HUMBOLDT — From Victory Lane Friday, Dennis Bishop was asked how long it had been since he’d won a race at Humboldt Speedway.
Bishop paused, reflected for a moment, then replied modestly, “I really don’t know.”
Old-timers at Humboldt Speedway, many of whom have worked the track for 20-plus years, agreed amongst themselves that Bishop, one of the nicest drivers you will ever meet, had never tasted Humboldt feature victory.
Bishop’s victory, a wire-to-wire win in the ultra-competitive Whitworth Construction Street Stock division, capped the final points night for the 2020 season. Season points champion Devin Irvin took second place, and season points runner-up Scott Stuart finished third. Dan Daniels marked his first feature appearance of the year in the Street Stock division with a fourth-place finish, while Joe Martin of Wellsville took fifth.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tyler Kidwell secured the points championship in the Ray’s Metal Depot B-Mod division with a feature win, his 101st feature win in his young career. Kenton Allen turned in a spectacular performance as well, edging out Fort Scott driver Brian Bolin for second. Brian McGowen finished fourth; Bryce Weldon was fifth.
Barry Luthi of Topeka secured both the season points title and yet another feature win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Sport Compacts division, holding off a strong challenge by runner-up Devin Schmidt of Nortonville. Third went to Terry “T.J.” McDonald, Cayden Vance was fourth with Brandon Vink in fifth.
Jon Westhoff finished off a spectacular points championship season in the Home Savings Bank Factory Stocks, with one more feature win. Trey Stipp of Humboldt found the groove he liked on his way to second, holding off Scott Collins in third. Ethan Vance finished fourth, and Brian Knisley was fifth.
In what also has become business as usual, Jacob Ellison secured the feature win in the Love’s Travel Stops Midwest Mod division, and in the process secured the division points crown. Mike Churning finished a strong second, Ryan Smith was third, Casey Jesseph fourth and Mark Hunziger fifth.
Finally, an appearance of the ARMI USRA Modifieds saw Tyler Wolff of Fayetteville, Ark., net a $1,000 payday with a 20-lap wire-to-wire feature victory. Second went to Joplin driver Kyle Thompson, with Clint Johnson of Neosho, Mo., third. Darron Fuqua of Mayetta recorded fourth, and Payden Phillips of Chanute was fifth.
Friday ended the 2020 regular season at Humboldt Speedway. However, the action continues, with The Monster Truck Show Sept. 11 and 12, and special races planned for both October and November.
