Photo Credit: Ashley McCubbin
After battling side-by-side throughout the second half of the feature, Warren Paxton would pick up his second straight Graham Landscape Mini Stock invitational victory as he won the 50 lap feature on Sunday afternoon.
Capital City Speedway regular Kyle Baker won the first heat ahead of Spira Racing’s Billy Schwartzenburg, Sunset Mighty Mini feature winner Chris Allard, Billy Melenhorst and Sunset regular Jake Watson. Stefan Woyslaw finished sixth, followed by Travis McLean and Russ Couture.
KP Motorsports went 1-2 in the second heat with last week’s Sunset feature winner Andy Kamrath picking up the victory. Kamrath’s team worked through the night to have his car ready for Sunday’s event after blowing up the motor on Saturday the night before. Sunset Championship contender Warren Paxton finished second, followed by Flamboro Speedway regular Blair Wickett, Sunset regular Terry Woodley and Sunset regular Gerrit Tiemersma. Cory Young finished sixth, followed by Hudson Nagy, Eric Rainey, Chandler Bos and Thomas Dunn.
Samantha Shaw won the final heat ahead of Sunset feature winner Danny Benedict, Sunset Mighty feature winner Nic Montanari, Sunset regular Miles Tyson and Sunset Mighty points leader Treyten Lapcevich. Bob Phinnemore finished sixth, followed by Kendra Adams, Stefan Semeraro and Wendy Adams.
Flamboro Speedway regular Hudson Nagy won the b-main ahead of Kendra Adams, Semeraro, Dunn, McLean, Rainey, Bos, Couture and Wendy Adams.
Come feature time, Danny Benedict would start the No. 54 Dent Dynamics, Wallace Auto Supply – Carquest, Mayhew Graphics, Mark Rainford Auto Sales, Camsport Truck Caps & Accessories, B & W Enterprises, Kim Irwin of Irwin Tax, Baudo Auto Services, Hoy’s Garage, Mayhew Auto and Clarke Motorsports Communications Mustang on pole ahead of Warren Paxton, Billy Schwartzenburg, Samantha Shaw, Andy Kamrath, Kyle Baker, Chris Allard, Blair Wickett, Nic Montanari, Billy Melenhorst, Terry Woodley, Miles Tyson, Jake Watson, Gerrit Tiemersma, Treyten Lapcevich, Stefan Woyslaw, Cory Young, Bob Phinnemore, Hudson Nagy, Kendra Adams, Stefan Semeraro, Thomas Dunn, Travis McLean, Eric Rainey, Chandler Bos, Russ Couture and Wendy Adams.
Before the race even took the green flag, Bos would run into problems in turn one, resulting in needing to be toed off of the racing surface.
Benedict would jump out to the early lead ahead of Paxton while Schwartzenburg, Kamrath and Shaw went three-wide for third on lap two. Kamrath would get the spot ahead of Schwartzenburg, with Shaw battling Baker for fifth. Baker would get the spot, getting alongside Schwartzenburg for fourth at lap five.
Kamrath, meanwhile, continued his charge to the front with a pass on Paxton for second on lap seven. He would then pass Benedict a lap later to put the No. 35 London Recreational, Jason Witty Re/Max, Seaton Structures, Super Clean, Castrol Edge, Blue Mountain Honda, Brandon’s Landscapes, Georgina Auto Glass, J.K. Kitching and Sons, AM Roofing, and Spencer Lewis Promotions Honda Civic into the lead.
Benedict would now run second ahead of Paxton as Schwartzenburg and Baker continued to battle for fourth. Baker would get fourth on lap nine, with Shaw getting alongside Schwartzenburg for fifth. Behind them, Wickett would run seventh while Tyson and Melenhorst battled for eighth ahead of Montanari, Woodley, Young, Tiemersma, Watson and Lapcevich.
At the front of the field, Kamrath continued to stretch out his lead ahead of Benedict, Paxton and Baker as Schwartzenburg was able to keep Shaw behind him for fifth. Wickett would continue to run seventh, with Tyson and Melenhorst continuing to run side-by-side. Wickett would then get alongside Shaw for sixth at lap 20, but the caution would fly a lap later as race leader Kamrath would go up, blowing his third motor in the last four races. Kendra Adams would spin in turn four, as well. With 29 laps to go, Benedict led Paxton, Baker, Schwartzenburg, Shaw, Wickett, Tyson, Montanari, Melenhorst, Young, Woodley, Tiemersma, Watson, Lapcevich, Phinnemore, Nagy, Allard and Adams.
Benedict would get a good restart to hold the lead ahead of Paxton, Baker, Schwartzenburg, Wickett and Shaw as Tyson made his way down pit road at lap 23. Montanari would get alongside Young for seventh a lap later, while Melenhorst headed down pit road. Shaw would then get alongside Wickett for fifth, with the pair battling till the caution flew at lap 28 for Semeraro slowing on the front stretch. Under caution, Adams would head down pit road while Tyson returned to the track. With 22 laps to go, Benedict led Paxton, Baker, Schwartzenburg, Wickett, Shaw, Young, Montanari, Tiemersma and Woodley.
The restart brought forth a battle for the lead between Benedict and Paxton, with Benedict able to hold on to the top spot and clear Paxton at lap 32. Baker would continue to run third ahead of Schwartzenburg, Wickett, Young and Shaw as Tiemesrma and Montanari battled for eighth. Wickett would then get alongside Schwartzenburg at lap 35 for fourth as Tiemersma cleared Montanari for the eighth spot.
Wickett and Scwartzenburg would battle all the way till the third caution at lap 40 for Montanari slowing and stopping in turn four. With 10 laps to go, Benedict led Paxton, Baker, Schwartzenburg, Wickett, Young, Shaw, Tiemersma, Woodley, Watson, Lapcevich and Phinnemore.
The restart would see a battle for the lead between Benedict and Paxton, with Benedict grabbing the brief advantage with seven laps to go. Paxton then get back alongside him, and put the No. 33 Blue Mountain Honda, Graham Landscape Limited, JF Kitching and Sons Haulage, Georgina Auto Sales, Whole Sale Tire Solutions Honda Civic into the lead with three laps to go.
Warren Paxton would then lead the rest of the way en route to scoring the victory ahead of Danny Benedict, Kyle Baker, Billy Schwartzenburg, Blair Wickett, Cory Young, Gerrit Tiemersma, Terry Woodley, Samantha Shaw, Jake Watson, Treyten Lapcevich, Kendra Adams, Bob Phinnemore, Hudson Nagy, Billy Melenhorst, Chris Allard and Nic Montanari. Travis McLean finished as the first car one lap down ahead of Eric Rainey, Thomas Dunn, Stefan Woyslaw, Russ Couture, Wendy Adams and Miles Tyson.
