THUNDER PREVAILS WITHOUT THE RAIN. . . . .
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~ With severe thunder storms in the area,? the show did go on? Tuesday night as the USAC National Sprint Tour and the ARDC Wingless Midgets took part in the second race of the 2009 NAPA Auto Parts Thunder on the Hill Racing Series presented by Lee Myles Transmissions.? A large crowd filled the Grandview Speedway grandstands to see Jesse Hockett of Warsaw, MO? sweep both twenty-five lap? USAC sprint car? feature events. Jesse "The Rocket" Hockett drove the Tom Buch owned sprinter and collected $6,500 for the victory.?? The show was completed by 10:30 PM.
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The first order of business was the CnB Mushroom time trials for the USAC sprint cars.? Tracy Hines of New Castle, IN set fast over Bryan Clauson and Levi Jones.?? In the three heat race events for the USAC sprint cars, victories went to? Dave Darland of Lincoln, IN, Billy Pauch of Frenchtown, NJ and Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, CA as Tracy Hines won the semi-feature.
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At the start of the first twenty-five lap feature Jesse Hockett was the early race leader followed by Chris Windom and Chad Boat.?? By lap nine, Hockett was still the pace setter with Windom and Boat now in a three car battle for the lead.?? Levi Jones and Bryan Clauson were now reeling in the leaders? to make up the top five.?? With five laps remaining Windom was again? taking a run at Hockett but he would run short of time before the first checker flag fell.? Hockett took the win over? Chris Windom, Chad Boat,? Bryan Clauson and Tracy Hines.
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In the second USAC sprint feature,? Hockett? continued as? the pace setter with Windom and Boat back in the chase.??? The second feature would run off non-stop although the challenges for the lead were plentiful.? By lap nine Chris Windom was again? in the hunt for the lead along with Bryan Clauson who was racing in third.??? On lap twelve, the first and second place cars crossed the line in a near dead heat with Hockett taking the advantage going into turn one.??? Hockett stretched his lead but just for a moment as Windom was looking at another attempt to take the lead on lap sixteen.? Windom then had to concentrate on Clauson who was trying to take second.
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With five laps to go the top three were racing under a blanket with Tracy Hines now reeling in the top three.?? Hockett was rim-riding, glazing the outside boiler plate wall through turns three and four.? As the field passed on lap twenty-two, Clauson edged ahead of Windom as both second and third place drivers were on the rear bumper of the leader.
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For the final lap, Windom made a last ditch effort diving to the very bottom of the speedway attempting to slide across in front of the leader.? Hockett was not going to give up the lead that easily and bought back to regain the lead and score his very first Thunder on the Hill career feature win.? Chris Windom of Canton, IL was second followed by Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, IN,? Tracy Hines and Jerry Coons Jr of Tucson, AZ.
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The ARDC wingless Midgets were action packed as well.?? The three heat race events went off non-stop with victories going to Shane Penny, Tracy Readinger and Steve Buckwalter as Billy Pauch Jr. won the "B" Main.
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In the twenty-five lap midget feature, Shane Penny? was the early race leader over Tracy Readinger.? PJ Gargiulo moved into second on lap six with Bruce Buckwalter Jr. then taking over the runner-up spot on lap seven.
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Penny continue to set the pace with Gargiulo second, Bruce Buckwalter Jr third and Steve Buckwalter now on a charge and racing in fourth.?? Steve Buckwalter likes the Grandview Speedway and quickly adapted to the fantastic track conditions.? Buckwalter moved into second on lap ten and eventually took the lead on lap twelve.
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Once on top, Steve Buckwalter pretty much had an easy ride, but the bat