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CLAYTON REPEATS IN KISS-MSCS CONTEST
by Eldon Butcher
Haubstadt, IN - June 7, 2008. Daron Clayton, of Indianapolis, IN, won the 30 lap KISS - MSCS feature race Saturday night at Tri- State Speedway. The event was the fourth of six King of Indiana Sprint Series races scheduled for 2008. Clayton led every lap after starting on the pole in the 20 car feature field. For him the victory was a repeat of last year’s victory in the first ever KISS - MSCS Match-up at the speedway.
For Clayton it was his third trip to the quarter mile oval this season in MSCS competition. The first two did not produce a victory. Daron Clayton put the win into words at the finish line trophy presentation. “The third time was charm. This is probably the best car that I’ve driven around this race track. It was getting some traction!” That car was the R & B Racing DRC/Foxco sprinter owned by Roger and Barb Tapy. The primary sponsor is Truckers 24 Hour Road Service.
The runner-up spot in the feature was occupied by three different drivers beginning with Kyle Cummins, Hud Cone, and then Jon Stanbrough. Cone held the spot until lap 17. Stanbrough who had started fifth then moved into the second spot. By then Clayton was finding ample traffic to lap and still turning some quick times. Stanbrough broke through traffic on the final lap but Clayton had the margin he needed for the victory. Jeff Bland Jr. took third after making steady progress in some tough competition. Hud Cone was fourth, and Mitch Wissmiller was fifth.
Kyle Cummins headed up the second five at the finish. He was followed by Blake Fitzpatrick, Hunter Schuerenberg, Sammy Imel, and John Memmer. The average age of those five drivers figures at a youthful 17.6 years. Schuerenberg made one of his patented runs after skidding to a stop between turns three and four to avoid a collision. He rejoined the field at the back and worked his way up into the top ten.
Ricky Williams of Clinton, OH, finished 11th in the A-Main which was good enough to be named the Wilwood Tuff Brakes Award recipient. He was also the MSCS-Keizer Aluminum Wheels Hard Charger of the Race. Williams also won the B-Main in a fantastic three wide dogfight that became a virtual Young Guns Dash lasting 12 laps. Chase Stockon finished second, Kevin Thomas Jr. was third, and Arin McIntosh was fourth to take the last transfer spot to the feature.
In other preliminary action Jeff Bland Jr., Jon Stanbrough, A.J. Anderson, and Hud Cone won the 4 qualifying heats. The third heat race brought its’ share of yellows and reds. Donny Brackett cleared the guardrails and took out a billboard in turn one after apparently breaking an axel. He crawled out uninjured. The car was retrieved along the outside of the track. MSCS Points leader Thomas Meseraull lost an engine in the same heat and his racing was over early.
Although it was sunny and clear at the track weather played a role . Thirty-three cars finally arrived to compete in what may have been the only sprint car race in the state of Indiana Saturday. Flooded roads and closed sections of highways to the North in the state made travel difficult with some teams making the trip arriving later than usual.
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