Perigo the BOSS. Drown, Shaw, Moore, and Hutton also visit victory lane.

Written By: Randy Worrell (Ranger)

ORRVILLE – Folks were treated to an edge-of-their-seat season opener back in mid-April at the O’Reilly Auto Parts Wayne County Speedway near Orrville. On Saturday evening, fans were given an encore performance at the ultra-fast 3-8-mile oval.Aaron Fry’s BOSS non-wing sprint cars – a sister-series to the FAST 410 touring card that highlighted a weather-delayed masterpiece three weeks ago – thrilled the crowd with a last-lap, final-turn nailbiter that saw Pennsylvania veteran Carmen Perigo grab his third series win in as many starts, while Doug Drown came from behind in déjà vu fashion to claim his second victory of the season in the Malcuit Tavern super late models. Defending track champion Colton Shaw outlasted the field in one of the tracks’ wildest finishes in recent memory in picking up the win in the inaugural Flynn’s Tire Service modified main, while Kyle Moore returned to victory lane in the McKenzie Concrete super stock finale. And in typical WCS form, the JoyRide mini stock feature was a wild and wooly affair with Travis Hutton notching his first-ever triumph in the 12-lap main event.The late models hit the speedway first, with Zanesville’s Todd Brennan setting a torrid pace at the start of the 25-lapper in similar fashion to the season-opener. Brennan diced his way through traffic with Ryan Markham, Larry Bellman, Drown, and high-flying western-Ohio invader Rust Schlenk – in his first-ever WCS appearance – in tow with JR Gentry also in striking distance.Drown moved into second on lap 6, the motored past Brennan in turn 4 with a fast-closing Schlenk claiming second a few tours later. Schlenk and Brennan, however, each dropped out of the event two circuits later with Markham moving to Drowns back bumper. Although Markham – the speedway’s defending track champion – pulled alongside Drown in the closing laps, the Swartz Race Cars No. 12 drove home to his second win in as many starts.“This division is so tough week-in-and week-out,” said Drown. “Todd was so fast out front, and then, even though l never saw him, my guys afterward told me that Rusty was coming fast, too. I saw Ryan show his nose there in the closing laps as well, but we hung on and I couldn’t be happier the way the season has started for us. We’re looking forward to the big shows coming up here later in the summer.”The BOSS sprints hit the racy paper-clipped shaped clay next and presented the large crowd with a soon not-to-be-forgotten 25-lap main. Veteran non-wing ace Isaac Chapple led the field the opening six laps before Perigo grabbed the point with Korbyn Hayslett moving into contention and high-flying California transplant Ricky Lewis in tow.Lewis used the extreme high side of the speedway to assume the lead on lap 16 with Perigo, Hayslett, Chapple, and a hard-charging Trey Jacobs – in a rare non-wing start – in fifth. Following a red on lap 20, Lewis and Perigo traded jabs like a heavyweight title bout with Perigo pulling to the inside of Lewis on lap 24. Perigo’s last turn slider gave the veteran a dramatic victory at the stripe, denying Lewis his first-ever BOSS victory in the process.“I wasn’t sure if l had enough to get by Ricky, but I knew my only shot was going to be a slider at the end,” said Perigo. “It was just two clean racers giving it everything they had and I’m just fortunate to be standing (in victory lane). Perigo’s victory was worth $2,000.Although Lewis came up just short, the 24-year-old thrilled the WCS faithful. “We’re really disappointed, but if the fans didn’t enjoy that I’m not sure what else we can do,” he said. “This track has to be right at the top of the list of all the tracks we’ve raced at, and we’ll for sure be ready when we return (Saturday, August 19.”While the fans had barely gathered their collective breath, the modifieds hit the speedway next for an intense back-and-forth affair of its own. Painesville’s Nate Young, who threatened to steal the season opener, and perennial favorite Kyle Moore locked horns in the 20-lap event from start to finish.The duo traded the lead numerous times throughout, with Young officially leading the most laps until contact was made by the pair in turn 2 on lap 16. While Young reassumed the point when the green replaced the yellow, Moore restarted eighth but wasn’t done yet, while defending champ Shaw rode in third with the best seat in the house. Shaw got the hole shot on the restart and held off Young and then a furious charge from Moore in claiming the unexpected, but hard-earned, triumph.“Sometimes it’s not the fastest car who wins, but who can get to the finish first,” Shaw said. “I had the best seat in the house watching those two guys go at it and kept thinking that if they got together l would be right there, and that’s what happened.”Moore hopped in the red-hot Daugherty No. 21 super stock, and although it wasn’t easy, claimed his second WCS victory of the season with a fast Brandon Morrow in second. Moore powered by Morrow’s C9 on lap 12 and then used his customary high line to victory lane.Moore, coming off a second at Eldora a few weeks ago and a win on Friday night at Limaland Speedway in western Ohio, credited owner Bob Daugherty for the teams’ recent winning ways.“Bob works on this thing pretty much non-stop, and right now we’re rolling pretty good. That was a workout for sure, and l was already worn out from the modified feature. But we’re happy with our night. We hope we can keep it going.”The mini stock 12-lap main event was – like usual- a hold-your-breath unpredictable battle to the end. No less than six drivers occupied the top spot, or were within striking distance, including Chaz Dawson, Billy Dawson, Kenny Long, David Potter, Doug Hensel, Justin Cranmoore, and Hutton, among a host of others. Hutton rode the extreme high side following a lap 9 caution and sped to his first-ever WCS victory that included a jubilant victory lane that included family and friends.“These features are definitely exciting, you just have to get what you can get and hang on,” said Hutton. “There’s a pack of cars all around you, but l kept looking for the No. 18 (Hensel). We probably won’t sleep much tonight, but we’ll be back next Saturday ready to try again.”Wayne County Speedway returns to action next Saturday night May 13 with a Fast Five program and a return of the 410 sprints with the highly anticipated High Limit sprint car series set for Tuesday May 16.