|
KOKOMO, IN-RIS- The fifth race in
five days for the 2007 "Indiana Sprint Week" was held at
Kokomo Speedway. The event was also known as "The Bob Darland
Memorial" for Dave Darland's father. It was the fifth running
and Dave has never won it so it looked to be a 'dream come true'
when he lead 29 of the thirty laps. He lead every lap except the one
that pays, the last. When it was over Jon Stanbrough was collecting
for first place for
the fourth time.
The track was fast and Jerry Coons Jr. took the pole with a track
record 12.818 second lap. Darland qualified well enough to get sixth
place which, with the inversion put him on the pole. Stanbrough had
a lack-luster effort that got him into the twelve spot on the grid.
The race was given the green and Darren Hagen gave Darland a run for
his money, but Dave ended up in front on lap one. Behind him
Stanbrough had accomplished the incredible task of Moving up from
12th place to seventh on the first lap. The yellow flag was thrown
for Brady Short who had come to a stop on the second turn with a
flat right rear tire. When the race was continued it went unusually
swiftly with no further caution. On lap eight Stanbrough moved into
fifth place and into fourth place on lap 12. It was good progress,
but he was taking his time.
Cole Whitt of Alpine, California was having one of the best races of
his young career. After starting ninth he took third on lap eight
and had second on lap 18. That was about the point in the race that
traffic took a hand in the race and held Cole back for several laps.
Stanbrough took second by passing Whitt on lap 23.
Darland had been running off the laps and his line was the top of
the corners. When Stanbrough made his move he had found that the
middle of the track was the best place to run and he succeeded in
closing an almost three second lap in the final six laps. Whitt was
following and watching Stanbrough. Darland was still up on top in
the turns. The crowd was on it's feet as Stanbrough closed with
local favorite Darland on the final lap and there was a small moan
that joined the cheers when Stanbrough made the pass stick exiting
turn two. Whitt was also on the march and took second from Darland
as they came out of turn four. Darren Hagen was fourth and Dustin
Morgan was fifth.
At the start of the night Levi Jones had held the lead in the Sprint
Week points by ten points over Stanbrough. At nights end Jones had
dropped to second trailing Stanbrough by five points.
Stanbrough seems to have a special attraction to the Sprint Week
races. Looking back to last season you could say that he has won
four of the last six Indiana Sprint Week events held.
Cory Kruseman won the B feature. Kyle Robbins won the consy. Jon
Stanbrough, Levi Jones, Shane Hollingsworth and Mitch Wissmiller won
the heat races.
After five nights of exciting racing action the Indiana Sprint
Week racers get a little time off. The sixth of the eight races is
scheduled for Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell, Indiana. See you
there!
Courtesy Motorsportsforum.com
|
