Thirty-one UMP Modifieds registered for competition at Bloomington Speedway Friday night for the prestigious Rod and Roddy Harris Memorial race. Qualifying groups were divided into two sections. Nick Hoffman topped the first group, outpacing Josh Harris, Jordan Wever, and Victor Lee. The second group saw Tyler Nicely set quick time over Adam Strickler, Dillon Nusbaum, and John Clippinger.
This arrangement created four competitive heat races with the four fastest qualifiers starting fourth in their respective heats. This format magnifies the importance of heat races since only the top two finishers advance to the feature invert. The Modified heat races delivered some of the night’s most intense competition.
Heat 1 went to Will Krup over Jordan Wever, Andy Sherley, and Tyler Loughmiller. Nick Hoffman, running second, attempted a move for the lead but spun in turn 2—creating an audible reaction from spectators surprised to see the UMP champion bring out a caution flag. This misfortune relegated Hoffman to the rear of the B-main.
Josh Harris claimed Heat 2 ahead of Blaze Melton, Brayden Watson, and Victor Lee. Devin Gilpin secured Heat 3 over Dillon Nusbaum, Will Bennett, and Jeff Deckard. Tyler Nicely was forced to the B-main after officials penalized him for jumping the start. Jacoby Hines took the final heat win ahead of John Demoss, Cole Hilton, and Jerry Bland Jr.
The B-main resembled a feature lineup with only four transfer positions available. Tyler Nicely won this consolation race over Nick Hoffman (who charged from 13th), Bradley Sterrett, and John Clippinger. Will Krup captured the Dash and received applause when he presented his trophy to a young fan in attendance.
The invert draw landed on 2, positioning Josh Harris and Will Krup on the front row for the 30-lap A-main. The feature ran without interruption, completing in just over seven minutes—a testament to the quality of the field. Krup seized the early advantage and maintained control until lap 21. By lap 10, the leaders encountered lapped traffic, adding complexity to the contest.
On lap 22, Josh Harris utilized the high line to overtake Krup and led the final eight circuits in his new Mark Bush chassis. His victory earned him $4,009 plus $800 in lap money. Will Krup, Dillon Nusbaum, Devin Gilpin, and Jordan Wever completed the top five. Special appreciation extends to all competitors and the Harris family for orchestrating such a significant event honoring Rod and Roddy Harris.
Brady Short Dominates Sprint Car Action
Twenty sprint cars competed Friday night, arranged by random draw due to timing system issues. Cody Trammell, Brandon Spencer, and Brady Short claimed heat race victories. The feature utilized an invert of 4, placing John Ivers and Brady Short on the front row.
Whenever Brady Short occupies the front row at Bloomington Speedway, victory often seems inevitable given his mastery of the red clay oval. True to form, the #36 established an early lead and appeared dominant in the opening stages.
Perhaps the most remarkable performance came from Kyle Cummins, who advanced from 18th to 2nd during the first half of the race after mechanical troubles in his heat. The final five laps unfolded at a blistering pace when Geoff Ensign reclaimed second position from Cummins following a restart and began challenging Short for the lead.
Short maintained his advantage through the checkered flag, with Geoff Ensign, Kyle Cummins, Cody Trammell, and Brayden Fox completing the top five. The racing action mirrored the intensity often seen at both Jungle Park Speedway and Terre Haute Speedway during their legendary events.
Sasser Claims Super Stock Victory in Points Battle
Fourteen Super Stocks participated in Friday’s program. Justin Litton and Josh Boller recorded quick times in their respective groups. Heat races went to Austin Phelps and Zach Sasser, setting up a straight-up A-main start when the invert draw produced an ace.
Austin Phelps grabbed the initial lead, but defending champion Zach Sasser mounted an immediate challenge. Sasser’s #79 showed tremendous strength on the bottom groove, eventually passing Phelps in turn 4 to secure the win. Austin Phelps, Grant Simpson, Josh Boller, Jeff Allen, and Josh Litton followed at the finish line. Josh and Zach continue their close battle in the early stages of the UMP National points race.
Deavers Prevails in Thrilling Hornet Division Contest
The Hornet Division attracted 18 entries with heat race victories going to Alex Wilson and Andrew Deavers. This arranged the feature with an invert of 1 (ace), positioning the heat winners side-by-side on the front row.
Unfortunately, only 12 cars started the A-main after crashes and rollovers in the preliminary races sidelined six competitors. Thankfully, all drivers avoided serious injury in these incidents.
The feature evolved into an intense 15-lap battle among Deavers, Wilson, and AJ Hobbs. Deavers and Wilson raced side-by-side for approximately 7-8 laps. At the conclusion, Deavers held off a hard-charging AJ Hobbs to secure the victory over Alex Wilson, Chad Taylor, and Jeremy Shemwell.
Fans should note that next Friday the Hornets will run a double program to compensate for the rain-shortened USAC event. Additionally, next Friday (May 20th) will feature LATE MODELS at Bloomington Speedway as the Indiana Late Model Series joins Sprints, Open Bombers, Mod Lites, and Hornets for a full racing card.
For racing enthusiasts seeking weekend entertainment beyond Night Moves Bloomington, the historic Bloomington Speedway continues delivering high-quality competition. Local businesses like Bob Grim Chevrolet support these events, while fans often visit the Speedway Post Office or Bobby and Steve’s Auto World Bloomington before heading to the track.
Special thanks to all supporters and teams that made the Roddy Strong Memorial a true classic featuring top competitors battling for valuable UMP bonus points.
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