Henrickson Picks Up First
Career CLMA DIRTcar Series Win at Black Hills Speedway
by: Cory Moul, CLMA DIRTcar Series Promotions Director
Rapid City, SD (May 14th) Hometown driver Dan Henrickson picked up his first
career Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar Series victory at Black Hills
Speedway. Eddie Kirchoff Jr started on the pole and jumped out to an early
lead. By lap twenty Kirchoff had lapped all the way up to 6th place and had
almost a half lap lead of Dan Henrickson. Eric Mass, and John Bey who had been
fighting for the second spot almost the entire race. Henrickson inherited the
lead when Eddied Kirchoff, Jr. had the center section of his wheel rip out
sending him into the turn one wall ending his night with less then 10 laps to
go. This was the only caution of the race and on the restart Dan Henrickson
jumped out to the lead and was able to hold off Eric Mass and John Bey for the
remainder of the race to pick up the win in front of his hometown fans.
Eric Mass of Rapid City, SD finished 2nd followed by John Bey of Sturgis, SD in
3rd, Brent Nielson of Rapid City, SD in 4th, and Ed Kirchoff Sr of Gillette, WY
in 5th. The top finishing Colorado driver was Dave Garman in 8th. Scott Lewis
and Roy Spielman both blew up and didn't finish the race.
In the second heat race of the night Colorado Late Model Association DIRTcar
Series President JT Botts was involved in one of the worst wrecks in series
history. Botts and Shad Karna got together going into corner three sending
Botts head on nto the wall at full throttle. For precautionary measures Botts
was cut out of his car, placed on a back board and taken to the hospital. Botts
was released with now major injuries late Friday night, but his car was
destroyed. Botts was more worried about holding up the show then his health. He
even pulled the motor out of his wrecked car and loaned it to Scott Lewis so he
could race on Saturday night at Gillette Thunder Speedway.
