8.12.17 BOSS Sprints Results
The largest event in the history of the Rick’s Trucks & Equipment BOSS tour is now in the history books and Shane Cottle, aboard the legendary Paul Hazen #57, claimed the win. The inaugural Great Lakes Dirt Nationals drew 140 entries among the 3 sprint car divisions. Thirty-eight BOSS traditional wingless sprint cars signed in for their part of Ohio’s 2nd richest sprint car event of the year.
To kick the night off, a make-up A-Main event from a May 28th rain out found 20 of the original 22 starters back at Ohio’s new premiere dirt facility. Andy Feil and Chad Wilson brought the field to the green flag with Wilson jumping to an early lead. Dustin Smith, the current points leader, quickly shot from his 3rd starting spot to take the lead and officially lead lap one with Wilson in tow. Pole sitter Feil was having his best run of the season hanging tough in the top 5 when a fuel nozzle line plugged damaging the engine in his DRC chassis.
Smith had set sail and had a commanding lead when a pair of nasty incidents brought out two late red flags. The first red flew when a multi-car tangle sent Steve Little up and over and Joe Butera into the inside retaining wall. The race was not back under green for long when Rick Holley and Kirk Jeffries got together entering turn 3 and executed a wild series of flips. All the drivers were uninjured.
The final 4 lap shootout was won handily by Smith aboard the Low Gagliardi owned Dom’s Gulf / DRC Chassis / #77 on American Racer Tires. Chad Wilson gave a valiant effort but finished runner-up with Paul Dues advancing 7 spots to finish 3rd and claim the Bridge Restaurant “Hard Charger” Award. Michael Fischesser and Tyler Gunn completed the top 5. Rounding out the top 10 were Justin Owen, Matt Cooley, Aaron Middaugh, Bob McMillin and Jeremy Shambaugh.
Following the make-up event, the evening’s regular program consisted of 4 heats lined up by group qualifying. Fast qualifiers among the groups were Shane Cottle, Landon Simon, Dave Darland and Jarett Andretti. The top 4 cars in each heat were inverted with the top 2 advancing to the redraw and top 4 to the main event. Heat winners were Cottle, Tyler Gunn, Dustin Smith and Dallas Hewitt. The fourth and final heat race saw Scotty Weir in the Jamie Miller / Fast Signs #6 take a wild barrell roll down the back stretch. Thankfully, he was okay!
A pair of twin B-Main events were taken by former series regular Bob Distel and the all time BOSS Ironman, Aaron Middaugh. With 24 cars locked into the main event, the redraw placed 3rd heat race runner-up Michael Fischesser on the pole with Cottle alongside. Dustin Smith and Tyler Gunn rolled off from the 2nd row with Cody Gardner and Dallas Hewitt in row 3 and Jarett Andretti and Cooper Clouse in the 4th row.
At the drop of the green flag, Cottle immediately took command with Fischesser and Smith battling early for the runner-up spot. The race’s only stoppage occurred early on lap #4 when Cole Ketcham hooked the cushion and flipped in turn 3 and 4. He emerged unhurt.
The final 26 laps would run caution free with Cottle appearing to be in complete control of the field. However, Michael Fischesser was chasing his first tour win and also a tour championship and the Cincinnati hot shoe pulled alongside Cottle on multiple occasions. As the battle brewed at the point, a pair of USAC veterans, who started in the sixth row, were on the move with C.J. Leary up to 4th by lap 10 and Dave Darland also beginning to slice his way to the front.
As the laps wound down, Cottle caught the back of the field and had to work carefully while the determined Fischesser sailed the car deep into the corners reeling Cottle in on every corner. The checkered flag fell with a 0.473 margin of victory as Cottle held Fischesser off. Points leader Dustin Smith ran a steady 3rd place the entire event while Leary picked up the “Hard Charger” honors for his 12th to 4th run. Tour regular Cody Gardner completed the top 5. The balance of the top 10 were Cooper Clouse, Landon Simon, Dave Darland, Dallas Hewitt and Chad Wilson.
Next up for the BOSS tour is Atomic Speedway’s “Open Wheel Championship” where the month of money continues for $3,000 to win on Saturday, August 26th. Watch for exciting details about that event. Racing will begin on Thursday night and continue on Friday and culminate Saturday when BOSS joins in on the fun.
