Race 6 Oct 17, 2018 – OBRL Keener Farms Truck Series at Kansas Speedway
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It’s A Great Day For Racing
On a partly cloudy day with a calm breeze coming from the north at 2 miles per hour. The air was warm at 78 degree giving the track a temperature of 107 degrees for the trucks to run this afternoon at Kansas Speedway. Kansas Speedway is a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. It was built in 2001 and it currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The Verizon IndyCar Series also held races at the venue until 2011. The speedway is owned and operated by the International Speedway Corporation.
With a full field of 43 drivers to start the day. Qualifying was again close, with #67 Dwayne McArthur posting the fastest qualifying lap at 31.552 to gain the pool. In second, #11 Thomas Ogle with a time of 31.614. Then came #154 Michael Atkins Jr. in third with a qualifying time of 31.660. Next, was #156 Zack Calloway at 31.684. Finally, rounding out the top five was #119 Josh Mayeu with the qualifying time of 31.796. Only 0.244 separated the top five for the start of this race.
As the drivers tighten those belts and the entire field is waiting to hear those famous words in motors sports. “Gentleman, Start your engines” is heard as the trucks come to life with a thundering roar.
The green flag is ready to fly as the drivers come off turn 4. Tightly packed together 2×2 throughout the field. Green, Green , Green can be heard from the spotters to the drivers as the front 2 get a great start going into turn 1. Just then, there is trouble at the front of the field as #11 Thomas Ogle goes spinning to the grass and the radios light up as the other drivers express their frustration throughout the field as many drivers where looking forward to a long green flag run to get situated at the beginning of this race.
As the caution flag waves the drivers head to the pace car. Staggered and behind drivers are hustling to get caught up as a few head into the pits for some needed repairs after the crash in turn 1 on the first lap. Lap 5 the engines roar as the field hammers the throttle beginning lap 6 side by side they head into turn 1. #67 Dwayne McArthur jumps out to a 4 truck lead heading into turn 1 with #119 Josh Mayeu following behind on the inside lane. #156 Zack Calloway side by side in turn 4 with #119 Josh Mayeu as we see good hard racing coming off turn 4 to complete lap 6.
Laps are counted down as we have single file throughout the field with a few side-by-side races going on. Lots of patience and give and take being shown by all the drivers now that the field has settled in a bit. Lap 9 #128 Brad L. Bothwell seems to get a run on the back stretch on #12 Kevin Rupert as they head into turn 3 #128 Brad L. Bothwell looks low. Going down the front stretch #128 Brad L. Bothwell hits the wall of air slowing him and can’t get under #12 Kevin Rupert until they reach the entrance to turn one. Going to 1 and through turn 2 #128 Brad L. Bothwell appears to have the position but #12 Kevin Rupert will not give up that easily. Off turn 2 #12 Kevin Rupert gets a run and holds #128 Brad L. Bothwell to the middle lane on exit. #12 Kevin Rupert battles hard on the outside going down the backstretch. Going into turn 3 #128 Brad L. Bothwell drives it in just a little deeper and gets a strong hold on the inside position of #12 Kevin Rupert. Coming out of 4 #128 Brad L. Bothwell completes the pass and sets in for some tire cooling laps.
Lap 25 brings some excitement as #67 Dwayne McArthur decides to make it 3 wide up the middle coming off turn 2. I’d like to say this was a good decision but with the entire field behind him #67 Dwayne McArthur rides up and taps the inside left quarter panel spinning #156 Zack Calloway and collecting several cars down the back straight. Trucks can be seen spinning and sliding into one another as everyone behind tries to get it slowed down. This brings out the caution and some time for drivers to get some much-needed adjustments.
Lap 30 brings us to the restart with #110 Tommy Cannon leading the field with #4 Mike Schrader in second on the high side #155 Jim Westerfield in 3rd, #12 Kevin Rupert in fourth, and rounding out the top 5 for the restart is #77 Vernon Margheim bringing us the the green flag.
