Strunk Storms to Thunder Valley MMSA Win

Strunk Storms to Thunder Valley MMSA Win

Brad Strunk endured a late restart and a wild finish to score the win in the MMSA season opener last Saturday at Thunder Valley Raceway.

May 13, 2019 by Richie Murray
Strunk Storms to Thunder Valley MMSA Win

Midwest Mini Sprint Association finally got their season started this past Saturday night at Thunder Valley Raceway in Salem Indiana.

MMSA was 0-7 with mother nature going into this past weekend. Some 14 entries made their way to the little dirt track in Salem.

Mason City, Illinois driver Andy Baugh, drove his Johnnie’s Garage backed sprinter to the front and would take the first of two preliminaries. Coming across the line behind Baugh was Cody Trammell, and Ethan Rutherford to round out top 3.

Heat two saw Brad Strunk hailing from Mason Ohio, taking his Parsons Construction, Priority Title, NRL Mortgage, Penn Station, Hud Racing Engines, Simpson, Hoosier Tires, and Xcaliber Graphics ride and lead all 8 laps from his front row starting position. Following Strunk to the checkers were Barr and Haas to complete the prelims for the evening.

Completion of the heat race sets up the A-main starting grid with both heat winners starting from the third row due to the results passing points. Ohio would represent the front row with Anthony Haas and Ryan Barr, with Trammell and Rutherford row two and the fore mentioned Baugh and Strunk row three.

Barr would get the jump on the field to lead the first 3 laps. Baugh and Strunk would run Barr down and put on a great show for the top spots with the looming Trammell.

They would swap spots several times, the caution would fly when Barr would loop it in turn one and collecting a couple of cars. The race would restart but a red flag would halt the racing in a flash, with Kinzer Medler would get tied up on the start and putting his car on its side. Restart three would see the top three swapping the top 3 spots each lap.

Lap 19 of 20 Baugh taking the white flag and a nose ahead of Strunk. Baugh would catch the inside tractor tire on the track in turn one and ending his night upside down. Strunk would get a great restart and lead the final lap of the season opener for MMSA. Strunk picks up the first MMSA checkers of the year followed by Trammell, Coffey, Haas, Chambers, Rutherford, Deputy, Baugh, Beard, and Medler filling out the top 10.

MMSA is back in action Memorial Day weekend with a double header, Wayne County Raceway in Illinois on Saturday May 25th and Tri-State Speedway on Sunday May 26th.