09/17/2024
The 10th and final Mt. Cobb Speedway Barn Burner is officially in the books. While the car count wasn’t the highest (158 compared to 178), it was the largest individual turnout, with 83 drivers. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the track and the event. It’s been a fantastic 10-year run, and I had the pleasure of attending most of it.
Every class had quality fields, with at least a B-main race. The racing was thrilling, the track was in peak condition, and the energy level was high. Here are the day’s highlights!
**Novice Class**
We had our two regulars joined by two new challengers. Asher Sippel started as TQ (Top Qualifier) and, despite an early slip, took the checkered flag. Bentley Gaughan initially led but had a racing incident coming out of turn 4, putting him over a lap down. He fought back, finishing just 4 seconds behind to take 2nd place. Raylen Frey ran a smooth race, battling for 2nd and 3rd before rounding out the top 3. Wyatt Leonard completed the field in 4th.
**BL-2 Mudboss**
This class demanded perfection, and with the top 3 drivers showing over 95% consistency, there was little room for error. Kamron Flurer took the win, capping his impressive stats at Mt. Cobb, where he raced weekly when he started. Curt Nicholas climbed up to 2nd after transferring from the B-main, while Kyle Conklin improved on his starting position to complete the podium. Carter Rochinski, Brandon Snyder, Bobby Butler, Eddie Jones, and Mike O’Brien finished 5th through 8th, respectively.
**360 Sprint**
This race had the makings of a storybook finish. Starting last in the D-main, Chris Bertotti charged through the field, gaining 23 positions to finish 1st. Jay Rogers made a late push but fell just short, crossing the line 0.141 seconds behind. Matt Adams and Dale Hartzell completed 50 laps to finish 3rd and 4th, respectively. Perry Hutter, Tyler Brown, Terrance Leister, and Bill Rockenstyre rounded out the A-main.
**Mod Late Model**
A strong field in the Mod Late Model class saw the top 4 drivers with over 90% consistency. John Hauenstein battled with Dave Roberts in the first half before regaining the lead and taking the win. Bobby Butler capitalized on a bump-up to finish 3rd. The rest of the field finished as follows: Shakey, Kane Metzger, Adam Sippel, Zach Emlet, and Kenny Fisher.
**Crate Late Models**
This was the first flag-to-flag race for the top 3 finishers. Carter Rochinski, Tom Piersanti, and Curt Nicholas finished where they started, all completing 50 laps. Chuck Eccles, Chantz Crissman, Bill Watkins, Devin Carney, and Adam Jones rounded out the A-main.
**Midget A-main**
Eddie Jones expertly navigated traffic and avoided major wrecks to move forward throughout the 50-lap race. By lap 30, he found himself in the lead and took the win under the checkered flag. Phil Marabella briefly held the lead before slipping to 3rd, then worked his way back to 2nd. Matt Adams, starting toward the back, patiently advanced to finish 3rd. Bobby Butler, Al Smith, Scott Kozokas, Sam Barbose, and Terrance Leister completed the field.
**Mt. Cobb Speedway Favorite Class**
Despite a few position changes, the top 4 starters finished in the same order: Chris Bertotti, Dale Hartzell, Kyle Bradley, and Curt Nicholas. Al Smith, Chris Carpenter, TJ Gregoire, and Nate Demeglio rounded out the grid.
**Final A-main**
The final A-main at Mt. Cobb Speedway featured the fastest class of all time. The track record was shattered multiple times throughout the weekend, with Phil Cooper setting a new record of 3.993 seconds during the second qualifying round. The lead changed hands several times before settling with Phil Cooper, Kamron Flurer, and Dave Roberts in the top 3. Gary Van Orden, Kyle Conklin, Phil Marabella, Kane Metzger, and Paul Cranmer followed in that order.
To everyone at Mike’s Mt. Cobb Speedway, to all the racers—past and present—thank you for making this backyard track in the mountains a special place. It’s been our pleasure to host you and share this humble little facility.
