ONA, WV-98 cars from seven different states packed the pit area at the Ona Speedway for the running of the Yes Chevrolet/Yes Ford Mountaineer 100 and the Partners Insurance Legends Car Mountaineer Cup. It was a perfect November day for racing for the final race of the season streamed in front of the Speed 51 TV camera’s.
The day of racing started with the 20 lap, $1,000 to win Partners Insurance Legends Car Mountaineer Cup for the Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro class. Zach Miller took the lead at the start from Jake Keaton with Virginia’s Tommy Jackson Jr. quickly moving into the second position. Jackson stayed tucked right behind Miller for nearly the entire race, desperately trying to find a way to get around him. On the final lap, the two were almost nose to tail for the lead. Jackson drove in hard going into turn 3, trying to make a run on Miller, but would come short as Miller came across the checkered flag to take the win in his first ever start at Ona! Jackson finished second with Keaton third, Tyler Martin fourth, and Corey Steinbrecher fifth.
The next race up was the 40 lap, $800 to win feature for the Contempo Trophy & Awards U Cars. The race started with chaos as a big wreck in turn three on lap one collected Keith Watson, Jay Workman, Tim Cassidy, and David Adkins. Cassidy and Adkins were able to continue and Watson and Workman would be done for the race. Nick Fowler stormed to the lead at the start with Joe Workman quickly moving into the second position. For almost the entire rest of the race, Fowler and Workman put on a show for the fans in an intense battle for the lead that saw the two nose to tail and side by side as they worked through lap traffic. It was setting up for a dramatic finish for the two drivers until heartbreak occurred for Workman with two laps to go as he had to pull off the track with mechanical problems. This left Fowler with a safe lead as he led the final two laps to claim his third win of the season and the biggest win of his career! Tim Cassidy finished second with Nicholas Meade third, David Adkins fourth, and Michael Hughart fifth.
Nicky Randolph took the lead to start the night’s 20 lap, $600 to win Partners Insurance Legends Car Mountaineer Cup for the Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro class. With Randolph leading, the battle was intense for second between Marty Powers, Scott, Martin, and Aaron Auffant. The races first caution flew on lap 4 for an Aiden Coons spin, setting up a double file restart. On the restart, Powers and Auffant made contact with Auffant going over Powers left rear wheel, bringing out another caution. Auffant would continue on but Powers was done for the race. On the next restart, Scott Martin was able to make the pass on Randolph and take the race lead. Martin pulled away by a few car lengths up front while Randolph and Auffant battled side by side for second. After several laps of battling, Auffant moved into the second position and set his eyes on Martin.
A lap 16 caution set up a four lap shootout for the win between Martin and Auffant. On the single file restart, Auffant stayed right with Martin as they came off of turn two. Into turn three, Auffant drove in hard underneath of Martin and the two made contact, sending Martin spinning up the track in front of traffic. Jay Dunlap had nowhere to go and ran over top of Martin, flipping wildly three times and landing on the turns 3 and 4 guardrail. Thankfully, all drivers were ok. Martin would be able to continue on while Auffant, Dunlap, and Adam Jeffrey would all have to retire from the race. On the restart, Martin would hang on to lead the remaining laps and take his first Ona Speedway Legends Car win! Randolph finished second with Timmy Graham third, Jay Dunlap fourth, and Adam Jeffrey fifth in the attrition filled race.
The Yes Chevrolet/Yes Ford Mountaineer 100 for the McCam Builders Modifieds was next up. 24 Modifieds from 5 different states started the biggest, most prestigious race of the year at Ona. Heartbreak occurred at the start of the race as two time and defending track champion Andy Booten blew a motor on the opening lap, resulting in a lengthy oil down red flag. On the second attempted start of the race, Michigan’s Greg Fullarton took the lead at the start with Ohio’s Rick Sibila running in the second position. Great racing occurred through the field during the first 25 lap run of the race as drivers diced their way through the field, trying to get into position and stay on the lead lap before the lap 50 halfway break. The races first caution flew on lap 25 when fast qualifier Brian Nester slowed while running in the fifth position. Nester, a 2 time Mountaineer 100 winner, would be done for the race.
