[Jerry Shaw]

When you first walked in, it was hard not to notice that the track was beautiful. It was bright red and looked meticulously groomed. And by the time hot laps were finished, it was obvious that this old joint was lightning fast. Once qualifying began, right off the bat, the first two qualifiers were sub 11 seconds! Then, car after car after car runs were being completed that were in the same range or even faster than the first two had been. When all had taken time, we had 8 drivers under 11 seconds! And 28 of them were under 11.3!

Anybody who goes to Bloomington a lot knows the next thing you're going to see after the track is really fast and tonight was no exception. When everybody's fast, heat race passing is very difficult and in this set of heats, it meant that 8 out of the top 10 qualifiers would not transfer. It also meant that the B Main we would see would more closely resemble an A Main. And when it came time for the semi-feature, we weren't disappointed. Chase Stockon immediately went to work on Brady Short and then CJ Leary to grab the lead and dominate. Jon Stanbrough quickly worked his way through the field to pry the final transfer spot away from Aaron Farney. And the battle of that race was Nick Bilbee and Josh Hodges,as they were wheel to wheel and all over one another for most of the 12 laps. All of these things were a harbinger for things to come. It assured most everybody that even though we had seen some very challenging conditions during the heat races, the track was now race ready and we could be in for a very good A Main.

In the feature, right off the bat, Chad Boespflug grabbed the lead and 3rd row starter Chris Windom went to work and was visibly the driver the leader would have to be concerned with before everything was said and done. And after Chris got by Kyle Cummins and Dave Darland, he began chasing down the leader. He caught him and looked to be ready to assume the lead, but they got into some heavy lapped traffic and Chad negotiated his way through the back markers better and pulled away some. And for most of the first 3/4 of the race, Kyle Cummins was either in a serious battle with Dave Darland or trying to fight Chase Stockon off, who was trying to take his spot away. Then there was a yellow. Myself and most that I was talking to thought that this would benefit Chris, because he was at that time, faster on open track than Chad. And that's just what happened and Chris seemed to have taken over the race and was the leader for the next 7 or 8 laps. Then here comes another yellow. The prevailing thought was that Chris would do the same he had done on the previous yellow and finish closing the deal. But, after the first lap, it was obvious that somebody had forgot to tell Chad that, because he was all over the leader. Then, at that same time, Justin Grant went on a tear and was threatening to land a podium spot, when for most the race, when just a few laps ago, that didn't look to be in the cards. And here came Kevin Thomas, Jr. Where the hell did he come from?! He had started in the very back. But all eyes went to the front and the battle for the lead, because like Jen said, Chris and Chad were just all over one another, barely more than a few feet apart, all the way around the red oval. Chad on the rim and Chris backing it in and getting great bite coming out of 2 and 4, on the low part of the track. Chad got his lead back and was in front coming to the flagstand on the lap before the white flag would fly and fought Chris's repeated challenges off to take the win. What a finish!! And what a comeback by the track. It got racier as the night went on! And how about Chad and Chris? Between their classic rumble, in the final race at the Action Track last year and this gem that brought the house down, we're starting to see a great rivalry develop. Now, lets go see part two of this double header, at a place down south that never disappoints.

Jerry

[mc/rider]

Thank you Jerry.Your story puts us back in the bleachers

[bart]

Thanks for the report. Nicely done.

Bart

[Charles Nungester]

This is the way Bloomington used to be back in the 80s-90s before it went to a knock the cushion off in hot laps, dry slicky all night and all the racing on the bottom. I got to the point I just didn't go much anymore and probably wouldn't have made last years Sprint Week except for the THAT rain out which moved my two race trip to LPS/Bloomington and DD and Beauchamp ran multiple side by side laps in that one.

Last night was for the books. Chris Dialed in on the bottom. Chad seemingly going to have to settle for second, Yet he searches and searches and pushes a little more and more each lap. As Windom said, Boespflug ran seven perfect laps to run him down and win. Rare you see six or seven side by side laps.
That was Awesome!

[WinglessLovers]

Jerry said it all with his report. One heck of a good feature on a track that looked better than it has in quite a while. Chris & Chad put on the show up front with Justin & Kevin making impressive drives to the front. The last 5 laps don't get better than that.

Bruce & Pat Eckel

[davidm]

Nice write up Jerry!

[old coot]

jerry, do you work as A newspaper reporter? You write some good stories.

[CCI]

Jerry, It's always a pleasure to read your race report. Thank You

[Jerry Shaw]

Originally Posted by old coot jerry, do you work as A newspaper reporter? You write some good stories.

No, never have. I'm a lab field service engineer by trade and race fan by hobby.

Jerry

[PJ Wright]

Originally Posted by Jerry Shaw No, never have. I'm a lab field service engineer by trade and race fan by hobby. Jerry

Well if you ever need a fall-back, I think you've got it.