Todd Heuerman (18) and Shawn Dancer race for the lead on the first lap of the NRA Sprint Invader Invitational feature at Limaland Motorsports Park. (Mike Campbell Photo)
Todd Heuerman (18) and Shawn Dancer race for the lead on the first lap of the NRA Sprint Invader Invitational feature at Limaland Motorsports Park. (Mike Campbell Photo)

Champions Crowned At Limaland Motorsports Park

LIMA, Ohio – Limaland Motorsports Park wrapped up the season with the running of the traditional invitational races for the K&L Ready Mix NRA 360 Sprint Invaders, Northwest Physical Therapy Modifieds, and Budweiser Thunderstocks Friday evening.

Todd Heuerman grabbed the NRA victory, Jeff Koz picked up the UMP Modified win and Todd Sherman won the Thunderstock Invitational. 

Kicking off the night was the 25-lap K&L Ready Mix NRA 360 Sprint Invader Invitational Race.  On the initial start it was Shawn Dancer and Steve Niese leading the field to green.  Dancer and Todd Heuerman would make contact while racing into turns one and two with Dancer spinning and making contact with the turn two wall with the back of the Dancer Logistics No. 49 sprint car. The hit was hard enough to rupture the fuel cell, and Dancer was assisted from the vehicle by the paramedics. 

No further information on Dancer’s condition was available at time of this story.

It was a complete restart with Heuerman an Kyle Sauder bringing the field to green.  Heuerman took off with the lead and would only be slowed by another red flag on lap 14 for Niese getting upside down at the end of the backstretch. Niese would walk away under his own power from the crash.  Also involved was the No. 24 of Kobe Allison, who was forced to head to the work area, but returned back to the track before the restart. 

When racing resumed, it was Heuerman dominating once again, and running away with the win, his first career victory at Limaland. Jared Horstman would finish second, with Sauder third, Zane Devault fourth and Noah Dunlap completing the top-five.

Next up was the 20-lap Northwest Physical Therapy UMP Modified Invitational Race. Jeff Koz and Ryan Ordway would lead the field to the green flag with Koz grabbing the early lead. Jerry Bowersock would work his way to battle with Ordway for second on lap six. Todd Sherman would battle his way to second on lap 14 before the caution flag would wave on three consecutive laps, before the field would get a three-lap run to the finish.  Koz would hang on to win over Sherman, Shane O’Connor would finish a close third with Bowersock fourth, and Brandon Vaughan finishing fifth after starting 14th.

The final Invitational Race was for the Bud Thunderstocks.  Frank Paladino and Mark Wooten would make up the front row for the 15-lap race.  Wooten would grab the early advantage while Tony Anderson began to claw his way through the field from his seventh starting spot.  On lap eight, Todd Sherman had made his way to fifth from his 15th starting spot. Sherman wasnt satisfied with a top five as he piloted the No. 60 around a very tough top four to take the lead on lap 13, and win the Bud Thunderstock Invitational. Mark Wooten would hold on to second with Craig Dippman third, Jarrod Klay fourth and Paladino completing the top-five.

The drivers and teams of the Northwest Physical Therapy UMP Modifieds, and Budweiser Thunderstocks then came over to the frontstretch to recieve their awards for the season.   Sherman was crowned champ in the Modifieds, with Anderson picking up his 12th Thunderstock track championship in the UNOH era at Limaland.

In the King of the Quarter Mile events, it was Horstman winning the K&L Ready Mix NRA 360 Sprint Invader King of the Quarter Mile, Kyle Moore bagged the Northwest Physical Therapy UMP Modified King of The Quarter Mile and Craig Dippman won the Bud Thunderstock King of The Quarter Mile.