On the restart, Fullarton continued to lead while the battle for second heated up between Sibila and Matt Dimit for second. Dimit made the pass on Sibila and set his sights on Fullarton. A caution would then fly for an Austin Coe spin, setting up a restart with Fullarton and Dimit side by side. On the restart, chaos occured as Sibila hit the frontstretch guardrail hard, causing another red flag. When the race resumed, Dimit got a great restart from the outside line and cleared Fullarton coming off of turn two to come across the line and lead lap 30. With Dimit now up front, the battle heated up for second between Fullarton and eighth place starter Doug Meyer who had stormed through the field. Meyer would make the pass on Fullarton to move into second and set his sights on Dimit. By the time the caution flew at the lap 50 halfway break, Meyer was only 5-6 car lengths behind Dimit.
When the race resumed after the halfway break, Dimit continued with the lead with Meyer right behind him. Dimit built a lead of about 8 tenths of a second that stayed pretty steady at that gap. As the leaders worked lap traffic, the gap would close into within a couple car lengths and then extend back out to 7-8 tenths. As the race wore on with no caution flags, Dimit had built his lead up to 1.5 seconds with 15 laps to go. On lap 90, the first caution of the second half of the race flew for a big piece of debris on the frontstretch, setting up an intense double file restart between Dimit and Meyer. On the restart, Dimit would hold onto the lead as two laps later a caution flew for a Chris Parker spin. On the next restart, Meyer would fire a lot better from the outside as Dimit and Meyer battled side by side for the lead! The two battled side by side for the lead the entire next lap with Dimit finally clearing Meyer on lap 93. Dimit would inch away again and lead the final laps to take his first Yes Chevrolet/Yes Ford Mountaineer 100 win! Meyer finished second with Fullarton third, Brad Yelton from 18th starting position to finish fourth, and Bob Sibila fifth.
Stacie Watson took the lead to start the night’s 20 lap, $300 to win Chandler Auto Performance Crazy Compact feature with Thomas Bailey tucking behind her in second. Watson and Bailey ran nose to tail in a battle for the lead for much of the race with a great side by side race for third between Evan Proctor and Kassidee Bush. As the laps wore on, Watson began to stretch her lead out to around a half second on Bailey before a caution flew setting up a green-white-checkered finish. On the restart, Bailey drove hard into turn one trying to make the high side work but washed up the track off of turn two. On the final lap, Bailey rebounded and tried to close back in on Watson but wouldn’t be able to make the pass as Watson came across the checkered flag to claim her second win of the season and win the biggest race of the year for the class! Bailey finished second with Proctor third, Bush fourth, and Bradley Workman fifth.
Drama occurred at the start of the night’s 50 lap, $1,500 to win Keaton’s Collision Center Late Model feature as second place starter Matthew Parsons spun off of turn four in front of the field. Parson’s collected Jerick Johnson and Chad Pendleton got into the frontstretch guardrail trying to avoid the crash. Pendleton would be done for the race while Johnson would continue. Parsons went pit side but would continue and have to start the race from the tail due to pitting. On the second attempted start, Jake Keaton and Brad Coons battled side by side for the lead! The two battled side by side during the opening lap with Coons tucking into second. As the laps wore on, Keaton started to pull away from Coons while Coons faced heavy pressure from Johnson. Johnson would make the pass on Coons and set his sights on Keaton who at the time had a three second lead. Nobody would be able to touch Keaton as he pulled away up front to win by 9.119 seconds and stay perfect on the season, winning every single Late Model race of 2021 at Ona. Johnson finished second with Coons third, Parsons fourth, and Bobby Fihe fifth.
The final race of the night and the season was the 30 lap, $1,000 to win Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stock feature sponsored by 3 Vets Heating & Cooling. J.R. Webb took the lead at the start with Dennis Wood running right behind Webb in second. Webb would maintain a slim car length or less lead over Wood who was then engaged in his own battle with Chris Parker for second. As the race reached the halfway mark, Webb extended his lead to about 3-4 car lengths while Wood and Parker battled side by side for second. Wood, who got forced to the high side, was able to hold off Parker and stay in second. That would be really important as on lap 20, while in the lead, Webb got completely sideways off of turn four. Webb saved the car but Wood and Parker both passed him. Wood would hold off Parker in a close battle the final 10 laps to win the biggest Street Stock race of the season and take his first career Ona win! Parker finished second with Webb third, Brett Carey fourth, and Chris Jividen fifth.
