2011 Montpelier Motor Speedway Results

July 23, 2011

JR Ruefer Wins UMP Modified Thriller.  Hobbs Collects Super Stock Feature By A Nose.  Nichols and Gipson Back In Victory Lane On July 23.

For the second consecutive weekend, the Ruefer family found themselves in victory lane. Last week, it was brother Jake who netted the $1000 Win over a 42 car field, this week it would be brother, JR’s turn as he landed his Team Buzzard race car into victory lane besting 23 other UMP Modifieds.  The 2003 UMP Modified track champion, JR, grabbed the lead using the top shelf as the green flagged waved for the 20 lap event.  Bluffton, Ohio’s Tony Anderson worked the bottom as the two raced side by side throughout the entire feature with Ruefer enjoying only a slight advantage at the stripe each circuit.  Zeke McKenzie from his 6^th place starting position launched himself forward using the cushion making it a three wide three car battle for the top spot.  As the feature progressed, Jim Haager and Bill Haager joined the dog fight to make it a 5 car battle for the lead as the five cars raced side by side and 2-3 wide.  A series of restarts deep into the feature placed the feature up for grabs, but in the end it was JR who would take the top prize.  Anderson finished second with McKenzie, Jim Haager, Bill Haager, and Jake Ruefer rounding out the top 6.  Andy Bishop completed an outstanding run from his 21^st starting position to finish 7^th .  Greg Pitts, Todd Sherman (from 14^th) and John Halsey all finished in the top 10.  Ruefer’s win marked the 5^th different UMP Modified winner at the speedway in the past 5 races.  5 Time track champion, Todd Sherman, remains the point’s leader for the UMP Modifieds going into next weekend’s event.

Super Stock racing action found the closest finish of the season with Mitchell, Indiana’s Lee Hobbs picking up the win by less than 6 inches over Richmond, Indiana’s Jeff Matheny.  Familiar foes Hobbs and Tony Anderson found themselves on the front row of the 15 lap event, and when the green flag waved, it was another classic Hobbs verses Anderson battle.  Hobbs led throughout as Anderson and Matheny traded positions.  A series of yellow flags deep into the feature restacked the field as Matheny blasted the cushion on the restarts and Hobbs worked the middle/bottom grove.  In the final corner, Hobbs went to the high side and Matheny went to the bottom.  As the two came to the checkered flag it was Hobbs who had the advantage by mere inches.  The feature win marked Hobbs’s 4^th win of the season and 10^th overall at the speedway.  Tony Anderson is currently the track championship point’s leader.

Sheridan Indiana’s Gary Gipson found victory lane in the Mod Lite racing action for his second win of the 2011 season.  Only Gipson and Willie McFarland have been able to repeat as winners in a division that so far in 2011 has posted 7 different winners.  When the green flag waved, it found Gipson and McFarland on the front row.  Gipson was able to grab the lead as a great three way race ensued between Gipson, McFarland, and Gary Griffith.  Meanwhile, series point’s leader, Dan Smith, from his 8^th place starting position began his drive through the field.  A series of flips on the back stretch from what looked like left front steering damage for Smith halted action and brought out the red flag. Track officials and paramedics thankfully reported that Smith was alert and attentive after such a wild accident .When racing resumed, Gipson again led through the field to the green.  McFarland worked the low grove as Gipson piloted his machine through the middle.  By the checkered flag, McFarland was able to get to the door of Gipson, but was unable to complete the pass.  With Gipson’s win, he will be the series point’s leader heading into action next week.

Portland, Indiana’s Travis Nichols scored his 4^th of win of the 2011 season in Thunder Car action.  Nichols grabbed the lead from his pole starting position and never looked back.  Marion, Indiana’s Jason Shrout, finished second and currently sits 33 points behind Nichols for the track championship.  Portland’s Steve Mills finished third with Aaron Day and Shane Richardson rounding out the top 5.

UMP Modifieds

                     23 Entries

1. 96	JR Ruefer	Roanoke, Indiana
2. 22T	Tony Anderson	Bluffton, Ohio
3. 24	Zeke McKenzie	North Manchester, Indiana
4. 16H	Jim Haager	Richmond, Indiana
5. 92	Bill Haager	Richmond, Indiana
6. F16	Jake Ruefer	Roanoke, Indiana
7. 2	Andy Bishop	Gas City, Indiana
8. 22	Greg Pitts	Sheridan, Indiana
9. 65	Todd Sherman	Churubusco, Indiana
10. 76	John Halsey	Huntington, Indiana
11. 15J	Jami Cale	Huntington, Indiana
12. 116	Jimmie Haager	Eaton, Ohio
13. 8cent Corey Bevard	Litchfield, Michigan
14. 63	Troy Stewart 	Albion, Indiana
15. 511	Terry Hampton	Bluffton, Indiana
16. 23C	Ryan Cripe	North Manchester, Indiana
17. 79	Shane Unger	Versailles, Ohio
18. 75	Steve Billenstein	New Weston, Ohio
19. 24	Terry Grilliot 	Versailles, Ohio
20. E85	Jesse Strange	Marion, Indiana
21. 8	Jim Mallory	Moorsville, Indiana
22. 05	David Smith	Richmond, Indiana

23. 3M	Lonnie McIntyre	Decatur, Indiana - DNS

Super Streets

                12 Entries

1. H0	Lee Hobbs	Mitchell, Indiana
2. J1	Jeff Matheny	Brownsville, Indiana
3. 22T	Tony Anderson	Bluffton, Ohio
4. 8S	Rob Scarrette	New Paris, Ohio
5. 21K	James Kepling	McComb, Ohio
6. 9	Jamie Heiser	Fort Recovery, Ohio
7. T5X	Bub Roberts	Warren, Indiana
8. 86	Luke Timmerman St. Henry, Ohio
9. 12C	Stevie Clark 	Kokomo, Indiana
10. 22R	Richard Williams Portland, Indiana
11. 73	Jeff Baldauf	Portland, Indiana
12. 89	Bobby Burton	Kokomo, Indiana

          Thunder Cars

                                11 Entries

1. 83	Travis Nichols	Portland, Indiana
2. 50	Jason Shrout	Marion, Indiana
3. 17	Steve Mills	Portland, Indiana
4. 112	Aaron Day	Denver, Indiana
5. 828	Shane Richardson Markle, Indiana
6. 73	Brian Baldauf	Portland, Indiana
7. 71F	Rick Frasure	Hartford City, Indiana
8. 42	Scott Fishbaugh	Van Buren, Indiana
9. 11	Shawn Wible	Bryant, Indiana
10. 76	Eric Gibbs - *R	Marion, Indiana
11. 215X	 Jeremy Crow	

  Next Event:  Saturday, July 30