9/6/2022
Auto City Speedway
Maximum Destruction Labor Day Weekend & Back2School Bash Results
Auto City Speedway Results 9/3/2022
Last Saturday night was the “BACK to SCHOOL MAX D BASH” and it had a little something for everyone. The night started out hot and humid. As the fans filed in, the first one hundred kids, ages 6-12, were eligible to receive a school back pack with school supplies included.
The action started with qualifying with the Herald Pure Stocks being first up and when all the drivers had qualified, it was the Rock Solid Transportation blue Monte Carlo #22 of Mike Mosier getting the top spot with a 16.351 and Bryan Thompson driving Nick Johnston’s #7 machine a few ticks off with a 16.357.
The All American Trucks qualifying was now up and it was Dan’s Shamel’s Auto City Used Cars & Sheds #47 getting fast time with a 17.330 with Josh Delong’s #067 being second fast with a 17.385.
Qualifying for the new division, AC Warriors was the last to hit the track and it was “the Ironman”, Gerald Persails Jr.’s Exit 13 #80 getting fast time with a 17.24 with second fast time going to David Smith #47 17.64.
With the fields being set with qualifying, it was time for the pre-race invocation and national anthem. Once completed, the All American Trucks were up first for their 30 lap feature race. The #95 of Cameron Delong and #81 of Brannon Cudd were on the front row leading the twenty competitors to the green flag. Cameron Delong jumped out to an early lead followed by B. Cudd and Jason Grissom’s #224. As the field got sorted out racing two and three wide, by lap 10, it was current point’s leader and last year’s champion, Josh Delong’s #067 passing his son and getting to the lead with B. Cudd third and now, Anthony Richardson’s #422 and Dan Shamel’s #47 following in line. By lap twenty, it was still J. Delong, C. Delong, D. Shamel, Richardson and B. Cudd. When the checkered flew, it was the Ron’s Bump Shop #067 of Josh Delong getting the win over, Dan Shamel, Cameron Delong, Anthony Richardson and Brannon Cudd.
The sixteen A.C. Warriors were next up for their twenty lap feature and it was the #12 of Silas McCaslin and #3 of Chuckie Helms bringing the around to the green. McCaslin jumped out to the lead on lap one, but by the second lap, going three wide into turns three and four, there was a bit of a pile up bringing out a yellow, in which David Smith #47 had too much momentum and clipped one of the cars stopped with his drivers front wheel, which in turn broke his axle with other damage and had to be towed off the track. Now it was Rod Nettleton’s #33 leading the way with returning veteran driver, Scott Platz’s #X23.1 and Gerald Persails Jr. #80 in tow. By lap eight, it was Persails Jr. getting the lead away from Nettleton and now, the #11 of Bill Jack in third. When the checkered flew, it was “the Ironman”, Gerald Persails Jr. Exit 13’s #80 with the win over Nettleton, Jack, a first timer at Auto City, Thomas Rivers #99 and another first timer at Auto City, Jeffery Asmus’s #14. After the race was completed, the leaders were instructed to go straight to the tech barn as how all points races are at Auto City and unfortunately for the #33 of Nettleton, who admitted to a ‘rookie mistake’, went to his trailer instead, which ended up getting him DQ’d for his second place finish, bumping everyone up a notch. So fifth went to Scott Platz.
The Herald Pure Stocks thirty lap feature was next and the racing family of John Puckett #51 and last year’s champion Bruce Dutton Jr. #19 led the field to the green. Dutton Jr. jumped out to an early lead bringing with him the #54 of James J.T. Clayton, the #25H of Jim Harden Jr., Tim Kirby #81 and Andrew Burton’s #05 as Puckett ended up going wide and dropped back. On lap five, J.T. Clayton had mechanical issues and was out. By lap ten, it was still Dutton Jr. leading the way with Harden Jr., Kirby, now Mike Mosier getting up to forth and Bryan Thompson in fifth. Mosier was working his way up battling with Harden Jr. for a few laps then, by lap fifteen, Mosier was now battling Dutton Jr. for the lead and did get the position. Then, as Dutton Jr., Thompson, Harden Jr. all were battling, even going three wide at times, it gave Mosier the chance to distance himself from the rest of the field. By lap twenty-five, Thompson was in second, then Dutton Jr. and Harden Jr. Right about that same time, Kirby had a transmission let go and was out. When the checkered flew, it was Mike Mosier #22, Bryan Thompson (note; driving Nick Johnstons #7), Harden Jr. #25H, Andrew Burton #05 and Bruce Dutton Jr. #19 respectfully. On a side note, point’s leader going into this nights racing, Andrea Baxter, was driving a borrowed car and did get a sixth place finish.