As the green flag drops #4 Mike Schrader gets a great start and pulls just ahead of #110 Tommy Cannon going into turn one. But #110 Tommy Cannon will fight back getting a great run into turn 2 on great drive off the corner taking back the number 1 position going down the back straight and completing the pass going into turn 3. #12 Kevin Rupert thought he would capitalize and makes a move to overtake the #4 but #4 Mike Schrader would have none of that as he leaves #12 Kevin Rupert out to dry with no friends on the low side.
Lap 31 coming off turn 2 #20 Raymond Caton gets into the back of #3 Peter KopKo and turns him into the outside wall. With #3 Peter KopKo spinning down the back straight drivers try to avoid the moving target as #14 Eddie Jones gets caught up in the mayhem losing control and coming to rest on the back stretch no making contact with any cars but tags the inside wall as he comes to a stop bringing out the caution at lap 31.
Lap 35 we have sorted out the pit stops and now #4 Mike Schrader brings us to the green flag with #155 Jim Westerfield in second, #15 Christopher Monroe in third, #16 Tony Romack in 4th. Rounding out the top five is #95 David Desjardins bringing the field around for the restart on lap 36.
#4 Mike Schrader gets a great start and leads the pack going into turn 1. Everyone seems to get sorted out quickly as we see some more give and take as everyone is getting into a rhythm on lap 40. Back in the field it appears #148 Roger Craig is having mechanical issues as he is off the pace but staying out of trouble riding low. #16 Tony Romack and #155 Jim Westerfield are having their own battle behind #4 Mike Schrader giving #4 Mike Schrader a nice comfortable cushion between him and the second place car. These boys should get inline and chase down the #4 Mike Schrader at this point in the race.
#01 Rob Connors not wanting to go yet another lap down struggles to keep up the pace going into turn 3 as the leaders are fast approaching. Radio chatter between the spotters telling #01 Rob Connors to stay low as the train comes past. Seems to be a technical issues as you can hear the radio chatter with a tone of frustration repeat “Go Low Rob, Go Low”………… Finally radio communication is restore to #01 Rob Connors and #01 Rob Connors stays low keeping the leaders out of harm’s way and continuing to knock out more green flag laps.
Lap 46 to Lap 58 goes pretty much single file as the drivers get setup for green flag pit stops. On Lap 58 the leaders radio picks up as #155 Jim Westerfield in second calls into his crew calling out “#155 Pitting this time” Soon after #4 Mike Schrader calls out “#4 Pitting this time”. To our surprise #87 Brian Glass stays out to get those bonus points for leading a lap and now takes the lead on lap 59. As thought that lead is short lived as #87 Brian Glass comes in on lap 60.
As the green flag pit stops shake out we see at lap 70 in the lead #15 Christopher Monroe. Followed by #87 Brian Glass, and in third #4 Mike Schrader. Fourth place #77 Vernon Margheim, and rounding out the top 5 after green flag pit stops is #155 Jim Westerfield.
Lap 72 going down the back straight #77 Vernon Margheim goes for a pass under #4 Mike Schrader as they enter turn 3. #155 Jim Westerfield sits in wait looking for the opportunity to take advantage. Into turn 4 under #4 Mike Schrader, #77 Vernon Margheim finds out quickly there is much more grip on the high side as #155 Jim Westerfield closes the gap on #4 Mike Schrader and leaves #77 Vernon Margheim going backwards as they all go into turn 1. Finally, the damage is done as 3rd, 4th, and 5th position are defined going into turn 3 at lap 73.
