CALIFORNIA, Mo. — The 11th Annual “Race for Riley” Riley Hudson Memorial Race was held on Sunday at Double X Speedway on the outskirts after rain postponed the event for a week.
The winged sprint cars had a fast track for their heat races. In heat race number one teenage phenom Garrett Benson picked up a decisive victory over a strong running Josh Fisher in second and an equally strong Ben Brown in third.
The second heat saw Miles Paulus and Tyler Blank on the front row after a caution on the initial start. Paulus would put the hammer down at the green and move to the point. Once Blank got his No. 75 lined out he began gaining on the leader but would settle for second at the checkered flag with Samuel Wagner finishing third.
A couple of young guns led the winged sprint car feature and it was Benson getting the hole shot followed by third starting Josh Fisher. A red flag on lap three for the tangle of Tucker Daly and Rob Rimel brought a stoppage to action as both cars required a hook to return to the pit area.
On the restart Benson and Fisher took off with Paulus and Blank joining the mix. Benson and Paulus would run the bottom with Fisher and Blank charging around the top. Fisher would take over the top spot on lap seven holding Benson at bay.
A caution on lap eight would bring the field to Fisher’s rear bumper with Benson, Blank, Paulus and Ben Brown holding the top five spots. The track surface would prove to be a challenge as a lap 10 caution flew for Samuel Wagner spinning in turn four. On the ensuing restart Fisher would again command the high line with Tyler Bank using the same line to move into second on lap 14. Blank began closing on the leader as Ben Brown moved into third on lap 15 using the top shelf as well. By lap 18 Blank had reeled in the leader and was beginning to plan a pass when the caution flew one more time for Aubrey Smith in turn three.
A three lap dash to the finish awaited the field. Fisher remained glued to the cushion as Brown tried a low side pass for second but Blank was able to use the high line to hold off the challenge. At the checkered flag it was Fisher, Blank, Brown, Benson and Casey Shuman completing the top five.
Clayton Campbell won the super stock race while the pure stock event was won by Trevor Wilson. Terry Schultz won the b modified feature.
Feature Finish
1. 9C-Josh Fisher, Jefferson City; 2. 75-Tyler Blank. California; 3. 7B-Ben Brown, Marshall; 4. 2B-Garrett Benson, Concordia; 5. 24-Casey Shuman, Tempe, AZ; 6. 0-Miles Paulus, Marshall; 7. 77-Jack Wagner, Lone Jack; 8. 73- Samuel Wagner, Lone Jack; 9. 9S-Aubrey Smith, Houstonia; 10. 61A-Doug Fry, Wheatland; 11. 32D-Darren Langford, Kearney; 12. (DNF) 99D-Tucker Daly, Hallsville; 13. (DNF) 7K-Rob Rimel, California; 14. (DNS) Taylor Walton, Odessa