Barberton Raceway Park comes through....

BPR's improvements have had fans talking about the quarter-mile track all season.  The newly paved track and widened backstretch not only make for better racing, but looks great too.  The clean look extends to the entire facility, freshly painted in white and red. 

The highly anticipated first leg of the Ohio State 500 Series for Modifieds was on tap for last Friday, May 11.  A nice purse with $1,000 set for the winner, on a night when there is virtually no asphalt Modified competition had fans hoping for a large field.

BPR honchos Jake Francis and Jim Ripley appeared to have solved any potential problems earlier in the week when they opened up the tire rule.  But for whatever reason, when the pit gates opened, a slim field of Modifieds decided to take advantage of what Barberton was offering. 

As had been the case this year, Barberton took whatever was presented to them and made the best of the situation and succeeded.  The racing was great and the Modified feature - trimmed to 30 laps and $700 to win - was an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride for fans.  Joe Shannon barely held off the persistant challenges of Foster Mackey to win, as the Modified run was fever pitched the entire distance with Steve Klinect, John White and Mike Lawson added elements to the fray that saw spins, tempers and black flags. 




Steve Klinect's sharp and mean looking Modified, post race in the pits at Barberton.  Klinect had better fortunes the following night at Sandusky, winning the feature

Rick Sibila's successful season start continued, taking control early and going on to claim the Late Model checkered, less than a week after his Midvale win.  Sibila led Barberton pro Gary Whipkey. 



Rick Sibila in victory lane after his Barberton win last Friday

Never afraid to try the new and unconventional, Francis and Ripley added a 15-lap, $250 to win/$50 to start Dash for Cash, featuring the top four finishing Late Models and Modifieds in their respective features.  With the Modifieds lined up in front, Scott Baker wasted no time, driving like a banshee in the Jeff Taylor #39 Late Model to wrest the lead from the Modified trio in front of him.  Baker cruised to the win over Whipkey in the Francis #33, leading the Modified frantic duo of Shannon and Mackey, who kept John Ambose, Jr. in the Mike Mazzagatti #87 Late Model, a frustrated fifth, as all three were under a blanket. 

The Dan Shannon owned trio of Shannon, Klinect and White were invovled in dust-ups in both the Modified and Dash for Cash events, that had fans abuzz in the grandstands and crew members squabbling pit side.  It's nice to see the Barberton magic continue.  



Hobby Stock cars take a break in the action at BRP.

                                                                                                                                      


Oh that tight Barberton track!  Too tough to tame, with apologies to Darlington.