By Todd Ridgeway

Veteran driver Danny Brown took advantage of his outside front row starting spot to get win number two on the season at Columbus (OH) Motor Speedway in the 305 Buckeye Super Sprints Series Saturday night. The scheduled 25 laps was cut short to just 20 after a horrific crash occurred just past the flag stand on the front stretch of the capital city oval. Ryan Gillenwater and series points leader Zach Gibson where battling for second and third position well behind leader Brown as he stretched it out. Just as Gibson was running on the high side the engine let go in Gillenwater’s car. With that fluids went everywhere, Gillenwater’s car kicked sideways and just like that Gibson jumped over the right rear and what followed was a twist of metal, sheet metal and parts strung all over the racing surface, along with the fluids now from both cars, and ended with a mangled pile of steel with flames coming from it as Gibson’s car finally came to a stop. Thankfully both racers walked away.

With an inversion of six Chris Michaels would start on the pole with Brown alongside. When the green was displayed Brown stayed right there until they cleared turns one and two then took control. As Brown was cutting laps the fight for position was behind. Gillenwater had started fourth and Gibson sixth as they moved up to get in the hunt. Talon Stephens was also on the move from his fifth starting spot. The second caution of the night flew on lap nine and on the restart Gillenwater went to the outside of Brown without hesitation. It only lasted until turn three when Brown once again just pulled away with a very fast race car. As the laps counted down Brown continued to extend his lead while the field behind him fought for position. Once the big mess occurred on the front stretch track officials decided to call it complete as they where looking at a very lengthy clean up. In winning Brown was followed across the line by Stephens and Michaels in second and third as Cody Gallogly and Tyler Dunn rounded out the top five respectfully. The two heat winners where Brown and Michaels as Gibson set fast time with a lap of 12.099. Ending his night with a torn up race car Gibson was still able to clinch the 2009 series points Championship.

“I love racing and I love this speedway,” said the Galloway Ohio native Brown. “This was a wild night tonight, I think I had them covered,” continued the 55 year old racer. “We changed the car around this week, me and my only crew guy, we where a bit loose and we just kept tweaking the car. We made three changes, tightened the car up real well, I could hold it wide open all night, that car is really hooked up tonight. Any time I can climb in a Sprint Car I am fortunate, I almost died here in October 2005, and anytime I can climb in it is the best day I have got. This really means a lot,” finished the winner Brown.

Qualifying: 1. Zach Gibson 12.099 2. Talon Stephens 12.343 3. Ryan Gillenwater 12.371 4. Tommy Kunz 12.462 5. Danny Brown 12.497 6. Chris Michael 12.524 7. Cody Gallogly 12.639 8. Danny Shirey 12.833 9. Bryant Maus 12.963 10. Joe Speakman 13.107 11. Tyler Dunn 14.670

Heat 1: 1. Brown 2. Gillenwater 3. Gibson 4. Gallogly 5. Maus
 

Heat 2: 1. Michael 2. Stephens 3. Kunz 4. Shirey 5. Speakman 6. Dunn
 

Feature: 1. Brown 2. Stephens 3. Michael 4. Gallogly 5. Dunn 6. Kunz 7. Gillenwater 8. Gibson 9. Shirey 10. Speakman 11. Maus

Gibson Sweeps Toledo 

 by Todd Ridgeway

Fast qualifier, with a lap of 14.085 around the high banked half mile oval, Tim Buchanan had his work cut out as the inversion draw was a six. This put young Joey Wykoff on the pole with Frankie Neal on the outside to form the front row. Once the green was displayed Neal took immediate command, however, just a handful of laps into the race Tyler Dunn mustard a charge and took control. Dunn set a pace for just a short stint when his engine imploded in a plum of smoke laying a heavy dose of fluids from turn four all the way down the front stretch into turn one, bringing out the red flag. After extensive clean up the green was once again displayed and Neal was once again on the point setting pace. By lap ten Gibson moved from his fourth starting spot and decided it was time to go as he sailed past Neal followed shortly later by fast qualifier Buchanan. The caution would fly once again at lap 12 allowing the field to bunch up giving Buchanan back the track position he had lost to Gibson in the shuffle. With Buchanan now on his tail Gibson looked to have his hands full. On the restart Buchanan made an attempt in turn one but coming off turn two it was all Gibson as he set sail. At the checkered flag it was Gibson and Buchanan, followed by Talon Stephens in third from his eighth starting spot. Heat winners included Gibson and Dunn.

“We had a good night all night,” stated the winner. “We did not qualify as good as we would have liked but, we can get over that. We had a really good run in the feature. In the heat race we had a really good battle with Frankie (Neal) and I think the fans got their monies worth on that one. Then when the feature came out I think the fans got their monies worth on that one to, it was a really good race. That was probably the most fun I have ever had in the car, running wheel to wheel with Frankie, we banged a little, but it was fun,” finished the third generation Gibson.

“Zach is so good here,” said runner up Buchanan. “We had a good car; it was just a little too lose. I got a good run on him there, it was kind of frustrating, I would catch him then he would get away. I had a tire vibration and usually when that happens you have a tire getting ready to blister. So, I was just trying to be as smooth as possible,” finished Buchanan.

Qualifying: 1. Tim Buchanan 14.085 (NTR) 2. Chris Michaels 14.270 3. Talon Stephens 14.403 4. Todd Buchanan 14.406 5. Zach Gibson 14.516 6. Tyler Dunn 14.525 7. Frankie Neill 14.548 8. Mike McVetta 14.729 9. Brian Buchanan 14.732 10. Joey Wyckoff 14.884 11. Ross Rollins 14.888 12. Kurt Huber 15.186 13. Tommy Kunz 15.228 14. John Patynko 15.684 15. Jim Schuab 16.752 16. Mike Sheppard NT

 

Heat 1: 1. Gibson 2. Neill 3. Tim Buchanan 4. Stephens 5. B. Buchanan 6. Rollins 7. Kunz 8. Schuab

Heat 2: 1. Dunn 2. Todd Buchanan 3. Wyckoff 4. Michaels 5. Huber 6. Patynko 7. McVetta

Feature: 1. Gibson 2. Tim Buchanan 3. Stephens 4. Michaels 5. Wyckoff 6. Kunz 7. Rollins 8. Huber 9. Patynko 10. Todd Buchanan 11. B. Buchanan 12. Neill 13. Dunn 14. Schuab