3-4 once. I never saw anyone though.”

Sport Modifieds

56 Broc Bowen, 12 Cody Leonard, 66 Johnny Torres, 5r(14) Talon Minten , 9 Ray Doyon III, 24r Robby Minten, 14 Trent Beaver, 9m Marcus Mikulencak , 55 Rusty Head, 24 Jim Blevins, 31 Chase Havely, 79 David Meredith, 25t Mike Keylich, 48 Chris Swenson, 71 Bart Wilcox—dntg

Sport Modified heats

Heat 1; 56 Broc Bowen, 71 Bart Wilcox, 5r (14) Talon Minten, 66 Johnny Torres, 79 David Meredith, 9m Marcus Milulencak, 25t Mike Keylich, 24 Jim Blevins

Heat 2; 14 Trent Beaver, 12 Cody Leonard, 24r Robby Minten, 55 Rusty Head, 48 Chris Swenson, 31 Chase Havely, 9 Ray Doyon III

Limited Late Model Winner Patrick Kelly. Photo by JM Hallas

Kelly Claims Limited Late Model Loot

After their meet-n-greet for the fans, Patrick Kelly and Trey Votion put on a show in the 15-lap Limited Late Model main. Votion got the early lead, but P. Kelly worked his way past for the top spot. Votion kept the pressure on P. Kelly until he started to inch away in the final stages to secure the win.

On the first try to start the Limited Late Model feature Votion dove into turn 1 and slid up the track. Fortunately, for Votion, Aaron Leddy was having issues and the yellow came out. On the next try Votion held the line for the lead with P. Kelly, Jason Kelly, Ron Sprayue and Frank Okruhlik in pursuit. P. Kelly got inside Votion on lap 2 to get the nose out front on lap 3.

Okruhlik quickly gained a couple spots getting past Sprayue and J. Kelly for third. Up front the lead duo was up on traffic going three wide splitting a lapped car, and P. Kelly hanging on the to the top spot. Once out in clean air, P. Kelly, in the Kelly Racing, Pat Kelly Automotive, RB Custom Buckles, Ford, was able to move away from Votion and grab the checkers by about six car lengths.

“Trey (Votion) is always pretty tough to get by,” said Kelly. “We’ve been racing together for a long time so I put a lot of trust in him, and he’s my brother too. I really didn’t think I had a chance tonight. I finally got a set up on the car and I was just running on ‘grins’ as fast as I could.”

“It was tough out there after they watered the track at intermission. Turns 1-2 was the toughest. During the meet and greet there’s not much you can do on the car while you’re watching them water, but pray.”

Limited Late Model

84 Patrick Kelly, 99v Trey Votion, 99 Frank Okruhlik, 57 Jason Kelly, 42 Ron Sprayue, 44 Quentin Henderson, 13 Howie Marcx, 15 John Owens, 8 DJ Schroat, 22 Rene Mares, 93 Aaron Leddy—dntg, 41 David Tandy—dns

Limited Late Model heats

Heat 1; 99v Trey Votion, 57 Jason Kelly, 42 Ron Sprayue, 93 Aaron Leddy, 15 John Owens, 41 David Tandy—dns

Heat 2; 84 Patrick Kelly, 99 Frank Okruhlik, 13 Howie Marcx, 8 DJ Schroat, 44 Quentin Henderson, 22 Rene Mares

Street Stock winner Wade Jones. Photo by JM Hallas

Jones Strangles Street Stock Field

After losing the big bounty race the last time out, Wade Jones (Jourdanton) rebounded with a vengeance. Not only did Jones get back on the winning track, but did so in convincing fashion. As the white flag waved Jones had a half track lead over the second place battle that was fighting through lapped traffic. Coming to the checkers Jones caught that pack of slower cars and spun sideways across the line for the win.

As the 20-lap Street Stock feature fired off it was defending track champ, Mike Lyon jumping out front. Anthony Gordon, Cody Leonard, Jones and Shawn Moore sorted out behind him. Leonard made an early move to get by Gordon and Lyon, but Jones spoiled his bid for lead getting by all three to take the spot on lap 2.

Gordon, Lyon, Moore and Leonard now had their own scrap going for second. As Leonard and Moore decided that battle, Chris Swenson moved in on Lyon and Gordon for fourth at one point going three wide before Swenson got the position. At the crossed flags Jones was halfway to Jourdanton ahead of Moore, Leonard, Swenson and Lyon.

After Swenson pulled off Moore, Leonard and Gordon came up on pack of slower cars. That shuffled the order as the searched their way through. Jones caught those lapped cars coming to the checkers himself and while taking evasive action spun the SABFI Transportation, Opiela Mechanical, Mission Racing, Horelka Racing, Chevy Camaro across the line for the win.

