Dawson County Raceway held its final race of the 2018 season Sunday, and five drivers scored one last win before the year was out, including a major milestone for track’s stock car track champion.
All five of the weekly racing divisions were back at the Dawson County Fairgrounds one last time in 2018 to honor Connie Jewitt, a long time race fan and wife of the raceway’s promoter Dave Jewitt.
A field of 23 stock cars made the trip to Lexington for the main event. Dusty Springer led the opening three laps of the 25-lap feature before David Murray Jr., who was driving Jeff Whiting’s number 16W for the night, took the lead.
After a caution on lap six, Mike Nichols caught and passed Murray for the lead. A couple more cautions came out later in the race, but Nichols was able to work the track to his liking like he had done all year long.
In the closing laps, Colin Heim gave Nichols a challenge for the lead. The Kansas native showed the nose to the inside of Nichols a couple of times, but Nichols was up to the challenge. Nichols went on to pick up the $1,000 check and picked up his 500th career IMCA victory.
1. Mike Nichols, 2. Colin Heim, 3. Chris Heim, 4. Chad Dolan, 5. David Murray Jr., 6. Bob Chalupa, 7. Brian Levander, 8. Casey Woken, 9. James Sheldon, 10. Travis Demilt, 11. Dana Morgan, 12. Allen Zimmerman, 13. Tyler Easterday, 14. Dan Stoll, 15. Scott Stoll, 16. Cale Osborn, 17. Dave Easterday, 18. Brady Weinmann, 19. Dusty Springer, 20. Jamie Porterfield, 21. Jim Hagan, 22. Darin Racek, 23. Brenden Eilts.
Sunday’s NeSmith late model main event was a quick 12-lap affair, and saw Denton Duncan pick up the big win. The Ravenna native started on the pole and dominated the race leading every lap to secure his third win of the 2018 season.
Josh Leonard and Tom Kubicka had a great battle for the second spot all throughout the race. When the dust settled, Kubicka outran the 2018 Dawson County Raceway track champion for the runner-up position.
1. Denton Duncan, 2. Tom Kubicka, 3. Josh Leonard, 4. Les Siebert.
In the IMCA modified feature went caution free for all 20-laps. All throughout the feature, 2018 track champion Anthony Roth took the lead on the opening lap and was never challenged as he cruised to the $1,000 pay day. Former national champion Dylan Smith gave his best to chase down Roth, but did not have enough to catch him after starting at the rear.
1. Anthony Roth, 2. Dylan Smith, 3. Brandon Spanjer, 4. Charles Stryker, 5. Colton Osborn, 6. Jay Steffens, 7. Scott Smith, 8. Kale Smith, 9. Klancey Hunnicutt, 10, Bryan Herrick.
In the sport mod feature, it was Jacob Slough who led the opening three laps before another Jacob, Jacob Olmstead, took over the lead right before the first of three cautions came out for a wreck in turn four.
Olmstead continued to lead after the other cautions came out, and the 2018 track champion polished off his 2018 season by holding off Lance Borgman to take home the victory in the Connie Jewitt Memorial for the sport mods.
1. Jacob Olmstead, 2. Lance Borgman, 3. Austin Svoboda, 4. Bo Egge, 5. Jamey Kennicutt, 6. Jacob Slough, 7. Jacob Wolsleben, 8. Andrew Rayburn, 9. Brandi Bosier, 10. Craig Howard, 11. Tyler Rajdl, 12. Robert Leonard, 13. Tony Schultz, 14. Dennis Price Jr.
The hobby stock feature also went caution free on Sunday, and at the front of the pack Caleb Hetrick and 2018 track champion Luke Wassom went at it for the race lead. Wassom tried multiple times to get underneath Hetrick but just could not find enough to get around him.
After having mechanical issues a couple of weeks ago, Hetrick put together a flawless performance as he led all 12 laps and held off Wassom to pick up the big win to close out the 2018 season at Dawson County Raceway.
1. Caleb Hetrick, 2. Luke Wassom, 3. Chuck Ledbetter, 4. Jacob Hagan, 5. Allyn Myers, 6. Tanner Jones, 7. Brady Henderson.