(Lima, OH) Mother Nature postponed an awesome night of racing by a mere 24 hours. On Saturday, Limaland Motorsports Park concluded an incredible season of racing with two division championships being decided in the final features of the year. In addition to the evenings thrilling divisional competition, the annual King of the Quarter-Mile showdowns became the icing on the cake. By night’s end, Limaland Motorsports Park had four champions and three kings while the fans left with enough memories to hopefully get them through the off-season!
In the Engine Pro NRA Sprint Invaders feature, Dallas Hewitt took an early lead over Dale Blaney. On lap seven, Jared Horstman hit the wall in turn three and launched his car high into the catch fence. The fence held and stopped Horstman from flipping out of the park. Horstman came to rest back on the track, wheels down. Jared walked away from the car dejected but it is important to note the great strides he made in 2009. Once racing resumed, Blaney made quick work of Hewitt and set sail for the checkered flag. What Blaney didn’t see was Rob Chaney charging to second place and narrowing the gap to Blaney. Just as Chaney looked to be in position to challenge Blaney on lap twenty, contact with Neil Shephard’s lapped car caused Chaney to spin to a stop with some front-end damage. Blaney held the lead for the final five laps and recorded another victory at Limaland with Greg Wilson, Butch Schroeder, Tim Allison, and Dustin Daggett rounding out the top five.
JR Stewart was unable to make the feature after a mishap in his heat race and his inability to transfer out of the B-main. That result was by no means a reflection of his second stellar year in the Hammons Motorsports #6s. Stewart, who had the Elwer Fence Sprints and Engine Pro NRA Sprint Invaders titles wrapped up the moment the green waved in his heat race, became the repeat champion in both series.
The Professional Computer Company Modified title came down to Todd Sherman and Jeff Babcock. Sherman started the evening with a four-point lead. Babcock won his heat race and Sherman took fifth in his heat race. Although Sherman transferred from the B-main to the feature, the damage was already done. Babcock started fourth with a four-point lead while Sherman took the green in seventeenth. Andy Bibler led the first eleven laps until Schuyler Nahre, one of the University of Northwestern Ohio Motorsports Team’s drivers, drove around him to take the lead. A three-car wreck in turn one involving Shawn Bayliff, Mark Fowler, and Scott Orr slowed the pace with less than ten laps to go. Nahre, led Bibler, Darryl Banks, Babcock, Terry Hull, and Todd Sherman back to the green. Sherman was just two spots behind Babcock and Babcock had a broken right ball joint!!
At this point, I don’t know what was more exciting. The thought that Sherman, who had sliced and diced his way to the top six like a man possessed, trying to snatch the title from Babcock who would be fighting a broken car, or the fact that UNOH race team could possibly score their first win, get into the King of the Quarter-Mile, and put a storybook ending together for the Motorsport U reality series whose cameras were present to finish taping the final episodes. The final lap saw Sherman pull even with Babcock at the line and Nahre earning that coveted first victory at Limaland Motorsports Park. Needless to say the crowd went insane and so did the UNOH race team. Jeff Babcock earned his first Professional Computer Company Modified Championship and Todd Sherman proved he is a consummate professional deserving of the deep respect other drivers have for him.
Speaking of well-respected drivers, Tony Anderson pulled onto the track for the final Bud Thunderstock feature with one goal in mind, finish in the top nine. Anderson, a self-proclaimed points racer, knew his commitment to consistency would result in another Bud Thunderstock championship if he just executed the plan. Tim Bowen on the other hand, had to win the race and hope Anderson stumbled if he was going to unseat the multi-time track champion and claim his first Bud Thundersock championship.
Jeff Koz dominated the early part of the race. Barney Craig could not find a way around the talented Koz and ultimately succumbed to his brother-in-law, Jeff Babcock. Tim Bowen was running in fourth when the yellow waved on lap eight for Earnie Woodard’s run-in with the frontstretch wall. Babcock seized control of the race from Koz and Bowen surged to second by the final yellow on lap fourteen. Bowen was unable to unseat Babcock at the point and Tony Anderson cruised his way to a sixth place finish and the season championship.
