Ford Cashes in On Creek Nation Casino Qualifying
Showdown at the Chili Bowl
 Lonnie Wheatley, 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 ¼-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
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