6.10.17 BOSS Sprints Results
A very warm, late spring night greeted the stars and cars of the Rick’s Trucks & Equipment BOSS sprint car series at Portsmouth Raceway Park Saturday night. A fantastic crowd packed in to see an action packed show with 5 divisions of racing and to see BOSS history made as Dustin Smith claimed his 7th career tour victory to move into the #1 position. He was driving the Lou Gagliardi, Dom’s Gulf #77 and now holds a solid lead in the 2017 standings.
Twenty-one traditional sprint cars were represented among the more than 120 total race cars present. Three preliminary heat races were won by Kody Swanson, Dustin Smith and Steve Little who scored his first career tour heat race win. The top 3 finishers in each heat race were in a random redraw for the top 9 starting spots in the main event. Kingsburg, California driver Kody Swanson drew the #1 starting spot with Wampum, Pennsylvania’s Joe Butera drawing the #2. Most likely the first time in the history of Portsmouth Raceway Park to have a California / Pennsylvania front row!
At the drop of starter Bob Smith’s green flag, Swanson rocketed to a quick early lead. Third starting Justin Owen and 5th starting Dustin Smith were in hot pursuit early with Cody Gardner and Steve Little completing the early top 5. Smith quickly slipped past Owen working lap 3 and set sail for the lead and BOSS history. By lap #9, Smith was working the bottom to perfection and was able to slip by Swanson who was committed to the top of the race track.
The race appeared to be going to run caution free for the 2nd straight night as action stayed clean and green to the halfway point where it was Smith, Swanson, Owen, Little and now 9th starting Chad Wilson sneaking into the top 5. Working lap #16, Wilson was able to get by Little with a charging Michael Fischesser from his 11th starting spot now charging hard and about to get into the top 5.
Then, working lap #20, Curtis Muhlenkamp had something break on his car as he rounded the 3rd and 4th turns. In an attempt to get off the racing surface, Muhlenkamp pulled into the path of the charging Fischesser and the resulting tangle would eliminate both drivers and bring out the first of 2 cautions. Three laps later, the race’s second caution flew for a minor incident involving Andy Feil, Buddy Lowther and Jay Dunaway with only Lowther unable to continue.
A two lap shootout found Smith too strong and holding on to claim his seventh BOSS win with Justin Owen slipping past Swanson for the runner-up spot. Chad Wilson and Steve Little completed the top 5. Aaron Middaugh, Matt Cooley, Paul Dues, Cody Gardner and Riley VanHise rounded out the top 10.
The BOSS teams now have a few weeks off. The tour returns to action with yet another doubleheader weekend on Friday, June 30th at Lernerville Speedway and Saturday, July 1st at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. Details will be announced early next week for those events.