Ford Cashes in On Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Showdown at the Chili
Bowl
TULSA, Okla. (January 9, 2008) -- California's Josh
Ford outdueled Davey Ray over the early rounds before slipping away from
the field over the last half of the race to win Wednesday night's 25-lap
Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Showdown feature event at the 22nd Annual
Dodge Chili Bowl Nationals atop the Tulsa Expo Raceway clay oval.
Working the top side of the track masterfully, Ford surged into the lead
upon the completion of the eighth lap and led the rest of the way aboard
Keith Ford's Bob Wirth-powered Berry Pack/VMAR/BR Motorsports No. 73
JFM-chassis for his second career Chili Bowl preliminary feature win.
"Just winning that first heat race got the crew real pumped up and once
you get that going sometimes it works in your advantage," Ford
commented. "It's gonna be real nice not having to worry about getting in
that "A" Main Saturday and just being able to focus on racing that."
Aaron Fiscus scrambled back from Last Chance Race action to snare
runner-up honors in front of National Midget Driver of the Year Jerry
Coons, Jr., with Bryan Clauson making a last-lap move around Ray to take
the fourth and final lock-in position to Saturday night's 50-lap Chili
Bowl championship main event.
Ray earned the pole position for the main event by accumulating the most
points through heat and qualifying race action, with Ford gridding the
field on his outside shoulder. Ray gunned into the early lead, leading
the pack of off turn two.
But Ford turned up the heat in short order, racing by on the high side
exiting turn two on the third lap for the lead only to have the move
negated when two-time USAC Sprint Car champion Levi Jones slid to a stop
in turn four.
Following the race's second and final caution one lap later for Joey
Saldana, Ray and Ford battled in side-by-side fashion over the next five
laps with Coons nipping on their heels all the while.
With Ray hugging the low line and Ford riding the cushion around the
0x00bc-mile oval, Ford finally got a strong run off of turn four to take
command on the eighth lap. Coons followed suit, racing past Ray the next
time around and set his sights on Ford, only to bicycle in turn four on
the tenth lap and fell to fourth behind Ford, Ray and Clauson.
"The track kinda changed as the race went on and just got a little tight
I guess," Coons commented. "Once you lose track position you're fighting
to pass cars, you're not just out there cruising by yourself so the car
drives a little different and a little different attitude."
Out front, Ford gradually slipped away from the field and, despite
encountering lapped traffic by the midway point, streaked to the
checkered flag with nearly a straightaway advantage.
The action behind him was intense throughout, with Ray holding off
Clauson, Fiscus and Coons for second until the 19th circuit, when Fiscus
flew by to take the position. Coons took third from Ray a lap later,
putting the Badger Midget shoe on the hot seat in front of Clauson, who
had lost a pair of positions several laps earlier when he also tripped
over the turn four cushion.
Fiscus held off Coons over the final laps to take second in James Fiscus'
Esslinger-powered AFS/Fitchburg Plumbing/Ferguson Enterprises No. 7F
Spike, with Coons taking the show position in the Wilke-PAK Motorsports
Mopar-powered Speedway Motors/Kwik Change No. 11 Spike.
"I'm tickled to be here on this night knowing that on Saturday we can sit
back and relax and do the best we can on the main race," Fiscus
explained. "It's a dogfight here, I did it to myself in the earlier race
when I jumped the berm trying to win the thing and went from second to
fifth and ended up fighting back through from that Last Chance race. To
be here is just awesome."
Making his first dirt track start since September of 2006, 18-year-old
Clauson made a critical last lap move to snare fourth in the Keith Kunz
Motorsports Esslinger-powered No. 67 Bullet.
"After being off the dirt for so long, it took me a hot lap session or
two to really get comfortable hustling the car," Clauson commented after
locking himself into his first career Chili Bowl championship main
event. "We weren't real bad when we started, just not quite where we
needed to be. We just kept getting better all night and I think if we
can keep it going we'll keep getting better and better with more laps."
Ray settled for fifth, one spot shy of a guaranteed starting berth in
Saturday night's championship main event, with Bobby East next across the
line in sixth.
After winning the first "B" Main, Jesse Hockett charged from 17th to
seventh, with Mike Goodman, 2006 Chili Bowl champion Tim McCreadie and
22nd starter Mat Neely completing the top ten.
After landing a ride on Monday night aboard one of the Clifton Blackwell
entries that enabled him to compete in his eleventh Chili Bowl Nationals,
Tony Elliott finished just outside the top ten in eleventh.
Donnie Ray Crawford, last year's top finishing rookie at the Chili Bowl
Nationals, claimed 16th in the feature. No 2008 rookies made Wednesday
night's feature.
