Gillette Thunder Speedway
Kirchoff captures CLMA points lead with Gillette victory
From series reports
Eddie Kirchoff
GILLETTE, Wyo. (Aug. 25) — Hometown driver Eddie Kirchoff moved back into the Colorado Late Model Association points lead with a victory at Gillette Speedway.
Kirchoff, who won CLMA events earlier this season at Gillette, Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, S.D., and I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo., earned $1,500 for the late August triumph.
In a dominating performance, Kirchoff built a cushion of seven lapped cars separating him from runner-up Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colo., midway through the race.
A lap-23 caution bunched the field behind Kirchoff, but only three cars — Kirchoff, Boen and Mike Stadel — were on the lead lap.
That number dropped to two when Stadel got stuck behind rookies Dylan Schmer and Kim Horn and tried a three-wide move in turn one. Stadel got tangled with Shmer and broke a rear axle, losing a wheel and his points lead at the same time. Tony Leiker was also involved in the skirmish.
Up front, Kirchoff has two more laps to run with Boen right on his rear deck. Boen put some pressure on the leader, but Kirchoff held on for the victory.
Notebook
Kirchoff's MasterSbilt Race Car is sponsored by ESSI Motorsports, K&K Import Repair, Dagwood Lettering & Graphics, Badger Welding, Baumberger Construction and Peterson Fluid Systems. ... Kirchoff's four career CLMA victories put him in a tie for sixth all-time on the tour that launched in 2001. ... Runner-up Kelly Boen, who is second with 11 career CLMA victories, was celebrating a birthday. ... Female driver Kim Horn was piloting her Limited Late Model against CLMA drivers for the first time. ... Kirchoff's fastest lap cracked the 100 mph mark.
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