Lap 75 #155 Jim Westerfield gets impatient and goes for the pass on #4 Mike Schrader going down the front stretch crossing the start finish line starting lap 76. The battle around though turn 1 and turn 2 side by side down the back stretch. Trying to complete the pass going into turn 3. As always that’s not the end of it. Catching the lapped #148 Roger Craig at just the wrong time entering turn 3. #155 Jim Westerfield has to drift up to avoid tagging #148 Roger Craig. Sliding up and cutting off #4 Mike Schrader coming out of turn 4. #77 Vernon Margheim takes full advantage of the situation and slides in the middle making it 3 wide going into turn 4 and taking 2 spots as the head into turn 1. The radio lights up as frustration builds late in the race as the #4 team communicates their displeasure to the #155 team. Payback is not an option as clean racing is the name of the game and I am sure #4 Mike Schrader will be in this hunt at the end.
Lap 78 the radios are starting to come alive with pit stop requests from several drivers. Lap 79 the leader #15 Christopher Monroe comes into the pits quietly as the positions start to shuffle. Behind him #128 Brad L. Bothwell losses it going into the pits and slides is sideways causing a caution and not what #15 Christopher Monroe needed as was caught in the pits as the caution flag waved. With the caution waved and the drivers looking at the last pit stop of the day. Pit lane is busy as all the front-runners head to pit road for some final adjustments and leaving the race finish in the drivers hands.
As the field pits and drivers get serviced the field comes out and lines up behind the pace car. Lap 85 the wave around is given as 10 cars hustle around the pace car to get behind the field and allow the leader #155 Jim Westerfield take the field to the green flag. Shuffling positions and lapped cars sorted out the shootout is about to begin with #155 Jim Westerfield in the lead. Followed by #42 Ed Adams in second on the inside. In third #07 Adam Disselkamp, in fourth #32 John Hastings, and rounding out the top 5 brining us to the green flag is #128 Brad L. Bothwell.
At the start all drivers get a good start as the radio perks up for #11 Thomas Ogle in position 11 as he was caught speeding on pit road and has to come in for a penalty. The radio blasts for all teams as the spotters let their drivers know #11 Thomas Ogle will be coming to pit road. #11 Thomas Ogle gets low and enters the pits without issues as the field passed by as he forfeits any chance at a top 10 finish.
At lap 90 with 10 to go we have #42 Ed Adams followed by #155 Jim Westerfield in second. #32 John Hastings in third, #66 Dode Hoskins in fourth and #128 Brad L. Bothwell in fifth taking us to the 10 lap shootout to end this race. The damaged #07 Adam Disselkamp just keeps going backwards as the faster cars like oil in water rise to the top. Lap 92 #155 Jim Westerfield tries to pin #42 Ed Adams high in turn 4 but #42 Ed Adams powers through to hold him off. Lap 93 the top six are all in striking distance to win this race.
Lap 95 through 97 #155 Jim Westerfield is just waiting to pounce all over the back bumper ot the first place #42 Ed Adams. Then it happens….. On the back stretch #155 Jim Westerfield gets a run and dives in going into turn 3. Side by side they come off turn 4 neither one giving an inch. Into turn they battle. Turn 2 #42 Ed Adams gets good drive off the coner putting #155 Jim Westerfield behind him for now with 2 lapes to go.
Back in the pack #07 Adam Disselkamp makes contact with #157 Steve McKlin coming off turn 2 they collide again as #157 Steve McKlin tries to gather it up but ends up spinning down the back stretch ending this race under caution.
Congratulations to the top 3. #32 John Hastings finishing 3rd, #155 Jim Westerfield finishing 2nd with a great attempt on lap 98 and our winner #42 Ed Adams who drove a flawless race and came out on top.
Special thanks to “Keener Farms” for being the main sponsoring of the OBRL 2018 Truck Series
Next week Oct 24, 2018 Race 7 – the OBRL Keener Farms Truck Series heads to Martinsville speedway for another exciting truck Keener Farms series event. At Martinsville, we expect some door-to-door racing where tempers flare up and not much room for error. Where there is one line to race and it is always occupied. Track position will be key and pit strategy will play a big part in crowning this winner. A track where not only is a race for points, but a place where the grandfather clock is king.
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Author
Pete “KoKo Puffs” KopKo #3