Halloween Havoc @ Shady Oaks Speedway
Goliad, Tx.- One hundred and thirty-five cars, drivers and teams from all over the Gulf Coast and central Texas showed up for Shady Oaks Speedway’s Halloween Havoc benefit race for promoter Jim Scribellito. Many track champions and long time racing veterans were on hand to not only race, but help out the Scribellito family in deferring medical costs.
The Scribellito’s moved from California and took over management of the 3/8 mile, high-banked, dirt oval in south central Texas during 2008. With the help of many of the local racers the Scribellitos and crew had the track ready for the 2009 racing. During a mid-year race Scribellito rolled his dwarf car suffering neck and spinal injures and is now doing rehab at Hermann Hospital with surgery due in coming weeks.
With $1,000 up for grabs in the Modifieds and Limited Modifieds, several of theareas hot shoes showed up including multi-time champion, Howard Willis(Dayton), USMTS regular and race winner Steven Whiteaker jr.(Corpus Christi) and 2008 I-37 Speedway IMCA Modified track champ, Greg Dinsmore(Kerrville). In the fender classes, five champions signed in for the Pure Stock class alone, Chris Shafer(Texana Raceway Park), Wade Jones(I-37 Speedway), Bobby Jack(South Texas Speedway), Ronnie Williams(Gator Motorplex) and Randy “Bubba” Seals(two-time Texas Grand winner).
Also as part of race day activities was a custom car show with several street rods and hot rods on display, a silent auction and Bar-B-Q all to benefit the Scribellito family and games for kids along with Trick or Treat during intermission. (though I swear I saw some drivers candy hunting…OK, and a reporter too.)
Whiteaker takes Witchy Win in Modified Main. In what started out to be a battle between Corpus Christi young gun, Steven
Whiteaker jr. and veteran Dayton hotshoe, Howard Willis quickly ended on lap 15 when Willis broke. In the remaining laps Whiteaker held off friend and teammate Danny Brown taking shop bragging rights for the week ahead.
The start of the 20-lap main event saw Rory Jordan get the jump from the outside pole going into turn 1. Jordan slid too high with Whiteaker coming from row two snagging the point with Willis, Vince Kacir, Dale Flanagan and Mike McCarthy falling in the top five spots. Marlin Sanford brought out a yellow on lap 3 when he spun in turn 4. Whiteaker got a good jump on Willis once back to green as the to five singled out, and Brown moved up to sixth.
McCarthy was just starting to pressure Kacir when Sanford spun in turn 3 for his second yellow, putting him on the trailer. On the restart, Willis took a shot at Whiteaker but couldn’t get by, while Brown took fourth from McCarthy. In a chain reaction Brown got into the back of Kacir with McCarthy tagging Brown. McCarthy and Brown found themselves tangled again on lap 8 in turn 4 to bring out a yellow. Once back to green Kacir got the jump on Willis for second. As they nearly tangled in turn 3, Barry Codling, Dustin Brandl and Jeff Nix got stacked up in turn 4 to bring the caution back out. When green waved again, Willis took his best try on Whiteaker in turn 1, but Whiteaker pulled ahead coming off turn 2.
Coming to halfway it was Whiteaker, Willis, Flanagan, Brown and Jordan in the top five. As Whiteaker and Willis pulled away from Flanagan and Brown, McCarthy moved back into the top five. As Willis chased Whiteaker, sparks started coming from under Willis’ car and on lap 15 Willis broke and rolled to a stop in turn 3.
As green waved again for the final five laps, Whiteaker jumped out with Brown in second and McCarthy looking inside Flanagan for third. The two Corpus stablemates were able to put some distance on the third place battle in the final laps. As the white waved, Whiteaker had an eight car advantage over Brown scoring the win in the WW Bodies, Showtime Signs, Jana Schurry/Remax, T Roberts Optical, Youngs Auto Repair, Hughes Chassis
Willis Wins Wild and Wooly Limited Modified Main They say the best way to avoid trouble is stay out front, and that’s exactly what
Dayton’s Howard Willis was able to do. As the rest of the field, beat, banged and spun Willis held steady on the point in the scheduled 30-lap event that was shortened due to time constraints after numerous cautions and line-up issues dotted the event.
Steve Grantz outraced Willis into turn 1 as green flew on the 26-car field, but it was Willis taking command out of turn 2 to snare the lead. Grantz, Chad Cambron and Mickey Helms fell in line until caution for debris on lap 2 slowed the action. On the restart Helms charged up to challenge Willis getting along side, but being held off and falling second as Shane Hoefling moved up to fourth.
