FIRST TIME WINNERS RUN THE TABLE AT THUNDER HILL ON INDEPENDENCE EVE SHOW
The last few weeks at Thunder Hill Speedway, some features had started to feel like the movie “Groundhog Day,” with the same drivers staking a claim to Victory Lane. That all changed on Saturday, July 3, as for the first time since the season opener, all four winners scored their first victories of 2010. Led by Allan Halderman (IMCA Modifieds), the first timer parade also consisted of Rich Boyden (IMCA Northern SportMods), Matt Haid (IMCA Stock Cars), and Zach Henery (IMCA Hobby Stocks).
Allan Halderman’s familiar #178 has been a fixture at Thunder Hill since its opening season in 1994, and this season may have been one of the most trying ones for the veteran. Fast runs have been interrupted by occasional mechanical failures; Halderman even raced with a borrowed SportMod engine a few weeks ago. On this night, it all came right and “Big Al” scored a popular victory. Another Thunder Hill veteran who has struggled this year, Scott Brown, had things working right and followed Halderman to the flag. Behind Brown, Danny Holt, Tom Charles, and Kyle Stallbaumer made up the top five. Brent Alverson finished sixth, and with point leader Jordy Nelson absent, that was good enough to move Alverson into a tie for the track point lead. Jeff Herbers is third in IMCA Modified points, followed by Charles and John Kampsen.
Rich Boyden’s challenges this season have included a stomach problem on one night when he checked himself out of a hospital to race. What he hasn’t lacked is speed, having finished as high as second. Coming from his eighth starting position, Boyden was able to find clear racetrack and score his first IMCA Northern SportMod win of the season. 3-time winner Kyle Olberding had to settle for second behind Boyden, followed by Devin Stock, Jeremiah Asher, and Eddie Schwope, Jr. Schwope clings to a slim 14-point lead over Olberding, with Boyden in third, Mike Taylor in fourth, and Joey Schwope in fifth.
Matt Haid leads the 2010 standings in “Shortest Lead,” by losing an engine within 50 feet of the green flag late in May, and “Most Spectacular Engine Failure,” by having a blown engine that put out so much smoke that nearly the whole Stock Car field crashed in it. Now he can add “Feature Winner” to that list. Haid came from the outside front row starting position, and the car and Haid performed beautifully for the full feature, with his first win of the season resulting. Eric Weyer claimed second place, with Greg Deters in third, Marvin Griffith Jr. in fourth, and first time visitor Scott Cossel in fifth. Griffith’s run for a championship continues with a 14 marker lead over Eric Weyer, Deters, Haid, and Tim Lange.
The Hobby Stock division had pretty much been a Brian Stich and Levi Gunn show for the majority of the year, with Waylon Banks poking his way in with a win, but now there appears to be a new player on the scene. Zach Henery made his first appearance of the year at the Hill, and used a late race pass to secure the win. Henery was followed by another first time visitor in the person of G.W. Fuller from the Salina area. Stich, on this night, would have to settle for third, with Rodney Walker and Jim Streeter rounding out the top five. Stich’s grip on the point lead remains solid, with Walker in second, rookie Melissa Bruning in third, and Jim Streeter tied with John Bass for fourth.
Thunder Hill management is readying for two big specials remaining in July. On Saturday night, July 17, longtime Topeka racer Oren Covert will be remembered in the annual Oren Covert Memorial. On Saturday, July 24, the Late Models make their second visit of the year. This time, it will be the O’Reilly NCRA Late Model Series bringing the full-bodied machines to the high banks.
Next Saturday, July 10, the IMCA Weekly Racing Series continues at Thunder Hill, with the regular four weekly classes to be joined by the Midwest Mod-Lites. Gates open at 4:00 PM, with the driver’s meeting set for 6:30. Hot laps will hit the track at 7:00, with heat races to follow. Pit passes will be $25.00. Grandstand general admission is $10.00, Seniors 65 and up are $8.00 each, kids 6-12 are $5.00, and kids 5 and under are free. Thunder Hill Speedway is located at 11995 142nd Road in Mayetta, KS (2 miles West of US-75 and 142nd Road). For more information, please visit http://www.racethunderhillspeedway.com.
