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Trey Robbs Stock Action | Pendergrass Strikes For #6 | Moore Marches to Speedway Best Seventh Score | Bigger is Better in Turf Tire | Jeramiah Thrills in Career Debut
Cody Morris
I-44 Riverside Speedway Official Release
Saturday, July 19th
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
On the two week approach the perennial blockbuster Mini Sprint Nationals, 82 entries checked in to the friendly confines of I-44 Riverside Speedway to dazzle around 300 race fans on the most beautiful night of racing yet this season.
Not to talk too much about the weather, but it really was a beautiful night by any standard. By Oklahoma standards it was downright weird, but delightful. Under 80 degrees at the start of the night and down to the low 60’s by night’s end, and all of this without much wind; can’t beat that for July in the southern plains!
It provided the perfect ingredients for the speedway surface under the precise hand of promoter Mark Banister. Mark preps surfaces with about half the able equipment of most dirt speedways (a lasting effect courtesy last year’s tornado) and it’s really beginning to show just exaggerated the overreaction was to malign the exhaustive effort put on preparing the track each week.
It is Oklahoma after all, and red clay is still red clay just as there isn‘t much that can be done in the face of 40mph windstorms that are common in this part of the country (a dose we received three times in the “spring&ldquo . But good racing is good racing too. And last week we had that in abundance despite temps near 100 degrees and seven classes of racing. That well deserved victory earned another quality field and in turn, Banister delivered a near perfect surface.
The timing could hardly be better as only one round now remains until the 15th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals and the anticipation starting to rapidly spread as the best true talents of the regional racing scene square off in what will also be the one year anniversary of the reopening of the speedway following the devasting tornado that obliterated it back on May 20th, 2013.
Tonight was also one of the most memorable in speedway history as a wonderful and extraordinary young man made his racing debut to the applause of all on hand.
“I’ve had tumors my whole life, and I’m racing for a cure” - Jeramiah Green July 19th, 2014 while making his racing debut.
Jeramiah Green has fought cancer since he was 1 year old, he is now ten years old and fell in love with racing since he made his first trip to the speedway just two days before the May 20th tornado. After the speedway reopened, more and more drivers championed Team Green and racing to find a cure for childhood cancer.
As the racing family throughout the state embraced “Champ” and his fight against an extremely rare and aggressive form of cancer, Jeramiah had a growing passion to race.
That dream was realized tonight as Jeramiah came out for his first ever heat race with the speedway cheering and Team Green going nuts in turn four like the Thunder just hit a game winner (a moment that could never compare to this). Jeramiah placed last in heat heat race, but in hindsight was just reserving his skill and getting some seat time!
It’s not unusual for Jeramiah to be on the front straightaway during intermission. Every week, the previous week’s winners come out for a ceremony to acknowledge their feat. Team Green has grabbed many of those victories, and Jeramiah is always there with the winning racer who dedicates their victory to him. Many other feature winners also do this.
But amongst the winner’s on the front stretch tonight, there was only one true champion. A young man who has not just fought, but continuously won in the face of an adversity the vast majority of us could never imagine. There could never be two parents more proud in that moment than Keith and Tracy Green, and all of Team Green was there with fans also joining in the moment from the other side of the fence.
It is important that all understand, not just those that have been there for the two Going Green events we hosted for Jeramiah, or his career debut tonight, but also for readers and patrons in this area and far outside.
This young man met a friend that raced (Tyler Alexander). The two became good friends and Tyler invited Jeramiah to come watch and have a good time. Jeramiah did and had a great time (understatement). Two days later the speedway was swept away by a tornado and he was devastated. While Team Green gained more drivers, they were also instrumental along with hundreds more in rebuilding the speedway. Jeramiah was overjoyed as the speedway reopened and as more speedway staff met him and learned of his remarkable story and journey, we turned the speedway Green for Jeramiah just a month later. It was one of the best nights ever at the speedway for all involved.
From his first race as a fan on May 18th last year and the dozens of notable events since then, no patron of this sport can overlook the impact of this moment, this time and how it came to be. Jeramiah Green is a remarkable young man not only for the courage he has fought cancer with, but his appetite to live to the fullest every day. Nearly all he meets are touched by his spirit. It is infectious. And it really is the best that is within all of us. As a community, this has truly transcended sport and competition.
But also note what this means for the sport of racing, for our racing community. Remember it all began with Tyler offering his friendship and support and inviting Jeramiah to come watch him race. Less than 18 months later, now Jeramiah is out there racing. What began with Tyler evolved into 8 teams racing under the Team Green banner and ALL teams joining the spirit. And the impact on the speedway was immediate. When I and several others heard of this awesome kid and we met him and learned of his story, his fight against cancer all of his life, seeing his first race and loving it and the tornado hitting just two days later - it immediately touched all of our hearts and reminded us why we rebuilt this speedway, the last of its’ kind in all of central Oklahoma.
To see Jeramiah and his love for racing and our speedway, this racing family, this community in the greater Oklahoma City area and how it’s spread far beyond that - to celebrate his birthday with him, Go Green the following week and then witness this unbelievable development of how our #1 race fan turned into a racer. This stands for the very, very best of all of us. For our community, our speedway and racing family, and for every single one of us that has ever hoped and dreamed. This amazing young man and everything that led to this night, it’s hard to describe.
