KENNY BRIGHTBILL IS POPULAR WINNER AT JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA
He’s been leading the points for the Sunoco USAC Championship SpeedSTRs but up until Wednesday night, Kenny Brightbill had been deprived a trip to the Winners Circle. That all changed when the action returned to the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA on Wednesday night when Brightbill was the class of the field and took his first win of the 2013 season.
For track sponsor, Jeffrey Hogue, it was a trip down Memory Lane as he recalled first seeing Brightbill win a feature event when he was twelve years old. There were many fans in the grandstands that night who shared Hogue’s moment of nostalgia.
Mike Bednar and Brightbill shared the front row as they led the SpeedSTRs to the wave of starter, Mike Feltenberger’s green flag. Neither driver was willing to give an inch as they raced side by side, lap after lap with Brightbill holding the slightest advantage as they raced down the homestretch.
Billy Pauch, Jr. and Brian Montieth tangled and turn two, bringing out the caution- the restart realigned Brightbill and Bednar with Brightbill selecting the outside line.
Chuck Schutz and Billy Pauch Sr. battled for the third spot until another caution was needed, this time for Craig VonDohren. Brightbill held the lead over Bednar, Pauch, Schutz and Mike Mahaney.
Schutz took over third before Montieth drew a caution with nine laps complete. Brad Brightbill now ran in fifth but was challenged by Brandon Rahmer for the position.
Pauch Sr. retook the third spot for ten complete. With Brightbill leading the way, Pauch attempted a slide job in turns three and four. Pauch successfully slide by Bednar for second but then clipped the left rear of Brightbill’s #19, which sent him spinning. The caution came out and the field was realigned. Schutz, B. Rahmer and Paul Lotier, Jr. now followed Brightbill and Bednar as the half way flags were given.
Schutz challenged Bednar for second and took over the runner-up spot. Now the battle was for third with Bednar as Lotier was sandwiched between Brandon and Freddie Rahmer, Jr.
Misfortune fell to Chuck Schutz in the closing laps after he had raced his way to second.
Brightbill streaked to his first win in the Sunoco USAC Championship SpeedSTRs with Bednar holding off a hardcharging Lotier to the finish. The Rahmer brothers battled it out for fourth with Freddie using the high outside to take fourth over his brother, Brandon.
Mike Mahaney finished sixth, followed by Jeff Strunk, Matt Janisch, Gary Huber and Pauch Jr. who salvaged a top ten finish after suffering with brake problems early in the event.
Brightbill’s win, combined with Pauch’s difficulties, gave Brightbill an additional advantage in the SpeedSTR point battle.
Brightbill was satisfied with his car’s performance. “We were very close tonight. We made a few changes after our heat race and that made us better.”
Lotier found the outside to his liking on his way to the front. Lotier started 16th in the thirty lap event and drove to a third place finish. “These are good drivers here. You’re going to see here in the next few weeks, they’re all going to figure it out,” Lotier explained. Of all of the competitors at the Action Track, Lotier is one of the drivers who have logged the most laps in the SpeedSTRs.
Action returns to the Action Track this Wednesday night.
Sunoco USAC Championship SpeedSTR Finish, (30 laps): 1.Kenny Brightbill, 2.Mike Bednar, 3.Paul Lotier Jr., 4.Freddie Rahmer Jr., 5.Brandon Rahmer, 6.Mike Mahaney, 7.Jeff Strunk, 8.Matt Janisch, 9.Gary Huber, 10.Billy Pauch Jr., 11.Brittany Wixon, 12.Brian Monteith, 13.Brad Brightbill, 14.Chuck Schutz, 15.Joey Allen, 16.Wayne Weaver, 17.Mike Vermeulen, 18.Billy Pauch Sr., 19.Al Arrisher, 20.Craig VonDohren, 21.John Kovatch
