Sunday Night Bunch

Marysville, CA…(6-14-20) – The Sunday night Showdown at Marysville Raceway produced a large car count with close intense racing. A large gathering of 31 winged 360 sprints, 28 Hobby Stocks, 15 IMCA Sport Mods and 5 Crate Sprints entered the special Sunday night showcase. The race was presented by Speed Shift Tv and offered the regular purse for those who attended. Still no grandstand fans were allowed.
Paradise’s John Michael Bunch electrified the quarter-mile clay oval raceway with a stunning wire-to-wire win during the 25-lap winged 360 sprint car main event. It was the first time in recent memory, that the track had a top and bottom groove for the drivers at both ends of the track. It marked Bunch’s first sprint car win since 2014. According to our notes, it was his fifth career main event win at Marysville.
Bunch shot out to the lead over fellow front row started Brad Bumgarner. J.J. Hickle quickly climbed to the second spot followed by the nights fast time qualifier Blake Carrick. While those three put on a whale of a show, the battle for fourth on back was just as good. Bumgarner tried to fend off hard charging Shane Hopkins, Andy Forsberg, and Tanner Carrick.
Only two yellows slowed the event down. The first one was needed on lap 11 when Michael Faccinto stopped in turn three. On lap 18, Bumgarner crashed into the turn one wall. It is hard to describe how great the race was on paper. Luckily, our friends at Speed Shift Tv covered the event and I would highly recommend you watch it.
In the end it was Bunch winning by a half second over Blake Carrick. Hickle grabbed the third spot at the finish. Hopkins fought hard all night for his fourth-place finish. Tanner Carrick rounded out the top five. Michael Ing held off Forsberg for sixth. Caden Sarale started 15th and finished 8th.
Stephen Ingraham dominated the 12-lap B main event. Finishing second was Michael Sellers, third was Faccinto and fourth was Mike Monahan.
Heat race wins went to Ing, Billy Wallace, Colby Wiesz and Hopkins.
Grass Valley’s Andrew Peckham led all 20-laps to capture the exciting IMCA Sport Mod feature. As with the sprint car race, only two yellows slowed this magnificent race. The first one taking place on lap 14 when Brain Cooper spun and collected Phillip Shelby. Both drivers were inside the top five at the time. Cooper exited the track. Shelby restarted and blasted his way back to a fifth-place finish. A few more laps and Shelby might have given Peckham a battle for the win. The final caution saw Timothy Allerdings spin. Also involved was Todd Cooper. Cooper could not continue after the yellow flag. Allerdings did his best in the final three laps to charge back to a ninth-place finish.
Even though Peckham led every lap, second place finishing Justin Funkhouser shadowed him all race long. Give credit to Funkhouser, he drover an outstanding race. Mike Merritt turned in another good finish. Merritt passed Jimmy Ford late in the event to finish third. Ford was solid all night and came home in fourth. Justin Foux made a rare Marysville start. Foux started 14th and finished sixth.
Merritt and Peckham each won their respective eight lap heat race.
Brett Youngman charged his way back into victory lane Sunday night during the Crate Sprint car feature. The 15-lap feature saw Youngman lead every lap. Jeff Macedo finished second. David Sims ran third. Cameron Haney Jr. came home fourth. Mike Ballentine was the fifth and final finisher of the race. Youngman swept the night by winning the 8-lap heat race.
Kyle Cheney was cool, calm, and collected while driving his way to the 20-lap win in the Hobby Stock main event. Cheney was able to hit his marks, and never miss a beat in route to the popular win. Six cautions slowed the event, but it never seemed to slow Cheney. Fifth place starting Jacob Johnson is becoming one of the divisions top drivers. Late in the race he moved into second. Phil Spencer was in the top three all night. Jesse Van Roekel started on the outside of the front row but drifted back a bit during the event. In fact, he was passed late in the race by Chris Van Roekel. Chris was scored fourth while Jesse was fifth. Keith Ross was fast all night but could not catch a break and finished sixth. 19th starting Zach Lindgren charged his way up to a seventh-place finish. David Allen was scored with an eighth-place finish. 18th starting David Caluya came home ninth. Jim Brookshire rounded out the top 10.
Robert Warf won the 12-lap B main event. Kyle Cheney swept the night by also win the first heat race. Jesse Van Roekel won heat two. Orville Owens won the third heat. Phil Spencer got the win in heat four. Another strong car count, 28, keeps this Hobby Stock division on the fast track to stardom.
Full results https://speedhive.mylaps.com/Events/1772291
Also watch on demand at www.speedshifttv.com
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