Mullens cruises and Jolly passes late for wins Friday at ‘The Hummer’

Racing: Humboldt Speedway

HUMBOLDT — A stray afternoon shower couldn’t put a damper on a beautiful Friday night at Humboldt Speedway as NASCAR/Whelen All-American racing returned to the three-eighths mile Bullring. Racing saw Modifieds, B Mods, Street Stocks, Factory Stocks and Sport Compacts draw drivers from four states for the evening’s festivities.

In NASCAR / Whelen All American Series Modified racing, Wichita’s Tanner Mullens led every lap of the A feature en route to his third victory of the season. His win extended his points lead to 37 points over last year’s track champion Mitch Keeter. Mullens started from the pole position after securing a heat race win and grabbed the lead and never looked back on his way to the win. Tad Davis and Tyler Davis rounded out the top three.

In Ray’s Metal Depot B Modified, Cody Jolly continued his quest to repeat 2017 by picking up a hard-fought win. A late pass of Pittsburg’s Brian Mc-Gowen brought the crowd to their feet as Jolly had to work his way through the field for the win. McGowen grabbed the lead from veteran driver Randy Zimmerman and led all but the last lap, Matthew Kay, Zimmerman and Jeremy Bennett rounded out the top five. Heat race wins went to Zimmerman, McGowen and Kay.

In Street Stocks sponsored by the Tumbleweed Music Festival, Chanute’s Jason Thurman held off Oklahoman Dalton Garrison in the final laps of the A feature to pick up his third win of the season. Nick Fritch and Hunter Oswalt completed the top four. Thurman picked up the heat win.

In Home Savings Bank Factory Stock racing, Chanute’s Jon Westhoff used his pole position starting spot to lead every lap on his way to picking up another victory on the season. Humboldt’s Scott Collins ran second. Joey Decoster, Jackson McGowen and Krew Walburn completed the top five. Heat race wins went to Westhoff and Collins.

In the final feature of the evening, the O’Reilly’s Automotive Sports Compact- A feature saw Humboldt’s Brandon Vink jump out to the lead and never look back, picking up his second win of the 2018 season. Eric Ikehorn and Trey Stipp completed the top three. Heat race wins went to Ikehorn and Vink.

At Intermission, Humboldt Speedway welcomed 90 young racers onto to the racing surface to compete in the tracks annual Bike Races. In the Power Wheel Division, Miles Dixon picked up the win. In the 6 and Under division, Matthew Clounch outpaced Aid-en Reed and Kenady Lucke. In the 7 to 9 age group, who raced one-half lap, Bryson Felton outgunned Blake Swift and Marley Russell for the win. In the final race, one complete lap around “The Hummer,” Journey Walburn legged out the victory over Caden Vink and Logan Thurston.

Racing returns to Humboldt Speedway June 1 with the Whit-worth Memorial, a $1,500-to-win B Modified Showcase. Also competing will be Tumbleweed Music Festival Street Stocks, Home Savings Bank Factory Stocks and O’Reilly Auto Parts Sports Compacts.