With all the championships finally decided, the King of the Quarter-Mile races were finally held. Rob Chaney passed JR Stewart and cruised to his 10-lap, $3000 victory. Todd Sherman and Jeff Babcock resumed their season-long battle in the Modified King race. Sherman claimed his fourth crown and left feeling a little better, and $2000 richer, after losing the championship title. The best race was the Bud Thunderstock King of the Quarter-Mile. Tony Anderson took an early lead and Jeff Babcock did everything possible to pass him. High, low, slidejobs, bumper taps, you name it and Babcock tried it. Unfortunately for Babcock, Anderson has seen it all and then some from his biggest rival and that experience allowed him to maintain his cool and collect the $1000 check to go with his 2009 Championship.
Limaland Motorsports Park would like to thank the fans, race teams, and marketing partners for supporting the racetrack during the 2009 season. This year provided some of the best racing in Limaland’s history. One of the brightest spots was the rise of young talent like Jared Horstman, Sheldon Haudenschild, Jeff Koz, and Schuyler Nahre. We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable off-season and we look forward to April and the start of a new season. In the mean time, all the latest news and information about America’s premier quarter-mile dirt track can be found at www.limaland.com.
Engine Pro Sprint Invaders B-main:
- Rick Boughan
- Mike Brecht
- Craig Keel
- Jared Horstman
- JR Stewart
- Brent Gehr
- Zach Ames
- Jarred Delong
- Bob Gehr Jr.
- Ethan Hoy
- Hud Horton
- Noah Walkup
- Kent Wolters
Professional Computer Company Modified B-main
- Todd Sherman
- Justin Matson
- Casey Luedeke
- Jon Henry
- Doug St. Myers
- Tony Anderson
- Steven Hogue
- Jason Kinney
- Jeff Sommers
- Kelly Bowlby
- Dan Wooten
- Nick Katterhenry
- Jerry Hayden
Bud Thunderstock Feature:
- Jeff Babcock
- Tim Bowen
- Brad Conover
- Mike Krueger
- Jeff Koz
- Tony Anderson
- Justin Long
- Kyle Worley
- Ryan Delabruere
- Barney Craig
- Keith Ralston
- Jim Post
- Denny Miller
- Zach Wehlage
- Bob Miller
- Scott Orr
- Sam Bodine
- Earnie Woodard
- Tony Zuppardo
- Pete Zuppardo
Professional Computer Company Modifieds Feature:
- Schuyler Nahre
- Andy Bibler
- Darryl Banks
- Terry Hull
- Jeff Babcock
- Todd Sherman
- Justin Matson
- Jim Henry
- Steve Schnapf
- Andy Bishop
- Mike Roediger
- Jon Henry
- Mike Hohlbein
- JD Lease
- Brian Post
- Casey Luedeke
- Shawn Bayliff
- Mark Fowler
- Scott Orr
- Ed Minnich
Engine Pro Sprint Invaders Feature:
- Dale Blaney
- Greg Wilson
- Butch Schroeder
- Tim Allison
- Dustin Daggett
- Darren Long
- Luke Hall
- Mike Miller
- Mike Brecht
- Neil Shephard
- Jeff Williams
- Mike Dunlap
- Rob Chaney
- Sheldon Haudenschild
- Dennis Yoakam
- Dallas Hewitt
- Rick Boughan
- Caleb Helms
- Craig Keel
- Jared Horstman
Bud Thunderstock King:
- Tony Anderson
- Jeff Babcock
- Tim Bowen
- Earnie Woodard
Professional Computer Company Modified King:
- Todd Sherman
- Jeff Babcock
- Darryl Banks
- Terry Hull
- Jon Henry
- Schuyler Nahre
Elwer Fence Sprints King:
- Rob Chaney
- JR Stewart
- Dale Blaney
- Greg Wilson
- Darren Long
- Tim Allison
Limaland Motorsports Park
1441 North Cable Road
Lima, Ohio 45805
limaland@unoh.edu
www.limaland.com
Business 419-998-3168
Track 419-339-6249
- Bob Fricke on Aug 31, 2009
- Article Date: 8/31/2009