GAS CITY, Ind. — Thomas Meseraull captured the headlining non-winged sprint car feature Friday night during Gas City I-69 Speedway’s Open-Wheel Madness show.
It was a bit like heaven on earth for open-wheel fans, as with four classes the program offered the most diverse night of open-wheel racing in Indiana.
Anton Hernandez won the first IMCA Racing Xcaliber Graphics Indiana RaceSaver 305 winged sprint car feature ever held at the quarter-mile dirt oval. Tyler Nelson won the open-competition midget feature and Joey Paxson topped the UMRA three-quarter-midget’s main event during Hoosier Auto Racing Fans Night.
There were 30 non-winged sprint cars, 24 305 winged sprint cars, 34 midgets and 17 TQ midgets on hand.
Meseraull started fifth in the 20-car non-wing sprint car feature in the No. 47, a DRC chassis which is owned by Tom Eades, powered by a Stensland-prepared Chevy engine, sponsored by Physical Medicine Consultants and wrenched by Allen Brown.
Polesitter Matt Westfall led the first 16 laps in the Ray Marshall Motorsports No. 33M Maxim until Meseraull took the lead in turn two. Defending track champion Clinton Boyles started 11th in Paul Hazen’s DRC but steadily moved up until he powered under Westfall for second in turn three on lap 19. Westfall hung on for third followed by Shane Cottle in Jamie and Michelle Paul’s DRC and Tyler Hewitt in the One More Time Motorsports Maxim. The people’s champion, Dave Darland, who was making his first start since flipping hard in a USAC sprint race at Eldora Speedway in Ohio on May 10, finished sixth in his wife Brenda’s DRC.
Michael Koontz flipped in turn four with 10 laps down, but climbed out under his own power.
Alex Nalon led the first eight laps of the RaceSaver 305 winged sprint car feature until Hernandez took the lead with a move to the outside as they went down the backstretch. There were two yellows and a red later in the race and lapped traffic made Hernandez’s job harder, but the 21-year-old driver took the checkered over Bradley Sterrett, Nalon, Jackson Slone and Ethan Barrow on lap 25 in a sprint car sponsored by Velocita-USA and Big D’s Pizza, among other companies.
The red flag in that race with 18 laps down was for the most bizarre accident of the night. Andy Bradley, who was fourth at the time, flipped in turn two, and Jordan Welch, who was sixth, flipped in turn four. Luckily neither needed the assistance of the ambulance crew and they’ll hope for better luck when the series returns to Gas City on Oct. 5.
Nelson came from the fifth starting spot to nab his first Gas City feature victory in the 20-lap midget main event. Polesitter Michael Koontz led the first two laps before Chris Baue passed him on a restart after Oliver Akrad stopped between turns three and four. After a three-way battle for the lead between Koontz, Baue and Nelson, the latter emerged at the head of the pack on lap four and led the rest of the way. Koontz, Nick Spiedel, Aaron Leffel and Hernandez, who was doing double duty, rounded out the top five. Leffel’s effort was particularly noteworthy, as he started 15th.
Paxson started second in the TQ feature, got the jump on his teammate, John Goff, at the start, and led all 15 laps. He was able to build up a huge lead, lost his advantage twice due to yellows, but still held off Tate Martz to become the fourth different winner in as many UMRA TQ midget features so far this year. Cory Clay, Matt Hedrick and Johnny Goff rounded out the top five.