KC to Conley, Stotts, Adams May 21, 2011

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Conley, Stotts, Adams Grab K-C Raceway wins
Adkins Eclipses Track Record at 13:377

May 21, 2011 K-C Raceway Results

CHILLICOTHE, OHIO-Defending Champions Delmas Conley of Wheelersburg, OH(Late Models) and Jamie Adams of Laurelville, OH(Hobby Stocks) joined Advanced Services AMRA Modified invader Chris Stotts in K-C Raceway’s victory lane during Hall of Fame Night at the historic Ohio oval Saturday night. Great racing and some unfortunate high-speed accidents highlighted the evening.
Prior to the racing festivities K-C Raceway Hall of Fame inductees were honored. The 2011 class includes the versatile Bobby Morgan, sprint ace George Harbour, the multitalented father-son team of Bob Crace, Sr. and Bob Crace, Jr.; Stock Car ace George Branscom, notable car owner Bob Lemaster, and extraordinary photographer Stan Jeffrey. (A script and biography of each inductee follows this release below)
Sometimes you just have to be good or have a little luck. Veteran National LM Hall of Famer Delmas Conley was both Saturday night as he wheeled into victory lane for the 541st time.
"Most of the night I thought I had a third place car then Ben(Adkins) and Jason (Montgomery) dropped out, and there I was in the lead," said Conley. "I might have made a good race out of it anyway, who knows (grinned Conley). The car was pretty darn good." The Dayton Auto Racing Fan Club, DARF, and Hoot Gibson--representing the club--presented a free DARF membership and T-Shirt to all winners.
Cloudy skies and a tacky track made for some fantastic high-speed racing. Just how fast was K-C Raceway Saturday? Fast timer Ben Adkins, West Portsmouth, OH eclipsed Jackie Boggs’ nine-year old track record of 13:614 with a blistering 13:377 run. Adkins was working on a clean sweep after claiming the first heat win over charging Mike Wilson.
Adkins and first heat winner Jason Montgomery began to walk away from the rest of the pack with Audie Swartz a solid third. Adkins and Montgomery then got caught up in a 7-car melee that eliminated four cars including the two top runners.
Swartz inherited the lead, but a lap later Conley leaned on Swartz in turn won to craftily take the lead. Mike Wilson followed in suit to take second. Shannon Roese was well on his way to hard-charger honors when he went pit side with cooling problems. At the same time, racing Chiropractor Brian Eaton tumbled hard into the third turn wall and was out for the night.
As Wilson closed the gap on Conley, Rod Conley, Mark Frazier, Rod Evans, Tony Roush, KY’s Paul Davis and hard charger Randy Wynett (18th to 9th) battled hard for a top five.
When all was said and done, Conley in the Conley Trucking #71 held off Mike Wilson for the win. Rounding out the top ten were Swartz, Conley, Frazier, Evans, Roush, Davis, Wynett, and Russ Frohnapfel.
In the modified main veteran Tim Rayburn and Chris Stotts paced the field to Daryl Owens’ green flag. It took three restarts to get underway, including a violent end-over-end, wall-grinding flip by Eric Arledge. Arledge was shaken, but his car was destroyed in the bone-shaking tumble.
Rayburn led the single-file parade until Stotts dove low for the pass. Rayburn sustained the lead through lap six when an unfortunate spin collected son Jeremy, sending both to the tail. Stotts never looked back despite a late charge by second place Jeremy Berwanger. Much of the race following Rayburn’s demise, Rob Stambaugh and Jeremy Berwanger fought it out with Bob Crace, Jr. and Todd Robinson for position.
Stotts’ Swartz Extreme Chassis/Carthage Auto Parts/Stoneridge Apts. car in its debut run pulled off the popular win ahead of Berwanger, Stambaugh, Robinson, Shawn Holiday, Jeremy Rayburn up from the tail to sixth in a great run, Lonnie Kidd, hard-charger Kevin Delaney (19th to 8th), Tim Rayburn (also up from the tail to a top ten), and T.J. Harper.
Said Stotts, “For the first time out, this car started 'gettin good’. I have to give a big thanks to the crew and Dave Norton for all of their hard work and to Audie (Swartz) for all the extra time he puts in on this car. We hope to just pick and choose our races again this year, but it is good to get the win tonight."
The Dan Reno hobby stock main was a barn-burner between defending champion and master-car builder Jamie Adams and former champion Bruce Gray, Jr. Jim Hildebrand was within striking distance much of the race, lying in wait for a mistake from either Adams or Gray.
With two laps to go, the caution waved and Adams started to get a flat, but the tire held enough to get the job done for the win (as the tire deflated in victory lane).
"Wow, I knew I had the flat with three laps to go, but said, I'm going for it. Bruce showed me his line early and I knew where he was at and where I need to be. He gave me a good run and is a heck of a driver. He will be here in victory lane soon. I'd like to thank all of my sponsors, my family, and friends. They make this all possible."
The hard-charging top ten were Adams, Gray, Hildebrand, Jeremy Bretz, Tim Cutler, Mike Brust, Tommy Mossbarger—the race hard-charger up from 18th to 7th in a whirlwind run; Patrick Parks, Steve Karr, and Roger Mossbarger.
K-C Raceway hosts the Miller Highlife Veteran’s Appreciation Night Saturday, May 28 with a full card of Goodyear 410 Sprint Cars, AMRA Late Models, AMRA Advanced Services Modifieds and the Dan Reno Memorial Hobby Stock Invitational. For more information visit www.kc-raceway.com or call the track at 740-663-4141 or call for other info and tickets at 740-978-6575.

