Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
In what is becoming a trend this season, Brandon McFerran would dominate the Mini Stock feature at Sunset Speedway en route to grabbing his third victory of the 2014 season. It also marks his fourth straight top-two finish as he currently leads the point standings.
Defending series champion Warren Paxton won the first heat just barely ahead of Miles Tyson, Billy Melenhorst, Samantha Shaw, Ben Melenhorst, Nick Brown, Jerry Noble, Wendy Adams, Chance Isherwood and Steve Love. Terry Woodley was scheduled to be in this heat, but failed to start it due to mechanical issues.
The second heat didn’t go smoothly at all as Gerrit Tiemersma would jump the initial start ahead of Lisa DeLeeuw. The caution would fly for the jumped start, however some drivers didn’t slow accordingly and contact would happen between Lauren Halliday, Stefan Woyslaw and Kendra Adams. Adams was done with a flat right front tire, while Woyslaw took his car to the pits. A second caution would fly on lap seven when DeLeeuw went for a spin on her lonesome. McFerran picked up the win ahead of Jordan Howse, Tiemersma, Ken Townsend, Halliday, Jake Watson, Brian Love, Eric Rainey, Bob Phinnemore and DeLeeuw.
The third heat wasn’t smooth either as Rory Collett would have to head down pit road at lap five due to a flat tire. Spring Derby winner Andy Kamrath won ahead of Nicole Podewils, Eric Yorke, Scott Simmons, Doug Wilman, Steve Belanger, Chris Free, Chandler Bos, Candiss Everingham and Dave Middel.
The first consolation race wasn’t all clean and green as Isherwood pulled off with problems before the start while Everingham would go for the spin on lap two. Ben Melenhorst picked up the win ahead of Collett, Watson, Wilman, Free, Rainey, Woyslaw, Noble, Everingham and DeLeeuw.
Across the final two laps, there was contact between Collett and Watson and at the line, Collett would push Watson into the outside wall; Watson would retaliate with a bump on the cool down lap. As a result of their actions, Sunset Speedway officials disqualified both drivers and they were not allowed to run the 25-lap feature.
The second consolation race didn’t go much better as Brown would spin Halliday while battling for the lead, collecting Belanger and Wendy Adams. Belanger would be done with the bumper hanging off, while Brown would be done with a flat tire. In the final laps, Steve Love would pull off with a mechanical problem, while his brother Brian Love picked up the win ahead of Woodley, Bos, Halliday, Kendra Adams, Wendy Adams, Phinnemore and Middel.
McFerran pulled the daily double, winning the ‘Dash for Cash’ ahead of Kamrath, Podewils, Paxton, Tyson, Billy Melenhorst, Howse, Shaw, Yorke, Simmons, Tiemersma and Townsend.
When it came feature time, Miles Tyson grabbed the early lead in his No. 49 Tyson Contracting, JMX Demolition and Environmental, MGA Partners, UX Bridge Auto Wreckers ride ahead of Eric Yorke as Chris Free and Gerrit Tiemersma battled for third. Tiemersma would get by Free two, bringing Billy Melenhorst, Scott Simmons and Brandon McFerran with him. However, they’d all have to slow down as Wendy Adams got sideways off of turn four, nosing ‘Stella’ into the inside frontstretch wall, ending her night early.
On the restart, Tyson once again held down the lead ahead of Yorke, as McFerran made the three-wide move to move into third while Tiemersma and Melenhorst battled for fourth. McFerran kept his charge to the front going, getting alongside Yorke for second before the caution flew once again for Free going around in turn four. With 20 laps to go, Tyson led McFerran, Yorke, Billy Melenhorst, Podewils, Tiemersma, Shaw, Simmons, Ben Melenhorst, Kamrath, Woodley, Brian Love, Rainey, Paxton, Woyslaw, Kendra Adams, Wilman, Halliday, Bos, Everingham, Phinnemore, Townsend, DeLeeuw, Middel, Noble and Free.
The restart would see Tyson and McFerran battle side-by-side for the lead, with McFerran being able to put the No. 64 Peter D Laird, Meisner Construction, Road Ranger, Finish Line Painting and Restoring, absoluteWedsite.com, Epic Race Wear, Sauble Falls Tent and Trailer Park, Fast Eddie Race Wear, NRD Bi Products, and DS Mclure farms Mustang out front of Tyson while Podewils battled with Yorke for third. Podewils would get the spot on lap seven, bringing Billy Melenhorst through with her as Yorke dropped back to fifth.
10 laps into the event, the top nine ran single-file, starting to put cars a lap down, with McFerran leading Tyson, Podewils, Billy Melenhorst, Kamrath, Yorke, Gerrit Tiemersma, Ben Melenhorst and Howse as Spira Racing teammates Simmons and Shaw battled for 10th. Shaw would get the spot on lap 12, dropping Simmons back to 11th ahead of Paxton.
Closer to the front, Kamrath continued his charge through the field, getting alongside Billy Melenhorst at lap 15, though was unable to complete the pass as a result of lap traffic. Meanwhile, Shaw continued to try and make her way through the field, getting alongside Howse for ninth at lap 18, completing the pass in the late stages of the race.
Though when it came to the lead, that was all Brandon McFerran as he grabbed the victory, followed by Miles Tyson, Nicole Podewils, Billy Melenhorst, Andy Kamrath, Ben Melenhorst, Eric Yorke, Samantha Shaw, Jordan Howse, Warren Paxton, Scott Simmons, Gerrit Tiemersma, Terry Woodley, Kendra Adams, Eric Rainey, Brian Love, Doug Wilman, Ken Townsend, Stefan Woyslaw, Jerry Noble, Candiss Everingham, Chris Free, Chandler Bos, Bob Phinnemore and Lisa DeLeeuw. These results from 14th on back are UNOFFICIAL so be sure to check the official track scoring for final ruling.
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RT @OnPitRoad_: .@BrandonMcFerran scores another trip to @Sunset_Speedway victory lane by @ladybug388 http://t.co/e3QjhlRtpe