Tight points battles entering Salem race

By Ken de la Bastide

Entering the sixth racing weekend of the season the point battle for the championship and Redline Ace rookie of the year honors are separated by a thread.

The series is visiting Salem Speedway with the 500 Sprint Car Tour on July 12. There is a second visit to Salem planned alongside the USAC Silver Crown on August 9.

Both the championship and rookie points leader changed following the Don and Mel Kenyon Classic at Anderson Speedway.

For the third time this season Dameron Taylor pulled into the Jeff Hill Trailer Sales victory lane at Anderson and retook the top spot from Isaac Johnson. Johnson had moved around Taylor in the championship battle with victories at the Indianapolis Speedrome and Paragon Speedway.

The Salem oval has been compared to the Speedrome track where Johnson has scored his first win, but Taylor has had lots of success at the Indianapolis oval.

Taylor leads Johnson by a slim six points with Evan Hammond sitting in third 47 points behind Taylor.

In the rookie of the year battle Andrew Wall moved into the top spot and has a 42-point cushion over Clayton Bohanon.

Wall is currently tied for fourth in the overall standings with Kyle Sheard and Bohanon is sitting in sixth.

A year ago Logan Huggler established the track record at Salem Speedway during K&K Marketing qualifying.

Landon Brown and Taylor won the KRJ Race Products heat races.

Taylor won the Salem race followed by eventual champion Ryan Huggler with Landon Brown finishing on the podium, Sheard driving to a fourth place showing and Hammond coming home in seventh.

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The Kenyon Midget Series races at Salem Speedway on July 12 along with the 500 Sprint Car Tour for the Joe James and Pat O’Connor Memorial. Pit Gates open at 12:00pm, Practice begons at 3:00 with racing scheduled to start at 7:00pm