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The Summary: K-C Raceway May 21, 2011

AMRA Late Models (21)
Fast Time: Ben Adkins 13:377
Heat One: Ben Adkins, Mike Wilson, Rod Evans, Russ Frohnapfel, Rod Conley, Paul Davis, Shannon Roese, Kenny Spencer, Chris Maynard, Clint Keenan
Heat Two: Jason Montgomery, Delmas Conley, Audie Swartz, Mark Frazier, Brian Eaton, Tony Roush, Ken Howell, Billy Gullion, Randy Wynett, Jacob Curnutte
Feature: Delmas Conley, Wilson, Swartz, Rod Conley, Frazier, Evans, Roush, Davis, Wynett, Russ Frohnapfel, Roese, Eaton, Maynard, Adkins, Montgomery, Gullion, Keenan, Spencer, Howell


AMRA Advanced Services Modifieds (33)
Heat One: Tim Rayburn, Todd Robinson, Donnie Stewart, Eric Arledge, Kevin Delaney, Brian Moore, Aaron Fry, Kyle Payne, Billy Gullion
Heat Two: Chris Stotts, Jeremy Rayburn, Bob Crace, Jr., Lonnie Kidd, Luke Jordon, Roger Wireman, Jamie Lawson, John Arthurs, Scott Linville
Heat Three: Rob Stambaugh, T.J. Harper, Adam Jordan, Shawn Holiday, David Pinkerton, Bud Frazier, Adam Colley, Phillip Bapst, Eric Hatfield
Heat Four: Brian Whiteman, Jeremy Berwanger, Tim Tribby, Mark Bailey, Jimmy Adams, Bob Hurst, Brad Butler
B-Main: Luke Jordan, David Fireball Pinkerton, Kevin Delany, Billy Gullion, Jimmy Adams, Shawn Settles, Kyle Payne, Phillip Bapst, Bob Hurst, Jr., Bud Frazier, Brad Butler, Jamie Lawson, Brian Moore, Adam Colley, Roger Wireman, Aaron Fry, John Arthurs, Scott Linville, Eric Hatfield
Feature: Stotts, Berwanger, Stambaugh, Robinson, Shawn Holiday, Jeremy Rayburn, Lonnie Kidd, Kevin Delaney, Tim Rayburn, Harper, Crace, Jr., Stewart, Luke Jordan, Gullion, Whiteman, Tribby, Arledge, Jordan, Pinkerton, Bailey


