When one can see the end of July that means that time to go back to school is just around the corner. For the past few years Tyler Utz and his family and fellow racers have sponsored a school supply and backpack giveaway at Double X Speedway. This year any school age child in attendance was given a backpack full of school supplies to help them get the new school year started off right. The generosity of Tyler, racers and fans make this event possible each year and they definitely delivered again in 2022.
The current economy is hitting all people but sometimes it hits the "budget" class racers harder than others and it showed with only two Pure Stock competitors in attendance Sunday evening. Russell Beach and Darin Porter said they came to race so they agreed to race for the fans and began the evening with a five lap heat race. Porter took the early lead and Beach kept in striking distance but could not mount a charge to take the top spot away from Porter.
Super Stock heat race one saw a repeat of last week's feature with veterans Joe Miller and Dale Berry racing for the lead, Miller on the top side and Berry hugging the low groove. Miller would use a better line in turns one and two to maintain his advantage and would best Berry by a car length at the checkered. Dason Klund would finish third and Dusty See fourth. Heat race number two had Brandon Dunham taking control early with Jody Romig making a challenge for the lead.
Dunham would prevail with Romig second, Crocker third and Chris Brockert fourth.
The Winged Sprint Cars were the final qualifying races on the early card for the evening. Samuel Wagner took an early lead but a slip off the top of turn 1, bringing out a caution, passed the lead to Taylor Walton. Walton would lead the second half of the heat with Jake Griffin taking second, Terry Esum finished third, Samuel Wagner recovered to finish fourth and Tyler Elliott was fifth. In heat race number two it was Tyler Blank holding off the challenges from Jack Wagner to take the win. Wagner would finish second, Ben Brown comes in third, Russell Potter fourth and Mackenzie Borchers fifth.
At intermission backpacks full of school supplies were given to young race fans in attendance. Over 75 backpacks were given away courtesy of Tyler Utz family and friends and many generous donors. The extra backpacks were distributed to area school to help meet students needs there. A big thank you to everyone involved in this event.
A brief shower at the end of intermission slowed action for a few minutes, and a juggling of the Super Stock and Pure Stock features kicked off the final events of the evening. In the Super Stock feature it was Brandon Dunham taking the lead with Jody Romig and Dale Berry giving chase. The lead trio would run the entire feature event in this order. Dunham claims his third victory of the season at Double X. Jody Romig ran a strong race to finish runner up, Dale Berry finished a solid third. Tyler Crocker made a late race pass to take fourth over Joe Miller in the number five spot. Dusty See finished sixth to round out the finishing order.
Darin Porter claimed the eight lap pure Stock feature over Russell Beach.
In the Winged Sprint Cars a familiar front row of Taylor Walton and Tyler Blank led the starting grid for the 25 lap feature event. Walton quickly moved into the lead with Blank and Jack Wagner completing the top three. Blank would make a pass for the lead on lap five and Wagner would move into the number two spot two laps later and set his sights in the leader. A lap eleven caution bunched the field behind Blank. On the restart Blank would change his line as the #77 of Jack Wagner was getting faster each lap running the high line dancing against a thin cushion. Wagner would make the pass for the lead on lap sixteen. A lap twenty caution would set up a five lap dash to the checkers. Jack Wagner would emerge victorious with Tyler Blank earning second. Ben Brown made a late race charge from fifth to take third, Taylor Walton would finish fourth and Samuel Wagner was sixth.
Next Sunday night July 31 will be the season finale at Double X for 2022. Be sure to join us for the racing action and to award our drivers for their efforts during 2022.
Results
Double X Speedway
July 24, 2022
Winged Sprint Cars
Feature--1. 77-Jack Wagner, Lone Jack; 2. 4-Tyler Blank, California; 3. 7B-Ben Brown, Marshall; 4. 93-Taylor Walton, Odessa; 5.73-Samuel Wagner, Lone Jack; 6. 0-Jake Griffin, Quincy,IL; 7. 49-Tyler Elliott, California; 8. 88-Terry Easum, Broken Arrow, OK; 9 . 41-Mackenzie Borchers, Marshall; 10. 3P-Russell Potter, Boonville; 11.00-Broc Elliott, California
Heat 1- 1. Walton; 2. Griffin; 3. Easum; 4. S. Wagner; 5. T. Elliott; 6. B. Elliott
Heat 2- 1. Blank; 2. J. Wagner; 3. Brown; 4. Potter; 5. Borchers
Super Stocks
Feature--1. 54-Brandon Dunham, California; 2. 12-Jody Romig, Syracuse; 3. 05-Dale Berry, Tuscumbia; 4. 19J-Tyler Crocker, Holts Summit; 5. 409-Joe Miller, Centertown; 6. 83-Dusty See, Eldon; 7. 20- Dason Klund, Jamestown; (DNS) 82-Chris Brockert, Versailles
Heat 1- 1. Miller; 2. Berry; 3. Klund; 4. See
Heat 2- 1. Dunham; 2. Romig; 3. Crocker; 4. Brockert
Pure Stocks
Feature--1. 21-Darin Porter, California; 2 44R-Russell Beach, Lake Ozark
Heat--1. Porter; 2. Beach
Double-X Speedway "Race Kids" with their loaded backpacks at the "Racing Back to School" event sponsored by Tyler Utz Racing, of Sedalia, and friends. (Submitted photo)
California's Brandon Dunham and crew accept the Super Stock feature trophy from Brooklynn and Willy Utz, of Sedalia, and Director of Competition Brad Friedmeyer, of California. (Submitted photo)
Jack Wagner, of Lone Jack, parked the famous #77 in victory lane at the "Racing Back to School" race Sunday night. Wagner is joined by family and teammates along with members of the Hockett family. (Submitted photo)