Complete Results
Rick’s Trucks & Equipment A-Main (May 28 Make-up): 1. 77-Dustin Smith[3] ; 2. 14-Chad Wilson[2] ; 3. 87-Paul Dues[10] ; 4. 44-Michael Fischesser[4] ; 5. 68G-Tyler Gunn[7] ; 6. 4J-Justin Owen[8] ; 7. 19-Matt Cooley6[] ; 8. 91x-Aaron Middaugh[15] ; 9. 5-Bob McMillin[16] ; 10. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh[17] ; 11. 31L-Buddy Lowther[19] ; 12. 13-Jeremy Duposki[13] ; 13. 53-Steve Little[9] ; 14. 86-Rick Holley[14] ; 15. 16-Dallas Hewitt[5] ; 16. 59J-Kirk Jeffries[12] ; 17. 96-Riley VanHise[11] ; 18. 3-Joe Butera[20] ; 19. 08-Andy Feil[1] ; 20. 51-Curtis Muhlenkamp[18] ; 21. 23s-Kyle Simon[DNS] ; 22. 82-Mike Miller[DNS]
Great Lakes Dirt Nationals
BOSS Sprint Cars (38 Cars)
DRC Chassis – Heat Race #1: 1. 57-Shane Cottle[4] ; 2. 9x-Cooper Clouse[6] ; 3. 21-Carmen Perigo[1] ; 4. 17R-Kyle Robbins[3] ; 5. 18D-Bobby Distel[7] ; 6. 08-Andy Feil[5] ; 7. 320-George Willard[10] ; 8. 97J-Andy Fike[9] ; 9. 19-Matt Cooley[2] ; 10. 86-Rick Holley[DNS]
Lias Tire / American Racer – Heat #2: 1. 68G-Tyler Gunn[1] ; 2. 9G-Cody Gardner[2] ; 3. 24-Landon Simon[4] ; 4. 54-Matt Westfall[3] ; 5. 3-Joe Butera[8] ; 6. 31L-Buddy Lowther[10] ; 7. 32M-Derek Hastings[5] ; 8. 41-Cole Ketcham[7] ; 9. 12-Ted Hines[6] ; 10. 51-Curtis Muhlenkamp[10]
Hoosier Race Tire – Heat #3: 1. 77-Dustin Smith[3] ; 2. 44-Michael Fischesser[2] ; 3. 40-Dave Darland[4] ; 4. 14-Chad Wilson[6] ; 5. 53-Steve Little[5] ; 6. 5-Bob McMillin[9] ; 7. 1J-Jeremy Duposki[8] ; 8. 5K-Jeremy Kornbau[7] ; 9. 59J-Kirk Jeffries[DNS]
TCB Speed – Heat #4: 1. 16-Dallas Hewitt[2] ; 2. 18-Jarett Andretti[4] ; 3. 30-C.J. Leary[3] ; 4. 4J-Justin Owen[6] ; 5. 91x-Aaron Middaugh[7] ; 6. 87-Paul Dues[8] ; 7. 21H-Travis Hery[1] ; 8. 96-Riley VanHise[9] ; 9. 6-Scotty Weir[5]
Griff’s Engines – B-Main #1: 1. 18D-Bob Distel[1] ; 2. 53-Steve Little[2] ; 3. 5-Bob McMillin[4] ; 4. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh[6] ; 5. 19-Matt Cooley[9] ; 6. 320-George Willard[5] ; 7. 5K-Jeremy Kornbau[8] ; 8. 97J-Andy Fike[7] ; 9. 08-Andy Feil[DNS]
Fast Signs – B-Main #2: 1. 91x-Aaron Middaugh[2] ; 2. 87-Paul Dues[4] ; 3. 41-Cole Ketcham[7] ; 4. 21H-Travis Hery[6] ; 5. 31L-Buddy Lowther[3] ; 6. 3-Joe Butera[1] ; 7. 51-Curtis Muhlenkamp[9] ; 8. 12-Ted Hines[8] ; 9. 32M-Derek Hastings[DNS]
Rick’s Trucks & Equipment / BOSS 30 Lap A-Main: 1. Shane Cottle[2] ; 2. 44-Michael Fischesser[1] ; 3. 77-Dustin Smith[3] ; 4. 30-C.J. Leary[12] ; 5. 9G-Cody Gardner[5] ; 6. 9x-Cooper Clouse[8] ; 7. 24-Landon Simon[10] ; 8. 40-Dave Darland[11] ; 9. 16-Dallas Hewitt[6] ; 10. 14-Chad Wilson[15] ; 11. 68G-Tyler Gunn[4] ; 12. 18-Jarett Andretti[7] ; 13. 4J-Justin Owen[16] ; 14. 54-Matt Westfall[14] ; 15. 17R-Kyle Robbins[13] ; 16. 18D-Bobby Distel[17] ; 17. 21-Carmen Perigo[9] ; 18. 53-Steve Little[19] ; 19. 91x-Aaron Middaugh[18] ; 20. 21H-Travis Hery[24] ; 21. 1J-Jeremy Shambaugh[23] ; 22. 5-Bob McMillin[21] ; 23. 87-Paul Dues[20] ; 24. 41-Cole Ketcham[22]
Bonus Award Winners:
Hoosier Race Tire Bonus (free tire) – Shane Cottle
American Racer Tire Bonus (free tire) – Michael Fischesser
The Bridge Restaurant – Hard Charger – C.J. Leary
Apple Metal Polishing – Lucky Pill Draw – Jeremy Kornbau
All Pro Cylinder Heads – Perseverance Award – Bob McMillin
J F Construction – Hard Luck Award – Rick Holley
Cowen Truck Lines – Steel Block Award – Jeremy Shambaugh
McMillin Apiaries – Sweet Move Award – Dave Darland