Skyline Speedway
May 25, 2012
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Montgomery Pushed to Victory in AMRA Late Models at Skyline Speedway

by Scott Wolfe
STEWART, OHIO-A racy track and a field of 74 cars in four classes set the back drop for one of the most prolific finishes in Skyline Speeway history Friday night when Jason Montgomery, Jackson, Ohio and Chris Garnes tangled at the flag stand, sending both cars in to a wild spin into turns one and two. Montgomery picked up the win in the exciting AMRA Tru-Tech Late Model finale, while veteran Danny Smith, Chillicothe, Ohio claimed the Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association main, and Jeremy Berwanger picked up his fourth Skyline AMRA Malta Windows Modified feature win.

In what looked to be just another day at the races, fast timer Andy Bond set the pace in the AMRA Late Model main, grabbing the early lead over two-time defending champion Chris Garnes. Garnes led through lap eight when the race's second caution flew. Bond was at his side waiting for the opportunity, but on the restart Garnes began a march to a semi-comfortable lead.

Bond and Jason Montgomery thrashed the highbanks for a shot at second, swapping positions regularly to lap eleven when Mongomery took over second for good. The Jackson Ironman pursued the leader Garnes with a vengeance and began to reel him in when a caution waved for Eric Foster and lap 18. Montgomery and Garnes then went center stage as Montgomery staged a slide job for the top spot. Garnes repelled the assault as the two grappled for the same section of the Skyline red clay.

The eventual winner in his Estes/Montgomery Machine/Rocket #21 passed Garnes on lap twenty three but Garnes regained the spot; Montgomery did a power slide to resume the lead, but Garnes again countered only to have Racin' Jason blast off turn four for the lead on lap 24. All the while both drivers exchanged paint with Garnes trying the cross over on the back chute, only to be denied. Garnes went high; Montgomery low coming out of four where the #21 tailed out and Garnes looked for room to make the pass only to drive under Montgomery's quarters locking both cars together, and ingniting a wild and wooly melee that scattered flying sheet metal and plastic amid the two wildly spinning cars.

Locked together as one as the high-speed spin untangled, both cars broke free for separate wild, spiraling rides near the concrete retaining wall.

The up-front dramatics overshadowed Bond's great ride, and solid performances from Freddie Carpenter and Ralph Withem. Colten Burdette had to go pitside after running in the top five much of the race, while Dad Jeff Burdette came on strong late to thwart good runs from Kevin Layne and Dan Morrison.

Behind Montgomery and Garnes were Andy Bond, Freddie Carpenter, Ralph Withem, Jeff Burdette, Kevin Layne, Dan Morrison, Mike McPherson, and Justin Powell. Jeff Burdette was the hard charger in the late models moving up 6 positions from 12th to 6th.

The OVSCA 410 Outlaw sprint feature was a good one, but less melodramatic than the opening Late Model main. At a ground shaking, torrid pace, the race went green-to-checkered. Going into turn one Jimmy Nier, Piketon, OH blasted into the lead, then Aaron Higgins bicycled through the middle of the turn with Smith down low in an daunting 3-wide battle.

Nier made a run on Smith going into turn three, but from that point on Smith throttled up to overdrive and charged on to the non-stop win. Nier, Jimmy Stinson, Andre Layfield, and Higgins fought for position with Wayne McPeek, who later went pitside with mechanical woes. Josh Davis and Nathan Skaggs had a race-long battle with Kory Crabtree and Dave Dickson. Late in the race, both Crabtree and Skaggs charged forward, knocking Davis out of the frey and shuffling the earlier contender Layfield back two positions.

Nier pulled within striking distance a couple of times, however, Smith flexed his muscle in the Coors Light Gang Maxim #4 and blasted on to the win. Rounding out the top ten were Smith, Jimmy Nier, Aaron Higgins, Jimmy Stinson, Kory Crabtree, Nathan Skaggs, Andre Layfield, Josh Davis, Dave Dickson, and Lance Webb.

Nathan Skaggs was the Hard charger in the sprints moving up 3 positions from 9th to 6th. Jimmy Stinson blistered the red-clay highbanks with a scorching 12:16 fast time.

In the AMRA Malta Windows Modified main by Hoosier Tires, Jeremy Berwanger clung to the gift that keeps on giving. Leading all 20 laps, Berwanger rocketed to victory lane--a place he has called home four times this season including a Road Warrior $2,000 to win race a couple weeks ago.

For a while, Berwanger--The Murray City Bandit-- was flanked two car-lengths back by Robbie Evans and Andy Bond. Evans and Bond raced hard for over half the race--Evans hugging the inside groove and Bond high and on the throttle in the upper groove. Bond took over second on the 12th circuit, just about the time that Jeremy Blake kicked his mount up a notch. Blake began a charge to the front, eclipsing huge chunks of turf that he had surrendered earlier in the race.

