ONA, WV-Race fans were treated to another excellent night of racing at the Ona Speedway on July 20th for the American Legion Post 177 Mid-Season Championships. This race marked the halfway point of the 2024 season at the speedway.
The night started with the 25 lap All Seasons Powersports Late Model feature. Gregg Carby quickly took the lead from the outside pole position with Jake Keaton quickly moving into the second position. Carby and Keaton battled hard for the lead for the next several laps until Keaton was able to make the pass on Carby and take the lead on lap 7. Keaton would lead the remaining laps to take his sixth win of the season and remain perfect on the year. Carby finished second with Joe Fihe third, Mike Burcham fourth, and Jacob Bell fifth.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina’s Ethan Truell took the lead with outside pole sitter Dale Garrett quickly moving into the second position in the nights 20 lap Three Sixteen Motorsports INEX Legends Car feature. After a couple laps of battling, Garrett would make the pass for the lead on lap three. Garrett’s older brother Jason, who had won every race this season, started the race from the tail due to mechanical problems preventing him from qualifying. Jason quickly moved through the field and would move up to the second position by the time the Dutch Miller Automotive competition caution would fly on lap 10. On the Tri-State Stoneworks restart, the Garrett brothers would start side by side with Dale maintaining the lead from the inside. Jason would then be stuck right behind Dale’s bumper in a close nose-to-tail battle for the lead! Jason would put intense pressure on his younger brother for the remainder of the race, but wouldn’t have enough as Dale came to the checkered flag to claim his first win of the season and first career Pro class win! Jason Garrett finished second with Ethan Truell third, Austin Sams fourth, and Jay Dunlap fifth. Sams would be credited as the Semi-Pro class winner for being the highest finishing Semi-Pro driver.
David Adkins took the lead to start the nights 30 lap Contempo Trophy & Awards UCAR feature with Nick Fowler in second and Jay Workman in third. For much of the opening laps of the race, the top six drivers all stayed nose to tail with it resembling a drafting pack at a NASCAR race at Daytona. Drama would strike on lap 10 however as Adkins would slow from the lead, allowing Fowler to retake the lead, setting up for another Fowler vs Workman battle. The two remained in that order coming to the Dutch Miller Automotive competition caution on lap 15. On the Tri-State Stoneworks restart, Fowler would continue with the lead with Workman in second as the two would fight hard for the position. At one point, Fowler was completely sideways going through turn one but saved the car and maintained the lead. Coming to complete lap 19, Workman got the opening he needed however as Fowler slipped up the track, allowing Workman to get under him and take the lead. From there, Workman led the remaining laps to come to the checkered flag and claim his third win of the season! Fowler finished second with Keith Watson third, Chris Deskins fourth, and Preston Hysell fifth.
Jeremy Cooper took the lead to start the nights 25 lap LG Pressure Washing Modified feature with fast qualifier Wes Smith quickly jumping behind him in second. Smith would stay close to Cooper’s bumper during the opening laps of the race but Cooper would stretch his lead out to around a half second at the Dutch Miller Automotive competition caution. On the Tri-State Stoneworks restart, Cooper would clear Smith and slowly pull away as the laps wore on to come to the checkered flag and claim his third win of the season! Smith finished second with Rob Dunlap third, Danny Vickers fourth, and Benny Hickle fifth.
The nights 30 lap Haunted Majestic Street Stock race was full of action from lap one to the checkered flag. The opening laps saw the top four cars, Kenny Chapman, Tommy Rowe, Marty Powers, and Mike Christy all battle side by side in what looked like high speed parade laps as the field stayed that close. Eventually, Chapman would clear Rowe for the lead while Powers also got past Rowe to move into second with Rowe jumping down in line in third. Once in line, Rowe went to war with Powers in an intense battle for third with Rowe eventually getting Powers loose and taking the position. Rowe would set his sights on Chapman and would be right at his bumper coming to the Dutch Miller Automotive competition caution with Powers holding off Christy by 0.003 thousandths of a second for third at the line for the competition caution.
On the Tri-State Stoneworks restart, Rowe would use the highside and clear Chapman to take the lead to lead lap 16! Once out front, Rowe would start to pull away while the racing through the field remained intense. First Mike Christy and Marty Powers went to war for the third position, with Christy making the pass and setting his sights on Chapman. Those two would then go to war for second for several laps with Christy making the pass and Powers also getting around Chapman. Nobody would be able to catch Rowe however as he came across the checkered flag to claim his first win of the season! Christy finished second with Powers third, Chapman fourth, and Jason Skeens fifth.
