Weir Wins Sprint Feature on ‘Retro Night;’ Losh Tops the Modifieds; Hobbs Wins the Street Stock Feature; Arcaro Stars in the ‘Hornets Buzz Bash’ And Burke Tops the Midwest Throwback Sprint Cars at Gas City I-69 Speedway Friday Night

GAS CITY, Ind., June 18 — It was billed as “Retro Night,” but it was like going back two weeks rather than decades. Four drivers who won on June 3 were victorious again on Friday night at Gas City I-69 Speedway, although two led just the last two laps of their features and all had to fight off numerous challengers before taking the checkered flag.

Defending track champion Scotty Weir of Marion, Ind., won the 25-lap non-wing sprint car feature. Derek Losh of Rensselear, Ind., was victorious in the 20-lap UMP modified feature that was part of the “Gas City/Montpelier Neighborly Modified Challenge” mini-series. Lee Hobbs of Mitchell, Ind., led all 15 laps of the main event for street stocks. Young Landon Arcaro of Brookville, Ind., took the 15-lap “Hornets Buzz Bash” and the $400 top prize. The Midwest Throwback sprint cars made their first appearance at the Grant County quarter-mile dirt track, and Trey Burke of Alvin, Texas, was that division’s 20-lap feature winner.

Non-Wing Sprint Cars

A new winner seemed very likely in the first half of the non-wing sprint car feature, as polesitter Evan Mosley of Lapel, Ind., led the first six laps and fellow front-row starter Cole Bodine of Rossville, Ind., led the next five circuits.

Weir’s Pedersen DRC/Pedersen Chevy, which is sponsored by Red’s Racing Engines, Indy Race Parts and AFCO, was equally adept running both the low and the high lines. He passed Mosley for second by dipping under him in Turn 4 on lap 11, right before Corey Smith of Kokomo, Ind., flipped hard in Turns 1 and 2 while running 12th. Luckily Smith escaped serious injury.

The red erased Bodine’s 0.873-second lead over Weir, and when the action resumed Weir charged to the outside of Bodine in Turn 4 to take the lead on lap 12. With no more yellows to tighten the field Weir was able to build up a 3.951-second advantage over Bodine at the checkered. Jack Hoyer of Frankford, Ind., came from fifth to finish third, while Mosley placed fourth and Dustin Ingle of Lima, Ohio rounded out the top five.

Earlier in the race another red flag flew after Brandon Long of Kokomo, Ind., and Aaron Davis of Windfall, Ind., crashed in Turn 2 with eight laps down. Neither flipped and both drivers got out of their cars under their own power, but a little extra time was needed to clean up the accident scene.

During the preliminary action Koby Barksdale of Avon, Ind., flipped in Turn 4 prior to the start of the third sprint heat. Luckily he too was unhurt.

UMP Modifieds

Defending track champion Bub Roberts of Warren, Ind., started on the pole of the modified feature and led the first 17 laps. Losh, the 2020 track champion, charged under Will Bennett of Frankfort, Ind., in Turn 3 working lap five for second, and the top three ran bunched very closely together until Bennett spun in Turn 2 with seven laps down.

That gave third place to Clayton Bryant of Yoder, Ind. He passed Losh for second on lap nine and then kept the pressure on Roberts until he was able to dip under him in Turn 1 to lead lap 18.

Losh had kept close to both of them in the meantime, and when a yellow waved with 18 laps down after an infield tire was dislodged in Turn 2, Losh made the winning move on the restart by passing Bryant at the start/finish line. Losh led the last two laps to secure the victory in his No. 21, which is sponsored by Superior Sales and Service, R & R Transmission, Aggressive Graphics and Rensselaer Iron and Metal.

Bryant finished second and Roberts was third. Bennett rebounded for fourth and Dylan Woodling of Warsaw, Ind., finished fifth.

The “Neighborly Challenge” mini-series, which carries an additional $1,600 point fund, returns to Gas City on July 29.

Street Stocks

The street stock feature was very similar to the one Hobbs won at Gas City on June 3, as he started on the pole and led all 15 laps in both races.

