ONA, WV-76 race cars and a large crowd of fans packed Ona Speedway once again on Saturday, August 7th for Jeffers Transportation & Mays Transfer Night. In what was an ironic occurrence, almost 51 years to the day that the infamous night the lights went out race occurred at Ona (August 11th, 1970 in NASCAR Cup Series action at the track), a section of lights in turn 3 went out. With help from the spotlights from the Salt Rock Volunteer Fire Department fire truck that was already on the grounds as well as light from the infield light towers, the show continued on without any delay.
The first feature race of the night was the 20 lapper for the Chandler Auto Performance Crazy Compacts. James Saylor took the lead at the start and led the first couple laps with Kassidee Bush passing Saylor to take the lead on lap 3. Joe Workman quickly moved into second and began battling Bush for the lead. The two battled lap after lap with Workman working the high side and Bush staying down low. As the race reached it’s halfway mark with Bush and Workman battling for the lead, the car on the move was Stacie Watson. Watson started deep in the field and worked her way up to third, passing Evan Proctor. Once Watson went to third, she was the fastest car on track and began running down the lead battle of Bush and Workman.
By lap 15, Watson had caught up to the lead battle to make it a 3 car battle for the lead. While working lap traffic on lap 15, Bush and Workman had to check up with Watson diving under them to make a daring 3 wide pass to take the lead! Once in the lead, Watson began to pull away and look poised for victory until a caution flew on the final lap for a Michael Baldridge spin, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. On the restart, Watson pulled away and led the final few laps to come across the checkered flag and take her first career Crazy Compact win! Bush finished in second with Evan Proctor third, Rex Burton fourth, and James Saylor fifth.
In what was an abnormally calm race for the class, Zach Steele led all 20 laps of the nights Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro feature to take his first career win! Steele held off several challenges from points leader Matthew Martin who ended up finishing the race in second. The most dramatic part of the race occurred on the final lap in the battle for third between Newton Moore and Dale Garrett. Moore and Garrett had battled nose to tail for the third position for almost the entire race. On the final lap into turn three, the two made contact, upsetting both cars. This allowed Jay Dunlap to get by both of them to finish third with Moore hanging on for fourth and Aaron Auffant passing Garrett to get the fifth position.
Rick Watson and Marty Powers battled side by side for the lead at the start of the nights 25 lap Greg Chandler Frame & Body Sport Mod feature. Watson took the lead while northern Ohio driver Braden Swaney quickly moved into second. Early on, the best race on track was for third between another northern Ohio driver, Wes Ennis, and defending track champion Marty Powers as they battled side by side for several laps. Ennis would eventually make the pass as all eyes would turn on the battle for the lead as Swaney caught Watson. The two battled nose to tail for the lead lap after lap. On lap 16, while going into turn one, Swaney looked underneath of Watson as the two made contact with Watson spinning. Watson kept going and the race stayed green. Swaney would pull away up front to lead the remaining 8 laps to take his first win of the season! Ennis finished second with Watson third, Powers fourth, and Jacob Parsons fifth.
2019 track champion Brad Cooper took the lead at the start of the nights 25 lap McCam Builders Classic Car feature with Stevie Brown behind him in second. As the race wore on, Brown put his #88 machine up high and got beside Cooper to battle side by side for the lead on lap 5! The two battled side by side lap after lap with Brown edging Cooper at the line to lead laps 8-9, Cooper regaining the lead on lap 10, and Brown taking the lead back from Cooper on lap 11. On lap 12, Brown finally cleared Cooper but a caution flag would fly for a Rob Morrison spin. On the restart, Cooper would take the lead back with last place starter Kenny McCallister now moving into second. McCallister battled nose to tail with Cooper for several laps but wouldn’t have enough to make the pass as Cooper came across the checkered flag to take his second win of the season! McCallister finished second with Cam McKinney third, Alvie Deal fourth, and Rob Morrison fifth.
