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June 27th, 2008-Paducah, KY. Robert Ballou of Camby, IN, captured the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car feature Friday night on the sweeping, high banks of Paducah International Speedway. Ballou's MPHG Promotions Maxim entry which is sponsored by Behavior Consultants, J.C. Plew Inc., and Builders Solutions Alliance was the winning machine. The combination produced a fourth MSCS career victory for Ballou.
Robert Ballou took the lead from Daron Clayton on the 11th lap after a spirited duel that spanned the 10 previous laps. Both drivers brushed the wall in succession in exiting turn two during the heat of that battle. After that it was apparent that Clayton's car was not handling as well and he eventually slipped back out of the top ten.
Hud Cone of Oakland City, IN, was quick to take advantage of a sixth place starting position. He was in second by lap thirteen and would be the driver to chase Ballou to the finish line. Kyle Cummins was also passing cars as another race mover The Princeton, IN, driver placed third after starting 12th on the 24 car field. Chad Boespflug and Kenny Biro rounded out the top five to make the race a sweep for Hoosierland drivers.
Competition began in the heats and produced similar match-ups in the feature with different outcomes. Rookie Ricky Williams won the first heat from the pole over Kenny Biro. The two would battle to the finish line again in the feature with Biro getting fifth and Williams sixth. Their positions were reversed with Biro ahead in the final encounter.
Robert Ballou took the second heat over Thomas "On Top" Meseraull. Meseraull entered the event as the season points leader for the MSCS series. Rookie Coleman Gulick was third. That also reversed in the feature with Gulick eighth and Meseraull ninth.
Daron Clayton won the third heat after a challenge from John Memmer flamed out with only a lap to go. Repairs were made to the Memmer sprint and again the two would finish one behind the other in the feature but Memmer would be tenth. Memmer's drive from the very back of the pack would earn him the MSCS-Keizer Aluminum Wheels Hard Charger of the Race. He whizzed by 14 other cars and drivers. Clayton thereby earned the Wilwood tuff Brakes Award.
Three time MSCS Champion Alex Shanks was the other driver who finished in the top ten. Shanks would finish seventh in his first appearance of this season. He was teamed with another Southern Illinois driver Shane Wade in the 39w and 74 entries .
The feature was only slowed three times by yellow flags. Those were for spins by John Irvin and Patrick Budde plus some contact on lap 22 which sent Bret Mellenberndt into the infield across the corner of the Micro Sprint track. Kyle Wissmiller also retired to the pits with a flat left rear tire during the last caution. A heat race incident nearly sidelined Chris Windom. Windom bicycled in turn four before spinning. Although he was able to join the feature line-up he pulled out immediately.
RESULTS:
RACE SUMMARY
Paducah International Speedway
Paducah, KY
June 27th, 2008
Hoosier Tire MSCS Sprint Cars
First Heat - 11w Ricky Williams, 22 Kenny Biro, 39w Alex Shanks, 97 Bret Mellenberndt, 74 Shane Wade, 90 Patrick Budde, 18c Jake Cook, 88 John Irvin
Second Heat - 81 Robert Ballou, 10T Thomas Meseraull, 14g Coleman Gulick, 0 Kyle Wissmiller, 83 Dale Christian, 59 Craig Budde, 51 Mike Hess, 1 Chris Windom
Third Heat - 10c Daron Clayton, 14 Hud Cone, 98 Chad Boespflug, 3c Kyle Cummins, 71 Chad Branson, 9k Kevin Thomas Jr., 7 Shain Matthews, 4m John Memmer
B-Main - None, All cars transferred at Promoter's Option!
A-Main (25 Laps) - 81 Robert Ballou, 14 Hud Cone, 3c Kyle Cummins, 98 Chad Boespflug, 22 Kenny Biro, 11w Ricky Williams, 39w Alex Shanks, 14g Coleman Gulick, 10T Thomas Meseraull, 4m John Memmer, 10 Daron Clayton, 71 Chad Branson, 9k Kevin Thomas, 51 Mike Hess, 83 Dale Christian, 7 Shain Matthews, 90 Patrick Budde, 59 Craig Budde, 18c Jake Cook, 74 Shane Wade, 97 Bret Mellenberndt, 0 Kyle Wissmiller, 88 John Irvin, 1 Chris Windom
Number of Entries - 24
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