Summer Spectacular to Tommy Kosch
Heat and high humidity, uncharachteristic track conditions, back pain and a long race day didn't slow down Tommy Kosch of Little Falls as he took a dominant win in the Shellhammers Summer Spectacular on August 30th, in Shoemakersville, Pa.
The activities got off to a slow start thanks to Mother Nature, as rain all day & night Friday had the usually hard clay wet and slick which necessitated a second round of grading and running in the track, pushing the program back several hours. Once time trials got underway the surface began to come in, yielding a smooth and fast track, as is the Shellhammers norm. Kosch set fast time for the pole at 10.523 with Don Boonstra second at 10.730.
Kosch led the field to the line and set a torrid pace only to be slowed on lap 3 when Don Boonstra clipped the inside berm and spun, bringing out the first caution.Going back to green, Kosch again got the jump followed by Adam Kievit, Kenny Lund and Roberto Gonzales. Kievit and Lund ran side by side of several laps, with Lund taking over second on lap seven. The yellow flew again on lap 8 when Gonzales and Kievit got together in turn four, with both losing a lap in the process. Back to green, it was still Kosch and Lund followed by Spectacular '07 winner, Arnold Riley, driving Ben Serfass' 7X. The caution would fly again on lap 10 for a spin by Gonzales, while Boonstra headed to the pits with a damged wheel from earlier contact with Riley. Kievit and Gonzales got together on lap 15 sending the rookie leader, Gonzales pitside. Lund began to reel in Kosch following the restart, only to have the three time winner pull away in the closing laps, giving the FLR Racing 1K driver his fourth win of the year. Point leader Lund crossed the line second, followed by Riley and Kievit.
Feature Finish (25 Laps)
1. Tommy Kosch
2. Kenny Lund
3. Arnold Riley
4. Adam Kievit
5. Roberto Gonzales (DNF)
6. Don Boonstra (DNF)
Spectacular Notes: The scheduled 40 lap feature was reduced to 25 laps due to the delays in the racing program caused by the previous nights weather. Race winner, Tommy Kosch almost scratched from the event due to an aggravated back injury, but solidiered on to take the win and moved to the top of the record book in most wins at Shellhammers and the tour. Also taking a top spot in the record book for the most starts was Adam Kievit. Arnold Riley recorded a top three in his first race since his hard crash at Hamlin at the wheel of the Serfass 7X after swapping motors in the pits and barely making time trials in an unfamiliar car. The WFMT takes two weeks off before returning to Shellhammers on Sept. 20th for the twin 20's.