July 22, 2024 | By Dean Reichel

Ben Brown headlines 'Racing Back to School Night' at Double-X Speedway

CALIFORNIA, Mo. — The annual “Racing Back to School Night” at Double X Speedway was held Sunday July 21, 2024. This annual event organized by The Tyler Utz family and racing friends provides back packs full of school supplies to all school age kids in attendance at the evening’s races. For 2024 organizers had almost 200 backpacks available for distribution. In addition to the school supply giveaway there was also some great racing action on the track for fans enjoyment as well.

The night saw the return of the 305 Winged Sprint Cars, courtesy of Clennin Farm Supply, to Double X for the final time in 2024. With rain showers around the mid Missouri area, a field of 31 cars and drivers signed in for the evening.

The Super Stocks led off the evening’s competition with two heat races. In the first heat veteran Dale Berry moved to the early lead and was in control through lap four when he got against the back stretch wall. Clayton Campbell, who had been chasing the leader since the start took over the top spot with Eddie Keeran and Adam Halley giving chase. At the checkered it was Campbell leading Keeran and Berry across the stripe. Adam Halley and John Shane completed the field. Heat two saw the division points leaders on the front row. James Nighswonger took the lead on the drop of the green with Steve Beach applying pressure. A lap four caution for Ryan Shikles bunched the field as the #409 retired to the pit area. Nighswonger would sail to the victory with Beach in second and Fred Kilmer in third.  In the 305 Sprint Car action, quick Jack Thomas of Bates City picked up where he left off on his last visit to Double X winning the heat race over Tipton, MO driver Brett Combs. Veteran Randy Martin charged from seventh to third at the stripe, Tyler Elliott was fourth and Natalie Doney completed the top five. The 360 Winged Sprint Cars completed two heat races for their opening act. In heat one it was Australian Todd Moule bringing the “Sunday Night Thunder from Down Under” taking the win in comfortable fashion. Samuel Wagner would finish second with Taylor Walton taking the number three spot, Jack Wagner would finish fourth and Aubrey Smith completed the top five. In the second heat, point leader Ben Brown would take the win with Garrett Benson in second. Broc Elliott was end his race long charge in the third spot with Miles Paulus fourth and Natalie Doney in fifth.

The Super Stock Feature led off the second half of the evening’s card.  With hard chargers James Nighswonger and Clayton Campbell on the front row the race would shape up to be a good one. After a close side by side duel with Campbell low and Nighswonger high for the opening circuits, Nighswonger would gain a small advantage until a lap eight caution would bring the field to the rear bumper of the #44. On the restart Nighswonger held the lead but a bobble in turn two allowed Campbell to pull alongside. The #44 of Nishwonger stayed committed to the low line so Campbell went to the cushion keeping his momentum up. The white flag waved as the leaders sped into turn one the #44 on the bottom and the #30C on the cushion. Exiting turn two Nighswonger washed up the track and Campbell pounced turning off the cushion down the track and makes the pass down the back stretch. Nighswonger would close but Campbell held on for a win by less than a car length. Eddie Keeran drove a strong race to take home the third spot, with Dale Berry taking fourth and Steve Beach completing the top five. Fred Kilmer and Adam Halley completed the running order.

The middle event on the feature card was the 305 Winged Sprint Car Feature event. “Fast” Jack Thomas of Bates City put his #63 to the point and looked to be on cruise control. The first ten laps went by quickly before a caution for the #5T of James Turnbull brought out the events first caution closing the field on the rear bumper of the leader. On the restart cagy veteran Martin pulled alongside the #63 in turn two but the leader pulled ahead in turn three. The second caution flew after lap 11 was complete as Brett Combs got over the cushion in turn 4 and looped it around. As the green flag racing resumed the running order was unchanged. Natalie Doney started pressuring Tyler Elliott for the third spot and Brett Combs started to work his way back up the ranks. The feature would stay green the duration of the event with Thomas picking up another win at Double X. Randy Martin would finish second, Natalie Doney finished a strong third, Tyler Elliott was fourth, Doug Fry crossed in fifth and Brett Combs completed the running order in sixth.

The 360 Winged Sprint Cars wrapped up the evening as they always do. Aussie invader Todd Moule making his first visit to Double X starts on the pole alongside weekly competitor Ben Brown. Moule would set the pace running the cushion as Brown would put on the pressure, briefly taking the lead on lap six but the Aussie would power back by. A caution after lap seven would bunch the field. Moule would take off on the restart and open an 8 car length lead over Brown but a caution on lap 12 would slow the pace once again. Back to green flag racing and Brown makes a strong bid on the bottom but Moule would keep the momentum with his right rear dancing on the cushion. Brown would keep digging and on lap 22 take over the top spot. A caution one lap later would see Moule retire to the pit area. Brown would lead the distance to pick up the victory with Garrett Benson claiming the runner up and Broc Elliott finishing out the podium in third. Casey Shuman would post a season best fourth place and Taylor Walton finished fifth.

Nest week the B Modifieds will make their final appearance of the season at Double X, joining the 360 Winged Sprints and the Super Stocks. Sunday August 4 will conclude the season for 2024 at Double X Speedway. The Super Stocks, Pure Stocks and 360 Winged Sprint Cars will be in competition.



Double X Speedway
California, MO

July 21, 2024

Complete Results—

Super Stocks-
Feature- 1. 30C- Clayton Campbell, Otterville; 2. 44-James Nighswonger, Osawotamie, KS; 3. 87-Eddie Keeran, California; 4. 05-Dale Berry, Tuscumbia; 5. 10-Steve Beach, Eldon; 6. 10RFK-Fred Kilmer; 7. 8H-Adam Halley, New Haven; 8. (DNS) 707-John Shane, Florence; 9. (DNS) 409-Ryan Shikles, Enon

Heat 1- 1. Campbell; 2. Keeran; 3. Berry; 4. Halley; 5. Shikles (DNF)

Heat 2- 1. Nishwonger; 2. Beach; 3. Kilmer; 4. Florence


305 Sprint Cars-

Feature- 1. 63-Jack Thomas, Bates City; 2. 14- Randy Martin, California; 3. 74-Natalie Doney, Odessa; 4. 49-Tyler Elliott, California; 5. 61A-Doug Fry, Wheatland; 6. 4-Brett Combs, Tipton; 7. (DNF)-5T-James Turnbull, Billings

Heat-1. Thomas; 2. Combs; 3. Martin; 4. T. Elliott; 5. Doney; 6. Fry; 7. Turnbull


360 Winged Sprint Cars-

Feature- 1. 7B-Ben Brown, Marshall; 2. 2B-Garrett Benson, Concordia; 3. 00-Broc Elliott, California; 4. 24-Casey Shuman, Tempe AZ; 5.  93-Taylor Walton, Odessa; 6. 0-Miles Paulus, Marshall; 7. 74-Natalie Doney, Odessa; 8. 52-Blake Bowers, Knob Noster; 9. 9S-Aubrey Smith, Houstonia; 10. 88-Riley Scott, Quincy,IL; 11. (DNF) AU26-Todd Moule, Australia; 12. (DNF) 73-Samuel Wagner, Lone Jack; 13. (DNF) 61A-Doug Fry, Wheatland; 14. (DNF)-77 Jack Wagner, Lone Jack.

Heat 1- 1. Moule; 2. S. Wagner; 3. Walton; 4. J. Wagner; 5. Smith; 6. Shuman; 7. Bowers

Heat 2- 1. Brown; 2. Benson; 3. B. Elliott; 4. Paulus; 5. Doney; 6. Scott; 7. Fry.