5/20/2018
Thomas Kennedy Tops UMSS Field at Cedar Lake Speedway
A very chilly, windy evening would be the backdrop for the UMSS POWRi Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series event at the Cedar Lake Speedway on Saturday May 19. With rain claiming the feature the night before at Princeton, this would be the season opening feature event for the 360 winged sprint cars of the UMSS. Topping a couple of fellow Canadian drivers, it was an "Oh Canada" Sweep of the top three finishing positions. Kennedy picked up $1,000 for the win and was pleased that he and his team had decided to head north after racing his 410 sprint car at Jackson the previous night. Young Skylar Gee and Robbie Price, BDS Motorsports teammates, rounded out the sweep of the top three spots by our good neighbors from the north.
Kennedy took the early lead over the eighteen car starting grid in the 25-lap main event. The track took rubber early on, and it was young Canadian hot-shoe Skylar Gee, son of former WoO driver Tim Gee, ducking under Kennedy on lap 6 for the lead. Kennedy had been running up top on the cushion, but he quickly dove to the bottom to fall into line behind Gee. Entering turn 3 on lap 9, Gee had a left front shock malfunction and his car slid up the track a bit, allowing Kennedy to retake the top spot. Gee fell back to third behind Price but was able to regain one spot, as the feature race ran caution-free to the checkers. Kennedy led the final 17 circuits on his way to Rock Auto Victory Lane.
Three 10-lap heats were run with Eric Lutz, Robbie Price and Kennedy the winners. The UMSS POWRi Lucas Oil winged sprints ran a special event to determine the first four rows in their feature. The top eight cars in passing points from the heats redrew for the Wing of the Hill event. This event features two cars head-to-head against each other for two laps. The cars start side-by-side at the flag stand and the winner advances on with the loser filling in starting positions from eighth forward. Seven rounds were run. Price fared the best by far, winning four times! Some of those wins came in exciting fashion in turns one and two on the opening lap. Price, who drew the sixth pill, was able to improve his feature race starting spot to the outside front row with his string of wins. He was defeated in the final round by Kennedy.
Earning special bonus money in the feature race courtesy of Midwest Power Equipment and GRP Motorsports based on cars that raced at Princeton the previous night, Gee, Price and Geoff Dodge picked up $300, $200 and $100 respectively. Kennedy raced at Jackson the previous night, so he was not eligible for the bonus. Fourteen cars came over to CLS from Princeton while four new cars were also on hand making for a decent eighteen car field of winged sprints.
The UMSS POWRi Lucas Oil winged sprints have a doubleheader weekend coming up with races at the Rice Lake Speedway and Eagle Valley Speedway slated for Saturday and Sunday May 26-27. The UMSS Traditional sprints will join them at both tracks. Racers and fans can keep track of all the UMSS POWRi Lucas Oil winged sprint car action on our website at www.umsprints.com or on the UMSS Facebook page.
UMSS POWRi Lucas Oil Race Results - Cedar Lake Speedway May 19, 2018 (Race #2)
Midwest Power Equipment & GRP Motorsports A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 21K-Thomas Kennedy, [1]; 2. 99G-Skylar Gee, [4]; 3. 21-Robbie Price, [2]; 4. 64-Geoff Dodge, [3]; 5. 6-Eric Lutz, [5]; 6. 20G-Chris Graf, [8]; 7. 5-Ryan Bowers, [7]; 8. 50-Chase Viebrock, [6]; 9. 2-Derrik Lusk, [9]; 10. 99-John Schulz, [12]; 11. 34-Rick Kobs, [15]; 12. 03-Jamey Ogston, [10]; 13. 22-John Sernett, [16]; 14. 1-Dean Brown, [13]; 15. (DNF) 91A-Reed Allex, [14]; 16. (DNF) 28MM-Mike Mueller, [17]; 17. (DNF) 13-Brayden Gaylord, [11]; 18. (DNF) 5C-Cam Schafer, [18].
Lap Leaders: Kennedy 1-5, Gee 6-8, Kennedy 9-25. No cautions! Track took rubber early in low groove. Kennedy ran cushion first 5-6 laps before falling in line behind Gee. Gee broke LF shock and washed up in turn 3 on lap 9, allowing Kennedy to retake the lead. Gee fell back to third but recovered to finish second. Drivers earning MPE/GRP bonus money included Gee ($300), Price ($200) and Dodge ($100).
PIRTEK Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 6-Eric Lutz, [5]; 2. 50-Chase Viebrock, [2]; 3. 34-Rick Kobs, [4]; 4. 5-Ryan Bowers, [6]; 5. 03-Jamey Ogston, [3]; 6. 22-John Sernett, [1].
Lap Leaders: Viebrock 1-2, Lutz 3-10. (1) caution for Bowers spin turn 4 two laps into race. Kobs penalized two spots (finishing positions) for jumping restart, as race then ran eights laps caution-free to the finish.
Rock Auto Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 21-Robbie Price, [3]; 2. 64-Geoff Dodge, [6]; 3. 20G-Chris Graf, [4]; 4. 1-Dean Brown, [2]; 5. 91A-Reed Allex, [5]; 6. 28MM-Mike Mueller, [1].
Lap Leader: Price 1-10. No cautions.
GRP Motorsportst Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 21K-Thomas Kennedy, [1]; 2. 99G-Skylar Gee, [4]; 3. 2-Derrik Lusk, [2]; 4. 13-Brayden Gaylord, [3]; 5. 99-John Schulz, [5]; (DNS) 5C-Cam Schafer.
Lap Leader: Kennedy 1-10. No cautions. Schafer did not start due to engine issues.
Wing of the Hill Challenge Special 1 (2 Laps): 1. 21K-Thomas Kennedy, [8]; 2. 21-Robbie Price, [4]; 3. 64-Geoff Dodge, [7]; 4. 99G-Skylar Gee, [6]; 5. 6-Eric Lutz, [5]; 6. 50-Chase Viebrock, [3]; 7. 5-Ryan Bowers, [1]; 8. 20G-Chris Graf, [2].
Head-to-head two lap challenges determine first fours rows in feature. Bowers defeated Graf in round 1, Viebrock defeated Bowers in round 2, Price defeated Viebrock in round 3, Price defeated Lutz in round 4, Price defeated Gee in round 5, Price defeated Dodge in round 6, and Kennedy defeated Price in final round 7.
Rock Auto Victory Lane photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