James Headley of Marion, Ind., started fourth, took second from Wayne Gibson of Churubusco, Ind., on lap three, and ran right behind Hobbs until Headley’s car appeared to blow its engine in Turns 3 and 4 working lap 12. That gave second to Bill Lewis of Fountain City, Ind., who started eighth but had been in the top five since lap four.

At the checkered Lewis was 1.593 seconds behind Hobbs’ No. H0, which is sponsored by Superior Systems and Supply and Erv’s Card Shack/Living Room Center. David Fritz of Winamac, Ind., finished third followed by Andy Bishop of Gas City and Gibson.

Hornets

Chris Hillman of Mooresville, Ind., led the first seven laps of the hornet feature and his son, Topher, of Camby, Ind., led laps eight through 13.

Arcaro passed Chris Hillman for second on lap nine. With 11 laps down a yellow flew after the right-front wheel on the car of the fourth-place driver, Heisman Skeens of Marion, Ind., fell off and he stopped midway between Turns 1 and 2.

After the restart Topher Hillman and Arcaro ran side by side on lap 12 and lap 13 until contact between them made Arcaro stop in Turn 4 with 13 laps down, bringing out another yellow. Topher Hillman was sent to the rear for rough driving, which put Arcaro into the lead for the restart and vaulted Aaron Tatman of Lafayette, Ind., into second place. Before the race could restart Chris Hillman, who had fallen back to fifth, was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct under that yellow.

Arcaro led the remaining two laps for his third Gas City hornet feature victory of the season. Tatman finished second and was the race’s hard charger, as he started 13th. Gage Allen of Warren, Ind., who started second, finished third. Brandon Rose of Kokomo, Ind., finished fourth and Greg Marlow of Greentown, Ind., placed fifth. Topher Hillman rebounded for sixth.

Arcaro’s car is sponsored in part by Gilman’s Home Center, Remax Preferred Choice, and Smith Landscaping and Lawn Care.

Midwest Throwback Sprint Cars

Bryar Schroeter of Kokomo, Ind., led the first two laps of the Midwest Throwback sprint car feature before Burke passed him on the outside as they crossed the start/finish line to record lap three.

Casey Putsch of Perrysburg, Ohio, used the outside line to pass Schroeter for second in Turn 2 on lap six and chased Burke the rest of the way. Dan Ingram of Claremont, Ind., started ninth but nipped Schroeter at the line for third. Schroeter placed fourth and Dave Gross of Rochester, Ind., finished fifth. Chad Freeman of Tampa, Fla., was sixth. The seventh-place driver, Louis Meyer of Pittsboro, Ind., brought out a red flag as the checkered waved when he flipped in Turn 4. He got out of his car under his own power.

The results:

Non-Wing Sprint Group 1 Qualifying: 1. Zack Pretorius, 12.312; 2. Evan Mosley, 12.372; 3. Brandon Long, 12.503; 4. Aaron Davis, 12.587; 5. Tye Mihocko, 12.698; 6. Cooper Welch, 12.876; 7. Braydon Clark, 12.962.

Non-Wing Sprint Group 2 Qualifying: 1. Colten Cottle, 12.125; 2. Dave Darland, 12.304; 3. Cole Bodine, 12.351; 4. Tyler Hewitt, 12.553; 5. Jack Hoyer, 12.558; 6. Corey Smith, 12.646; 7. Jack James, 13.040.

Non-Wing Sprint Group 3 Qualifying: 1. Scotty Weir, 12.229; 2. Dustin Ingle, 12.348; 3. Matt Goodnight, 12.417; 4. Koby Barksdale, 12.463; 5. Collin Grissom, 12.790; 6. Adam Wilfong, 13.231; 7. Brody Click, 13.760.

Non-Wing Sprint Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. Zack Pretorius, 2. Evan Mosley, 3. Tye Mihocko, 4. Aaron Davis, 5. Brandon Long, 6. Braydon Clark, 7. Cooper Welch.  

Non-Wing Sprint Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. Cole Bodine, 2. Jack Hoyer, 3. Colten Cottle, 4. Dave Darland, 5. Tyler Hewitt, 6. Corey Smith, 7. Jack James.

