Times: Gates open at 4 pm, Hot Laps 7:30 pm
Admission: $12 General Admission, $2 kids (7-12), kids 6 and under free, $25 Pit Admission
Classes: Late Models-$1,200 to win, AMSA Mini Sprints, AMRA Modifieds-$600 to win, Mod Lites-$300 to win (with 15+), Enduro-$200 to win
By: OOM Media Relations / Saturday, August 21st, 2010
Two rain showers passed through the area Saturday afternoon, but quick response and expert track reconditioning meant the inaugural Southern Ohio Flat Track Championship at Rocky Top Raceway near Coal Grove, Ohio would not be denied. The rains pushed the program off schedule, but not only did the Rocky Top crew recover the track twice after the storms, they did so in such jaw dropping rapid fashion, the event wrapped up long before any lights were needed, with daylight to spare.
Rocky Top Raceway enlisted Ohio Outlaw Motorsports to sanction the Southern Ohio Flat Track Championship, to be run in conjunction with the 7th Annual Rally on the River in nearby Ironton. Motorcycle and quad racers from five states, including three from North Carolina, flocked to the 3/8 mile, high banked clay oval. The two pro divisions each paid a $2,000 purse and a healthy $1,000 to the winner. The stage was set at the preliminary rider's meeting, as OOM and RTR officials welcomed special guest Bubba Blackwell, legendary motorcycle daredevil from Alabama, who joined the ranks of Evel Knievel by jumping cars and trucks while astride a Harley Davidson XR 750. Blackwell's noted performances include jumps over semi-trucks at the request of friend Jay Leno, broadcast live on national television during The Tonight Show.
The day belonged to the flat trackers however, as Blackwell and the rest of the spectators had an infinite choice of vantage points to watch the drama unfold. The pro racing kicked off with two heats of pro bikes, won by Cory Texter and Ben Evans respectively. Texter earned first pick of feature race starting position, by virtue of winning the faster heat race.
At the green light, it was Galion, Ohio's Ben Evans first off the line, riding the K-K Motorcycle Supply / Rhinehart Racing sponsored Yamaha. Evans was quickly challenged by Honda rider Brian Vincent of Canton, who eventually found a line to pass Evans for the lead. Vincent, who won the Pro Bike feature at Hilltop Speedway on July 30th, proceeded to turn laps in the same consistent, flawless fashion at Rocky Top.
The outside pole choice of Willow Street, PA's Cory Texter wasn't the ideal starting position for the holeshot, but his Lancaster HD / Herr's / Invisible Glass sponsored #65 Honda was in the thick of the top four, then around Evans into second place. The rock solid circuits around Rocky Top had Vincent looking as though he'd run away, but once clear of Evans, Texter began to close the gap.
Once within striking range, Texter mounted a charge into turn one, drawing alongside Vincent down the back stretch, but Vincent cut a different line through three and four, regaining the lead. The battle continued in this fashion for few more laps, Vincent making the #20 Honda as wide as possible. Texter patiently worked Vincent's back tire, and eventually managed to pass Vincent with enough momentum to pull in front and open up with clear race track ahead.
The laps ticked away after Texter took command, Vincent alone in second, but Mt. Vernon, Ohio’s Austin Conant found a strong line on his Extreme-Tec sponsored Yamaha, and began to challenge Ben Evans for third. Conant managed to power his way into third before the checkers, behind winner Cory Texter and Brian Vincent second.
The Rocky Top Raceway / Southern Ohio Flat Track Championship was also Round #7 of the Exodus Cycles / Ohio Outlaw Flat Track State Championship Series (OOFTSCS). The strong fourth place finish moves Ben Evans further ahead in the points lead, followed by Nick Evans, Tom Englehart, Brian Vincent and Joe Baker rounding out the top five in the standings. The RTR win puts Cory Texter in 8th spot of the OOFTSCS points.