Now it was time for the destruction part of the night which it started out with the ever popular ten lap “Boat Race”. As they got the green flag, Anthony Richardson’s #422 jumped out to the lead with boat in tow. As attrition wore on with the competitors, it seemed as Richardson had this race locked up, but as he went into turn one, there was a disabled car and boat sitting there and Richardson’s boat, literally, lodged into the front of the car and became disengaged from his truck, so he was out. That happened to others as well and before the ten laps were completed, it was over with only one driver with boat still attached. That driver was in his ‘first race ever’ and got the win, Wade Lyvere in the #28 truck, which is owned by Darby Christensen as they are building him a car to race, but it was not ready as of yet, so Darby let him drive his other truck. The ten lap Draggin’ race was next and from start to finish, it was the #422 of Anthony Richardson getting the win followed by Jason Grissom’s #224.
The twenty lap, wild and wooly I-75 was next on the schedule and as the twenty-six competitors took off slowing and going throughout the laps, it was Anthony Richardson again getting the win. There was a red flag during this race as Randy Clayton Jr. stalled out on the back stretch sideways with his driver’s door facing oncoming racers. Once they got his car cleared, the race was back on.
It was now time for the twelve lap Push Race where two teammates had to work together. This time it was Anthony Richardson pushing Justin Pepitone to score the win.
The Auto City Figure ‘8’ was on the schedule tonight as well and there were nineteen entries for this fifteen lap race. When the green was thrown, it was J.D. John Doorenbos in his #B57 leading the first lap. By lap two, Andrew Burton in his #05 had gotten the lead. Anthony Richardson did work his way up to second by lap four, but Burton was too far out front for Richardson to track him down. Once the checkered flew, it was the M57 Towing #05 of Burton getting the win over Richardson, Doorenbos and Paul Rigda III in his #43.
The ten lap Flag Pole race was now set and once the circling of the simulated flag pole (i.e. large tractor tire) was completed, the win went to one very enthusiastic driver and one have of the infamous “J.D & the Squatch”, J.D John Doorenbos #B57. It was his first win in a destruction event this year and you could tell.
Now it was time for the Fifty lap Enduro with twenty-six competitors going for the win. As the crowd assisted with a countdown to start the race, there was excitement in the air. As the drivers bobbed and weaved for position, it was the #38 of Greg Long III getting to the front followed by Ridga III’s #43. By lap twelve, Josh Delong driving his Crown Vic #067 had worked his way to the second spot at least a half-track behind Long III. At the halfway mark, it was Long III, Delong and now Richardson in third. It stayed that way as all were working through lapped traffic. As the laps clicked off, with only five to go, the unforeseen happened to the #38 as he ended up running out of gas and had to pull off giving the lead to Delong in his #067. When the checkered flew, it was Delong, Richardson and Cameron Delong in his #95 truck as the top three.
The second to last race of the night was the School Bus Figure 8 ten lapper. As the seven buses started, there was plenty of action going on, one bus almost going over, another, who was leading, driving over one of the big tractor tires getting it stuck under the bus only to drive through the infield to unlatch it from the undercarriage, but when it was all said and done, J.T. James Clayton took the ‘Green Machine’ to the winners circle.
The last race was the Trailer Figure 8 and as the trailers swayed and tires went flat, there were sparks to be had from a few of the trailers. When they got to the last of the ten laps, it was Anthony Richardson with yet another win for the night.
This coming Saturday night, September 10th is Championship night. Check out all the details for that event and other upcoming events at www.autocityspeedway.com and “We’ll See You at the City”.
Article Credit: Randy Adam
