MEMPHIS, Mo. — Heartbreak for one driver resulted in jubilation for another as the Mohrfeld Solar Sprint Invaders raced in front of another large crowd at the Scotland County Speedway Friday night.
Racelong leader Jamie Ball suffered drive train issues with just two laps remaining handing over the lead, and the eventual $2,000 victory to J.J. Hickle.
Despite a stout front row of Dustin Selvage and Hickle, the third starting Ball would get a big drive off the bottom of turn two to lead the opening lap before a fed flag was needed for a three-car incident exiting turn two. Riley Scott had slowed leaving Evan Semerad with no place to go and as he tried to swerve to avoid, the car of Alan Zoutte hopped his wheel and went for three or four barrel rolls down the backstretch.
On the restart Ball raced out to a big advantage over Hickle while current series point leader Terry McCarl started to find his groove after starting sixth. As the leaders started to work traffic on lap eight, McCarl slipped under Hickle for second before the caution was needed for a slowing Cody Wehrle. He and Tasker Phillips had made contact on the frontstretch while racing for a top five position and while Wehrle went pit side with a flat tire, Phillips would maintain his position for the restart despite damage to his nose wing.
Once back to green Hickle was able to regain the second spot from McCarl, but Ball had once again put some distance on those two and nobody was catching him as the laps clicked away.
Problems would end the night early for the defending champion of the Sprint Invaders when Paul Nienhiser slowed trailing fluid on lap twenty and on the restart, Ball again appeared to be headed to victory. However, sparks flew from the rear end of the leader’s No. 4w as he crossed the line with just two laps remaining and they became more prevalent before he slowed going down the back stretch bringing out the final caution.
With just a green-white-checker restart on tap, McCarl tried to use the cushion to get a run on the new leader and the Hall of Fame driver nearly pulled even exiting turn four coming to the checkers, but Hickle was not to denied as he captured his first win with the Sprint Invaders.
McCarl extended his point lead with the runner-up position while Josh Schneiderman came from ninth to finish third. Colton Fisher raced his way forward from 10th to fourth and Chase Porter got by Tyler Lee in the final lap to complete the top five.
The finish:
Feature (25 laps): 1. J.J. Hickle, Quilcene WA (2); 2. Terry McCarl, Altoona IA (6); 3. Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington IA (9); 4. Colton Fisher, Mediapolis IA (10); 5. Chase Porter, St. Joseph (11); 6. Tyler Lee, Cedar Rapids IA (15); 7. Cam Sorrells, Hallsville (14); 8. Alex Vande Voort, Knoxville IA (13); 9. Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville IA (5); 10. McCain Richards, Burlington IA (8); 11. Nathan Murders, Burlington IA (12); 12. Jamie Ball, Knoxville IA (3); 13. Paul Nienhiser, Chapin IL (7); 14. Randy Martin, California (19); 15. Cody Wehrle, Burlington IA (4); 16. Skyler Daly, Columbia (17); 17. Blaine Jamison, Mediapolis IA (20); 18. Dustin Selvage, Indianola IA (1); 19. Evan Semerad, Malcolm NE (21); 20. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA (18); 21. Riley Scott, Quincy IL (16); DNS: Dustin Clark, Agency IA; Tucker Daly, Hallsville