“Last race really opened my eyes,” said Jones. “I don’t if it ticked me off or upset me more knowing anyone could win in this class. We changed a few things up. I was hoping Mike Trigg would come back and race against us again. He likes to run the big money shows so maybe we can get some more money up in this class.”

“We were on brand new tires tonight, so you can pretty much do it all. We changed tires after the heat and then they watered the track. So we cranked some wedge out and the car hooked up. I was slick at first, but dried up. Taking the cross out helped the car turn.”

“Coming up on the battle at the line I over-corrected and turned the car around right across the line. It worked out just right. Thankfully it was for the checkers. The motor died. It wasn’t pretty.”

“With my boy racing now, I’m fine out there racing by myself, not so much watching him. It’s his first time on the track. We did practice some Tuesday and Friday. It was his first time out, he got his first win, so I’ll take it.”

Street Stocks

41 Wade Jones, 22 Anthony Gordon, 7 Cody Leonard, 18 Shawn Moore, 11t Allen Torres, 20 Mike Lyon, 2x Dennis Hilla, 99 Wayne Wernette, 9s Jarrett Payton, 8 Jacob Crow, 48 Chris Swenson, 7x Janel Liese—dns

Street Stock heats

Heat 1; 20 Mike Lyon, 7 Cody Leonard, 9s Jarret Payton, 11t Allen Torres, 99 Wayne Wernette, 7x Janel Liese

Heat 2; 22 Anthony Gordon, 41 Wade James, 18 Shawn Moore, 2x Dennis Hilla, 8 Jacob Crow, 48 Chris Swenson

Pure Stock winner Dakota Heinaman. Photo by JM Hallas

Heinaman Hustles on High Side for Last Lap Heroics

With extra money on the line for the winner, Dakota Heinaman(Lindale) used a late restart, and high side move on the top to get by race-long leader Aaron Leddy coming to the white flag. From there, Heinaman in the David’s Automotive, Ace Transmissions, Ace Automotive Machine, Chevy crept away for the victory.

As the 16-car Pure Stock feature took the green it was Leddy and James Aramendia jr. staying door to door until Leddy got the spot in turn 3. Aramendia fell in line second chased by Heinaman, Abraham Mares and John Wasek. Heinaman got alongside Aramendia and after a couple laps finally got the spot. Dakota Hurley, coming from the back after a heat race crash, was now up to the top five.

On a restart Hurley got past Aramendia and Mares for third, then pulled up beside Heinaman for second. Hurley, less the front end sheet metal, got by Heinaman and was battling with Leddy for the lead when he looped it and collected Aramendia. Both continued without caution, but Hurley now found himself three wide with Dillon Gaither and Kenneth Wright.

At halfway Leddy was easing away from Heinaman, Bobby Jack, Mares and Hurley. Jack’s top five run ended when he began to lose fluid and stopped for a lap 17 caution. On the restart Heinaman changed his line and got a run on Leddy coming to two to go. They were side by as the white flag was waving with Heinaman getting the nose out front on the final lap. Heinaman held Leddy off the final circuit to grab the win, the extra money and increase his points lead.

“I should have moved up there right off the bat,” said Heinaman. “(Aaron) Leddy got out there to a good lead. Once I saw that on the caution I moved up there and got within a couple cars lengths. After that last caution I moved a lane higher and I was able to get more drive off and got the win.”

“We didn’t change the car much from the heat to the feature. I ran the first five laps around the bottom and nothing was there. I saw Leddy go to the top and we just moved up the track, got the bite off the top and capitalized on it.”

“I think big picture running here this year for the points championship. You have to be smart and keep your nose clean. Finish up front every week. The extra money wasn’t really that much of an incentive, except maybe to buy more tires.”

“It’s a team effort for us. I have to thank my dad, the Heinsohns, Eric Ramos. Mason Casteneda, Eddie Valdez.”

Pure Stocks

441 Dakota Heinaman, 93 Aaron Leddy, 5 Dillon Gaither, d68 Kenneth Wright, 50 John Wasek, 113 Austin Randol, 88 Alexis Hendricks, 15 William Cavender, 56 Bob Caulfield, 3 Abrahan Mares, 40 Dakota Hurley, 39 Sonny Kinnaman jr., 48 Patrick Lyon, 25 Bobby Jack, 97 James Aramendia jr., 30 Riley Heil, 28m Mason Casteneda—dns, 9c Caitlin Leonard—dns, 95s Sterling Tausch—dns