Heat race wins for Wednesday night's 75-car field were claimed by Chad
Kemenah, Ray, Neely, Stan Yockey, Ford, Kevin Ramey, Danny Ebberts,
McCreadie, Goodman and Dustin Morgan.
Matt Streeter, Jerrod Wilson, Fiscus and C.J. Sarna each scored Last
Chance race wins, with Levi Jones, Coons, Ray and East winning the
Qualifying Races.
Hockett won an eventful first "B" Main in which several potential
transfers encountered late trouble, with A.J. Fike topping the second "B"
Main.
The night got off to a rough start for Derek Hagar, who took a hard
tumble in hot laps. Hagar returned for the night's action.
Chad McDaniel got upside down in the fifth heat and returned for later
action as well. After his heat race win, Morgan flipped in his Qualifier
while Stevie Sussex and Kemenah flipped simultaneously in the next
Qualifying Race. Sarna flipped in the final Qualifier, with Andrew
Felker turning over in turn one in the first "B" Main. There were no
injuries.
Wednesday Night's Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Showdown Results from
the 22nd Annual Dodge Chili Bowl Midget Nationals
Heat Races (Top 40 in passing points to four A Qualifiers; Balance to
four Last Chance races)
Heat 1: 1. #8K Chad Kemenah, Alvada, OH; 2. #11 Jerry Coons
Jr., Tucson, AR; 3. #19S Troy Rutherford, Ojai, CA; 4. #36J Justin
Melton, Flower Mound, TX; 5. #81 Shane Carson, Yukon, OK; 6. #11R Ryan
Cole, Porter, OK; 7. #5S Shon Deskins, Waddell, AZ; 8. #12C Rick England,
Wichita, KS
Heat 2: 1. #33 Davey Ray, Loves Park, IL; 2. #20J Levi Jones,
Olney, IL; 3. #51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 4. #73F Andrew Felker, Carl
Junction, MO; 5. #XX Darrin Bolton, El Dorado Hills, CA; 6. #5T Randy
Timms, Wheatland, OK DNS - #71N Tim Noble, Madison, WI; #2M Joey Moughan,
Springfield, IL
Heat 3: 1. #35 Mat Neely, Robinson, IL; 2. #4E Bobby East,
Brownsburg, IN; 3. #67 Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, IN; 4. #49E Brad
Sweet, Grass Valley, CA; 5. #7R Blake Miller, Anaheim, CA; 6. #14JR Matt
Streeter, Galt, CA; 7. #1W Paul White, Temple, TX; 8. #73E Brian
Portschy, Plymouth, WI
Heat 4: 1. #11T Stan Yockey, Fresno, CA; 2. #12H Rick
Hendrix, Canoga Park, CA; 3. #14 Matt Westfall, Ludlow Falls, OH; 4. #55
Donnie Ray Crawford, Broken Arrow, OK; 5. #7J Jerrod Wilson, Tulsa, OK;
6. #20C C.J. Sarna, Palm Desert, CA; 7. #21K Ryan Kaplan, Chico, CA; 8.
#4 Michele Miller, Birdsboro, PA
Heat 5: 1. #73 Josh Ford, Oxnard, CA; 2. #39R Randy Hannagan,
Pittsboro, IN; 3. #29L Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, MO; 4. #75 Josh Wise,
Riverside, CA; 5. #7F Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie, WI; 6. #26 Glenn Carson,
Concord, CA; 7. #F1 French Grimes, Madison, VA; 8. #1C Chad McDaniel,
Concordia, KS
Heat 6: 1. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 2. #9 Joey
Saldana, Brownsburg, IN; 3. #86C David Camfield Jr., Decatur, IL; 4. #63N
Rex Norris III, Knightstown, IN; 5. #10H Eric Heydenreich, Bloomsburg,
PA; 6. #97B David Cardey, Perris, CA; 7. #85J Matt Johnson, Oklahoma
City, OK
Heat 7: 1. #5E Danny Ebberts, Canyon Lake, CA; 2. #27B Tony
Elliott, Warsaw, IN; 3. #21AZ Stevie Sussex, Laveen, AZ; 4. #97 Ricky
Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch, MS; 5. #22J Jasiel Randolph, Tulsa, OK; 6.
