Bumgarner gains big race prize as Caraway Speedway’s regular season ends

Michael Bumgarner drove the No. 97 car to victory in Limited Late Models. (Caraway Speedway photo)

SOPHIA — Michael Bumgarner won the Limited Late Models race across 125 laps in a controversial finish Saturday night at Caraway Speedway.

Mason Walters was the runner-up, followed by Kyle Dudley, Coy Beard and Riley Neal in the 26-car field.

The big race card marked the end of the speedway’s regular season, so track champions were determined if those competitions hadn’t already been settled. Racing returns to the speedway Nov. 6-8 for the North-South Shootout.

Yet there was plenty to break down after the latest racing card.

Walters was in the lead with less than 25 laps remaining, but he spun out on and that resulted in a late caution. There was a restart with two laps to go.

There’s when drama heightened in a showdown between Bumgarner and Walters. Dudley’s bump of Walters coming out of the final turn allowed Bumgarner to ended up with a victory and the $10,000 first-place prize by a half-car length on Walters.

Pole sitter Heath Causey ended up 10th, with Caraway Speedway track champion Bryson Brinkley in 11th.

Brinkley became the third member of the family to win a track championship at Caraway following his father, Brad Brinkley, and brother, Blaise Brinkley.

** In Chargers, Brian Rose was the race winner by about a half-second on Matthew Smith.

But Smith’s runner-up finish was enough for him to claim the track championship in the division ahead of Richard Shoffner.

In the race, fast qualifier Daniel Schadt placed third, followed by Shoffner, Bradley Wolford and Joseph Clark.

** For Mini Stocks, AJ Sanders captured the 20-lap feature ahead of division champion Tyler Bush.

Third place in the race went to Blaze Sanders, with Austin Long and Hunter Rose in the next two spots among nine entrants.

** In UCARs, Jimmy Cooper won the race with a comeback effort and the track title. Cooper edged Jeremy Kidd, who also was the division’s runner-up.

In the 14-car race, Tito Clapp ended up third, followed by Justin Smith and Tony Price.

** Bentley Black won the 15-lap Crown Vic race ahead of Christian Morris, Dean Levi, Steven Collins and TJ Gibson among 11 cars.

Fourth place was good enough to make Collins was the division champion.

** The 602 Modifieds feature had postrace changes when Jaxson Casper’s car failed an inspection. That moved Lee Jeffreys into first place, followed by Joel Belanger, Connor Shaw and Justin Taylor.

** In Bandoleros, Charlie Evans won for the second time in a row, ahead of Jackson Jones, fast qualifier Carson Caudle, Kevin Stiene and Michael Scronce.

** In U.S. Legends, Max Calles was the winner with a slight victory on Alex Reling, followed by Ethan Jaques, Charles Parker and Corbin Cannon.

** The Legacy Series made its annual stop at the speedway, with Weston Freeman of Randleman capturing his first victory in the series. Bobby Mares was second, while third place went to series champion Ethan Elder. Brian Miller and Kyle Siler rounded out the top five among 12 entrants.