Randy Bridges and Brian Brooks got tangled in turn 4 initiating a string of cautions. On the restart Randy Lewis and Victor Lindsey, along with Rene Mares and Jason Stanley had separate two-car get-to-gethers. On the next try, Vince Louden spun sending Lindsey and Larry Jernigan off turns 1-2. As Helms started pressuring Willis again, Jeff Mueller and Jacob Burnett spun for yet another caution. Compounding things were driving unwilling to line up in their proper position and/or trying to sneak back towards the the front.(Ya, I saw ya!)
Finally to a single file restart, with Willis getting away clear and Cambron running side by side with Hoefling second. Willis quickly eased ahead of Cambron and Hoefling who had a margin back to Grantz, Helms and Brooks. Bridges brought the yellow on lap 6 when he stopped with a flat. Willis jumped ahead again on green, while Helms looked under Hoefling for third. Yellow waved again on lap 7 after Tim Foster spun in turn 2.
Once back to green, Helms continued to pressure Hoefling for third getting along side. Helms tried low for several laps before changing lines and going by Hoefling on the high side during lap 11. A tangle between Lindsey and Foster brought out the yellow on lap 12. As the race resumed, Helms was now looking inside Cambron for second, while Brooks and Johnny Torres were side by side for sixth. Coming to what would have been halfway, the race was flagged with the checkers due to time limit with Willis awarded the win.
Migura does the Monster Mash on Late Model field Kevin Migura was the class of the Late Model field strutting his stuff in both the heat and feature events. As green waved to start the 15-lap feature, Migura jumped out front, but Michael Wagner, Mitch Wagner and Shad Casey got wadded up at the bottom of turn 2. Migura again jumped away from the pack with Kenny Densman, Casey, Rory Jordan and Ml. Wagner fighting for the runner-up spot.
Jordan got around Casey on lap 5 for the third spot on lap 5. Mh. Wagner brought out the yellow when he tagged an infield tire, broke the steering and tried to pull back on track. On the restart, Jordan got by Densman for second followed by Ml. Wagner to third. Casey brought out a caution when he looped his ride in turn 4. As Migura launched ahead of Jordan it was three wide for third until Ml. Wagner spun, but kept moving without a caution. In the waning laps Migura increased his margin over Jordan and Eric Neal scoring the victory by almost a full straightaway.
Hinojosa Hauls to Spooky Super Stock Sweep In a competitive mix of Shady Oaks and Texana Super stocks, along with I-37 and
South Texas Speedway’s Limited Late Models, Leo Hinojosa came out on top of the 14-car field. Hinojosa was in the right spot after early leader G W Hessong broke inheriting the lead on lap 5. Hinojosa held off two-time I-37 track champion, Moe VanKirk puling away for the victory.
As green waved on the 15-lap feature Hinojosa and Hessong ran side by side through turns 1-2, with Hessong getting the advantage coming out of turn 4. Leland Waddell and Barry Major got together in turn 3 to bring out an early caution. On the estart Waddell and Major again found themselves tangled n turn 3. Once back to racing, Hessong and Hinojosa got away from VanKirk and Abraham Mares battling for third.
Hessong slowed on lap 4 and pulled to the infield handing the lead to Hinojosa on lap 5, with VanKirk looking inside for the top spot. Howie Marcx spun in turn 2 to bring the yellow out on lap 6. On the restart VanKirk and Mares battled for second, with Eric Floyd sailing by both on the high side. Floyd went too high in turns 3-4 giving the spots back. Mark Gavlik joined that fight looking low on Floyd.
It was three wide for the spot on lap 8 with Floyd squeezing Mares up into the wall, after the two had issues earlier in their heat. Floyd received the black flag for rough driving and Mares got the DQ after tossing his helmet into Floyd’s car under caution.(no word if the helmet was returned) Finally back to racing, Hinojosa got clear of VanKirk who was now being challenged by Gavlik for second. Gavlik got the position in the waning circuits as Hinojosa eased away giving team All American Car Wash the 1-2 finish.
Hayes Hustles to Haunted Pure Stock Payday With an impressive list of heavy hitters in the 26-car Pure Stock feature, you would
have figured one would have taken the win. But this is racing and it’s never over until the checkered flag falls, and sometimes until the helmet comes off. Such was the case in the Winners Circle as Brad Hayes was suspected as the victor only to reveal, young Garrett Hayes moving up from Jr Mini Stocks.