On behalf of speedway promoters Mark Banister and Gloria Froman, as well the entire speedway staff, all of the racing community and all of the fans, and especially personally - we’re so very proud of you Jeramiah and it means everything to all of us to be your friends. You mean the world to this community and this sport ….that is so very much yours. You really do represent everything that we should all race - and live for.
We wish you the very best as you begin your racing career. You are now part of a very exclusive and elite group. You’re an athlete. You’re a racer.
Champions Cup Round 14 - The Rundown
NON WING
Bridge Creek’s Tyler Alexander and Tuttle’s Cody Carter paced the front row of the 20 lap Non Wing A Feature, but it was El Reno racer Blake Dewberry gunning into the lap one lead.
Newcastle’s open wheel phenom Trey Robb moved up to challenge and take the lap 2 lead with Anadarko’s Ryan Padgett prowling in the three spot, hungry for a good finish to overturn a recent string of DNF’s.
Trey Robb in the lead is approaching the unfair. Dewberry maintained pace, but Trey was primed for his first Non Wing win of the season aboard the Select Coatings, Outlaw Wings, Awesome Racewear, and OK dent works backed #12T.
Blake Dewberry placed runner up with Newcastle’s Derrick McBride coming from 9th to claim third and a likely lead in the Non Wing Champions Cup run as point leader Brandon Boggs was sidelined following a nasty flip last week. Which apparently did little to damper Boggs’ spirits and humor, which was in fine form throughout the night.
Ryan Padgett got the monkey off his back with fourth place run with Fletcher’s Blake Dacus completing the top five finish.
Blake Dewberry, Trey Robb, and Derrick McBride scored heat race wins over the 20 car field.
Non Wing A Feature (20 laps): 1. 12T Trey Robb (3); 2. 29d Blake Dewberry (4); 3. 98 Derrick McBride (9); 4. 898 Ryan Padgett (8); 5. 29 Blake Dacus (7); 6. 97 Dalton Terrell (10); 7. 20s Steven Curbow (19); 8. 18 Dillon Laden (16); 9. 88 Tony Penick (18); 10. 28x Brian Martin (17); 11. 10 Matt Pagel (15); 12. 32k Chris Kelly (5); 13. 58 Philip Fessler (14); 14. 11x Tyler Alexander (1); 15. 007 Cody Carter (2); 16. 12 Gage Robb (6); 17. 27k Kyle Keeler (12); 18. 72 Mark Rogers (13); 19. 83 Jim Woods (20); 20. 39 Sterling Hoff (11)
Lap Leaders: Blake Dewberry 1, Trey Robb 2-20
Hard Chargers: Steven Curbow +12
JUNIOR SPRINTS
Richard Harvey Jr. and Macy Roulain paced the front row of the 20 lap Junior Sprint main event and Roulain grabbed the early lead before Chickasha’s Brant Woods earned the lap 3 lead.
Woods led until the yellow flew for Bryce Barnett on lap 5 and Calera’s Ryder Laplante took advantage of the restart to battle past and lead the sixth round. Like Woods’, Laplante’s lead was only for a trio of laps due to the storming #22 of Dylan Pendergrass.
Hungry for his sixth win of the season, Pendergrass worked past at the halfway point and was chased by Laplante, but not denied win # 6 aboard the Jim Norton Toyota, Cornish Paint & Construction, iracetv, SRE Engines, Outlaw Wings, and Legacy Race Cars #22.
Laplante held on to the runner up finish ahead of Grady Mercer, with Brant Woods and Kayden Cole completing the top five finish.
In his first career A Feature start, Bridge Creek’s Jeramiah Green started at the tail of the field in 13th and advanced four positions to finish ninth, scoring a lot of cheers and high fives throughout the confines as he made some late moves. Also, as a sign of things to come, 30 minutes after the final race of the night - Jeramiah was out walking and studying the track.
Junior Sprint heat races went to Pendergrass and Laplante.
Junior Sprint A Feature (20 laps): 1. 22 Dylan Pendergrass (7); 2. 88R Ryder Laplante (5); 3. 42 Grady Mercer (8); 4. 16 Brant Woods (4); 5. 72c Kayden Cole (3); 6. 72 Christopher Wells (6); 7. 125 Macy Roulain (2); 8. 14 Talon Hoahwah (11); 9. 18J Jeramiah Green (13); 10. 59JR Richard Harvey Jr. (1); 11. 05c Jordan Williams (9); 12. 37 Jack Hall (10); 13. 1 Bryce Barnett (12)
Lap Leaders: Roulain 1-2, Woods 3-5, Laplante 6-8, Pendergrass 9-20
Hard Charger: Pendergrass +6
RESTRICTED
Newcastle’s Champions Cup R2 Restricted winner Layden Pearson was joined by Moore, Oklahoma’s Kaylee Sue Cole to form the front row of the 20 lap Restricted run.
