Avon’s Jon Stanbrough has won his fair share of races over the years at the Kokomo Speedway.
Friday night in the second running of the Kokomo Klash it took a closing-lap mistake for the popular driver to again hit paydirt in the sprint car portion of the event.
The 25-lap feature saw five different drivers in a position to snare the win in what had to be among the most dramatic features in some time. In the early going it was Thomas Meseraull, piloting the Baldwin Brothers Racing/NAPA No. 5 that Stanbrough ran occasionally over the summer, and Cole Whitt waging a spirited duel.
Whitt led the opening six laps until Meseraull shot by on the seventh circuit. The next 12 laps saw the pair slicing and dicing, exchanging the top spot at various spots on the track.
With just six laps left, mechanical woes forced Meseraull into the infield, ending his bid for his first career feature win at the local track. When the race went back to green, Chris Windom, Whitt and Jeff Bland Jr. went three-wide coming off of turn four and almost got together. Stanbrough seized the opportunity and shot to the bottom of the track to take the top spot.
Windom, using the top side of the track, reclaimed the point a lap later and looked to be in control before bouncing off the cushion coming to the white flag. Stanbrough took advantage and held on the remaining lap for yet another win at what he terms “his favorite track.”
“I know it was cold out here [Friday night] but I want to thank the fans for sticking with us this late and in this cold weather,” said Stanbrough. “The team gave me a good car and I was just trying to stay on the bottom and find something that I could get a hold of. Windom bobbled there a little and I took advantage of it.”
Windom came home second and Whitt third. Bland was fourth while Dave Darland worked his way through the pack to take fifth. Tracy Hines, like Darland, came all the way from the last row to finish sixth in Lynn Reid’s Kokomo Honda No. 2. Area drivers Corey Smith (ninth), Dustin Smith (11th) and Marc Arnold (22nd) all made the feature as 43 cars signed in.
In the Mini-Sprint feature it was all youngster Tyler Reddick.
After taking the lead from Mark Perry on the third lap, the young driver simply checked out, leaving the rest of the field to fight for second place.
Ryan Langston was second, Todd Kirkman third, Herb Johnson fourth and Jason Ormsby fifth. Kokomo second-generation driver Conner Donnelson was 13th.
In an attrition-filled Sportsman feature, Ed Lahey turned out to be one of the last drivers standing as he charged to the front to post the win.
Jim Moore was second, Joe Lucas third, Glenn Gamblin fourth and Randy Lines fifth. Track regular Perry Shelton was 21st.
In one of the best Thunder Car features of the year, Corey Johnson dodged the bullet that beset the early leaders and posted the win.
Jimmy Nutter looked to have the race well in hand until a flat right rear tire forced him to the sideline with just 12 laps remaining, handing the lead to Tony Bowman. Bowman then held the top spot until a flat left rear stymied his bid for the win and allowed the hard-charging Paul Whitacre to assume the lead.
With just four laps remaining, Whitacre’s No. 215 went up in a plume of smoke giving Johnson a lead he wouldn’t relinquish.
Mike Fredrick was second, Kevin Fetrow third, Jim Davis Sr. fourth and Mark Keith fifth.
Sports
Stanbrough picks up win at ‘favorite track’
Veteran racer wins Kokomo Klash
- Sports
-
-
Tipton relishes another regional championship
A sea of blue stormed the field as Tipton’s softball team celebrated back-to-back regional championships for the first time in school history following a 4-2 victory over Wapahani in Tuesday night’s Class 2A final.
-
Black set to Storm the court
Southwestern Illinois College already had a foot in the door even before the Blue Storm coaches began recruiting Taylor girls basketball standout Mone’y Black.
-
Smith pitches Panthers to sectional baseball title
WEST LAFAYETTE — The game of baseball can be cruel with its nuances and bad bounces. And, with the flick of the wrist, it can turn right back in your favor.
-
Franchitti outduels Sato to win his 3rd Indy 500
For the second consecutive year the Indianapolis 500 was decided by a last lap crash Sunday, but this time Takuma Sato crashed battling for the win allowing Dario Franchitti to score his third win.
-
Rivalries are part of the Indy tradition
The Indianapolis 500 is known for many traditions.
The ceremonies at the start of the race are legendary. You have the Spectacle of Bands in all of their glory, the flyover of military jets, the balloons and flying start of 11 rows of three. The singing of “America the Beautiful,” “God Bless America,” “Back Home Again in Indiana,” and the “Star Spangled Banner” are all are examples of the pageantry that kickoff the “Greatest Spectacle Racing.” And let’s not forget the famous words “Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.”
-
Fritz, other friends help carry on Gabriel’s vision
Tony Gabriel was an easy pick for the Howard County Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. He was a four-sport standout at Taylor High School and later a seven-time state racquetball champion in singles and doubles.
-
Comets making progress
Much like any coach would expect in his first season leading a young team, Eastern baseball coach Nick Sale has helped his team deal with the growing pains that come with regime and philosophy changes.
-
Tipton survives M-G, savors softball sectional 3-peat
It looked like a blowout early and turned into a nail-biter late, but in the end, Friday’s Class 2A Eastern Sectional Softball final between Tipton and No. 3-ranked Madison-Grant turned out the same way as each of the previous two years.
-
Schubert wraps up standout collegiate track career
Megan Schubert could easily lament lost opportunities and think about ‘what if’ scenarios looking back at her track and field career at the University of Louisville.
-
Comets, Kats, Panthers sending athletes to state
After announcing his retirement late last week, Eastern boys track and field coach Paul Nicholson knew Thursday’s Kokomo Regional could be the final meet of his 43-year career. Senior Josiah Price and junior Grant Cole made sure it wasn’t.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Patz Suspect's Sister: I Went to Police in 1980s
Diplomatic Expulsions Follow Fresh Syria Report
15 Dead in Northern Italy's 5.8-magnitude Quake
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
Witness Describes Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Man Falls Off Crane, Dies After Police Standoff
Russia Condemns Ally Syria Over Massacre of 108
Dairy Farm Uses Chiropractor to Help Cows
Unexpected Smog in Pristine National Parks
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
New Ticks Spread Across Southeast, Diseases Rise
Bring Your Own Tech Programs Charge Up Students
Pope's Butler Vows to Help Vatican Investigation
Mother of Allegedly Abused Girl Denies Claims
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
