Week number two of the DeVilbiss Racing Chassis, IMCA TV Winter Nationals powered by Pitt Stop Motorsports & Dynamic Drivelines began on Tuesday night, January 27th with the running of the Amber Eichelberger Hobby Stock Clash. Along with the Hobby Stock special, the Gene Freeman Memorial Pit Crew Challenge was held along with the second race of the year by the Figure Eight group of drivers.
The Pit Crew Challenge is always a fun event with about two dozen teams in various classes entered. The competition requires each team to change a right rear tire with just two crew members as the race car rolls to a halt and then the car makes one lap of the track with the entire process timed. The winning team managed to break the fifty second barrier with the Madrid team taking the gold.
Seventeen drivers took the green flag for the Hobby Stock special held in tribute to Amber Eichelberger. This race was the only one held on the circle track on Tuesday so the Hobby Stock drivers found the racing surface to be much different than it had been for their previous races run last week. It was much heavier and a bit on the wet slick side, giving some of the drivers fits in the early going
Three different drivers led this thirty three lap race at some point with Nick Biggs drawing the outside pole and leading lap one. However, he slipped up the track in turn four with Drew Barry sliding to his inside and taking over the lead. Biggs then assumed the runner up slot and he closing followed Barry for a number of laps.
Anthony Madrid had started seventh but he was on the move, getting past both Joe Peterson and Morgan Olmstead to assume the third spot. He continued to charge as he got by Barry for second, only to slide up the track on one of the remaining slick spots and give Biggs back the second spot.
Austin Jahnz moved into the top five by the halfway point but he was nearly a half lap behind as the field was spread around the three eighth mile track. This all ended with seventeen laps completed when Gage Curran slowed with overheating issues, triggering the first yellow of the event and bunching up the top five.
Barry continued to lead with Madrid and Jahnz, who had moved up to third, closing following him. Madrid looked to the inside of Barry on several occasions but Drew continued to hold his line and maintain the top spot.
Barry was just five laps away from victory when everything unraveled for him. As he drove into turn four, his car pushed way up the track and he saw Madrid and Jahnz pass him. Barry then rolled to a halt and needed a wrecker to leave the track as a right front suspension issue ended his race and his chance for victory.
Madrid inherited the lead but he had Jahnz following him closely. Jahnz looked to the inside of the leader, pushing hard into the corner. The outcome was delayed once more when a two car pile up in turn three slowed things with just two laps to go.
The restart saw Jahnz give it his best effort as he drove hard into the corners but Madrid held his line and would cross under the duel checkers with several car lengths on the field as the winner. Jahnz took home second with Zach Bierman charging up to third. Peterson and Biggs completed the top five.
Winner Madrid and the Madrid Racing Team donated their first place winnings of one thousand dollars to the Eichelberger benefit fund as victory lane proved to be a very emotional place for many.
The evening concluded with an open practice session for all classes of cars racing the Winter Nationals which resumes on Wednesday night with a full program for four IMCA divisions. At least twenty drivers that did not race during the opening weekend were on hand Tuesday to get some laps in advance of week two.
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