Dan Reno Hobby Stocks (18)
Heat One: Jamie Adams, Tim Cutler, Mike Brust, Butch Eblin, Steve Karr, Danny Salzgbor, Jeremy Bretz, Brandon Thompson, Aaron Forcum, Keith Hornickle
Heat Two: Bruce Gray, Jr., Jim Hildebrand, Roger Mossbarger, Jeff Sheets, Shane Pendleton, Richard Trego, Patrick Parks, Phil Rice, Tommy Mossbarger, Travis Pertuset
Feature: Adams, Gray, Hildebrand, Jeremy Bretz, Tim Cutler, Mike Brust, Tommy Mossbarger, Patrick Parks, Steve Karr, Roger Mossbarger, Phil Rice, Trego, Eblin, Sheets, Salzabor, Pendelton, Pertuset, Thompson, Forcum, Hornickle

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Hall of Fame Biographies

Following is a brief script of driver biographies:
Bobby Morgan
Bobby Morgan, Chillicothe, Ohio was one of the early pioneers of sprint car racing. Starting his career in 1953, Morgan was a man on a mission. "Schoolin em" on a regular basis is what the veteran racer was noted for, along with his friendly demeanor. Even though some of the early records were destroyed by fire, records show that Bobby won at least 7 features between 1963-1965 and five of those were championship races. Those wins came in addition to many other recorded victories at what was then known as Atomic Speedway.
Morgan, however, was not a one-track racer. He won both on asphalt and dirt at such venues as Columbus, Torch, Skyline, Southern Ohio, Eldora, Lawrenceburg, Huntington WV Speedway, and Heidelberg, Pa. The only race he ran on the high banks of Dayton Motor Speedway he won. Building close alliances with people like Charlie Alfater and The Smith Speed Shop at Eaton, Ohio, Bobby always seemed to be in top notch equipment. Morgan started in a homemade supermodified before being one of the first to have a full blown sprint car built by Alfater.
After an accident broke his leg in six places, the tall in stature Morgan retired in 1971 to spend more time with his daughters Tracy and Lisa. His daughters still share fond racing memories of their father, who in 2003 at the young age of 72 went to Richard Petty's Driving Experience at Indianapolis and the historic brickyard. The trip was compliments of his daughters, who saw a renewed enthusiasm in their father after he turned a lot of heads with his lap times. His times even impressed noted driving instructor Shane Carson.
George Harbour
The Late George Harbour began racing at the Ohio Valley Speedway as a skinny teenager in the sportsman division. Moving up to Supermodifieds, the Apple Grove, West Virginia native quickly became a champion at Ohio Valley and nearby Huntington Speedway. In the late 1960's Harbour began expanding his racing and became a full-time sprint car pilot. Known widely for his victories in the Charlie Brown #99, Harbour was featured in several racing books as one of the original outlaws, claiming wins at Eldora, Wayne County, Millstream, Skyline and Lawrenceburg, IN in addition to over 40 victories at Atomic Speedway.
Harbour, later moving to Huntington, WW, also saw much success in the Ed Reno/Jack Bennington Construction #1, running Opperman-like Heintzelman Chassis’s and then the more sleek versions of the chassis. Harbour was one of a handful of drivers that saw equal success in both winged and non-winged sprint cars, claiming four Atomic Championships along the way. Harbour ran both asphalt and dirt, often venturing to the Anderson Speedway in Indiana.
Proudly, before his passing, he was crew chief on his son Wes' sprint car.
Bob Crace, Sr. and Bob Crace, Jr.
The father-son team of Bob Crace, Sr. and Bob Crace, Jr. shows one of the perfect examples that racing is indeed in the genes. No one looked meaner behind the wheel than Bob Crace, Sr. with his open faced helmet and bandana waving in the wind. Bob, Sr. a veteran of the Supermodifieds was about as versatile as they come. After much success in the open wheelers, Crace, Sr. became one of the first stock car champions at Atomic Speedway. He was the Late Model Champion in 1971 and has driven everything from open wheelers to stock cars to four cylinders, all equally well. Numerous feature wins and many friendships were forged along the way.
His famous #23 is still well known around area racing circles as the family tradition is carried on by son Bob Crace, Jr. Crace, Jr. started in the early 1970's in a Buick semi-late model and saw instant success in all types of full bodied cars. The Open Wheel modifieds came on the scene and Bob, Jr.'s driving style and the sleek open wheelers were a perfect marriage. No one has equaled his success in the Tri-State; if not even nationwide.