#00 Coleman Gulick, Binghamton, AZ; 7. #53 Jack Dover, Springfield, NE
Heat 8: 1. #1AU Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY; 2. #7S Shannon
McQueen, Tehachapi, CA; 3. #22 Ray Bull, Bloomsburg, PA; 4. #5D Zach
Daum, Pocahontas, IL; 5. #41 Gary Scelzi, Fresno, CA; 6. #4KO Kevin
Olson, Machesney Park, IL; 7. #2B Brady Short, Bedford, IN
Heat 9: 1. #5F Mike Goodman, Tulsa, OK; 2. #69 A.J. Fike,
Galesburg, IL; 3. #37X Casey Shuman, Tempe, AZ; 4. #1X Eddie Martin, Ada,
OK; 5. #87 Johnny Rodriguez, Elk Grove, CA; 6. #31 Donnie Lehmann,
Springfield, IL; 7. #14S Chris Sheil, Lakewood, CO
Heat 10: 1. #93 Dustin Morgan, Collinsville, OK; 2. #30 Chad
Boat, Phoenix, AZ; 3. #96 Cody Brewer, Choctaw, OK; 4. #05L Danny
Lasoski, Higginsville, MO; 5. #68C Matt Covington, Glenpool, OK; 6. #52D
Derek Hagar, Marion, AR; 7. #2 Mark Bush, Cumming, GA
Last Chance Races (Top 2 in each transfer to back of corresponding A
Qualifier)
Last Chance 1: 1. #14JR Matt Streeter, Galt, CA; 2. #XX
Darrin Bolton, El Dorado Hills, CA; 3. #26 Glenn Carson, Concord, CA; 4.
#00 Coleman Gulick, Binghamton, NY; 5. #97B David Cardey, Perris, CA; 6.
#41 Gary Scelzi, Fresno, CA; 7. #1C Chad McDaniel, Concordia, KS; 8. #F1
French Grimes, Madison, VA; #9. #2 Mark Bush, Cumming, GA
Last Chance 2: 1. #7J Jerrod Wilson, Tulsa, OK; 2. #7R Blake
Miller, Anaheim, CA; 3. #4KO Kevin Olson, Machesney Park, IL; 4. #11R
Ryan Cole, Pryor, OK; 5. #5S Shon Deskins, Waddell, AZ; 6. #53 Jack
Dover, Springfield, NE; 7. #12C Rick England, Wichita, KS; 8. #71N Mark
Noble, Madison, WI; 9. #87 Johnny Rodriguez, Elk Grove, CA
Last Chance 3: 1. #7F Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie, WI; 2. #10H
Eric Heydenreich, Bloomsburg, PA; 3. #31 Donnie Lehmann, Springfield, IL;
4. #1W Paul White, Temple, TX; 5. #68C Matt Covington, Glenpool, OK; 6.
#2B Brady Short, Bedford, IN; 7. #73E Brian Portschy, Plymouth, WI; 8.
#5T Randy Timms, Wheatland, OK; DNS - #2M Joey Moughan, Springfield, IL
Last Chance 4: 1. #20C C.J. Sarna, Palm Desert, CA; 2. #22J
Jasiel Randolph, Tulsa, OK; 3. #52D Derek Hagar, Marion, AR; 4. #4
Michele Miller, Birdsboro, PA; 5. #14S Chris Sheil, Lakewood, Co; 6. #21K
Ryan Kaplan, Chico, CA; DNS - #81 Shane Carson, Yukon, OK; #85J Matt
Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK
A Qualifiers (Top 16 in combined passing points to A Main; Balance to
twin B Mains)
A Qualifier 1: 1. #20J Levi Jones, Olney, IL; 2. #73 Josh
Ford, Oxnard, CA; 3. #5F Mike Goodman, Tulsa, OK; 4. #86C Dave Camfield
Jr., Decatur, IL; 5. #XX Darrin Bolton, El Dorado Hills, CA; 6. #14JR
Matt Streeter, Galt, CA; 7. #37X Casey Shuman, Tempe, AZ; 8. #51J R.J.
Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 9. #35 Mat Neely, Robinson, IL; 10.#12h Rick
Hendrix, Canoga Park, CA; 11. #22 Ray Bull, Bloomsburg, PA DNS - #36J
Justin Melton, Flower Mound, TX
A Qualifier 2: 1. #11 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 2. #55
Donnie Ray Crawford, Broken Arrow, OK; 3. #67 Bryan Clauson, Noblesville,
IN; 4. #63N Rex Norris III, Knightstown, IN; 5. #69 A.J. Fike, Galesburg,
IL; 6. #1X Eddie Martin, Ada, OK; 7. #14 Matt Westfall, Ludlow Falls, OH;
8. #73F Andrew Felker, Carl Junction, MO; 9. #7R Blake Miller, Anaheim,
CA; 10. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 11. #7J Jerrod Wilson, Tulsa,
OK; 12. #93 Dustin Morgan, Collinsville, OK
A Qualifier 3: 1. #33 Davey Ray, Loves Park, IL; 2. #7F Aaron
Fiscus, Sun Prairie, WI; 3. #39R Randy Hannagan, Pittsboro, IN; 4. #96
Cody Brewer, Choctaw, OK; 5. #29L Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, MO; 6. #30 Chad
Boat, Phoenix, AZ; 7. #49E Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA; 8. #5E Danny
Ebberts, Canyon Lake, CA; 9. #8K Chad Kemenah, Alvada, OH; 10. #9 Joey
Saldana, Brownsburg, IN; 11. #21AZ Stevie Sussex, Laveen, AZ; 12. #10H
Eric Heydenreich, Bloomsburg, PA
A Qualifier 4: 1. #4E Bobby East, Brownsburg, IN; 2. #27B
Tony Elliott, Warsaw, IN; 3. #1AU Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY; 4. #05L
Danny Lasoski, Higginsville, MO; 5. #19S Troy Rutherford, Ojai, CA; 6.
