Tulsa Shootout report

Nineteen Drivers claim Tulsa Shootout victory honors

TULSA, Okla. (January 3, 2004) - Nineteen different drivers from fifteen states collected Golden Driller trophies at Tulsa Expo Raceway Saturday night by collecting feature victories in the finale of the 19th Annual Tulsa Shootout presented by Brodix.

With more than 1,200 entries from 30 states and Canada, it was thirteen-year-old Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, OK, shining in the Micros, winning the "A" Class Sportsman feature and finishing second in both the 600cc Multi and Non-Wing features.

Iowa's Chad Waller and North Carolina's Grayson Brookshire both collected a pair of victories in Kart action, as ten drivers from eight different states garnered Kart victories in twelve main events.

Long-time Tulsa Shootout Quad standout Gregg Bakker of Sioux Falls, SD, added another Golden Driller to his collection by topping the Open Pro Quad feature, then finished a close second in the 250cc Pro Quad main event.

Micros

While Rodney Stealy of Lakeville, IN, topped the headline Micro feature in the 600 cc Multis, it was young Brady Bacon who stole the Micro spotlight by topping one feature and scoring a pair of runner-up finishes.

In the 600cc Multi 20-lap main event, Josh Pickle led the opening 13 rounds before Stealy charged into the lead. Stealy survived a late caution to secure the victory over seventh-starter Bacon, tenth-starter Matt Reagan, Leon Bacon and Jeff Stasa.

Bacon led the Non-Wing 20-lap feature field to the green flag with Ronnie James alongside. James, hailing from Sapulpa, OK, outgunned Bacon to grab the early lead and paced the field throughout. James fought off Bacon and Donnie Ray Crawford to record the win, with Dean Drake and Dex Eaton giving Oklahoma drivers a sweep of the top five.

Not to be denied a Golden Driller, Bacon took command of the 20-lap "A" Class feature at the outset and survived a pair of late cautions to seal the victory. After starting ninth, Jerrod Wilson made a late bid but settled for second, with Austin Laskey in the show position. Steve Ring and Mike Owings rounded out the top five.

Nebraska's Jack Dover turned in a strong performance in the 15-lap Restricted "A" Class feature, beating Tyler Edwards and Jonathan Cornell to the line, with California's Dustin Rhodes emerging from a wild battle for the lead to top Jonathan Bishop and Cody Baker in the 12-lap Junior Sprint feature.

Karts

Chad Waller of Traer, IA, and Grayson Brookshire of Charlotte, NC, both scored a pair of Tulsa Shootout victories in Kart action.

Waller's first victory came in the second of two Stock Medium features, as he came from sixth to lead Dane Williams, Garrett Swiggart, Mike Dickerson and Corey Nelson to the line. Waller then made it a double in the Blue Wazoom main event, racing from fifth to top Jay Schares, Evan Suggs, Dee Paschal and Doug Bryan. Waller also finished second in Stock Light action and fourth in Stock Heavy competition.

Brookshire came from seventh to win the first Stock Light feature in front of James Polmonari, Mike Dickerson, Brent Hoefelman and Swiggart. Brookshire then repeated in the first Stock Medium main event, coming from sixth to top Hoefelman, Chad Evans, Dustin Dickerson and Ty Jones.

After making an early exit from the Blue Wazoom feature, Joe Womochil of Carter Lake, IA, came from the second row to win the Yamaha KT 100 feature in front of Corey Forsythe, Dee Paschal, Chris Hawxby and Chuck Clark.

Wisconsin's Jason Lindgren took top honors in the Run What Ya Brung class, leading Mike Floyd, Jamie Ferrell, Ryan Shorthouse and Mike Clausen to the stripe.

Joining Brookshire among winners in the Stock Lights was Nick Higdon of Big Clifty, KY, who raced from 16th to win the second Stock Light feature in front of Waller, David Lege, Corey Nelson and Mike Halliburton.

Ohio's Mike Dickerson and Mississippi's Justin Lindsay split Stock Heavy honors. Dickerson won his feature from the pole, leading Dane Williams, Brent Shelton, Waller and Byron Parrish to the checkered flag, with Lindsay advancing from third to top Lonnie Dawson, Swiggart, Jason Mace and Shawn Treadaway.

In the wildest race of the night, Bryan Nevins of Des Moines came away with the victory in the Super Junior II feature in front of Justin Jackson, Chris Windom, Samantha Gargus and Seth Wilke.

Tennessee's Don Young took victory honors in Junior II action in front of Ryan Beckham and Cameron Koopman, while Ross Bohmann of Forney, TX, claimed his second Tulsa Shootout Junior I feature victory in as many years, leading Kyle Jumbeck and Tyler Townsend to the line.

Quads

Sioux Falls, SD, Sprint Car shoe Gregg Bakker takes to the Quads once a year for the Tulsa Shootout and typically escapes with at least one of the two Pro Quad victories. This year was no exception.

Bakker chased down early leaders Zac Willett and Brad Covington in the Open Pro Quad main event, taking command on the sixth round en route to victory lane in the 12-lap feature. Bakker scored the win in front of Brandon Watts, Willett, Covington and Brian Steele.

Mark Krotky of Breshear, TX, broke into the early lead in the 250cc Pro Quad feature and established a safe lead. Bakker cut into Krotky's lead and made a late bid for the victory, nearly spinning as he challenged for the point. Krotky held on for the triumph, with Bakker settling for second in front of Daniel Hillian, Micah Schliemann and Chris Bartholomew.

Danny McGraw of Hale, MO, claimed the Open Amateur Quad feature victory, leading Jake Kane and Jared Smith to the line. Mitch Reynolds led wire-to-wire in the 250cc Amateur Quad feature, topping McGraw and Stephen Groden.

-lw-