DeGRAFF – Quincy driver Josh Smith is off to a strong start to the racing season, as he claimed the top spot in the 40-lap Dave Nagel Excavating LLC late model division at Shady Bowl Speedway Saturday night.
The race was the Big Bobby and Lil Bobby Korn Memorial held annually to honor the memory of the duo who fielded cars at tracks all over the Midwest. In a Chevy dominated world, Korn always ran Ford-powered machines, with automatic transmissions built in his Miamisburg transmission/race shop. The race is normally 72 laps to honor of the number of the Korn racers. This season’s race was cut to 40 laps due to the tire shortage issue.
Jim Lewis Jr., another driver off to a strong start, took the lead at the drop of the green. Lewis built up a small lead before being caught by Don Mahaffey Jr. and Josh Smith in his JKS Transport sponsored ride. Smith got by Lewis on lap 14 and never looked back as he sped to the win in his family-owned car. Ironically, the win came in probably the oldest car the team owns. Lewis held on for second, followed by Matt Parsons, Josh Sage and fast qualifier (13.593) Ryan Fleming. Smith carried the checkered for the dash.
The Wooten Automotive and Towing of Urbana Street Stocks rolled off next. Bob Coppock jumped into the lead on lap one. Coppock led the first three circuits before Jason “Gramps” Mahaffey took the lead on lap four. Mahaffey held off Rodney Roush, Chris Parker, Jacob Heckman and Nate Purtee to win his first feature of the season. Parker set quick time with a 14.581 lap. Mahaffey put his Adams Automotive Monte Carlo home first in the dash, with Purtee taking the heat win.
The Harrod Septic Solutions Compacts saw 27 cars start the feature. It turned out to be a survival of the fittest. With that many cars, there was action everywhere. Once the race started, Eddie Kemp was scored the leader of the first four laps. Then Garrett Spriggs took command of the parade until lap 13, when Tony Heath surged past. Heath then set sail for the checkered looking for his first win of the season. Fast qualifier Bobby Terry (16.999) was running down Heath. He caught Heath on the white flag and passed him for the win coming off four to the checkered. The margin of victory for Terry was .290 seconds. It was the second win of the season for Terry in his Blue Gator Tiki Bar and Restaurant backed Cavalier. Heath was second, followed by Jimmy McElfresh, Jaron Fields and Garrett Spriggs. Devin Glessner won the dash, then had his engine expire in the feature. Alec Young, Chris Prater and Daylan Karnes were heat winners.
In the Bullet Liners of Dayton Thunder Cars, DeGraff’s Buck Purtee once again posted the win in his L&B Automotive Monte Carlo. Hunter Hicks and Purtee swapped the lead the first 10 laps before Purtee took over. Scott Drake, Robert Roush, dash winner Corey Wooten and Hicks rounded out the top five. Purtee set quick time (15.355) and Coppock won the heat.
The Compact Powder Puff drivers rounded out the night’s action. Bobbie Jo Parsons won the 15-lap feature in her X-Factor Motor Sports Cavalier. Robin Zornes, Maddie Smith, Hannah Roush and Rebecca Swindler filled out the top five. The only hard crash was Leslie Woods contacting the turn four wall. Woods was unhurt, but car owner Zach Doolin was in rough shape when he saw the damage.
This Saturday night, the Vores Compact Series will be on hand to run the Bowl Bash. The Wooten Automotive and Towing of St. Paris Modifieds, the Harrod Septic Solutions Compacts, the Bullet Liners of Dayton Thunder Cars and the Frazier/Parsons Designs FOMOCO Series will also be on hand. It will also be the rained-out modified feature.
On Saturday, June 25 and Saturday, July 2, the track will open at noon. On June 25, the make-up Modified feature will be held. The FOMOCO Cruisers make-up feature will be run on July 2. Fans can use their pit/grandstand wristband from June 11 to get into these features only. At the conclusion of each, the pits/grandstands will be emptied and then reopen at the normal time of 2/4 p.m.