Blake got by Evans for third, all the while that Mike McPherson, Dusty Boley, and Aaron Pendleton put on one of the best passing shows of the night. Boley took the point in the early stages and McPherson and Pendleton exchanged positions nearly every lap. McPherson then nabbed Boley, setting into play a battle between those chargers. Pendleton moved by Boley, but Boley leap-frogged back ahead of the young Jackson, OH charger. Kurt Stacy drove a consistent race and made a late race drive that helped him preserve a share of hard-charger honors.

At the end it was the winning Berwanger followed by Andy Bond, Jeremy Blake, Robbie Evans, Mike McPherson, Dusty Boley, Aaron Pendelton, Jeremy Roush, Curt Stacy, and veteran Bob Adams, Jr. Hard chargers in the modifieds moving up 4th positions each were Andy Bond from 6th to 2nd, Jeremy Blake from 7th to 3rd, Curt Stacy from 13th to 9th, and Tyler Evans from 16th to 12th. Young Tyler Evans won the B-main, his first victory in a full-blown V-8.

Within the next month Skyline will have a mini wedge track built in the infield. Currently the young stars race on the big track, but soon a new racing surface will be built in the infield. Zach Carr beat out Martin Gibson, Jr. for the Mike's Auto Body Mini-Wedge main, while Austin Washburn, Madison Martin, Skylar Zimmerman, Kasey Rankin, Kalista Barnes, Tanner Martin, Shylan Morris, Ryan Bigley, and Coleman Evans rounded out the line-up.

The summary: May 25, 2012

Tru-Tech AMRA Late Models (26)
Fast Time: Andy Bond 13:70
Heat One: Andy Bond, Mike McPherson, Kevin Layne, Darrin Roush, Dan Morrison, Eric Foster, George Klintworth, Eric Francis
Heat Two: Chris Garnes, Jason Montgomery, Freddie Carpenter, Justin Powell, Jason Gillian, Rodney Gibson, Kenny Roberts, Tony Roush
Heat Three: Ralph Withem, Colten Burdette, Bub Crum, Jeff Burdette, T.J. Roush, Dustin Parsons, Roy Dodson, Brian Eaton, Pete Crum
B-Main: Eric Foster, George Klintworth, Eric Francis, Pete Crum, Dustin Parsons, Roy Dodson, Kenny Roberts, Brian Eaton (DNS), Rodney Gibson (DQ)
Feature: Jason Montgomery, Chris Garnes, Andy Bond, Freddie Carpenter, Ralph Withem, Jeff Burdette, Kevin Layne, Dan Morrison, Mike McPherson, Justin Powell, Colten Burdette, George Klintworth, T.J. Roush, Eric Foster, Eric Francis, Bub Crum, Darrin Roush, Jason Gillian

410 Sprint Cars (19)
Fast Time: Jimmy Stinson 12:16
Heat One: Danny Smith, Jimmy Stinson, Kory Crabtree, Josh Davis, Brian Benson, Nick Forcum, Shawn Hubler
Heat Two: Aaron Higgins, Andre Layfield, Wayne McPeek, Dave Dickson, Eddie Slone, Bob Tucker
Heat Three: Jimmy Nier, Ryan Broughton, Nathan Skaggs, Lance Webb, Steve Oldaker, Eric Martin
B-Main: Nick Forcum, Shawn Hubler, Bob Tucker, Eric Martin
Feature: Danny Smith, Jimmy Nier, Aaron Higgins, Jimmy Stinson, Kory Crabtree, Nathan Skaggs, Andre Layfield, Josh Davis, Dave Dickson, Lance Webb, Brian Benson, Eddie Slone, Nick Forcum, Shawn Hubler, Bob Tucker, Wayne McPeek, Steve Oldaker, Ryan Broughton

MALTA Windows AMRA MODIFIEDS (19)
Heat One: Jeremy Berwanger, Aaron Pendleton, Jeremy Blake, Jeremy Roush, Curt Stacy, Tyler Evans, Jerrad Willis
Heat Two: Robbie Evans, Dusty Boley, Bob Adams, Jr., Gary Gould, Brandon Barnhart, Chad Roush
Heat Three: Mike McPherson, Andy Bond, Rick Venham, Jr., Kyle Bond, Jason Brooks, Roy Roush
B-Main: Tyler Evans, Jerrad Willis, Chad Roush, Roy Roush
Feature: Jeremy Berwanger, Andy Bond, Jeremy Blake, Robbie Evans, Mike McPherson, Dusty Boley, Aaron Pendelton, Jeremy Roush, Curt Stacy, Bob Adams, Jr., Kyle Bond, Tyler Evans, Gary Gould, Jerrad Willis, Jason Brooks, Rick Venham, Jr., Brandon Barnhart, Chad Roush

Mike's Auto Body Mini-Wedges (11)
Heat One: Skylar Zimmerman, Madison Martin, Shyan Morris, Kalista Barnes, Tanner Martin, Ryan Bigley
Heat Two: Zack Carr, Austin Washburn, Coleman Evans, Kasey Rankin, Martin Gibson, Jr.
Feature: Zach Carr, Martin Gibson, Jr., Austin Washburn, Madison Martin, Skylar Zimmerman, Kasey Rankin, Kalista Barnes, Tanner Martin, Shylan Morris, Ryan Bigley, Coleman Evans