Skyline Speedway
April 20, 2012
_______________________________________

Garnes claimed the top prize in the AMRA Late Models at Skyline Speedway

by Scott Wolfe
STEWART, OH (April 20) - Another beautiful evening of 80 degree weather provided the back drop for a hot evening of racing that featured another stout field of AMRA Late Models and MALTA Doors and Windows AMRA Modifieds at Billy Jarrell’s Skyline Speedway. In the Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association (OVSCA) main Jimmy Stinson, Vandalia, Ohio made it a clean sweep by capturing fast time, his heat and the twenty-five-lap A main. Evans, WV driver and defending two-time champion Chris Garnes claimed the top prize in the AMRA Late Models and former AMRA champ Jeremy Berwanger captured the 20-lap MALTA Modified main.

The twenty-five lap AMRA Late Model main had plenty of action; however, an early daredevil move by second row starter Chris Garnes gave the eventual winner a huge advantage over front row starters and heat winners Andy Bond and Ralph Withem.

With Garnes securely out in front the epicenter of action was for second between Chris Carpenter, Withem, and Bond. Frankie Hall and the rejuvenated Bob Adams, Jr. --the 62-year old former 8-time track champion--hammered it out for fifth.

A lap eight caution wiped out Garnes' huge lead. Chris Carpenter sat poised directly on the rear quarters of Garnes for the next five circuits, sometimes bringing fans to their feet in a split between the two large fan bases.

Carpenter grabbed the lead on the restart, but Garnes quickly erased the brief encounter. Fast Freddie Carpenter stomped the fast pedal and moved up to third, while KC Burdette also made a great run toward the top five.

Mike McPherson, the modified ace, made a great run in his first-ever late model start. Young Chris Carpenter bounced of the wall in a gallant last ditch effort to run down the winning Garnes. Garnes claimed his second straight win and his fourth victory of the year in his dependable 2011 Swartz Extreme Chassis powered by Pro-Power.

"I just tried to hit my marks and protect my line on the bottom," said Garnes. "I knew I had to be good in traffic, and the way it went down, the spacing between the lapped cars allowed me to hit the cushion at just the right times. The car worked anywhere on the track."

Rounding out the top ten were Chris Garnes, Chris Carpenter, Freddie Carpenter, Ralph Withem, KC Burdette, Andy Bond, Mike McPherson, Derek Doll, Kenny Newhouse, and Dan Morrison. Fast Freddie was the hard charger in a 14th to third place run. Morrison was impressive in a last to tenth place run. K-C Burdette came from 12th to 5th and Doll from 16th to 8th.

Race Summary

AMRA Late Models (35)
Fast Time: Chris Carpenter 13:45
Heat One: Andy Bond, Chris Carpenter, Mike Martin, Randy Armes, Ed Shuman, George Klintworth, Darin Roush, Justin Powell, Josh Lawrence, Nick Dohm (DNS)
Heat Two: Chris Garnes, Bob Adams, Ronnie Mayle, Brandon Conteel, Roy Dodson, Colten Burdette, Jeff Burdette, Kevin Layne (DNS)
Heat Three: Ralph Withem, Kenny Newhouse, Tony Roush, Dereek Doll, Dan Morrison, Ed Shuman, Terry Hinkle, James Joy, Larry Bond (DNS)
Heat Four: Mike McPherson, Frankie Hall, KC Burdette, Freddie Carpenter, Bub Crum, JL Weekly, Travis Brookover, Pete Crum
B-Main One: Randy Armes, Jeff Burdette, Ed Shuman, Brandon Conteel, George Klintworth, Darin Roush, Roy Dodson, Justin Powell, Josh Lawrence, Colten Burdette (DNS)
B-Main Two: Freddie Carpenter, Derek Doll, Dan Morrison, Travis Brookover, Bub Crum, Terry Hinkle, Doug Wriston, James Joy, Pete Crum
Feature: Chris Garnes, Chris Carpenter, Freddie Carpenter, Ralph Withem, KC Burdette, Andy Bond, Mike McPherson, Derek Doll, Kenny Newhouse, Dan Morrison, Frankie Hall, Ronnie Mayle, Mike Martin, Bob Adams, Randy Armes, Ed Shuman, Tony Roush, Jeff Burdette

410 Sprint Cars (12)
Fast Time: Jimmy Stinson 10:57
Heat One: Jimmy Stinson, Jimmy Nier, Nathan Skaggs, Brian Benson, Nick Forcum, Jesse McCreary
Heat Two: Dave Dickson, Greg Mitchell, Ryan Broughton, Eric Martin, Eddie Sloane, Bob Tucker
Feature: Jimmy Stinson, Jimmy Nier, Greg Mitchell, Ryan Broughton, Nathan Skaggs, Dave Dickson, Eddie Slone, Brian Benson, Jesse McCreary, Eric Martin, Bob Tucker, Nick Forcum

MALTA AMRA MODIFIEDS (30)
Heat One: Jeremy Berwanger, Brandon Barnhart, Doug Henry, Mike McPherson, Jeremy Blake, Nick Carr, Matt Holcomb, Kyle Bond, Jeremy Roush, Toby Roush
Heat Two: Roy Roush, Vince Conrad, Ernie Lockhart, Josh Tomkin, David Wilson, David Pryor, Robbie Evans, Gary Gould, Robbie Scott, Shawn Donahue
Heat Three: Rick Venham, Dusty Boley, Andy Bond, Shane Roush, Frank Roush, Mike Foggin, Curt Reck, Curt Stacy, Ben Ayers
B-Main: Nick Carr, Robbie Evans, Matt Holcomb, Jeremy Roush, Shawn Donahue, Gary Gould, David Pryor, Mike Foggin, Curt Stacy, Toby Roush, Curt Reck, Ben Ayres, Kyle Bond, Robbie Scott (DNS)
Feature: Jeremy Berwanger, Roy Roush, Andy Bond, Rick Venham, Vince Conrad, Dusty Boley, Jeremy Blake, Brandon Barnhart, Robbie Evans, Mike McPherson, Doug Henry, Frank Roush, Nick Carr, Shane Roush, Ernie Lockhart, Matt Holcomb, Josh Tomkin, David Wilson