Kenny Allen Wins Elusive First Career Sprint Car Feature Event

Kenny Allen Wins Elusive First Career Sprint Car Feature Event
It is always special to see first time winners at any race track. Tonight, was a little more special, at least for me, as Chico’s Kenny Allen picked up his first career sprint car main event win at Marysville Raceway. I have followed the career of Allen for many years now and was wondering when that first win would happen. He is always competitive and fast, but never able to seal the deal. Yet, tonight he can finally add main event winner to his resume. “I have been dreaming of this moment for a long time,” said Allen. When asked how long he had been racing sprint cars without a win he responded by saying, “too long.” Allen joined Damian Merritt, Kyle Cheney and Timmy Sherman Jr on the front stretch for winner’s interviews.
Korey Lovell jumped out the early lead during the 25-lap winged 360 sprint car main event. Starting to the outside of him was Peter Paulson. Earlier in the night, Paulson turned the fastest lap in qualifying and earned the $100 bonus presented by Black Out Fight Gear and Apparel. However, on lap one, Paulson spun around and came to a stop in turn one. The race resumed with Lovell as the leader followed by Bobby Butler and Kenny Allen. Just one lap later, Wyatt Brown stopped in turn four.
Next restart didn’t go much further, as Kyle Standley came to a rest in turn four. Just as he stopped, Butler passed Lovell for the lead. But the yellow neglected the pass and Lovell was back up front for the restart on lap two. The race resumed with not a lot of passing and was slowed again on lap nine when Kenny Wanderstadt stopped in turn four. Lap ten the red flag was waived when second place running Bobby Butler flipped going through the middle of turn four. Butler’s crash was wild but thankfully he walked away uninjured.
Once Butler’s car was removed the race continued. At one-point Brent Bjork had moved around Lovell for the lead but Lovell drove back by. Going into turn one, Bjork drove up the track and Kenny Allen dove to the inside to make the pass. Lovell, Allen and Bjork raced back and forth for the next few laps. Jeremy Hawes, who flipped in his heat race, started deep in the main event and by lap 14 was into the fourth spot. Yellow was needed on lap 16 when Colby Weisz broke a birdcage bolt and came to a stop in turn two.
Lovell restarted the race as the leader. Yet, it was evident the Allen was a bit quicker. Two laps later Allen made the move around Lovell for the lead of the race. Allen then moved out to a half straight lead. However, with just three laps remaining, Allen struggled to get around a slower car. With two of his wheels banging off the infield berm in turn four, Allen was able to move around the slower car and give himself a big enough cushion to hold off Lovell for the win. Lovell finished second. Bjork finished with a career best third place finish. Jeremy Hawes battled his way up to a fourth-place finish. Billy Wallace finished fifth.
Damian Merritt cruised to his first win of the season during the IMCA Sport Mod feature event. Howard Law came home a distant second. Heat race winner Jimmy Ford ran in the third spot. Mike Merritt narrowly beat Raymond Benkowski for the fourth-place finish. Only five cars showed up for point race #7. Yet, give Damian Merritt credit. He was consistently faster than the other four cars in the main event. Law just could never muster any sort of challenge.
Roseville’s Timmy Sherman Jr. swept the RaceSaver Sprint Car night of racing. Sherman Jr. dominated the heat race and led all 20-laps to win the three-car feature. Lemoore, CA Rick Bray finished second in both the heat race and main event. Anissa Curtice of Eureka came home third. The RaceSaver Sprints return next Saturday night as part of the Mel Hall Memorial.
Brian Compton jumped out to a big lead during the 20-lap Hobby Stock main event. Compton at one point was lapping up to the fifth spot. However, with four laps to go, the right rear tire of Compton went flat. Compton tried to nurse his car home to the win but was unable to do so and pulled off on the final lap. Kyle Cheney, who up to that point, was a half lap behind Compton, took the lead. Cheney led the final lap to get the popular win. He was met in victory lane by an abundance of family and friends. Kyle Allen rebounded from a hard wreck in his heat race to finish second. Mel Byers limped across the line for third. Jim Brookshire drove a solid race to finish fourth. Shannon Collins crossed the line in fifth.
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