Double X Speedway
California, MO
May 1, 2016
Submitted by: Dean Reichel

For Immediate Release-

The 2016 season of Sunday Night Thunder at Double-X Speedway roared to life Sunday night with some third generation drivers claiming the spotlight on the 1/4 mile oval. Cool temperatures did not keep away the die hard fans and race teams from opening night. First on the card was the Super Stock division with several drivers debuting new cars for the 2016 season. Claiming the first feature of the new season was third generation driver Cole Henson of Russellville, MO. Cole took the lead at the drop of the green and drove a masterful race to take the first checkered flag of the season. Henson survived a couple of yellow flag restarts and the challenge of his older brother Derek Henson in claiming the victory. Following the Henson brothers under the checker were hard charging John Clancy, Jr in third, Joe Miller in fourth and pole sitter Harlan Dowell in fifth. Dowell claimed the heat race to open the night.

The Hobby Stocks were the next on the order of events. California, MO driver Rudy Wirts claimed a popular victory, his first feature win in the division. Early race leader Mike Schrader claimed second, John Willard was third, Laura Atkinson claimed fourth and Chris Brockert rounded out the top five. Wirts also claimed the heat race in the division to sweep the night.

A large field of 600cc Winged Micro Sprints opened the year for the division. Another third generation shoe, Ayrton Gennetten put the rest of the field on notice that he is going to be a strong contender again this season with a convincing victory in the feature event. Gennetten’s fleet #3 machine was followed under the checkered flag by Andy Bishop, Nick Rasa, Tom Curran and Jonathan Hughes in the top five. Kameron Key and Gennetten claimed the heat race victories.

The Winged Sprint Cars completed the card for the evening and it was Collinville, Oklahoma’s Tyler Thomas claiming the feature in a wire to wire, green to checkered manner. It was no cake walk as Thomas and Jonathan Cornell were bumper to bumper as the class of the field Sunday night. Following these two hard chargers to the line were Corey Nelson in third, Taylor Walton in fourth and youngster Ben Brown capping a great opening night in fifth.

Racing continues every Sunday night at Double-X with next week honoring all mother’s for Mother’s Day. Be sure to follow us on Facebook on the Double-X Speedway page or by checking out www.xxspeedway.com

Double-X Speedway Results
May 1, 2016

Super Stocks
Feature
1. 31C-Cole Henson, Russellville; 2. 27D-Derek Henson, Russellville; 3. 8JR- John Clancy, Jr., California; 4. 43-Joe Miller, Centertown; 5. 29D-Harlan Dowell, Jr., Tipton; 6. 8UP- Jeff Offerman, California; 7. H3-Andrew Roark, Henley

Heat Race
1. Dowell; 2. C. Henson; 3. Roark; 4. D. Henson; 5. Miller; 6. Clancy; 7. Offerman

Hobby Stocks
Feature
1. 2X-Rudy Wirts, California; 2. 11-Mike Schrader, Sedalia; 3. 1/2-John Willard, St. Joseph; 4. 4A-Laura Atkinson, Eldon; 5. 82-Chris Brockert, Versailles; 6. 10-Curtis Schaffer, Lincoln; 7. 171-Chuck Coffey, Windsor; 8. 84-Jeremiah Wallingford, Prairie Home

Heat Race
1. Wirts; 2. Schrader; 3. Willard; 4. Brockert; 5. Atkinson; 6. Coffey; 7. Schaffer; 8. Wallingford

600cc Winged Micro Sprints
Feature
1. 3-Ayrton Gennetten, Versailles; 2. 42-Andy Bishop, Harrisburg, IL; 3. 26B-Nick Rasa, Marshall; 4. 11- Tom Curran, Kansas City, MO; 5. 67-Jonathan Hughes, Knoxville,IA; 6. 4-Braydon Cromwell, Lees Summit; 7. 8-Brian Lunsford, Marshall; 8. 22L-Marty Ballenger, Malta Bend; 9. 7R-Andy Rein, Kewaskum, WI; 10. 5-Paul Alberson, Marshall; 11. 7JRK-Kameron Key, Warrensburg; 12. 7JR-Gregory Bledsoe, Sweet Springs; 13. 75-Travis Arnold, Pilot Grove; 14. 71S-Austin Schaeffer, Kansas City, MO

Heat 1
1. Key; 2. Rein; 3. Bishop; 4. Curran; 5. Hughes; 6. Cromwell; 7. Schaeffer
Heat 2
1. Gennetten; 2. Bledsoe; 3. Lunsford; 4. Arnold; 5. Ballenger; 6. Alberson; 7. Rasa

Winged Sprint Cars
Feature
1. 86-Tyler Thomas, Collinsville,OK;2. 28-Jonathan Cornell, Sedalia; 3. 34-Corey Nelson, Eugene; 4. 44-Taylor Walton, Warrensburg; 5. 49B-Ben Brown, Marshall; 6. 75E-Broc Elliott, California; 7. 75-Tyler Blank, California; 8. 48-Miles Paulus, Marshall; 9. 35-Dwayne Benson, Sweet Springs; 10. 8-Jeff Wingate, California; 11. 49-Tyler Elliott, California; 12. 8X-John Manley, California; 13. 31-Quinton Benson, Sweet Springs (DNS); 14. 38-Cody Baker, Lone Jack (DNS)

Heat 1
1. Thomas; 2. Wingate; 3. B. Elliott; 4. Paulus; 5. Blank; 6. Q. Benson (DNF); 7. Baker (DNS)
Heat 2
1. Cornell; 2. Brown; 3.Nelson; 4. Walton; 5. T. Elliott; 6. D. Benson; 7. Manley (DNF)