Headline Weder races to 4th win

Staff Writer



A near-capacity crowd was treated to a doubleheader of racing Saturday night at Enid Motor Speedway as 109 drivers battled in two cards of competition, making up consecutive rainouts.

Tommy Weder Jr., out-drove the competitive field in the modified make-up feature as he steered his Weder Services/Rocket Drilling sponsored-Brand Racing Engines-powered ride to his fourth win of the season.

?The car was great on its second night out,? said Weder. ?It was a smooth two groove track.?

Joseph Gorby sped off the outside pole to take the early lead. Weder marched from the third row and took the point with a daring challenge in lap five.

Undaunted by five cautions, Weder held a strong line to the finish.

Mike Roach, Derek Ramirez, Casey McClaskey and Troy Gemmill rounded out the top five.

You only have to lead the last lap to win, and that?s just what Mike Roach did to post his fourth feature win of the season in the second modified main event, aboard his Graphics Unlimited/Boomer Well Service-sponsored Dunsworth Machine-powered ride.

?We made some changes this week and we finally hit a good set-up,? said Roach.

Weder exploded off the fourth row and took the lead in a mere three laps. Two mid-race cautions tightened up the field, and put Bud Longpine on Weder?s bumper. It was a drag race for several laps as the duo raced so close you could have thrown a blanket over them.

Weder slowly edged away and looked to be the man to beat. His luck ran out on the final lap as Roach used a daring slingshot move in turn four to take the win.

Weder held onto second, followed by Longpine, Greg Burt and Brandon Kenny trailing.

Veteran Jerry Derr displayed his winning ways as he put his Norman?s Racing Engines-powered street stock in the winner?s circle for the second time this year.

There was mayhem on the start with a yellow waving for a 10-car pile-up in turn three. Damian Patocka headed up the restart, but a caution flag flew for an enormous crash in turn three.

Derr charged past Patocka when the race went green and wasted no time in establishing nearly a straightaway advantage. Derr reigned over the remaining laps and never looked back.

Bill Beebe captured second, trailed by A.J. Brochu, Zach Slater and Darryl Beebe.

A.J. Brochu found track conditions to his liking as he drove his KOFM 103.1-sponsored BB Machine-powered street stock to his third A feature win of the season in the second main event.

?My team made it happen tonight, they were awesome,? said Brochu. ?I have to give credit to Harold Shaw. He put in a nice track. You could race on the top or bottom.?

Rookie Brendan Gemmill showed the way in the race. However, his glory was cut short in lap two as defending champion Bud Longpine charged to the front.

Longpine?s luck ran out several laps later as. Brochu found the quick way around. Brochu appeared invincible as he sped away from the field and skillfully maneuvered lapped traffic. Undisturbed by a late race yellow, Brochu never looked back on his route to the checkered flag.

Derr, Chad McNamara, Longpine and Kenny Morris rounded out the top five.

John Whitley dominated in the make-up feature as he captured his first win of the season in factory stocks.

A red flag waved on the start of the race. Marty Lawson went airborne and rolled violently end-over-end catapulting the wall in turn one. Lawson walked away from the demolished car under his own power.

Whitley took command of the track when the race went green and was never challenged on his route to the checkers.

Mark Smith made a late charge, but settled for second, followed by Fred Ramer, Terry Costello and Ronnie Ramer.

Hershel Stewart had the right set-up in the second factory stock feature as he sped to victory lane for the first time this year.

Chris ?Bones? Baker rushed off the pole and led early in the race. A lap three yellow flag tightened up the field and put Stewart on his bumper. It was a drag race with Stewart besting the rookie in lap five.

Stewart hooked his ride up smooth in the groove and ? despite two additional cautions ? raced to the line uncontested.

Earl Whitley set his sights on the leader, but ran out of laps and settled for second. He was followed by Fred Ramer, Justin Scott and Ryan Knight.

Two-time defending mini stock champion Kevin Legleiter continued his dominance as he piloted his Mustang to his third consecutive win.

Brad Costello raced off the outside pole and led the early goings. Legleiter maneuvered to the front and a heated battle developed. Legleiter found the quick way around and ? despite a lap 11 caution ? was never seriously challenged on his path to the winner?s circle.

John Pankratz raced to second, followed by John Rauschenberg, Justin Danner and Monty Lanning.

Pankratz conquered the field in the second mini stock main capturing his third feature win of the year.

Jared Hicks exploded off the outside pole and took command of on the start. His luck ran out in the eighth lap when Pankratz took control with a bold inside challenge. Pankratz sailed away from the field and posted the win with nearly a straight-away lead.

Rauschenberg marched through the field to finish second, trailed by Legleiter, John Evans and Danny Aytes.

Matt Branson posted his third feature win of the season in pure stock with Dustin Fipps, L.K. Sisney, Evan Conkling and Kyle Wolfe trailing at the line.

Marty Wilson led the second pure stock main from flag-to-flag capturing his first season, trailed by Conkling, Sisney, Rocky Root and Wolfe.

Rain make-up heat winners in modified were Calvin Bradford Jr., Longpine and Ramirez. Lawson and Whitley posed heat wins in factory stock.

Street stock heat winners were Dustin Allen, Joe Adams and Bill Beebe.

Danny Aytes, Legleiter and Pankratz won their heats in mini stock. David Nichols and Jason Gerhard took honors in pure stock.

Modified heat winners in the second card included Casey McClaskey, Greg Burt and Jim Ciampi.

Longpine, Adams and Darryl Beebe captured the heat wins in street stock. Stewart and Fred Ramer won heats in factory stock.

Mini stock heat winners were Rauschenberg, Hicks and Pankratz, Rocky Root and Sisney won heats in pure stock.

Enid Motor Speedway?s next card of racing will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 10.

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