Chaotic was the best way to describe the start of the nights 30 lap Contempo Trophy & Awards U Car feature. Three accidents on the initial three attempts to start the race would dramatically alter the battle for the track championship as David Adkins, Reuben Fetty, and Tim Cassidy who were all in the top 5 in points, would be forced to retire from the race from damage. On the fourth start of the race, things would still be wild as the field went four wide into turn 3, somehow making it through without wrecking. Lexy Jividen would come away with the lead in the initial scramble and lead the first 2 laps until Chris Wheeler took the lead to lead lap 3. Tenth place starting Nick Fowler stormed through the field and took the lead on lap 4. With Fowler leading, 13th place starter Chris Deskins stormed into second and set his sights on Fowler. Deskins would pass Fowler and take the lead on lap 9.
Fowler wouldn’t let Deskins get away through as he stayed within a few car lengths of him. As the laps wore on, Fowler began to make ground on Deskins and by lap 20 was battling for the lead once again with Deskins. The two battled for the next several laps with Fowler desperately trying to make the pass going high and low! On lap 28, Fowler would finally make the pass on Deskins, who began to slow with some smoke out of his car. Fowler would lead the final two laps to come across the checkers and score his first career win! J. R. Adkins finished second with Michael Hughart third, Chris Deskins fourth, and Keith Watson fifth. All of the U Car competitors received a loud round of applause from the crowd in what was one of the most thrilling races of the season.
Steve Swann and Jake Keaton put on a show in the nights 20 lap Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro feature. Swann would take the lead at the start with Keaton ducking behind him in second. The two battled nose to tail, lap after lap for the lead. Keaton would come close, but would never be able to mount a side by side run on Swann as Swann led all 20 laps to take his fourth win of the season! Keaton finished second with Jerry Graley third, Joe Workman fourth, and Jason Tolliver fifth.
Hubie Hatfield would take the lead at the start of the nights 30 lap McCam Builders Modified feature with Steve Hass quickly moving into second and Jamie Womack in third. The front three would all battle nose to tail in the races early stages. The battle for the lead stayed intense as Hass stayed glued to the rear bumper of Hatfield lap after lap. On lap 12, Hatfield got loose in turn one and Hass went to his outside to battle side by side for the lead! Off of turn 2 the two made contact, bringing out the caution flag. Hatfield was charged with the caution and would pull off the track while Hass would inherit the lead. On the restart, Jamie Womack powered to the lead from the outside while Hass and Booten would battle for second. Booten passed Hass on lap 17 and set high sights on Womack. Booten got to the rear bumper of Womack in a great battle for the lead but would never be able to make the pass as Womack came across the checkers to take his first win of the season by 0.340 tenths of a second! Booten finished second with Hass third, Cooper fourth, and Jake Keaton fifth.
The final race of the night was the 25 lap Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stock feature. James Jones took the lead at the start while Clark Perry moved into the second position and Kenny Chapman in third. Jones would lead the first 9 laps with Perry right on his bumper. On lap 10, Jones checked up going through lap traffic, allowing Perry to get by him and take the lead with Chapman moving into second. As the race wore on, Perry would continue to lead with Chapman right on his bumper. On lap 20, Perry and Chapman split the lap car of Randall Harvey with Chapman taking the lead in a daring 3 wide pass! Chapman would lead the final 5 laps to claim his first win of the season! Perry finished second with Jones third, Tommy Rowe fourth, and Chris Jividen fifth.