#97 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch, MS; 7. #7S Shannon McQueen,
Tehachapi, CA; 8. #11T Stan Yockey, Fresno, CA; 9. #5D Zach Daum,
Pocahontas, IL; 10. #22J Jasiel Randolph, Tulsa, OK; 11. #75 Josh Wise,
Riverside, CA; 12. #20C C.J. Sarna, Palm Desert, CA
B Mains (Top 4 advance to A Main)
B Main 1: 1. #29L Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, MO; 2. #9 Joey
Saldana, Brownsburg, IN; 3. #11T Stan Yockey, Fresno, CA; 4. #75 Josh
Wise, Riverside, CA; 5. #22 Ray Bull, Bloomsburg, PA; 6. #12H Rick
Hendrix, Canoga Park, CA; 7. #14JR Matt Streeter, Galt, GA; 8. #49E Brad
Sweet, Grass Valley, CA; 9. #7J Jerrod Wilson, Tulsa, OK; 10. #1X Eddie
Martin, Ada, OK; 11. #7S Shannon McQueen, Tehachapi, CA; 12. #19S Troy
Rutherford, Ojai, CA; 13. #37X Casey Shuman, Tempe, AZ; 14. #93 Dustin
Morgan, Collinsville, OK; 15. #73F Andrew Felker, Carl Junction, MO; 16.
#21AZ Stevie Sussex, Laveen, AZ
B Main 2: 1. #69 A.J. Fike, Galesburg, IL; 2. #14 Matt
Westfall, Ludlow Falls, OH; 3. #35 Mat Neely, Robinson, IL; 4. #5E Danny
Ebberts, Canyon Lake, CA; 5. #30 Chad Boat, Phoenix, AZ; 6. #51J R.J.
Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 7. #XX Darrin Bolton, El Dorado Hills, CA; 8. #8K
Chad Kemenah, Alvada, OH; 9. #97 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch, MS;
10. #10H Eric Heydenreich, Bloomsburg, PA; 11. #5D Zach Daum, Pocahontas,
IL; 12. #7R Blake Miller, Anaheim, CA; 13. #36J Justin Melton, Flower
Mound, TX; 14. #7M Kevin Ramey, Fort Worth, TX; 15. #22J Jasiel Randolph.
DNS - #20C C.J. Sarna, Palm Desert, CA
A Main (25 laps - Top 4 advance to Saturday Night's Main Event)
1. #73 Josh Ford, Oxnard, CA; 2. #7F Aaron Fiscus, Sun
Prairie, WI; 3. #11 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 4. #67 Bryan Clauson,
Noblesville, IN; 5. #33 Davey Ray, Loves Park, IL; 6. #4E Bobby East,
Brownsburg, IN; 7. #29L Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, MO; 8. #5F Mike Goodman,
Tulsa, OK; 9. #1AU Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY; 10. #35 Mat Neely,
Robinson, IL; 11. #27B Tony Elliott, Warsaw, IN; 12. #86C Dave Camfield
Jr., Decatur, IL; 13. #69 A.J. Fike, Galesburg, IL; 14. #05L Danny
Lasoski, Higginsville, MO; 15. #96 Cody Brewer, Choctaw, OK; 16. #55
Donnie Ray Crawford, Broken Arrow, OK; 17. #39R Randy Hannagan,
Pittsboro, IN; 18. #20J Levi Jones, Olney, IL; 19. #75 Josh Wise,
Riverside, CA; 20. #63N Rex Norris III, Knightstown, IN; 21. #5E Danny
Ebberts, Canyon Lake, CA; 22. #9 Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN; 23. #14
Matt Westfall, Ludlow Falls, OH; 24. #11T Stan Yockey, Fresno, CA
-credit: cbn/lw
