Thomas Meseraull wins Midwest Sprint Car Series thriller over Robert Ballou

Monday, May 25, 2015

PUTNAMVILLE -- While the most famous spectacle in racing was staged for the famed oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Lincoln Park Speedway hosted some of the top talent in dirt track racing on Saturday evening.

After two weeks of rain induced slumber, the Putnamville oval roared to life once again as the Midwest Sprint Car Series brought a 27-car field to the track as part of a total of 101 competitors in four classes.

Thomas Meseraull hopped in the Amati Racing, Zeller Construction No. 66 and rim rocked the track on the way to the $2,500 sprint car victory. The slider show featured Meseraull and Ballou over the middle stages of the 30-lap A-main before T-Mez rocketed away over the final laps to gain the MSCS victory.

Chase Stockon started on the point, but mechanical woes would force him to the pits. Meseraull led Brent Beauchamp and Ballou over the opening five laps before he tackled the turn two cushion on a restart to give way to Ballou, who assumed the lead.

Ballou was able to build a sizable lead as Meseraull had his hands full with Brady Short, Jon Stanbrough, Stockon and Dave Darland.

By the midway point, Meseraull was able to reel Ballou in and the pair traded sliders back and forth through each end of the track in search of the advantage. Coming out of turn four on lap 17, T-Mez was able to make one stick and took over the lead ahead of Ballou, Short and Stanbrough with Darland closely in tow.

Once Meseraull was able to find some breathing room over the final 10 circuits he wasn't going to be caught as Ballou came home second ahead of Stanbrough. Short was sidelined with two laps remaining as Darland and Scotty Weir made up the top-five. Brandon Mattox roared from the back of the starting grid to take sixth overall.

In the UMP Modified division, Jesse Cramer has garnered some of the most prestigious laurels that the track has to offer in his part time action at Lincoln Park Speedway. His most recent visit to LPS ended with him in victory lane for the esteemed Patriot 100 last fall. On Saturday night, he battled his way past Kenny Carmichael Jr. over the final five circuits to gain his first win of the season at LPS.

Cramer was hammer down after starting fifth in the A-main following a victory in his heat race.. Running the cushion throughout, Cramer reeled in the leaders after Carmichael Jr. and his father, were top-two during the first half of the A-main.

The Spencer, Ind. native rolled to the top and found the hook up in the RR Construction, Economy Fireplace, Davis Automotive, VanHorn Racing Graphics, Diamond Race Car. Carmichael Jr. and Cramer were side-by-side for the second half of the feature before Cramer edged past just before a caution with five laps remaining. Once he took the green flag, Cramer changed his line and hedged off any further charges from Carmichael Jr., who placed second ahead of Carmichael Sr.

Randy Shuman ran in the top-five until the final lap before he was gathered up in a spin on the final lap and ultimately placed 14th. Jordan Weaver started 13th and worked his way up to fourth ahead of Damon Harrell, who battled past a challenge from Gary Ricketts and Dan Lewellen.

The Carmichaels ran 1-2 for the first half of the feature before Cramer was able to secure third after a spirited side-by-side fight with Shuman for the position. Running hard on the cushion, Cramer slowly gained ground on the leaders and then tracked down Carmichael Jr. as the two put on a show for the lead. With Carmichael running the extreme low line and Cramer on the cushion up top, the pair went at each other lap-after-lap before Cramer edged into the lead just before a caution froze the grid.

Once the field went green again, Cramer took away Carmichael's line over the final five laps and picked up the win ahead of Carmichael Sr., Jordan Weaver and Harrell.

In the UMP Super Stock feature, Steve Peeden was able to repeat his trip to victory lane after holding off a determined Josh Boller after a restart. Boller was able to work his way into the fray after getting by Doug McCullough just past the halfway mark as Larry Raines ran fourth. Once Boller got to the front, he and Peeden raced to the end, door-to-door before Peeden gained an edge off a restart and picked up the victory.

McCullough placed third ahead of Raines, Kenny Carmichael Sr. and Kris Starks.

In the first of two bomber features, Tim Wright took advantage of a mistake by C.J. Bryan to build a big lead and cruise to a second victory. Wright won by nearly a straightaway after he and Bryan ran closely up front to lap 10 before Bryan slipped back to fifth. A.J. Smith went on to score the runner-up spot ahead of Eric Miller and Ryan Freeland.

The second bomber feature went to Roachdale's Jordan Almanza, who won by a comfortable margin ahead of Greencastle's Megan Cavaness, Lenny Krupa III, Donald Smiley and Cameron Harris.

Midwest Sprint Car Series Feature

1. Thomas Meseraull, 2. Robert Ballou, 3. Jon Stanbrough, 4. Dave Darland, 5. Scotty Weir, 6. Brandon Mattox, 7. Brent Beauchamp, 8. Max McGhee, 9. Tyler Courtney, 10. Kent Christian, 11. Jeff Bland Jr., 13. Carson Short, 14. Conner Donelson, 15. Brandon Morin, 16. Brady Short, 17. Logan Jarrett, 18. Shelby VanGilder, 19. Chris Babcock, 20. Matt McDonald, 21. Chase Stockon

B-main winner: Gaines

Heat winners: Stockon, Ballou, B. Short

UMP Modified Feature

1. Jesse Cramer, 2. Kenny Carmichael Jr., 3. Kenny Carmichael Sr., 4. Jordan Weaver, 5. Damon Harrell, 6. Gary Ricketts, 7. Dan Lewllen, 8. Jake Humphrey, 9. Scott Ricketts, 10. Brent Hudson, 11. Jay Humphrey Jr., 12. Jr Watkins, 13. Chris Hanley, 14. Randy Shuman, 15. Derek Groomer, 16. Josh McDaniel, 17. Chad Nolte, 18. Doug Bryant Jr., 19. Kenny Weaver, 20. Tyler Loughmiller, 21. David Bumgardner

Heat winners: Lewellen, Cramer, Carmichael Sr.

UMP Super Stock feature

1. Steve Peeden, 2. Josh Boller, 3. Doug McCullough, 4. Larry Raines, 5. Kenny Carmichael Sr., 6. Kris Starks, 7. Scott Carrington, 8. Kenny Carmichael Jr., 9. C.J. Bryan, 10. Jonathon Newgent, 11. James Walters, 12. Chris Harcourt, 13. Josh McDaniel, 14. Scott Agnew, 15. Scotty Massie, 16. Chris Campbell, 17. Paul Wright, 18. Jeff Starks, 19. James Campbell, 20. Kenny Fields, 21. David Daniel

Heat winners: Carmichael Sr., Boller, Peeden

Bomber A-main 1

1. Tim Wright, 2. A.J. Smith, 3. Eric Miller, 4. Ryan Freeland, 5. C.J. Bryan, 6. Tom Courtney, 7. Bob Farris, 8. Ron Smith, 9. Josh Settles, 10. Mark Dickerson, 11. Cody Wright, 12. Tom Plemons, 13. Travis Heramb, 14. Chad Weiner, 15. Kevin Kemp, 16. Larry Hutto, 17. Jerry Hutto, 18. RJ Pruitt, 19. David Wallen, 20. Chucky Walden

Bomber A-main 2

1. Jordan Almanza, 2. Megan Cavaness, 3. Lenny Krupa III, 4. Donald Smiley, 5. Cameron Harris, 6. Adam Farr, 7. Zane Fields, 8. DJ Smiley, 9. Justin Massie, 10. Bobby Tarrh Jr., 11. Kyle Krupa, 12. Scott Crouch

B-main winner: Heramb

Heat winners: A.J. Smith, Courtney, Miller, T. Wright

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