Kaeding Captures $10K in O’Reilly Sprint Bandits “TNT” Lakeside Finale

 

Lonnie Wheatley – KANSAS CITY, Kan. (August 20, 2005) – California’s Bud Kaeding denied Levi Jones a clean sweep of the inaugural O’Reilly Sprint Bandit Tour ‘N Topless swing by winning Saturday night’s 30-lap Ron Shuman Classic at Lakeside Speedway, collecting a cool $10,000 paycheck in the process.

 

Leading from the outset, Kaeding caught an assist from Lady Luck when Jones raced into the lead on the 23rd round only to see a caution fly moments later, thus negating the move.  Kaeding took full advantage of the reprieve and raced to the checkered flag aboard the Jason Leffler Racing Team ASE/Loan City No. 29F Maxim to secure the victory.

 

“The money’s all good, but where’s that pedal car trophy, that’s what I want,” an enthused Kaeding laughed in victory lane.  “I won this race in 2002 but my dad got that car, this time I want it for myself.”

 

While Kaeding gridded the feature field outside the front row, it was two-time and defending race winner Jesse Hockett leading the way to the green flag from the pole position after accumulating the most points in heat and qualifying race action.

 

While Hockett had his sights set on a third consecutive $10,000 Lakeside triumph, it was Kaeding gunning into the lead at the drop of the green.  Meanwhile, it was Jones eyeing a five-race sweep of Sprint Bandits “TNT” from his fifth starting slot.  While Kaeding led Hockett and fourth-starter Jon Stanbrough in the opening rounds, Jones had climbed to fourth by the time the race’s first caution flew for Steve Ostling, who slowed with a flat tire.  Ostling rejoined the chase.

 

Back under way, the next 20 laps ran in non-stop fashion with Kaeding pacing the field.  Jones worked past Stanbrough for third on the seventh round, then took second from Hockett by the tenth round with his sights set on the leader.

 

Jones kept the pressure on Kaeding and as the duo raced through lapped traffic, Kaeding bicycled in turns one and two on the 24th lap.  Jones took quick advantage aboard Scott Benic’s Gaerte-powered Lucas Oil Products No. 2b Maxim by racing into the lead down the backstretch, only to see the move negated when Yuma, Arizona’s Mike Martin slid to a halt on the front chute with mechanical problems.

 

On the ensuing restart, Dickie Gaines took a nasty flip into the turn two fencing. While his car was destroyed, Gaines walked away with little more than a throbbing right hand.

 

Kaeding took off on the restart and beat Jones to the line to score the prestigious victory.  Jones settled for the runner-up slot and sealed the O’Reilly Sprint Bandits “TNT” championship after winning the first four events.

 

Stanbrough earned second in series points by posting a third place feature finish aboard the R&B 24-Hour Truck Service entry, while Dave Darland drove Jeff Walker’s Jam-It-In Storage/Hoosier Tire No. 11 to fourth.  Hockett rounded out the top five in the VKCC Motorsports No. 75.

 

California’s Tyler Spath turned in his strongest showing of the week by battling to a sixth place finish, with Casey Shuman advancing from twelfth to seventh in the race named for his father.  Zach Chappell crossed the stripe eighth, with Bill Rose and Ostling completing the top ten.

 

Hockett, Chappell and Martin topped heat race action for the 29-car field, with Darland, Don Droud, Jr., and Ostling winning qualifying races.

 

Justin Marvel went for a wild qualifying race flip, but was able to take the green flag in the main event before making an early exit.

 

Derek O’Dell and Kim Kennedy flipped in tandem in the opening set of hot laps and while both escaped injury, both machines were done for the night.

 

O’Reilly Sprint Bandits “TNT” Results:

 

First Heat (8 Laps):  1. #75 Jesse Hockett, 2. #10T Bill Rose, 3. #2b Levi Jones, 4. #35 Tyler Spath, 5. #7c Chris Morgan, 6. #10x Don Droud, Jr., 7. #55 Tony Everhart.  DNS: #65 Chris Parkinson, #11d Derek O’Dell, #1k Kim Kennedy.

