Another great night of racing is in the books at 411 Motor Speedway, and it was a record crowd! The first feature of the night was Street Stocks, where Dale Watson claimed the win, but it was not easy as Travis Reno first challenged before fading and suffering mechanical issues, then Gary Blanken would challenge for the win, but just couldn’t find a way around the Watson machine. The next feature was the USCS 600cc Micro Sprints, as we would see Bobby Zaiontz claim the win over Chris Openshaw and Mike Magic. Next up was the Limited Late Models as Josh Collins used the high line — and every inch of it — to claim win #2. Scott Gardner and Bobby Giffin rounded out the top 3, and finally, Jerod Roller “rolled” through lap traffic to claim the USCS 360 Sprints victory, his first-ever USCS victory, over Tim Crawley and Aaron Ruetzel.
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Street Stock
A hairy and wild heat race, hopefully won’t lead into a feature, GREEN FLAG! Dale Watson hard on the gas, Travis Reno in tow , now Reno takes the lead, but Watson fights back off 2. Gary Blanken and Warren McMahan the 2nd row now as Watson and Reno touch, now Watson with the lead. Reno in 2nd, McMahan and Blanken battle for the 3rd spot, Blanken down low, no grip down there, single file off 2. Reno trying to hold off McMahan, but now Dale Jackson goes around on the backstretch to bring caution out on lap 4.
Green flag back in the air, Watson hard on the gas, Reno just behind him, now he’ll dive inside, falls in line off 2. Blanken on the inside of McMahan again, can’t make it stick off 4. Anybody from the top 4 can win this one, but now Josh Loveday goes around in 2 here on lap 5.
Yellow’s gone, green is on, Watson still showing the way. Reno chases him into 1. Reno looks inside off turn 2, falls in line off 2. Blanken now dives inside McMahan into 3, they’ll continue their drag race but off turn 2 Blanken falls in behind him, but off 4 he again looks inside. Watson the leader, Reno in 2nd, now Reno slows up off turn 2, Blanken looks inside McMahan once more, McMahan slaps the wall, loses 2 spots as he dove outside Reno, now Blanken trying to look outside, can’t make it happen. The handling has went away on the Reno machine, Blanken claims 2nd, but now Reno fights back, and off turn 4 Blanken claims the spit. Reno now slows, smoke from his machine, he’ll pull off the speedway. Meanwhile, Blanken has reeled in Watson, now looks inside off 4, falls in line. Blanken goes high in 1, loses some ground to Watson, as slow cars may be a factor. Watson your leader with 5 to go, Blanken trying to find room around him, dives inside, falls in line once more. Now 2 laps remain, Blanken trying everything to get a run, his machine is just a tick too loose. Coming to the white flag, Blanken runs to the bumper, he’ll dive inside in turn 3, can’t make it happen, and Dale Watson claims the win. Gary Blanken comes home 2nd, Warren McMahan settled for 3rd.
Cautions: 2
Leaders: 11-Watson (1-20)
USCS 600 Mini Sprint
Jason Johnson and Bobby Zaiontz your front row, Chris Openshaw and Mike Magic your 2nd row, Bob Trapino and Cassie Klenke your 3rd row, ready to roll, GREEN FLAG! Johnson with the early lead into 1, but 1 with the huge run off turn 2, he’s got the lead. Magic in 2nd, he’s got the high line working, put Johnson in 3rd. Openshaw in 4th, with Shane Nelson in 5th. Openshaw trying to close the gap on Johnson, now Johnson pulls away slightly. Zaiontz the leader, Magic in 2nd, 3rd is Johnson. Lap traffic becoming a factor with 5 laps in the books, as Zaiontz is setting a blistering pace. Magic trying to work some Magic as he’s trying to close the gap, but nothing is slowing Zaiontz down. 10 laps complete just like that. Magic seems to be closing the gap slightly, as the top 2 have left Johnson in the dust, now give the 3rd spot to Openshaw as he makes his way around. Zaiontz beginning to work lap traffic again, as there’s a conveyor belt of Micro Sprints around the track with 5 laps remaining. Zaiontz the leader, Magic in 2nd, Openshaw in 3rd, with Johnson in the 4th spot. Now we have one of the Micros on his side in turn 2 here on lap 17 for the first caution.
Green flag back in the air, Zaiontz maintains the lead once again, but now Johnson goes around on the frontstretch here with 18 laps now on the board.
Green flag back in the air one more time, couple cars broke here on this caution. Zaiontz again hard on the gas off 4, Magic in 2nd, Openshaw mounts a run up high, give Openshaw the 2nd spot at the white flag. Magic trying to stay in touch, can’t make it happen, Zaiontz with the win, Openshaw 2nd and Magic 3rd with Klenke getting 4th.
Cautions: 2
Limited Late Model
David Crabtree with the jump into 1, but Josh Collins powers away with the lead off 2. Crabtree in 2nd, Scott Gardner in 3rd, 4th is Bobby Giffin with Cory Hedgecock on his heels. Pierce McCarter and Heath Alvey battling, with Rusty Ballenger on the inside of Chase King as they chase Hedgecock. Layne Clifton now inside McCarter, as Ballenger looks inside King, but so far it’s all Collins as he continues to pull away from Crabtree. Now Crabtree with a handling issue, he’ll lose even more ground to Collins. Collins setting a fast pace as 6 laps are now complete, and lap traffic is a couple laps away. Ballenger still trying to find room around King, looks inside off 2. Matt Henderson looks inside Danny Yoder for a moment, falls in line, as we see Crabtree break off turn 2. Henderson now makes his way around Yoder, as Kenny Compton is working the extreme low line and follows Henderson for position. Collins the leader as he closes in on Yoder, 2nd is a long way back, which is Gardner with 13 laps on the board now. Compton now going a lap down as Collins is forced to move low, Henderson now looks inside Clifton for the spot, as Collins powers inside Compton, Compton doesn’t lay over. Collins trying to put a lap on him,, as Compton now powers around Henderson, he looks outside Clifton, now Collins follows them. Black flag in the air for Compton as he would not lay over for the leader, so he will no longer be scored in this feature. Collins has finally had enough, blows it into 3, and that’s how it’s done. Now our first caution flies here on lap 24 as King goes around in turn 2 here on lap 24.
GREEN FLAG! Collins mashes the loud pedal, Gardner in 2nd, Giffin in 3rd, Hedgecock and Ballenger the top 5. Collins driving away as Giffin starts putting the pressure on Gardner, 6 laps remaining. Giffin still working on Gardner, Gardner has the preferred line, Giffin trying to make anything work. Up front, Collins has almost a straightaway lead as he is running the high line, now 3 laps remain. Checkers in the air, Collins takes the win, Gardner in 2nd, 3rd goes to Giffin, 4th is Hedgecock, with Ballenger in 5th.
Cautions: 1
Leaders: 63-Collins (1-35)
USCS 360 Sprints
The final feature of the night was the USCS 360 Sprints. This feature had a lot of talented drivers as the race‘s only caution flew on lap 7. Terry Gray would quickly jump to the lead, until Jerod Roller would “roll” to the lead on lap 4. Roller would have no trouble rolling through lap traffic as he claimed his first-ever USCS win. Coming home in the 2nd spot was Tim Crawley, and 3rd went to Aaron Ruetzel.