JR Adkins and Jamie Womack had another thrilling race in the Brody Nash Century 21 Crown Vics. Adkins would lead at the start with Womack either racing side by side or on his bumper for the races first 10 laps until the Dutch Miller Automotive competition caution would fly. On the Tri-State Stoneworks restart, Adkins and Womack would once again battle side by side with Womack using the high side to make the pass and take the lead on lap 12. Adkins stayed right on his bumper the rest of the race, but wouldn’t have enough to make the pass as Womack came across the checkered flag to take his third feature win of the season! Adkins finished second with Karsyn Maxey third.
The speedway introduced a new race, the Dark Horse Dash, for the Contempo Trophy & Awards UCAR division. The race consisted of drivers who hadn’t won a race from the 2020 season on. UCAR rookie Preston Hysell took the lead at the start while David Adkins quickly moved into the second position to battle Hysell for the lead. The two would battle for several laps with Adkins taking the lead on lap 7 and Jake Burgroff quickly moving into the second position. Burgroff would stay right on Adkins bumper but wouldn’t have enough to make the pass as Adkins came across the checkered flag to take the win!
The Ona Speedway will be back in action on Saturday, August 3rd for State Electric Supply Night headlined by the State Electric Supply 30 for the CRS Super Trucks. All Seasons Powersports Late Models, LG Pressure Washing Modifieds, Haunted Majestic Street Stocks, Contempo Trophy & Awards UCAR’s, Three Sixteen Motorsports INEX Legends Car Pro, Three Sixteen Motorsports INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro, Brody Nash Century 21 Crown Vics, and Crazy Compacts will also be on the racing card. The track will also host a open Test N’ Tune night on Friday, August 2nd from 5:00 pm until dark.
For more information visit www.onaspeedway.com.
Complete Results
All Season’s Powersports Late Models
Fast Qualifier: Jake Keaton, 18.121
30 lap Feature: Jake Keaton, Gregg Carby, Joe Fihe, Mike Burcham, Jacob Bell
Lap Leaders: Gregg Carby (1-6), Jake Keaton (7-30)
Car Count: 5
LG Pressure Washing Modifieds
Fast Qualifier: Wes Smith, 18.266
25 lap Feature: Jeremy Cooper, Wes Smith, Rob Dunlap, Danny Vickers, Benny Hickle
Lap Leaders: Jeremy Cooper (1-25)
Car Count: 5
Haunted Majestic Street Stocks
Fast Qualifier: Mike Christy, 19.831
30 lap Feature: Tommy Rowe, Mike Christy, Marty Powers, Kenny Chapman, Jason Skeens, Chris Wheeler
Lap Leaders: Kenny Chapman (1-15), Tommy Rowe (16-30)
Car Count: 6
Contempo Trophy & Awards UCAR’s
Fast Qualifier: Jay Workman, 19.777
30 lap Feature: Jay Workman, Nick Fowler, Keith Watson, Chris Deskins, Preston Hysell, Danny Keyser, Evan Strickland, Lilian Bailey, Reuben Fetty, Tim Cassidy, Caine Dials, David Adkins, Donovan Shull, Jake Burgroff
Lap Leaders: David Adkins (1-9), Nick Fowler (10-18), Jay Workman (19-30)
Car Count: 14
Dark Horse Dash: David Adkins, Jake Burgroff, Preston Hysell, Lilian Bailey, Reuben Fetty, Donovan Shull, Evan Strickland
Lap Leaders: Preston Hysell (1-6), David Adkins (7-10)
Three Sixteen Motorsports INEX Legends Car Pro
Fast Qualifier: Dale Garrett, 19.726
20 lap Feature: Dale Garrett, Jason Garrett, Ethan Truell, Austin Sams, Jay Dunlap, Elijah Johnson, Ethan Johnson, Kenny McComas, Teddy Berry, Nate Dunlap, Adam Jeffrey
Lap Leaders: Ethan Truell (1-2), Dale Garrett (3-20)
Car Count: 11
Brody Nash Century 21 Crown Vics
Fast Qualifier: Jamie Womack, 21.649
20 lap Feature: Jamie Womack, JR Adkins, Karsyn Maxey
Lap Leaders: JR Adkins (1-11), Jamie Womack (12-20)
Car Count: 3
