Justin Grant Wins BOSS Opener at K-C Raceway
The California Kid, Justin Grant put on a spectacular show Saturday night, July 16th in winning the 2nd annual Gene Comstock Memorial at Schrader's K-C Raceway. The Ione, California native, aboard the #40 Hery Motorsports entry also won his heat, then charged from 5th starting spot to win the Comstock Cup over a tough field of 15 cars.
Two time Lawrenceburg Speedway champion Joss Moffat brought the field to green with Travis Welpot alongside. Moffat blasted out to a comfortable early lead, but 5th starting Grant wasted little time slicing his way to the front. Grant slipped past Welpot on lap 3 to take the runner-up spot, then 2 laps later bagged the lead from Moffat. The first of only 2 cautions flew on lap 7 when K-C Raceway regular Jeb Lowder spun in turn 4. The top 5 at lap 7 was Grant, Moffat, Dustin Smith, Adam Strausser, and Travis Welpot.
Once back under green, the top four ran nose to tail, but a real dogfight was developing back in the pack. Michael Fischesser had started 12th and by lap 10 he was up to 6th and battling Aaron Middaugh for a spot in the top 5. On lap 15, Moffat spun while running second and did a 360 spin in heavy traffic, yet managed to right the ship and continue on, losing only one spot to the hard charging Dustin Smith. The always exciting driver Adam Strausser was having a great run and briefly took 3rd from Moffat, but the race's 2nd caution on lap 17 for a spin, negated the pass and relegated him back to 4th. The running order at lap 17 was Grant, Smith, Moffat, Strausser, Middaugh, Fischesser, Landon Simon, Jason Soudrette, and Welpot rounding out the top 10.
On the restart, Grant flexed his muscle quickly motoring away on the high side. Strausser gave Moffat all he could handle for 3rd, but it was Todd Keen who lit up the track in he final laps charging from 11th to 5th after the final caution. Keen prevailed in the dogfight for 5th that literally went on the entire race among no less than 8 different drivers. At the stripe it was Justin Grant, followed by Dustin Smith, Joss Moffat, Adam Strausser, and Todd Keen completing the top 5. Sixth through tenth were Aaron Middaugh, Jason Soudrette, Landon Simon, Michael Fischesser, and Josh Slone. Thirteen of the 15 starters were still running at the completion of the event.
Jeb Lowder took home the $100 steel block bonus award. Justin Grant took the $100 from Hoosier tire and Aaron Middaugh claimed the $100 from Goodyear. American Racer also put up $100 and several cars had on American Racer right rears, but nobody had them on all 4 corners so the American Racer bonus was not claimed.
Adam Strausser claimed the first ever BOSS sprints checkered flag by claiming heat #1. Lewie Christian had a great run going running second in heat one when he got high and made contact with the tire wall in turn 3. Dustin Smith claimed heat #2 as Welpot and Landon Simon treated the fans to a great battle for 2nd that Welpot won. The third and final heat was claimed by Grant.
The Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series would like to thank K-C Raceway owner's Jeff and Vickie Schrader and their fine staff for hosting the series. BOSS also thanks the drivers, owners, teams, and fans who showed up to support non wing racing. A special thank you goes out to the 5 drivers who brought their cars into the general admission area and stayed for over an hour signing autographs and putting future racers in the seats of their cars. More info on BOSS can be found at
www.buckeyesprints.com
Complete Results
Heat #1: Adam Strausser, Aaron Middaugh, Mike Weber, Dwayne Spille, Lewie Christian
Heat #2: Dustin Smith, Travis Welpott, Landon Simon, Josh Slone, Jeb Lowder
Heat #3: Justin Grant, Joss Moffat, Todd Keen, Michael Fischesser, Jason Soudrette
Feature: Grant, Smith, Moffat, Strausser, Keen, Middaugh, Soudrette, Simon, Fischesser, Slone, Welpott, Lowder, Weber, Spille, Christian
Leaders: Moffat (1-5), Grant (6-25) - (2) cautions