Baumgartner Beats the Heat in HOSS Action

     Dave Baumgartner’s Southwestern Truck Service number 55 passed Greg Wheeler with ten laps to go to win Saturday nights Seyfert’s Employee Night race at Baer Field Speedway.  Jimmy McCune rounded Wheeler for second as Sam Davis ran a strong fourth ahead of Jason Fuller’s fifth place effort.

     The evening’s dramatic action started early as Baumgartner had mechanical trouble en route to the track, leaving the eventual winner to watch hot laps pitside.  The track temperature made for long sliding corners and many teams changed setups before qualifying trying to catch grip on the speedway. 

    Just before qualifying the 55 made its way from the trailer and the team hurried to join the infield qualifying line.  McCune’s number 19 Tiffin Academy of Hair Design racer held the top time of 15.112 seconds just ahead of Wheeler’s 15.135 time.  Baumgartner took the track for one warm up lap ahead of his qualifying run and promptly rattled the bleachers to 15.075 fast qualifier honors.

     Heat races flagged off just after 8pm, as the first heat paired Chris Jagger in the 35 Craig Fordyce owned LNM Investments/ASC Graphics car with the 34 Palatka Electric car of Johnny Scherer.  Kris Leming’s 9 and the Davis 43 shared row two as Geoff Kaiser and Baumgartner partnered row three.  At the green flag Scherer of White Lake, MI, took the lead over Jagger while Baumgartner charged toward the front.  Leading the third circuit, Baumgartner was unchallenged as Davis went pitside on lap four.  Scherer took second over Jagger, Leming, Kaiser, Matt “Cash” Kinzinger and Davis.

     The second heat brought the 11G of Montpelier OH’s, alongside the 37 of Hurryin’ Hank Lower.  Jerry Caryer’s 75c and the 10 of Ron Koehler comprised row two and Fuller’s Old Dominion Freight Lines 17 paced McCune in the third row.  Again the fastest qualifier sailed to the point as McCune hustled tot he win over Lower, Koehler, Caryer, Fuller, and Guerin.

     The third heat saw Ted McKibben in the 38 and the 10 of Jim Dolph with the X of Chad Levingston and Jim Payne’s 100 car in row two.  Jonathan Kettlewell and Greg Wheeler held the third row but as the green flag flew the action picked up as Wheeler made his way to the lead.  Passing Dolph on lap three, the 2006 Points Champion moved out to the win with Dolph, Payne, Kettlewell, Levingston and McKibben in tow.

     The 30 lap feature pushed off as a breeze from the southwest pushed clouds over the speedway.  The sunset brought a much cooler speedway and the fans anticipated great action.   Baer Field weekly divisions had put on outstanding action on the half and three eighths mile courses.  The HOSS feature would line up behind pole sitter and eighth fastest qualifier Ron Koehler and the 43 of Sam Davis.  Row two welcomed Kettlewell's Englewood Garage Door and Roofing entry with Fuller’s yellow 17.  The third pairing of Geoff Kaiser’s Geiger Developing/Scalgraphics/Dragon Trucking/Huddle House/Beamers Sports Bar/Tasty Pizza 71K with Wheeler’s LA Electric/SPM number 7.  McCune and fast qualifier Baumgartner started in the fourth row. 

     The green flag flew as Davis took the point over Koehler with Wheeler on the charge toward the front.  Overtaking the point Wheeler moved out following a caution period to a small lead over Baumgartner and McCune.  Fast but sliding the 7 car, Wheeler moved through lapped traffic as the red 55 shadowed the leader.  Passing halfway, Wheeler’s lead evaporated as Baumgartner threw the big 55 to the bottom of turn three and emerged from turn four as the leader.  Wheeler mounted a counterattack but could not catch the Ohio driver.  Holding court after a lap 23 caution, the flaming foot held off a late race challenge from McCune, who got by Wheeler in a spirited battle.  Davis soldiered home fourth; his best HOSS finish in some time.  Having taken time off to recharge, the veteran looked sharp at night.  Jason Fuller’s solid fifth place finish served notice that this new team will be contending every race in 2007.

Climbing the cage to the top wing in celebration, Baumgartner shouted to the cheering crowd of fans.  The team had overcome a very long day and short warm up to take the checkered flag in a great race.  Posing for pictures with his wife and son, the winner clearly enjoyed the big win this night.

     This Saturday the HOSS teams will be in Anderson, the first of two appearances in 2007, for the 30 lap feature along with Figure 8 cars and stocks.   The series returns to Fort Wayne July 21 for the Bill Lipkey Memorial Race in addition to the American Legion/Harvest Food Bank Night with kid’s nickel pitch.  It will also be Seyfert’s Sampler night!