The Ona Speedway will be in action next on Saturday, August 21st for one of it’s biggest races of the season with the Freedom Used Autos Fly by 40 featuring the VORES Compact Touring Series. The VORES Series is the nations premier Compact Touring series with most races televised on MAV TV, NBC Trackpass, SPEED 51 TV, and FloRacing. In addition to the VORES Series, the Keaton’s Collision Center Late Models, McCam Builders Modifieds, Greg Chandler Frame & Body Sport Mods, Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stocks, Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro, and Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi Pro will be in action. Racing will start at 7:00 pm. General admission is only $15 for ages 15 and up, $10 for ages 11-14, and free for ages 10 and under. All access pit passes are $30 for ages 15 and up, $15 for ages 11-14, and free for ages 10 and under. The track will host Freedom Used Autos Practice Night on Friday, August 21st featuring an open practice for all classes from 5:00 pm until dark. Practice night pit passes are only $5 while the cost to practice a race car is only $20.
For more information visit www.onaspeedway.com.
Complete Results
McCam Builders Modifieds
30 lap Feature-Jamie Womack, Andy Booten, Steve Hass, Jeremy Cooper, Jake Keaton, Jason Garrett, Wes Smith, Braden Swaney, Hubie Hatfield
Lap Leaders-Hubie Hatfield (1-12), Steve Hass (13), Jamie Womack (14-30)
Car Count-9
Greg Chandler Frame & Body Sport Mods
25 lap Feature-Braden Swaney, Wesley Ennis, Rick Watson, Marty Powers, Jacob Parsons
Lap Leaders-Rick Watson (1-16), Braden Swaney (17-25)
Car Count-5
Rocky Top’s Pizza Street Stocks
25 lap Feature-Kenny Chapman, Clark Perry, James Jones, Tommy Rowe, Chris Jividen, Les Ferrell, Mike Moses, Randall Harvey
Lap Leaders-James Jones (1-9), Clark Perry (10-19), Kenny Chapman (20-25)
Car Count-8
McCam Builders Classic Cars
Fast Qualifier-Stevie Brown (20.410, 77.168 mph)
25 lap Feature-Brad Cooper, Kenny McCallister, Cam McKinney, Alvie Deal, Rob Morrison, Stevie Brown, Will Hass
Lap Leaders-Brad Cooper (1-7), Stevie Brown (8-9), Brad Cooper (10), Stevie Brown (11-12), Brad Cooper (13-25)
Car Count-7
Contempo Trophy & Awards U Cars
30 laps-Nick Fowler, J. R. Adkins, Michael Hughart, Chris Deskins, Keith Watson, Nathan Higginbotham, Marcus Esch, Jason Price, Chris Wheeler, Kenny Fletcher, Lexy Jividen, David Adkins, Reuben Fetty, Tim Cassidy, John Trimble
Lap Leaders-Lexy Jividen (1-2), Chris Wheeler (3), Nick Fowler (4-8), Chris Deskins (9-27), Nick Fowler (28-30)
Car Count-15
Southern Ohio Speed INEX Legends Car Pro
Fast Qualifier-Steve Swann (19.831, 79.421 mph)
20 lap Feature-Steve Swann, Jake Keaton, Jerry Graley, Joe Workman, Jason Tolliver, Tyler Martin, Cameron Gue, Scott Martin, Thomas Crabtree (DNS: Evan Proctor, Marty Powers)
Lap Leaders-Steve Swann (1-20)
Car Count-11
Keaton’s Collision Center INEX Legends Car Semi-Pro
Fast Qualifier-Zach Steele, 20.075 (78.456 mph)
20 lap Feature-Zach Steele, Matthew Martin, Jay Dunlap, Newton Moore, Aaron Auffant, Dale Garrett, Brad Bowen, Adam Jeffrey, Teddy Berry
Lap Leaders-Zach Steele (1-20)
Car Count-9
Chandler Auto Performance Crazy Compacts
20 lap Feature-Stacie Watson, Kassidee Bush, Evan Proctor, Rex Burton, James Saylor, Tommy Ross, Dillon Higginbotham, Tony Fletcher, Michael Baldridge, Preston Hysell, Lauren Summers (DNS: Cassie Saylor)
Lap Leaders-James Saylor (1-2), Kassidee Bush (3-15), Stacie Watson (16-20)
Car Count-12