The 2021 season at Ona Speedway is now complete. Ona Speedway wants to thank all of the fans, race teams, and sponsors for making 2021 such a great season. We are excited for the 2022 season which will begin in April. Stay tuned all offseason for 2021 season reviews as well as the 2022 schedule release. For more information visit www.onaspeedway.com.
Complete Results
McCam Builders Modifieds
Fast Qualifier-Brian Nester, 17.938
Mountaineer 100-Matt Dimit, Doug Meyer, Greg Fullarton, Brad Yelton, Bob Sibila, Chad Pendleton, Chris Johnson, Chris Parker, Jacob Bell, Marty Powers, J. J. Shaffer, Wes Smith, Adam Medek, Jamie Womack, Jeremy Cooper, Rick Sibila, Lucas Ripley, Austin Coe, Brian Nester, Todd Ripley, John White, Hubie Hatfield, Benny Hickle, Andy Booten
Lap Leaders-Greg Fullarton (1-29), Matt Dimit (30-100)
Car Count-24
Keaton’s Collision Center Late Models
Fast Qualifier-Jake Keaton, 17.910
50 lap Feature-Jake Keaton, Jerick Johnson, Brad Coons, Matthew Parsons, Bobby Fihe, Kenny Parsons, Don Maheffy, Mike Burcham, Greg Carby, Chad Pendleton
Lap Leaders-Jake Keaton (1-50)
Car Count-10
Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stocks
Fast Qualifier-Dennis Wood, 19.260
30 lap Feature-Dennis Wood, Chris Parker, J. R. Webb, Brett Carey, Chris Jividen, Tyler Bailey, Tommy Rowe, Kenny Chapman, Clinton Thompson, Mike Christy
Lap Leaders-J. R. Webb (1-19), Dennis Wood (20-30)
Car Count-10
Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro
Fast Qualifier-Tommy Jackson Jr., 19.440
20 lap Feature-Zach Miller, Tommy Jackson Jr., Jake Keaton, Tyler Martin, Corey Steinbrecher, Will Geer, Matthew Martin, Dale Garrett, Zach Steele (DNS: Karl Rudolph)
Lap Leaders-Zach Miller (1-20)
Car Count-10
Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro
Fast Qualifier-Aaron Auffant, 20.261
20 lap Feature-Scott Martin, Nicky Randolph, Timmy Graham, Jay Dunlap, Adam Jeffrey, Aaron Auffant, Chris Bishop, Aiden Coons, Marty Powers, Rob Dunlap (DNS: Bill Bolar)
Lap Leaders-Nicky Randolph (1-4), Scott Martin (5-17) *Race cut to 17 laps due to time limit
Car Count-11
Contempo Trophy & Awards U Cars
Fast Qualifier-Jay Workman, 19.873
40 lap Feature-Nick Fowler, Tim Cassidy, Nichols Meade, David Adkins, Michael Hughart, Bill Honius, Stephen Kuhn, Kyle Snodgrass, Reuben Fetty, Jason Price, Marcus Esch, Trevor Doddy, Joe Workman, Hayden Daniels, Chris Deskins, Jay Workman, Keith Watson, Danny Keyser (DNS: John Trimble)
Lap Leaders-Nick Fowler (1-40)
Car Count-19
Chandler Auto Performance Crazy Compacts
Fast Qualifier-Thomas Bailey, 21.633
20 lap Feature-Stacie Watson, Thomas Bailey, Evan Proctor, Kassidee Bush, Bradley Workman, Dustin Higginbotham, Jimmy McElfresh, Preston Hysell, Shane Summers, Dillon Higginbotham, Lauren Summers, Donna Bush, Tommy Rowe, Rex Burton
Lap Leaders-Stacie Watson (1-20)
Car Count-14