Non-Wing Sprint Heat 3 (8 laps): 1. Dustin Ingle, 2. Scotty Weir, 3. Matt Goodnight, 4. Collin Grissom, 5. Adam Wilfong, 6. Brody Click, 7. Koby Barksdale (did not start).

Non-Wing Sprint Feature (25 laps, with starting position in parenthesis): 1. Scotty Weir (6); 2. Cole Bodine (2); 3. Jack Hoyer (5); 4. Evan Mosley (1); 5. Dustin Ingle (3); 6. Colten Cottle (8); 7. Dave Darland (11); 8. Tye Mihocko (7); 9. Zack Pretorius (4); 10. Matt Goodnight (9); 11. Braydon Clark (16); 12. Collin Grissom (12); 13. Adam Wilfong (15); 14. Jack James (20); 15. Brady Click (18); 16. Cooper Welch (19); 17. Tyler Hewitt (14); 18. Corey Smith (17); 19. Brandon Long (13); 20. Aaron Davis (10);21. Koby Barksdale (did not start).

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-6, Mosley; laps 7-11, Bodine; laps 12-25, Weir.  

Margin of Victory: 3.951 seconds.

Fastest Race Lap: Bodine, 13.129 seconds, lap 8.

UMP Modified Qualifying Session 1: Derek Losh, 13.130; 2. Bub Roberts, 13.371; 3. Jesse Strange, 13.530; 4. Nick Richards, 13.646; 5. Andy Bishop, 13.866; 6. Cole Sink, 14.306; 7. Dan Snyder, 14.814.   

UMP Modified Qualifying Session 2: 1. Dylan Woodling, 13.314; 2. Clayton Bryant, 13.472; 3. Will Bennet, 13.687; 4. Dillon Nusbaum, 13.941; 5. Jack Dossey, 13.950; 6. Josh Betts, 14.624; 7. Jason McCoy, 15.284.

UMP Modified Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. Derek Losh, 2. Bub Roberts, 3. Nick Richards, 4. Brad Hess, 5. Andy Bishop, 6. Jesse Strange, 7. Dan Snyder, 8. Cole Sink.  

UMP Modified Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. Will Bennet, 2. Dylan Woodling, 3. Dillon Nusbaum, 4. Clayton Bryant, 5. Jack Dossey, 6. Josh Betts, 7. Jason McCoy.

UMP Modified Feature (20 laps, with starting position in parenthesis): 1. Derek Losh (5); 2. Clayton Bryant (8); 3. Bub Roberts (1); 4. Will Bennett (3); 5. Dylan Woodling (2); 6. Jack Dossey (10); 7. Dillon Nusbaum (6); 8. Nick Richards (4); 9. Jesse Strange (11); 10. Cole Sink (15); 11. Andy Bishop (9); 12. Dan Snyder (13); 13. Josh Betts (12); 14. Brad Hess (7); 15. Jason McCoy (14).

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-17, Roberts; lap 18, Bryant; laps 19-20, Losh.

Margin of Victory: 0.904 seconds.

Fastest Race Lap: Losh, 13.582 seconds, lap 20.

Street Stocks Qualifying Group 1: 1. David Fritz, 14.246; 2. James Headley Jr., 15.213; 3. Dan Wooten, 15.319; 4. Matthew Baker, 15.356; 5. Lee Hobbs, 16.249; 6. T.J. Smith, 16.519.

Street Stocks Qualifying Group 2: 1. James Headley, 14.499; 2. Wayne Gibson, 14.615; 3. Andy Bishop, 14.705; 4. Bill Lewis, 14.719; 5. Chase Sutton, 15.543.

Street Stock Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. Lee Hobbs, 2. David Fritz, 3. James Headley Jr., 4. Matthew Baker, 5. T.J. Smith, 6. Dan Wooten.

Street Stock Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. James Headley, 2. Andy Bishop, 3. Wayne Gibson, 4. Bill Lewis, 5. Chase Sutton.

Street Stock Feature (15 laps, with starting position in parentheses): 1. Lee Hobbs (1); 2. Bill Lewis (8); 3. David Fritz (6); 4. Andy Bishop (5); 5. Wayne Gibson (2); 6. James Headley Jr. (4); 7. Matthew Baker (7); 8. Chase Sutton (10); 9. T.J. Smith (9); 10. James Headley (3); 11. Dan Wooten (did not start).

