POSTED JULY 27 , 2003

DAVE HOBDAY came to the Mottville Speedway for the first time Sunday and won the 15 lap street stock feature after a tight battle with Don Vitali and Larry Saunders who finished 2^nd and ^3rd respectively. Larry Vitali was 4th.

In the Jenkins NAPA Auto Parts Stores dash it was Mike Mersich over Saunders and Don Vitali and in the heat it was Saunders over Don Vitali and Hobday.

Rod Roberts made it 3 Mini Stock feature wins in 3 tries as he easily won the 15 lapper over season points leader Eric Root, Dennis Zimmerman, leading rookie Glenna Sargent, Ray Bontrager and Dale Barnett.

In the dash it was Root over Barnett and Sargent while in the heat it was Roberts over Bontrager and Zimmerman.

Randy Morley returned to Mottville after a long absence and nipped season points leader Paul Scott for the Pro Stock feature win in 15 laps. Scott won the heat.

Chuck Hall made it 9 Mini Thunder Car feature wins as he took the 15 lapper over Richard Allbee and newcomer Pineau. In the heat it was Hall over Pineau and Allbee.

Tony Eldridge moved to within one point of the season points lead in the Bomber division as he won the 15 lap feature and heat.

David Simpson won the 15 lap kart feature and heat.

This coming week-end is a triple header week-end at Mottville to kick off August! Friday is a trophy night with special “oval” trophies to all heat winners and the top 5 in all features all divisions.

Well I have always known that life is unfair and tonight it was demonstrated to me again! When I left Nappanee for the track this afternoon, by way of Goshen, it was pouring down rain and then it got literally as dark as night and rained even harder! By the time I got to the track, about 1 hour and 20 minutes later it not only had quit raining but it was obvious it had not rained at Mottville nearly as much as it had at Goshen and Nappanee. But the skies were dark and we delayed starting almost one hour because of a light sprinkle. About 7:30 it became a great evening! If only that great weather had come about 3 hours earlier!

Still considering the weather our car count was actually very good! Must be our reputation for running in any weather! But the crowd was held down and we had only one kart and about 10 less cars than we would have had the weather been good! Still it was a great night of racing with close races and lots of action!

Judith Holden painted the track walls Tuesday and sure enough both Mike Mersich and Dale Barnett hit the wall several times! Seems to always work that way!

Hobday had not raced anywhere for a year and his car just sat in the garage and the tires were a year old! But he talks like we will be seeing a lot more of him!

We registered 4 new cars including a MTC for Justin Mosher who raced with us two years when we started the MTC division. We expect him next week-end.

Eldridge thinks his bomber is about at the end of the road and he is looking for a 6 cylinder front wheel drive if anyone knows where one is for sale.

In the points battle Simpson moved to a tie for 9th in the karts, Allbee is gradually creeping up on 2nd place Fred Garrett and with bonus points for 3 nights next week should move into 2nd!Barnett moved into 15th in the MS standings with Roberts moving to 18th. Roberts made $175 for the week-end and never put a scratch on the car!

Saunders moved into 4th in the street stock season point standings and should take over 3rd next week-end! Don Vitali moved into 4th.Mersich moved up to 9th.

Well July is over as far as racing is concerned and it was a very wet month, perhaps the wettest ever! Began with a lot of rain the first week-end of the month and ended that way! I can never remember so much rain in July! Was more like April or May! Remember when the weather experts were predicting a hot, dry summer?

By the way every SS who ran the feature and heat made at least $40! Not bad at all for a poor weather night! One of these nights we will get great weather all day and evening and the SS car count will explode!

Shelly Lauderdale made some great signs for staff parking spots! I never knew she had such talent! Also Rita Courtney and Eric Root helped. Thanks to all 3!

Looking forward to hot, dry August followed by a mild, dry September and October!