AFTON – Friday night at the Afton Motorsports Park saw even better track conditions than the week before and led to some pretty outstanding racing taking place in all divisions on Afton Driving Park night.

The ZMK Construction Modified feature was captured by Brett Tonkin after coming on strong late in the race to pass Tim Mayne for the lead on lap 27.

Mayne jumping out to the lead over Hanson, Darwin Greene, Tonkin and Smith. With the leading duo pulling away, Tonkin slipped under Greene for third on lap four. On a lap seven restart, Mayne once again pulled out to a small lead over Hanson, Tonkin, Greene, and Smith. When Hanson slipped up, the turn four cushion on lap nine was erased and Tonkin was able to grab second.

Dealing with the same slip-up but on lap 12, Greene allowed Smith to move into fourth and Nye into fifth. In the front of the pack, Mayne was in control and looking to pull-off the huge upset win.

With the remainder of the race going caution free, the big lead that Mayne once had was now shrinking little by little. What once was a 15 car-length lead at the halfway point was down to three with eight laps to go.

It seemed that the Mayne car was slowing down as the Tonkin car was getting quicker. Exiting turn two on lap 26, the Mayne car pushed up the track and that was all Tonkin needed as he filled the opening. The two raced side-by-side into turn three and coming out of turn four Tonkin had the lead.

Once in front, Tonkin opened up a big lead with Mayne – who was trying his best to hold off the remainder of the field. Mayne once again pushed up in turn three on lap 27, allowing Hanson to move into second.

Tonkin grabbed his first of the year, making Friday’s winner the fifth different driver to take the checker for Modified feature this season at Afton Motorsports Park. Hanson, Smith, Nye, and Mayne rounded out the top five.

67 year old records first career Sportsman win

Friday’s Chambers & O’Hara Open Sportsman feature will be a feature remembered for a long time at Afton as 67 year old Skip Pickwick, driving the Hart Logging sponsored and maintained car, led the entire feature for his first career Sportsman win.

Pickwick led Dave Rosa, Dennis Clapperton, Brandon Kuhn, and Tyler Hart across the line.

Motoring out to the early lead over Dennis Clapperton, Klinger, Dave Rosa, and Dan Burman was Pickwick.

Following a lap five restart, Pickwick was still out infront of the field while Rosa and Burman battled for fourth. Two laps later, Rose slid into the fourth-place position, pushing Burman back one spot.

On a lap 11 restart, the 67 year old racer continued to show the superior power in his engine as jumped out to his largest lead of the race. Rosa moved up to third on the same restart, passing Klinger.

With Klinger sliding a few laps later, Burman moved into fourth. The next lap saw Brandon Kuhn sneak past Klinger to break into the top five.

The race leader Pickwick was running a perfect line around the smooth track with his lead growing each lap. Rosa got under Clapperton, moving into second by lap 18. He turned his focus onto Pickwick for the lead. With Rosa unable to catch Pickwick for the top spot, the crowd was standing and cheering for the race winner as Pickwick captured his first career Sportsman feature win.

Rosa, Clapperton, Burman, and Kuhn rounded out the next four places but in the post race tech inspection, the Burman car was found to be racing under the minimum weight requirement. Burman was disqualified moving Tyler Hart into the final spot of the top five.

Crate Sportsman feature sees same winner

Nearly seeing a surprise winner, Corey Cormier passed leader Fred Christ with four laps to go and go on to the win over Bobby Flood, Christ, Kinser Hill, and Blaine Klinger for the Butler Auto Sales Crate Sportsman feature.

When racing resumed Christ found himself infront over Cormier, Bobby Flood, Kinser Hill, and Klinger.

Christ was holding his own against Sportsman standout Cormier as it seemed that Cormier didn’t have enough to get by Christ for the lead. However, a caution with five laps to go closed the field up and that is all Cormier needed.

When the green lights flashed back on, Christ kept his lead but now Cormier was looking for a way around Christ for the lead.

Christ made one mistake that he paid for it as he slipped up exiting turn two on lap 16. Cormier filled the open hole to take the lead entering turn three to lead lap 17. He cruised to the win.

Cornell wins fifth straight IMCA feature

For five straight weeks, James Cornell has seen the checkered flag first as he crossed the finish line as the winner for the Trophy Guy IMCA Modified feature. The stout field is making him work harder for each feature win. Cornell took the lead on lap ten from Jake Maynard and went on to win over Beau Ballard, Maynard, Tyler Stoddard, and Tim Vandemark.