By Jason Bonsignore —
The temperatures were extremely hot and sunny last week, and especially all day on Saturday, at Champion Speedway as the track crew worked hard to prepare for the evening’s Hank Bassett Cup, which pays tribute to the former 4-time track champion who passed away of complications from MS a handful of years ago now.
What was least expected was a major burst of rain just as the show was supposed to start that actually canceled most of the area car track plans! Track staff worked feverishly for over an hour to fix the waterlogged surface and we were racing by 8:40 p.m. on what ended up being the best track of the season thus far!
Current track champion, Casey Donholt, who has only won once so far in 2024, was back in good form throughout the night and would win his semi final ride over last week’s winner, Caleb Stewart, who would take the second transfer slot.
Former 5-time track Champion, Lenny McBride of Windsor, was also looking sharp, even defeating Donholt in a heat race, and he and Levi The Hornet Harris would take the two transfer positions from semifinal number two for the Main. Another former 5-time track champion, Adam The Missile Mittl, would have to go through the last chance qualifier, which he won, to take his place in the feature lineup.
Pictured is Adam Mittl, left, Casey Donholt, top center, and Lenny McBride on the right. Photo credit: Kelly Klees.
On the first attempt at the Final, Stewart was leading on lap one, with McBride second and Donholt third, when McBride slid out and Donholt did a great job to avoid hitting him and laid it down.
On the restart Mittl touched the tapes in gate one, which under track rules brought out a warning. On the third go, Donholt would make the start on his Matrafailio racing sponsored GM and would ride mistake free to claim his 6th Bassett Cup title in his career!
Mittl and McBride, both sponsored by Justice Brothers Car Care Products / ODI Grips / Tanks Auto Sales / Joe V Auto Repair and Scotts Headers and Mufflers, would ride a nice 4 laps solidly in second and third to cap a good night of racing for them.
Chloe Schnurr of Rochester has been impressive the last two weeks in the Division Two wars, with two straight wins! Dominic Matias took his first ever win in Division Three, and the JR racing has been super impressive with 12 young riders now.
Macoley Saunders won the Division 1 JR Main for the second week in a row.
The program ran very smoothly and concluded in just over two hours.
Champion also added flat-track bikes to the Quad program out back that ran at the same time that night and had 50 entries! The feedback was great and more are expected at the next event, set for July 13.
Hank Bassett Cup Full Results
Casey Donholt, Adam Mittl, Lenny McBride, Levi Harris, Caleb Stewart
Last Chance: 1. Adam Mittl, 2. Albert Smith, 3. Alex Heath, 4. Jerry Harman
D-2: 1. Chloe Schnurr, 2. Kenny Dahlin, 3. Hunter Wagner, 4. Dana Marsh, 5. Brian McManamon
D-3: 1. Dominic Matias, 2. Zach Ostrander, 3. Jerry Harman Jr., 4. Cody Pierce, 5. Luke Helton
D-1 JR: 1. Macoley Saunders, 2. Cody Pierce, 3. Lilly Cornell, 4. Kabriel Howard, 5. Joel Farwell
D-2 JR: 1. Jacob Tomchick, 2. Jenson Pierce, 3. Jake Kilmer
D-3 JR: 1. Dakota Pierce, 2. Mikki Card, 3. Jaden Slate
DB: 1. Macoley Saunders, 2. Ashton Palmer, 3. Kabriel Howard
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