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-15, Hobbs

Margin of Victory: 1.593 seconds

Fastest Race Lap: Hobbs, 14.369, lap 8.

Hornet Qualifying Session 1: 1. Landon Arcaro, 15.853; 2. Aaron Tatman, 15.995; 3. Jeremy Jones, 16.219; 4. Phillip McCord, 17.325; 5. Hunter Rasmussen, 19.297; 6. Greg Marlow, no time.

Hornet Qualifying Session 2: 1. Heisman Skeens, 16.084; 2. Gage Allen, 16.494; 3. Dan Richardson, 17.060; 4. Brandon Rose, 17.339; 5. Alexes Spaulding, 17.347; 6. Josh Gamlin, no time.

Hornet Qualifying Session 3: 1. Dalton Smith, 15.765; 2. Topher Hillman, 15.783; 3. Chris Hillman, 15.882; 4. Josh Lank Jr., 15.996; 5. Tracy Runion, 17.014; 6. Emily Johnson, 18.424.

Hornet Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. Landon Arcaro, 2. Jeremy Jones, 3. Greg Marlow, 4. Phillip McCord, 5. Aaron Tatman, 6. Hunter Rasmussen (did not start).

Hornet Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. Heisman Skeens, 2. Gage Allen, 3. Brandon Rose, 4. Dan Richardson, 5. Alexes Spaulding, 6. Josh Gamlin (did not start).

Hornet Heat 3 (8 laps): 1. Chris Hillman, 2. Topher Hillman, 3. Dalton Smith, 4. Josh Lank Jr., 5. Tracy Runion, 6. Emily Johnson.

Hornet Feature (15 laps, with starting position in parenthesis): 1.  Landon Arcaro (4); 2. Aaron Tatman (13); 3. Gage Allen (2); 4. Brandon Rose (8); 5. Greg Marlow (7); 6. Topher Hillman (6); 7. Phillip McCord (10); 8. Tracy Runion (15); 9. Dan Richardson (11); 10. Chris Hillman (3); 11. Heisman Skeens (5); 12. Jeremy Jones (1); 13. Josh Lank Jr. (12); 14. Alexes Spaulding (14); 15. Dalton Smith (9); 16. Emily Johnson (16); 17. Hunter Rasmussen (did not start); 18. Josh Gamblin (did not start).

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-7, C. Hillman; laps 8-13, T. Hillman; laps 14-15, Arcaro.

Margin of Victory: 0.638 seconds.

Fastest Race Lap: Arcaro, 15.247 seconds, lap 14.

Hard Charger: Tatman (13th to second).

Midwest Throwback Sprint Cars Qualifying Group 1: 1. Dan Ingram, 13.920; 2. Louis Meyer, 14.012; 3. Chad Freeman, 14.171; 4. Casey Putsch, 14.767; 5. Tim Parke, 15.440.

Midwest Throwback Sprint Cars Qualifying Group 2: 1. Trey Burke, 14.143; 2. Dave Gross, 14.506; 3. Bryar Schroeter, 15.060; 4. Greg Zickafoose, 15.229; 5. Carl Root, 15.411; 6. Bobby Logan, no time.

Midwest Throwback Sprint Cars Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. Chad Freeman, 2. Casey Putsch, 3. Tim Parke, 4. Louis Meyer, 5. Dan Ingram.

Midwest Throwback Sprint Cars Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. Trey Burke, 2. Dave Gross, 3. Bryar Schroeter, 4. Bobby Logan, 5. Greg Zickafoose, 6. Jimmy Coogan.

Midwest Throwback Sprint Cars Feature (20 laps, showing starting position in parenthesis): 1. Trey Burke (6); 2. Casey Putsch (3); 3. Dan Ingram (9); 4. Bryar Schroeter (2); 5. Dave Gross (4); 6. Chad Freeman (5);  7. Louis Meyer (7); 8. Tim Parke (1); 9. Bobby Logan (8); 10. Greg Zickafoose (10).

Lap Leaders: Laps 1-2, Schroeter; laps 3-20, Burke.

Margin of Victory: 7.315 seconds

Fastest Race Lap: Burke, 14.460 seconds, lap 13