Published: July 12, 2009 10:38 pm         

Sanders breaks the tape at Speedway

Young gun Rodney Sanders from Happy, Texas, found the tow to Enid profitable as he put his Road Runner Trucking-sponsored Skyrocket chassis in victory lane for the first time in racing action at Enid Speedway Park on Saturday night.

Jon Herring Jr. exploded off the outside pole and took the early lead. He drifted high the second time around and slammed into the wall, putting the track under caution.

Jim Ciampi sailed away when the green flag waved and set up a solid lead. As the laps wound down, Sanders moved into contention and made a daring low challenge to take the lead at the race’s midpoint.

With a clear track in front of him, Sanders wasted no time and boasted a straightaway advantage when Ciampi came to a rest in the groove and brought out another yellow flag in lap 13. Sanders picked up where he left off when the green flag waved and took a commanding lead to the checkered flag.

Bud Longpine, Dusty Robbins, Allen Chickering and Herring rounded out the top five.

Justin Danner outlasted the field in the caution riddled limited modified main to post his first win of the year.

Two yellow flags waved before the limited modifieds could get their feature underway. Danner headed up the field when the race finally went green and looked to be the man to beat. Despite three additional cautions, Danner was never challenged on his route to victory lane.

Todd Decker posted second, followed by Shawn Ramsey, Tyler Pierce and Johnie Rauschenberg.

Travis Johnson made it look easy as he put his BB Machine/Big O Tires-sponsored, Dunsworth Machine-powered street stock in victory lane for the second time Saturday night.

Tim Gardner led the early laps of the race. His luck ran out early as Johnson moved into contention and used a daring outside line to take the point. Johnson hooked up smooth in the groove and took nearly a half a lap lead to the line.

Gardner finished second, with Steve Clemmons, Dustin King and Travis King trailing.

You only have to lead the last lap to win and that is just what Brad “The Bullet” Costello did to post his third win of the year in factory stock.

Ronnie Ramer rushed off the outside pole and set up a commanding lead in a single lap. A caution flag came out the next time around when Terry Costello slammed into the wall in turn one.

Ramer raced away on the restart, locked in a heated battle with Costello. Ramer guarded his line but was unable to hold off the hard charging Costello on the white flag lap. Earl Whitley made a late challenge to post second, followed by Ramer, Jarod Dowell and J.D. Choate.

Joe Adams reigned over pure stock as he put his Platinum Motorsports-sponsored car in the winner’s circle for the first time this year.

Adams hurried off the outside pole and showed the way. A caution at the race’s midpoint put his teammate, Darin Bush, on his bumper. It was a drag race for several laps, with Adams holding tight to the point.

Bush raced to second, trailed by Mark Smith, James Goldman Jr. and Korey Vendetti.

Dusty Robbins was in the right place at the right time as he drove his Herring Services/Michael’s Welding-sponsored Kraft chassis to his second modified win of the season in the rain make-up feature.

Allen Chickering raced off the front row and sported a commanding lead when a red flag waved as Bryan Rowland’s throttle stuck and sent him rolling over the wall in turn one. Chickering resumed the hot seat when the race went green but tangled with lapped traffic, which saw Robbins charge onto the point.

With a clear track in front of him, Robbins was unstoppable and took more than a straightaway lead to victory lane. Chickering settled for second, followed by Longpine, Sanders and Ciampi.

Travis Johnson found the track conditions to his liking as he skillfully maneuvered his Jerry Dunkin, Inc./Michael’s Welding-sponsored limited modified to his third feature win of the year.

Decker skillfully made his way to the front of the 24-car field and sported a commanding lead when Walter O’Dell rolled in turn flour and brought out a red flag in lap five. Decker picked up where he left off but all that effort was for naught as Jimmy Manharth spun to a halt in turn four on the restart.

Decker headed up the field a third time but had some tigers on his tail. It was a three-way drag race for several laps, with Johnson finding the quick way around. Johnson made a clean break and made his way to the line uncontested.

Decker captured second, with Ross McCartney, Kenny Morris and Shawn Ramsey rounding out the top five.

Perseverance paid off for Travis Johnson as he piloted his BB Machine/Michael’s Welding-sponsored street stock to his second win of the season with a thrilling come from the back victory run.

Jon Herring Sr. exploded off the pole aboard his Ford and dominated the early going. But the man on the move was Johnson, who marched through the field and took the point on the white flag lap and won.

Herring held onto second, trailed by Steve Clemons, Derek King and Ryan Bohnstedt.

Veteran Earl Whitley showed he still has all the right stuff as he put his factory stock in the winners’ circle.

Defending champion Ramer showed the way but his run was short as Costello came to a halt and put the track under caution in lap three. Ramer entered a head-to-head duel with Whitley when the race went green. Whitley took command in lap six and never looked back.

Ramer settled for second, with Terry Costello, Brandon Gibson and Brad Costello trailing at the finish.

Darin Busch continued his dominance in pure stock as he posted his second “A” feature win in a row. Busch raced off the pole and was not challenged on his path to the checkers.

Adams captured second, followed by Smith, Goldman Jr. and Vendetti.

Ciampi won the modified heat.

Limited modified heat winners were Danner, Pierce, Frank Graven, Randy Sallee and Decker.

Johnson won his heat in street stock, with Ramer posting the factory stock heat win.

Busch and Smith took the honors in pure stock.

Enid Speedway Park’s next card of racing will be 7 p.m. Saturday.