Pure Stock heats

Heat 1; James Aramendia jr., 28m Mason Casteneda, 88 Alexis Hendricks, 48 Patrick Lyon, 39 Sonny Kinnaman jr., 5 Dillon Gaither

Heat 2; 93 Aaron Leddy, 3 Abraham Mares, d68 Kenneth Wright, 25 Bobby Jack, 15 William Cavender, 56 Bob Caulfield

Heat 3; 441 Dakota Heinaman, 50 John Wasek, 30 Riley Heil, 9c Caitlin Leonard, 95s Sterling Tausch, 40 Dakota Hurley

Sport Compact winner Robert Kelm. Photo by JM Hallas

Kelms Comes from Back for Bonus Cash

Robert Kelm (Kyle) took the challenge to drop to the tail of the 20-lap Sport Compact feature and wasted little time getting to the front. Kelm was aided by an early red flag that eliminated several cars and had made the top five before halfway. Kelm, GB Carter and Jamie Garner then slugged it out the final few circuits with Kelm getting out front in the final stages and holding off Carter for the big win, his fifth in a row.

Twenty-one Sport Compacts took the green and it didn’t take long for action to heat up. Kirk Ball got the lead coming off turn 1 with Trevor Bettis, Daniel Zajac, Carter and Garner in tow. Carter was trying the top and moving up until he got into Ball sending him around in front of the pack. It got ugly from there.

Alyson Dorken T-boned Ball, Charles Earnhardt jr. submarined under the rear of Dorken sending her up on the front bumper. Dorken came back down on top of Earnhardt jr. with Treyler Caulfield getting caught up in the melee. Everyone was checked out under the red flag and all were uninjured, but done for the night.

Back to green with Bettis now leading the way, Garner getting by Zajac for second and Kelm along with Carter now charging from the back. Garner got the point on lap 5 from Bettis with Carter and Kelm making the top five. Bettis would start to show some fluid coming out and pull off with Carter and Kelm getting by Zajac for second and third.

Carter got the lead from Garner on lap 10 with Kelm getting alongside Garner for second. Kelm got the spot on lap 14 and closed in on Carter. Kelm then got past Carter for the point on lap 16 with the two continuing to slug it out to the finish. Kelm in the Oak Hill Motorsports, Rachel Plant Picture Taker, M&E Automotive, Saturn was able to hang on for the victory.

“I really didn’t think I had a chance with the fast guys ahead of me.” commented Kelm. “I was just patient, took my time and a couple cautions helped. I couldn’t believe I pulled it off.”

“We haven’t done much to the car all year to get five in a row. I keep good parts on the car. I’ve just learned to drive this track mainly. I’ve run Central Texas Speedway and won the championship at Cotton Bowl Speedway last year.”

Sport Compacts

8 Robert Kelm, 77 GB Carter, 3 Jamie Garner, 42 Daniel Zajac, 63 Gordon Dowdy, 114 Cody Earnhardt,13m Jeremy Watson, 96 Justin Henley, 12 Roy Easler, 3g Garrett Godfredson, 44 Ronnie Schoenfeldt, 69 Felipe Ruiz, 25 Robert Fox, 33c Charles Earnhardt III, 181 George Quintanilla, 57 Trevor Bettis, 6p Levi Hernandez, 6jr Brandon Gaither, 38 Kirk Ball, 43 Alyson Dorken, 53 Charles Earnhardt jr., 56 Treyler Caulfield, 117 Casey Lowe—dns

Sport Compact heats

Heat 1; 38 Kirk Ball, 3 Jamie Garner, 53 Charles Earnhardt jr., 69 Justin Henley, 12 Roy Easler, 44 Ronnie Schoenfeldt, 69 Felipe Ruiz, 6jr Brandon Gaither

Heat 2; 57 Trevor Bettis, 77 GB Carter, 43 Alyson Dorken, 56 Treyler Caulfield, 114 Cody Earnhardt, 3g Garrett Godfredson, 181 George Quintanilla, 117 Casey Lowe

Heat 3; 42 Daniel Zajac, 8 Robert Kelm, 63 Gordon Dowdy, 13m Jeremy Watson, 6p Levi Hernandez, 33c Charles Earnhardt III, 25 Robert Fox

Go-Karts Features

Ages 5-7

6 Blaine Markgraf

57 Hayes Bettis

50g Gillian McPherson

Ages 8-10

41 Peyton Jones

50L Logan McPherson

30 Ruby Bettis

Ages 11-13

6p Ryker Hernandez

Go-Karts 5-7 winner Blaine Markgraf. Photo by JM Hallas

Go-Karts 8-10 winner Peyton Jones. Photo by JM Hallas

Go-Karts 11-13 winner Ryker Hernandez. Photo by JM Hallas