Pearson earned the advantage over Cole and led to the halfway point when the red flag fell for a Blake Scott flip. Blake was ok, but with a lost motor last week and flip this week, has a lucky number he needs to find. Ironically his luck was better when he ran as #13.
That put Restricted point leader and six time winner Matt Moore on the leader’s tail for the restart, and Moore didn’t need much time, blasting past to lead the 12th circuit and go on to claim win #7 in the Vapor Hut #9m.
Pearson ended his three race streak of DNF’s with a runner up finish while 2012 Restricted champion Tanner Conn took Hard Charger status in a run from 11th to third. Fletcher’s Mason McGuire and Choctaw’s two time Junior Sprint champ Nathan Rainey completed the top five finish.
Pearson and Moore scored heat race wins over the 13 car field.
Restricted A Feature (20 laps): 1. 9m Matt Moore (8); 2. 11 Layden Pearson (1); 3. 78 Tanner Conn (11); 4. 18 Mason McGuire (5); 5. 99 Nathan Rainey (7); 6. 00R Ryan Anderson (4); 7. 12 Carson Meek (6); 8. 7m McKenzie Laplante (10); 9. 72c Kaylee Cole (2); 10. 29 Blake Scott (3); 11. 72z Zach Wells (9); 12. DNS: 11J Jeremy Rogers
Lap Leaders: Layden Pearson 1-11, Matt Moore 12-20
Hard Charger: Tanner Conn +8
TURF TIRE
Dusty Devine and Scott Patraw paced the front row of the Turf Tire 20 lapper with Devine earning the lap one lead.
This group puts on some great races each week and Round 14 was no exception. Devine led the first five laps until Snyder’s Josh Bigger got by to ace the 6th round.
Bigger never looked back and scored win #3 this season aboard the 569 Motorsports, Moeller Customs, Ends Designs, and PFR Racing supported #21.
Devine held down 2nd until final two laps, when Willie Vickman battled by to claim the runner up spot and Brandon Jones scoring the final spot on the podium. Devine ended in fourth with Shorty Burks completing the top five finish.
Jones and Jeremy Morris earned hear race wins over the 13 car field. Good turnout and good racing TT guys - keep it up!!
Turf Tire A Feature (20 laps): 1. 21 Josh Bigger (6); 2. 75 Willie Vickman (4); 3. 6J Brandon Jones (5); 4. 20x Dusty Devine (1); 5. 1x Shorty Burks (11); 6. 5m Scott Patraw (2); 7. 30 Mike Robertson (13); 8. 33 Brian Penick (3); 9. C3 Bobby Chapa (10); 10. 28 Jeremy Penick (8); 11. 28v Junior Vickman (12); 12. 8 Alan Taylor (9); 13. 93 Jeremy Morris (7)
Lap Leaders: Dusty Devine 1-5, Josh Bigger 6-20
A CLASS
Mustang’s Joe Martin was joined by Enid’s Jared Dunkin on the front row of the 23 car / 20 lap final race of the night.
Dunkin led lap one, but we had some carnage in this one. First a Chance Janway flip, then a Chris Kelly/Blake Dewberry flip on the restart. All drivers were ok, but done for the race.
Back underway, Dunkin led one more lap before Mike Matherly side swiped to lead lap three. Newcastle’s Trey Robb, already with a Non Wing feather in his cap from 90 minutes before, flew into the lead on 7 just as Matherly spun, collecting fellow front runners Sterling Hoff and Blake Dacus.
Despite a pair of stoppages in the final few laps, including a Lloyd Smith flip with three laps remaining, Trey Robb went virtually unchallenged in sweeping stock 600 action aboard the Select Coatings, Outlaw Wings, Awesome Racewear, and OK dent works backed #12T.
Curbow scored the runner up from P12 with Jim Woods placing third from 9th. Newcastle’s Teri Burk rode the Hard Charger from the 17th starting spot to a strong fourth place finish, while Enid’s Jared Dunkin completed the top five finishing order.
A Class heats went to Dunkin, Robb, and Matherly.
A Class A Feature (20 laps): 1. 12T Trey Robb (6); 2. 20s Steven Curbow (12); 3. 83 Jim Woods (9); 4. 22 Teri Burk (17); 5. 27D Jared Dunkin (2); 6. 60 Bryan Nebgen (16); 7. 98 Derrick McBride (18); 8. 67 Joe Martin (1); 9. 57 Mark Frymire (15); 10. 21 Michael Meek (3); 11. 58 Philip Fessler (13); 12. 67s Steve Johnson (21); 13. 36 Lloyd Smith (14); 14. 17m Mike Matherly (5); 15. 16x Danny Davidson (20); 16. 56 Landon Lister (23); 17. 39 Sterling Hoff (7); 18. 29 Blake Dacus (10); 19. 29d Blake Dewberry (8); 20. 32k Chris Kelly (4); 21. 18x Chance Janway (22); DNS: 27k Kyle Keeler, 28c Chris Lloyd
Lap Leaders: Jared Dunkin 1-2, Mike Matherly 3-6; Trey Robb 7-20
Hard Charger: Teri Burk +13
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Stay tuned for much more information regarding Champions Cup Round 15 next Saturday (7-26) and the 15th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals on August 1st and 2nd!
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