Shiflett Takes North/South Shootout

Fourteen racers from four states converged on our little Bentonville bullring Saturday afternoon for the first of, I hope, many winged sprint car shows at The Cave Speedway. Heat winners were Joe Shiflett, leading from Lap 2 to the end. Heat #2 was a slugfest with Greg Poffenburger winning after six lead changes in a hot battle with Mike Franklin. Heat #3 saw Tyler Williamson take over on Lap 16 and lead to the end. Dwain Welsh captured the C-Main with Frenchy Bennington taking a wild B-Main with six lead changes between Bennington, JP Welsh, and Mikey Franklin. Andrew Tyson would sneak past Mikey with 3 to go to get the last transfer spot. Shiflett would get out first in the feature only to give way to Tyler on Lap 2, but would regain the lead on Lap 3 and hold on until a hard charging "Mr. Smooth", Frenchy, would wrestle the lead away on Lap 53. He held on until Shiflett once again took over the point on Lap 82 and hold on for the win. Finishing order: Joe Shiflett, 1st; Frenchy Bennington, 2nd; Tyler Williamson, 3rd; JP Welsh, 4th; Greg Poffenburger, 5th; and Andrew Tyson, 6th. The top qualifier for the day was Bobby Davis with a 2.782 second lap.