The program shifted gears to the All Outdoors Pro Quad division, with another $1,000 awaiting the twelve lap feature winner. Lockport, New York’s Michael Houghton grabbed the holeshot on his Houghton Construction sponsored Honda, followed into turn one by Millersburg, Ohio’s Trent Kandel and three Knox County, Ohio riders, Dillon Conant, Jesse Rutherford and Andrew Hart. A spectacular start off the second row for Edison, Ohio’s Andy Davis on the Extreme-Tec sponsored Yamaha put him right in the thick of things, in sixth.
Houghton had a half-second lead on the field as lap one went in the books, Andrew Hart of Gambier, Ohio had his Mid-Ohio Yamaha of Mt. Vernon #113 on the move, wasting no time in blasting around Conant and Kandel. Dresden Ohio’s Derek Davis made a valiant recovery from axle issues in practice laps, earning a front row start for the feature, but did not look comfortable with the hasty repairs to the SC Racing sponsored Yamaha, and began to drop back in the pack.
A strong drive out of turn two put the All Outdoors Honda of Mt. Vernon’s Jesse Rutherford alongside the Thomas Concrete Honda of Trent Kandel. Handlebar-to-handlebar through three and four, Rutherford was smooth on the high line, making the pass into third. Andrew Hart mounted an identical charge on lap five, strong out of turn two to within a bike length of leader Houghton at the entrance of turn three. Houghton was able to keep from sawing the bars, riding smooth on the lower line, and opened the lead back up down the front stretch.
While Hart tried to regain ground on Houghton, Rutherford was clear of Kandel and closing. Just two bike lengths separated Hart and Rutherford by lap ten, as Houghton checked out, once clear of lapped traffic. Hart sliced through lapped riders, Rutherford was equally up for the task, and the battle for second continued at the white flag. Houghton blazed across the stripe with the win, Rutherford drew close, attempted a high-low move the final time through three and four, but Andrew Hart stuck low on the track, and took second.
Houghton’s February OOFTSCS victory and 4th place at the Summit Indoor dirt track, coupled with another 4th place run at the Bike Days half mile, and the Rocky Top win put him in second place of the points standings. With a July win at Hilltop Speedway and finishing second place at two other rounds, Hart maintains a four point lead over Houghton, followed by Jesse Rutherford, Derek Davis and Marvin Troyer rounding out the top five in the standings.
Next event for Ohio Outlaw Motorsports will be the 2nd annual Tim “Smoothy” Rutherford memorial on Saturday night, September 25th at Hilltop Speedway, with the $2,000 purse Pro Quad feature that pays $1,000 to win. Additional information is available on the website ohiooutlawmotorsports.com.
Class winners include: Open Amateur Quad: Bob Ramey, Franklin Furnace, Ohio, YAM; Senior Quad: Eric Ashcraft, Utica, Ohio, All Outdoors LLC, HON; BB Knobby Quad: Curt Meadows, Coal Grove, Ohio, Holliday’s Quik Stop, HON; Outlaw 400 Quad: Ben Nauman, Ohio; Vintage Bike: Brian Queen, Clemmons, North Carolina, YAM; BB Smooth Quad: Michael Houghton, Lockport, New York, Houghton Construction, HON; 80cc Bike: P.J. Holliday, Coal Grove, Ohio, Holliday’s Quik Stop, KAW; 250cc Bike: Wade Jenkins, Ironton, Ohio, Jenkins Excavating, HON; Open Amateur Bike: Wes Holliday, Coal Grove, Ohio, Harmon Honda, HON; Sportsman Quad: Lance VanSickle, Millersburg, Ohio, TARRAT Motorsports, YAM; Knobby Bike: Wes Holliday, Coal Grove, Ohio, Harmon Honda, HON; 110cc Quad: Chase Zolman, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, M & M Trucking, SUZ; Senior Bike: Jason Spearin, Medina, New York, ATK; Open Pro Bike: Cory Texter, Willow Street, Pennsylvania, Lancaster HD/Herr's/Invisible Glass, HON; Open Pro Quad: Michael Houghton, Lockport, New York, Houghton Construction, HON.
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