Hayes, who got sent to the tail on the start after contact with Chris Shafer, worked his way back to the front and looked to be destined for a second place finish. Lady luck can be fatefully cruel sometimes as Randy Seals found out on the last lap. R. Seals, who took over the point from Shafer near halfway, was headed to victory until lapped traffic forced him high in turn 3 of the final circuit allowing Hayes to sneak by in turn 4 to steal the win.
As green was shown to the field for the 30-lap Pure Stock feature, Hayes got to turn 1 first, but Shafer got along side in turns 3-4 leading at the line by inches. In the scrap for third, Bobby Jack and Tony Blankenship made contact sending Jack around and scattering the pack. On the restart Hayes got into the back of Shafer sending him spinning, collecting Shawn Kline in turn 2. Hayes was sent to the tail, Shafer was placed back in the lead.
Shafer took off on green while Brian King got by Robert Danielson for second, but looped it on lap 3 giving second back to Danielson, with R. Seals and Duane Toyne moving up to third and fourth. R. Seals then passed Danielson for second as Danielson half spun and clipped Toyne, who lost several spots. Wade Jones benefited taking third and closing on R. Seals.
Both R. Seals and Jones reeled in leader,Shafer on lap 7 with the top three nose to tail on lap 8 with a gap back to Curtis King, Mark Garner, Gary Seals and Ronnie Williams. The top three were still bumper to bumper on lap until R. Seals and Jones made slight contact trying go by a lapped car. A caution on lap 11 for debris would close them back up on Shafer. On the restart, R. Seals and Jones battled door to door, with G. Seals seizing an opening to get by Jones for third on lap 12. Up front R. Seals was now sing th high side on Shafer for the lead.
R. seals was able to work his way past Shafer on lap 13 for the to spot, while Jones slowed and stopped to bring out a yellow on lap 13. R. Seals got a big jump on Shafer, while Hayes made his way up to the top five. B. King brought out the yellow hankie spinning in turn 2. Once back to green, R. Seals again motored away his dad, while it was three wide behind him for fourth. Coming to halfway it was R. Seals, G. Seals, Hayes side by side with Shafer for third and Williams along side Garner for fifth.
Williams then moved in on Shafer for fourth until yellow waved for Jason Fox who stopped at the bottom of turn 4. As R. Seals took off, Hayes got past G. Seals for second with Williams, Danielson and Jones coming back, getting by Shafer. With ten to go, R. Seals had pulled out to a comfortable margin on Hayes and G. Seals as they battled for second.
R. Seals had a half straightaway lead on Hayes with five to go. Coming to take the white flag, R. Seals was running up on a three car battle at the back of the pack. R. Seals tried the high line going into turn 3, but was forced up in the marbles losing ground fast. As R. Seals fought to regain control, Hayes snuck by on the bottom and beat R. Seals back to the line. Everyone thinking Brad Hayes had won, when the helmet popped off it was Jr Mini Stock hot dog, Garrett taking his biggest ever win.
In a short field of Hot Stock Trucks, Gregg Turner wrapped up both ends of his sweep taking the 15-lap feature. Turner got out front at the drop of the green while Bob Ort and Lary Paris battled side by side for second. Paris took the spot only to give it back when he did a half spin on lap 5. Paris recovered, ran down Ort and retook the spot in the final laps. Up front, it was Turner cruising to the victory.
Joseph Snow swept the Texana Classic Dwarf Car Series taking the heat and feature wins. In the feature Brad Wright grabbed the early lead until a spin by Brice Baros brought out the caution. On the restart Snow flew past Wright for the top spot as he
and Wright pulled away. At the checkers Snow went unchallenged for the victory.
In the Farm Truck feature it was a father-son battle between Ricky and Rick Brandl. As the green waved, Rick Brandl took the early lead with son Ricky in pursuit. Ry. Ran down his dad as they put distance on Andrew Fromme, T J Ross and Carlton Albrecht. R. Brandl got loose off turn 4 giving Ry. Brandl the opening to get by for the lead on lap 8. From there Ry. Brandl eased away from his dad to go on take checkers.
Young Guns Series star, Stanley Kraley showed his dominance scoring the Jr. Mini Stock sweep. Kraly recovered from a spin on the initial start easily out-distancing the field in the 15-lap event. Kraly pulled out to a huge lead over Lauren Chamberlain who had good margin back to battle for third between Matthew Friedel, Chase Sanchez and Patricia Lucas. Kraley took the win over Chamberlain while Lucas moved to third giving the young ladies a 2-3 finish.