Hobby Stocks – A Main
FinishStartCarDriverHometownRace Points
11097Z Zachary Henery Berryton , Ks40.00
291X G W Fuller Tescott , Ks39.00
3521 Brian Stich Topeka , Ks38.00
44RD69 Rodney Walker Easton , Ks37.00
5322 Jim Streeter Everest , Ks36.00
6615 Waylon Banks Lawrence , Ks35.00
7125 Melissa Bruning Everst , Ks34.00
8888H Bret Houk Lawrence , Ks33.00
9723P Patrick Mcguire St. Joseph, Mo32.00
1022 Danny Masters Topeka , Ks31.00
Northern SportMod - A Main
FinishStartCarDriverHometownRace Points
184U Rich Boyden Topeka , Ks40.00
21075 Kyle Olberding Seneca , Ks39.00
329S Devin Stock Topeka , Ks38.00
42420X Jeremiah Asher St. Joseph, Mo37.00
51191E Eddie Schwope Jr. St. Joseph, Mo36.00
6376 Brandon Mitchell Topeka , Ks35.00
72112B Bryan Rigsby Topeka , Ks34.00
890K Kelly Kneisler Mayetta , Ks33.00
9121M Brian Murphy Topeka , Ks32.00
101826X Shane Meeks Abilene , Ks31.00
11177X Lance Lincoln Topeka , Ks30.00
1213L26 Luke Stallbaumer Tecumseh , Ks29.00
132053 Jay Bailey Osage City, Ks28.00
142250 Gary Holthaus Topeka , Ks27.00
1567JR Rob Holt Jr. Mayetta , Ks26.00
1657S Phil Birkinsha -25.00
17145 Dustin Thulin Topeka , Ks24.00
181511K Rodney Klinkner Manhattan , Ks23.00
192322A Alvie Christofferson St. Joseph, Mo22.00
201931X Scott Schoemann Belvue , Ks21.00
2140 Marty Randol Topeka , Ks20.00
22791 Joey Schwope St. Joseph, Mo19.00
231417S Mike Taylor Topeka , Ks18.00
24162P Cory Larson Holton , Ks17.00
Stock Car - A Main
FinishStartCarDriverHometownRace Points
1222 Matt Haid Meriden , Ks40.00
26C15 Eric Weyer Centralia , Ks39.00
3529 Greg Deters Centralia , Ks38.00
4475M Marvin Griffith Jr. Delia , Ks37.00
510107 Scott Cossel Tescott , Ks36.00
6342C Terry Coder Topeka , Ks35.00
7717 Tim Lange Meriden , Ks34.00
8199 Brian Labonte Lawrence , Ks33.00
9992 Adam Balthazar Stockton , Ks32.00
10891 Brad Labonte Lawrence , Ks31.00
Modified - A Main
FinishStartCarDriverHometownRace Points
11178 Allen Halderman Topeka , Ks40.00
2211 Scott Brown Meriden , Ks39.00
337D Danny Holt Topeka , Ks38.00
4681 Tom Charles Bonner Springs, Ks37.00
58K27 Kyle Stallbaumer Tecumseh , Ks36.00
6522A Brent Alverson Centralia , Ks35.00
71205 Tom Grist Topeka , Ks34.00
8136X Rodger Peck Minneapolis , Ks33.00
91128 John Kampsen Meriden , Ks32.00
1015M38 Bob Miller Holton , Ks31.00
11412P Jeff Herbers Holton , Ks30.00
127M80 Mat Stallbaumer Tecumseh , Ks29.00
131413 Brian Tefft, Jr Topeka , Ks28.00
14924 Cory Lagroon Salina , Ks27.00
151612 Perry Milbourn Jr. St. Joseph, Mo26.00
161077 Steven Bowers Jr. Topeka , Ks25.00
