DeGraff OH: (8/9)  Main Event Racing Series (MERS) 2010 Points leader Jimmy Carter charged from the sixth starting spot to grab the lead halfway through the 75 lap Shady Bowl  Speedway Apex Aluminum 75 lap feature race and hung on to get his second career MERS victory. 25 Super Late Models where in the pit area looking to take on the famed Ohio oval. Like several others, Carter had to endure six complete restarts, a red flag after one lap, and finally a single file start to get things going. Several caution flags would fly for a lot of bent sheet metal, and in the end it was a ten lap shootout. However, Carter was able to weed through, just barely missing mishaps, get past a very fast Scott Baker and hold off a charging Paul Pelletier in the closing laps to seal the deal. 

Coming into the Shady Bowl stop of the MERS tour Scott Baker had won two in a row, and through the inversion of six he inherited the pole position with another gun, Mike Stacy, on the outside for the start. After two failed starts the Al Reeves No. 6 car of Stacy would develop a problem sending him pit side for quick service. Rejoining the field Stacy had to tag the tail and it moved everyone up a position now putting Don Harvey Jr. to the outside pole position. Four more cautions would follow before finally it looked as though the start was in the books. It was not to be had, as contact of several cars on the front stretch brought out the red flag with the track completely blocked. After a track clean up, and two cars on the hook done for the evening the field was realigned for the restart. What was a 23 car field was now an 18 car field and a single file restart. When the green was displayed Baker immediately began to open up on the field. Harvey Jr. quickly became locked up in a battle for the second position with Shawn Stroble. As these two fought it out, young Josh Smith became involved as well as both Carter and Pelletier. Baker had what he needed with these cars locked up in battle. Unfortunately every time it looked like Baker was going to cruise away a caution would fly erasing his lead. Finally with about a ten lap stretch of very fast paced action at race mid point Carter was able to get through passing Baker to get the top spot. Carter started cutting laps in his very fast  FLF Race car and was soon in lapped traffic. Pelletier had now moved past both Stroble and Baker into second spot and closed very quickly on Carter. Once Carter got clear of the lapped traffic he was able to get a little breathing room but the others stayed right in stride as they also cleared the lapped cars. When a caution flew with just ten laps to go it set up a shootout to the checkers. Pelletier was able to get right within striking distance but just not enough to get completely under him to make a move for the lead. At the line Carter and Pelletier were followed by Harold Fair Jr., who very quietly nabbed third, Stacy coming from the tail got fourth, and Stroble hung on to complete the top five finishing positions. 

MERS points leader Carter had the fast time in qualifying with a lap of 12.774 and finally got the monkey off his back getting into the winners circle in 2010. “It felt good, I was a little disappointed at first after we qualified so well because you can’t pass very well here,” noted Carter. “We had this thing hooked up, it was really good on the bottom, and it just drove itself honestly. In the beginning it played with me some. I was getting such good starts I knew that once I got two laps under the car I knew we where going to be alright. I just wanted to get it single file and let’s go. But, those guys up there they all wanted down on the bottom and its give and take. They didn’t want to give anything just take and it really made for a bad race in the beginning, but it worked out for us. Throughout the whole race after I got the lead I just kind of held back so we didn’t spin the tires eating the right front or right rear off. At the end there I was just cruising, the car had a whole lot more in it. My spotter was telling me he was two cars back there, I think maybe one car, I don’t know if he was lying to me or not,” finished the happy winner.

2006 Flat Rock (MI) Speedway Late Model Champion and current Flat Rock point’s leader Pelletier made the best of it coming away with the runner up position. “After we finally got started with all those yellow flags for everybody the car was tight all night, but on the long run it was pretty good,” said Pelletier. “I think I could have got him with two or three laps more. But, I don’t know if I burnt up the right front tire or just lost stager. It was a good run for us though, considering I didn’t think I was going to make it past the first 45 minutes until they got the green start in. I tried to give him a little shot going into three one time, but it was a good run, good for Jimmy, these guys know we where here,” finished Pelletier.

In addition to the MERS late models, the Pro-4's, Compacts and Sport Stocks were also in action. The Pro-4 20 lap main turned out to be a two car battle between Dave Sage and Steve Clarkson. Sage was able to hold off the challenges of Clarkson to notch the win in his K & N Automotive sponsored truck. Josh Sage was third, with Rodney Schreck fourth and Randy Donahue fifth.. Dave Sage carried the checker for the heat race.

The 20 lap sport stock feature saw Chad Fiessinger of Fort Loramie power his Apex Aluminum backed Camro to victory. The win was a popular one for the fans, as a large group from Apex Aluminum were on hand to cheer him home first. Aaron Pippin, Buck Purtee, Jesse Gade and Chuck Kemp rounded out the top five. Purtee was the winner of the heat race.

The compacts rounded out the nights racing. Mason Patrick omce again put his Kirby Auto PartsFord Probe home first in the feature. Steven Salyer was second, with new track record holder Natt Stone (16.29) third, Todd Turvine fourth and Jim Massengill fifth. Massengill also won the heat race.

This Saturday (8/14) the Bowl will feature the Modifieds, Sport Stocks, Pro-4's, Compacts and Late Models. It will also be Dayton Auto Racing Fan Club with all DARF members admitted free to the grandstand area. In addition DARF will host a picnic from 1-2:30 with free food for members. Non members will be admitted to the PICNIC for $5.00 per meal ticket. Racing will start at 7.

Shady Bowl Speedway Results 8/7/10

Main Event Racing Series:
Fast Qualifier:  Jimmy Carter 12.772
APEX Aluminum 75: 1. Jimmy Carter 2. Dave Pelletier 3. Harold Fair Jr. 4. Mike Stacy 5. Shawn Stroble 6. Don Harvey Jr. 7. Brock Coyer 8. Donnie "Zero" Hill  9.Chad Poole 10. John Flynn 11. Bud Perry 12. Scott Baker 13. Drew Charlson 14. Rodney Roush 15. Brian Short 16 Ron Lewis 17. Josh Smith 18. Brian Fries 19. Brandon Bayse 20. Jamie Hunt 21. Chris Parker 22. Terry Fisher

Sport Stocks: 
Fast Qualifier Jesse Gade 15.03
Heat winner: Buck Purtee
Feature: 1. Chad Fiessinger 2. Aaron Pippin 3. Buck Purtee 4. Jesse Gade 5. Chuck Kemp 6. Larry Adams 7. Robert Roush 8. Chris Abbott 9. Rodney Roush 10. Roger Roush

Pro 4's: 
Fast Qualifier Steve Clarkson 14.75
Heat winner:  Dave Sage
Feature: 1. Dave Sage 2. Steve Clarkson 3. Josh Sage 4. Rodney Schrack 5. Randy Donohue 6. Wayne Watkins 7. David Gertsner