By SCOTT L. STEWART
On any given night, there’s good racing. Then, there is the type of exceptional racing like the show the Lucas Oil MLRA Late Models displayed Friday night at Humboldt Speedway.
The big show put two legends, Ryan Gustin and Terry Phillips, side by side on the front row of a 21 car field for 40 laps on the ultra smooth Humboldt High Banks. 40 laps and no yellow flags later, Gustin had passed and then held at bay Phillips, even as the pair sliced through lapped traffic, much to the delight of the large crowd of fanatic fans in the stands. Gustin received $3000 for his efforts, Phillips was runner up, and Dave Eckrich was third.
If that wasn’t enough, the evening closed with a dominant performance in the USRA Modified feature by Wichita driver Tanner Mullens. Mullens fought his way to the front early, the simply drove away from the field that saw Jeremy Chambers finish second, John Allen third, Paden Phillips fourth, and Travis Smith fifth.
Hummer fans are used to seeing Derrek Wilson in the Pure Stock winners circle. This night, however, an anonymous fan posted a $100 bounty on the reigning points champ, and, to make things even more interesting, the first three rows, determined by heat race results, was inverted. All to no avail; Wilson topped the field yet again, holding off mid season points champ Wayne Johnson, Mitch Coulter, Mike Churnig, and Don McIntosh.
In USRA B-Mods, Jimmie Davis reigned supreme with a commanding feature win. Tim VanGotten raced his way into the runner up spot, Lucas Issacs was third. Tyler Kidwell and Tim Phillips rounded out the top five.
This week it’s Fan Appreciation Night at the Hummer, where fans get tickets from their favorite driver and enter the grandstands free. It’s best to get there early.
