Kokomo, IN (September 6, 2011)- 24 of DTR2'S finest drivers made there way out the newly renovated Kokomo Speedway. The debut on this track had lots of tight, side by side, wild exciting racing with VLR_Shock bringing home another win to VLR on his birthday. The RedBuck/JFR tour is winding down with just three races to go as VLR 18 and Shock have shown much dominance, with JFR showing the way with Team points.
Heat 1 saw a JFR lock down as JFR A2D found an early opening and JFR 17 following to take the transfer spots to the 50 lap feature event.
Heat 2 was a rough heat that saw Hoots use the aggressive driving to his advantage and get away with JFR 4H moving cars to finish second, with Shock all over him for final transfer.
Heat 3 was a BLS blowout with BW AND F1yer checking out for the transfer spots with ease after starting first and third.
The dash would see some hard racing as JFR A2D would lead flag to flag, BW 42 bringing in the 2nd spot, Hoots found himself in 3rd with JFR 17 all over him, Slight contact with the 4H machine and F1 would see them bringing up the rear.
The B main was the roughest of them all with Shock showing the way after passing for the lead on the high side on the first lap. Deadbolt [who has been running strong as of late at JFR], VLR 18 AND BLS 34 locked in the final transfer spots. Gibbz made no friends in this B as he ruined the night for the 9 machine of JFR Jim. BLS V6 was very displeased with a few cars who he thinks could have checked up for him and didnt. Look for him to bring the bumper next week after his bid to win at his home track didn't even get off the ground..
Finally, it was time for the DTR2 opener at Kokomo with 10 of DTR2's finest taking the green flag as it would see JFR A2D show the way, with heavy contact to the F1 car from the number 7 of Hoots...JFR 17 laid some tire rubs and used that bumper to make sure they knew he was there.
All the rubbing and beating allowed VLR Shock to slowly work his way to the front, as he would catch up to the 42 ride of second place BLS_BW42, who ran hard but seen Shock had him out powered and let Shock by.
Back in 5th and 6th spots BLS Flyer and VLR 18 got to racing and caught JFR 4H who got dumped by the F1 car, VLR 18 had nothing for him as Flyer showed his muscle to end up 3rd.
JFR 17 once again caught up to the 4h machine as he was getting his ride lined back out and put on a good run but 4h stayed in the 6th spot. BLS Deadbolt and teammate 34 made sure it stayed entertaining as they put on hell of a show in the back.
While all this was going on in the back VLR Shock had caught the #29 Budweiser machine of JFR*A2D on lap 34, after starting in 7th. Shock got under A2D and ran side by side with A2D up top for several laps until A2D burnt his tires off and Shock completed the pass on lap 39 to go on to the win on his 23nd Birthday against some stacked odds, and a stacked field!!!
A2D had burnt his RR tire down trying to hold off a determined VLR_Shock (Crossville, Tennessee) and retired to the pits on lap 42, giving BLS 42 (Sparta, Michigan) a strong 2nd, Flyer (Hickory, North Carolina) 3rd, VLR_18 (Brookfield, Wisconsin), then JFR 4H (Hindman, Kentucky) rounded out the top 5. JFR 17 (Topeka, Kansas), BLS 34 (Vineland, New Jersey), BLS DB (Erie, Pennsylvania), Hoots (Stockton, California), and JFR A2D (Bakersfield, California) completed your top 10!
After the feature we caught up with the top five, starting with the winner VLR_Shock, who overcame a poor starting position to get his first win of September.
"Man this is awesome," said an emotional Shock in the RedBuck Cigar victory lane. "I'm gonna thank BLS_42 for that one, he moved over for me when he seen I was faster and most guys probably wouldn't have done that, so I appreciate that gesture and I'll remember it. This is a great birthday present, to come out here and beat this caliber of drivers.
"I drove my butt off and it paid off. Feels real good after all the bad luck I've been having, and it's a good way to bring in my birthday."
Finishing in second 1.5 seconds behind Shock was BLS_42, who inherited second after A2D's flat tire forced him to pull off the track.
"We had a good run, getting second here is a good run for us with all the good drivers that were here," said BLS_42, who picked up his third top four finish of the season in four starts. "I let Shock go early hoping they'd get to racing up there and they did a little bit and I gained some back on them so it worked out OK for me."
BLS_F1yer had a very eventful race that started early with HoOts making contact with him on the second lap. Despite falling back the F1 machine was able to rebound for a strong third place finish.
"The race was a lot of fun," stated and exhausted BLS_F1yer. "Under a little better circumstances I think it could've been an even better race but with first race issues and everyone being new to this kind of track I think it went pretty well. Would've liked to be up there battling with Shock but third isn't to bad after how it started for me."
Finishing fourth was VLR_Shock's teammate and point leader, VLR_18. He was also trying to pick up the birthday present for himself as his birthday fell the next day after Shock's, on September 7th. It wasn't meant to be for the 17-year old to be however, as he moved from ninth to fourth while keeping the points lead.
"We had a fourth place car. That's about it. Good job to Shock, he had a fast car and I'm sure he's happy to win on his birthday."
JFR_4H had a strong run to get a top five over the full 24-car field that showed up to try to make the A Main, as he now sits third in the standings.
"I've heard a lot of bitching and moaning over roughness, but I loved it," the tell-it-like-it-is driver said. "I think i found my best skill yet and thats working in traffic. I think the race was excellent up front and it being a new track and some new faces in the A, it could've been much worst. Congrats 0 on his birthday win."
Next week the JFR tour heads slightly west but stays in the state of Indiana for the Fall Classic at Terre Haute Speedway in Terre Haute. Many drivers have raced here at the newly remodeled surface but a different winner seems to occur here every time. Can VLR_Shock continue his hot streak and close in on 18? Or will a surprise driver like HoOts or JFR_17 have something to say about who makes it to victory lane? Stay tuned next Tuesday night!