 

Second Heat (8 Laps):  1. #50z Zach Chappell, 2. #29F Bud Kaeding, 3. #96c Jim Cameron, 4. #47 Justin Marvel, 5. #83 John Scott, 6. #11 Dave Darland, 7. #45 Steve Ostling, 8. #29 Travis Rilat, 9. #5 Joe Boyles, 10. #18 Tim Newman.

 

Third Heat (8 Laps):  1. #57 Mike Martin, 2. #21x Dickie Gaines, 3. #10 Jon Stanbrough, 4. #53 Casey Shuman, 5. #92J J.R. Topper, 6. #01 Bob Moore, 7. #1 Brad Sweet.  DNS: #76 Jay Russell.  Disqualified:  #21 Charles Davis, Jr. (Failed to report to scales after finishing first).

 

First Qualifier (8 Laps):  1. #11 Dave Darland, 2. #75 Jesse Hockett, 3. #10 Jon Stanbrough, 4. #2b Levi Jones, 5. #29 Travis Rilat, 6. #01 Bob Moore, 7. #83 John Scott.  Disqualified:  #96c Jim Cameron (weighed in below the 1,175 pound minimum after finishing second).

 

Second Qualifier (8 Laps):  1. #10x Don Droud, Jr., 2. #29F Bud Kaeding, 3. #50z Zach Chappell, 4. #10T Bill Rose, 5. #53 Casey Shuman, 6. #7c Chris Morgan, 7. #5 Joe Boyles.  DNS: #1 Brad Sweet.

 

Third Qualifier (8 Laps):  1. #45 Steve Ostling, 2. #35 Tyler Spath, 3. #92J J.R. Topper, 4. #21 Charles Davis, Jr., 5. #55 Tony Everhart, 6. #57 Mike Martin, 7. #18 Tim Newman, 8. #47 Justin Marvel, 9. #21x Dickie Gaines.

 

A Feature (30 Laps):  1. #29F Bud Kaeding, 2. #2b Levi Jones, 3. #10 Jon Stanbrough, 4. #11 Dave Darland, 5. #75 Jesse Hockett, 6. #35 Tyler Spath, 7. #53 Casey Shuman, 8. #50z Zach Chappell, 9. #10T Bill Rose, 10. #45 Steve Ostling, 11. #1 Brad Sweet, 12. #29 Travis Rilat, 13. #10x Don Droud, Jr., 14. #21 Charles Davis, Jr., 15. #7c Chris Morgan, 16. #96c Jim Cameron, 17. #18 Tim Newman, 18. #21x Dickie Gaines, 19. #57 Mike Martin, 20. #92J J.R. Topper, 21. #55 Tony Everhart, 22. #83 John Scott, 23. #01 Bob Moore, 24. #47 Justin Marvel.  DNS: #5 Joe Boyles, #76 Jay Russell, #1k Kim Kennedy, #11d Derek O’Dell, #65 Chris Parkinson.

 

Final O’Reilly Sprint Bandits “TNT” Points (Top Fifteen):  1. Levi Jones (Olney, IL) 746, 2. Jon Stanbrough (Jamestown, IN) 692, 3. Bud Kaeding (Campbell, CA) 682, 4. Dave Darland (Lincoln, IN) 664, 5. Dickie Gaines (Mitchell, IN) 660, 6. Justin Marvel (Pittsboro, IN) 624, 7. Brad Sweet (Grass Valley, CA) 617, 8. Charles Davis, Jr. (Buckeye, AZ) 610, 9. John Scott (Avon, IN) 597, 10. Travis Rilat (Forney, TX) 593, 11. Tyler Spath (Chico, CA) 583, 12. Mike Martin (Yuma, AZ) 577, 13. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 570, 14. Steve Ostling (Corona, CA) 494, 15. Casey Shuman (Phoenix, AZ) 431.

 

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