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Monster trucks thrill crowdBy Cheryl Cooksey, Motorsports Writer Enid News and Eagle
ENID — Checkered Flag Productions shook the ground and rocked the packed house with an amazing display of ground pounding thunder at the Red Neck Nationals Saturday night.
Chris Legano had the capacity crowd on their feet as he pulled out all the stops jumping his monster truck Razn Kane nearly 20 feet in the air then spun donuts into a cyclone.
Sixty-year old crew chief Jimmy Smith made his rookie debut in War Eagle with a daring display jumping cars along with Devon Jones, aboard the crowd-pleasing Barbarian.
Don Cundiff of Nocono, Texas, dominated in the truck and tractor pulls as he swept both the econo and two-wheel drive divisions.
Cundiff clearly conquered the econo class with a full pull aboard Lollipop 2. Cundiff ruled over the two-wheel drive class nothing a full pull plus in his ride Half Fast 2, powered by a 526 Keith Black Hemi.
A team from the United States Army brought the crowd to its feet when it demonstrated the remarkable muscle of an eight-wheel tactical vehicle weighed down with an 8,000 Hummer and a fully loaded sled easily scoring well over a full-pull.
Jesse Ryal muscled his way through the field in stock mud trucks to capture the win.
Daylon Berjeron piloted his Ram-irez/Carpet Direct-sponsored sport mod to his first feature win of the season.
He showed the way early and had a strong league until Nick Shenberger spun in turn two and put the race under caution in lap 13. Berjeron continued his run on the restart and held a precarious lead to the line.
Adams made a challenge at the line, but settled for second trailed by Shenberger, Cleo Adams and Steve Blunk.
Brad “The Bullet” Costello reigned over factory stock aboard his McCartney Welding/A & A Automotive-sponsored Chevy.
“The car was on a rail tonight,” said Costello.
Costello launched his Dunsworth Machine- powered ride off the pole like a rocket, but was challenged early by Logan Macy and Brandon Gibson, who worked their way up front. It was a heated battle for several laps with Macy making insistent challenges on the bottom side.
The yellow flag waved in lap six as Justin King spun to a halt on the front straight.
Costello and Macy found the quick way around and sported nearly a straight-away advantage on the field in a mere two laps. All their effort was for naught as another caution flag flew in lap nine when Ross Dawson spun to a stop.
Costello found the quick way around on the restart and held his lead to the finish. Macy settled for second, followed by James Mayhugh, Gibson and R.J. Ramer.
Mark Smith conquered the field in pure stock for his first win of the season.
“That was my old car, and the Ford still runs great,” Smith said.
Smith exploded off the outside pole and had a commanding lead when the yellow flag waved after Austin McKinney lost an axle on the front straight.
Smith continued his run when the race went green. Despite two additional cautions, he held a commanding lead until he spun in fluid discharged from Dustin Schoonover’s car putting the track back under yellow.
Smith hustled away and took a strong lead to the line. Jason Gerhard settled for second, trailed by Tim Smart, Tyson Ashlock and Jason Utterback.
Determination paid off for Scott Hladick as he posted his first win of the year in the bomber “A” feature.
Hladick powered his Chevy off the outside pole, lapping traffic by the second lap.
But all that effort was wasted as Tyler Downard launched his ride onto the wall in turn three and put the track under caution.
Hladick showed the way when the green flag waved, but was unable to hold off the hard-charging Jeff Lewis. Lewis took the point and for a while seemed unbeatable, However, he faded off the pace with eight laps to go.
Hladick seized the top spot and raced to the checkered flag unchallenged. Shawn Hughes posted second, followed by Lewis, Bailer Clift and Aaron Kunkel.
Heat winners in sports mods were Shenberger and Berjeron.
Ramer and Costello won their heats in factory stock, Gerhard and Ashlock won pure stock heats.
Enid Speedway’s next card of racing will be a two-day show Sept. 24-25.
JIMMY MINTER 'AKA'dirtrack234
Yesterday
is history,
tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That is
why they call it the present.
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