Racing returns to Adams County Speedway

CORNING — Racing resumed at Adams County Speedway on Saturday. One week after a weeklong strand of thunderstorms forced racing to be cancelled, Mother Nature cooperated just enough for Arnold Motor Supply Night to take place.

First career win

Every driver remembers his first feature victory.

For 15-year-old Ryan Jenkins, that first victory came Saturday night in his Stalker Chevrolet B-Modified feature.

Point leader Josh Most maneuvered his way into the top spot after a battle between Andrew Clark and Chris Vannausdle resulted in both drivers going off the track. Most seemed to be in control until a late-race caution bunched the top four of Most, Jenkins, Jerod Weston and Kody Havens back together.

Jenkins gave Most everything he had on the restart, overpowering him for the lead position. Jenkins checked himself out from the veteran pack en route to his first ever feature win. Weston held off Most for second followed by Havens, and Shawn Kralik.

Sharp wins again

Kevin Sharp proved on Saturday night that he has a sharp race car with his Northland Oil Pro-stock this season.

Polesitter Clay Mercer seemed determined to erase the bad luck he sustained two weeks ago before a caution came out due to a James Carroll spin. Mercer then gave way due to front brake troubles.

Following Mercer’s troubles, Sharp quickly worked his way into the lead. Sharp battled with point leader Brad Derry for a few laps before distancing himself from Derry on his way to the feature win, his second of the 2015 season. Derry, who is now tied with Sharp for the points lead, finished second. David Nail, Jr. came home third, followed by Greg Miller and Jerry Pritchett.

Late models

Sterling Perkins picked up his first feature win of 2015 in Saturday’s makeup Coors Light Silver Bullet Late Model feature from the rain-shortened May 23 event.

Perkins started outside front row and took the lead on lap one. The race was filled with many incidents, including spins by championship contenders John Hampel and Paul Glendenning.

Perkins executed well on every restart opportunity and was able to cruise to his first feature win of the 2015 season. Glendenning came home in second, followed by Dave Carlisle, Mike Leal and Colton Leal.

John Hampel missed the June 6 SLMR feature race due to an illness, but he returned to the track Saturday night with his eyes on a feature win.

Hampel took the lead early in the second Coors Light Silver Bullet Late Model feature and never looked back, building a dominating, insurmountable lead on the rest of the field while collecting his second feature win of the season. Jason O’Brien finished second, followed by Sterling Perkins, Glendenning and Carlisle.

Purdy avoids trouble

Jeremy Purdy, Matt McAtee and Luke Ramsey came into Saturday night’s Chat Mobility Hobby Stock feature in a three-way tie for first place.

Lady luck would fall on Purdy’s side, as McAtee and Ramsey both suffered bad luck. McAtee fell victim to a wreck early on in the race when Curtis Gaunt’s car caromed up the track, collecting McAtee in the carnage.

Purdy narrowly escaped the incident without trouble and found himself sitting in the top three when the yellow flag came out.

Purdy took the lead while Ramsey began his charge up through the pack. It seemed as if it was going to shape up to be another great battle between the two Bedford natives for a victory, but bad luck would strike Ramsey, as his right rear wheel fall off at the entrance to turn three.

Ramsey madeit to the pits under his own power, keeping the race green, but he finished 13th. Following Ramsey’s string of bad luck, Purdy was able to check out from the rest of the competition, collecting his second win of the season, as well as gaining control in points. Todd Schmitt came home second, followed by Andy Davison, David Weeda, and Kurt Hansen.

Rain-shortened

Not even Mother Nature could prevent Jesse Dennis from winning Saturday night’s feature race in his POET Biorefining Modified.

It became evident that Saturday night’s race would also be a race against the weather.

Dennis took the lead from polesitter Brian Foote and began to build a huge lead on the rest of the field.

Rain, however, would come with five laps to go forcing, Dennis to be displayed both the yellow and checkered flags for his second win of the 2015 season. Foote finished second, Jeff Wiggins third, Jon Plowman in fourth and Ryan Peckham finished fifth in his first appearance of the season at Adams County Speedway.

This week

Saturday, Adams County Speedway provides its biggest show of the year, as the top late model racers in the midwest come to town as the Midwest Late Model Racing Association will be at Adams County Speedway for the Ray Houck Liberty 50 presented by Hoegemeyer Hybrids.

The late model feature will be a 50-lap battle with a $5,000 purse going to the winner.