Rowland wins first race this season

By Cheryl Licklider, Staff Writer

July 20, 2008 10:24 pm

— Woodward hot shoe Bryan Rowland found the haul to Enid profitable as he posted his first win of the year aboard his Woodward Diesel/Roadrunner Trucking-sponsored Skyrocket modified at Enid Speedway Park Saturday night.
“The car worked perfect,” said Rowland.
Rowland exploded off the pole like a rocket in the main event and sported a commanding lead when a two-car collision put the race under caution on the first lap. Rowland set a powerful advantage again, only two see two more yellow flags wave in the first three laps.
Rowland picked up where he left off when the race finally went green and looked to be the man to beat. Joe Adams raced into contention at the race’s midpoint. It was a drag race as Adams made insistent challenges for the lead. It was a duel to the line, with Rowland holding onto the point.
Adams settled for second, followed by Kip Hughes, Brendon Gemmill and Troy Gemmill.
Determination paid off for Travis Johnson as he picked up his fourth win of the season with a dazzling come from the back victory run in the caution-riddled street stock main event.
A caution waved before a single lap could be complete. Dustin “Hollywood” Allen exploded off the pole, only to see a four-car crash put the race back under caution.
Allen resumed command on the restart, but the man on the move was Johnson. Johnson skillfully maneuvered from the back of the field and seized the point with a daring low challenge.
Johnson marched away from the field and, despite three late-race cautions, posted the win with nearly a 10-car-length advantage. Allen held onto second, followed by Jerry Derr, Cliff Morrow and James Lott.
Milt David continued his run as he put his BB Machine/Big O Tire/ABC Painting-sponsored limited modified in the winner’s circle for the second week in a row.
“The track was fast and racy tonight,” said David. “I couldn’t have done it without the dedicated support of my sponsors.”
Pacesetter Randy Bohn-stedt led the early going. His run was cut short in lap two when an eight-car pile-up in turn one put the track under caution. Bohnstedt picked up where he left off on the restart, and had a comfortable lead when another yellow flag flew for debris in lap seven.
Shawn Ramsey took command of the track on the restart but his run was short-lived as the track went back under caution the next time around and he was penalized for a jump start, which put Ross McCartney on the point.
The hunt was on as McCartney rushed away with Ramsey and David in hot pursuit. David skillfully maneuvered onto the point aboard his Dunsworth Machine-powered ride the next time around. With a clear track in front of him, David was unstoppable and took a straightaway lead to the finish.
Ramsey settled for second, with McCartney, Ronnie Ramer and Joey Whiteaker trailing at the line. Whiteaker was disqualified in the post-race tech inspection for failing to make vacuum, which saw Jason Gerhard inherit fifth.
Persistence paid off for Ronnie Ramer as he drove his Special Ops/Watonga Butane-sponsored factory stock to his fifth feature win of the season.
“We got lucky tonight,” said Ramer.
Dave Cameron rushed off the outside pole and showed the way. A yellow flag waved in lap three and put the hard-charging Ramer and Landon Maddox on his bumper. It was a intense battle for two laps until a four-car pile-up.
Maddox took the point when the track went green, with Ramer in hot pursuit. The duo raced away from the field locked in a heated duel. A third caution flag flew in lap 11 and put John Whitley and David Fisher in the mix.
Ramer found the quick way around on a restart for a lap 16 yellow flag as Whitley and Maddox spun to a halt in turn four. Ramer stayed smooth in the groove and never looked back.
Fisher captured second, followed by Brandon Gibson, Maddox and Cameron.
James Goldman Jr. continued his reign over pure stock as he steered his Koontz Racing-sponsored car to his fifth feature win of the year.
Goldman raced off the third row and took command. Undaunted by a lap-three caution, Goldman resumed the point and lapped over a third of the field.
Michael Meek captured second, trailed by Tim Smart, Duane Head and Dustin Schoonover.
Heat winners in modified were Rowland, Mark Smith and Jon Herring Jr.
Bohnstedt, Steve Blunk and Randy Miller won their heats in limited modified.
Street stock heat winners were Allen and Johnson.
Factory stock heat wins went to Gibson and Maddox.
Head, Goldman and Mike Smith took the honors in pure stock.
Enid Speedway Park’s next card of racing will be 7 p.m. Saturday.