Bob, Jr. won the Modified crown the first four years that the class moved to K-C Raceway and he has nine championships at K-C overall. Along the way he also picked up an UMP Nationals Crown in 1991 and won the first Dirt Track World Championship modified race in 1990. He has wins at numerous tracks in Ohio and West Virginia including many wins at Eldora Speedway. He is the all-time modified win leader at K-C Raceway.
One of the family's biggest accomplishments has been the tradition of establishing C&M racing as parts supplier for K-C and other tracks, while still doing work for other drivers as time allows. With son-in-law Jason Cottrill now active in the Modified division, the family tradition should continue for a long time to come.
George Branscom
George Branscom of Chillicothe is one of the first full-fledged stock car pioneers at Atomic Speedway. From a career that started in 1969, George quickly found the fast way around just about every race track he ever visited. Just two years later, he finished third in the first-ever World 100 at Eldora. He had been running in the second spot until lap 98 when NASCAR great Joe Ruttman passed him for second.
While winning at places like Skyline, Zanesville, Southern Ohio and numerous other bullrings, Branscom claimed two consecutive Atomic Speedway Late Model Championships. One of those seasons he won 9 of 13 features at Atomic Speedway. Much of Branscom's success came in Bob Lemaster's 23 Auto Parts car.
Bob Lemaster
Bob Lemaster has been an icon of Atomic Speedway/K-C Raceway for over 40 years. With at least seven Atomic and K-C Championships, using five different drivers, this car owner has seen a lot of changes in stock car racing. From homebuilt "Stock" cars to elaborate racing chassis's known as Late Model Stock Cars, Lemaster has perfected them all. One of his first chamionships came with Super Stock driver Don Stump, then two championships came with George Branscom in what was one of the first tube chassis cars in the area.
As noted earlier, his car finished 3rd at the first World 100. Not only has Lemaster had success with his own cars, but he has also been known to offer advice and lend a hand to competitors. He is recognized as one of the best set-up men in the business. A few tweaks from Lemaster's hand has been found to turn an ill-handling car into a contender. Until health problems recently arose, Lemaster was active in helping area racers find success.
Lemaster also found success himself as a motorcycle racer. This experience helped him push his cars and his drivers to the edge and often on to victory lane. Whether it's at the annual Branscom 'Fish Fry' or at the local track, fans are lucky for the opportunity to hear a great racing story from the veteran racer and wife Norma.
Stan Jeffrey
Some 40-plus years later, Stan Jeffrey photos are considered to be a standard of the industry in capturing auto racing history. Always with a joke and at least one camera around his neck, Stan Jeffrey was always looking for his next shot. With wife Leta selling photos from the table and at least one of his four blonde haired daughters selling Mid-American Auto Racing News and other racing papers of the day, fans knew Stan in the house. His prolific personality and knack for a sale helped make even the poorest racer feel like a star.
Tirelessly traveling from his home in Franklin, Ohio, it was the norm on Friday night to travel to Indiana for a race, and then come straight home to develop his own black and white photos. Then Stan loaded right back up and headed to Atomic Speedway in Alma, Ohio and repeated the process all over again. If there was a Sunday race, he was there ready to go. Always working to get the results and photos in the mail so the tracks had the news before the printing deadline, Stan really supported tracks and racers that he loved so much. Racing lost Stan to a heart attack in the mid 80’s.
Said K-C Announcer Bruce Hines, "One night shortly before Stan's passing, a youngster went sailing over turn three at K-C and came to rest against the parking lot fence. Stan looked at me and said 'he is going to be a good one, if he lives, but he has to live long enough first'." That good one turned into a great one--Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon.