2022 CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT SPIRIT AUTO CENTER SPEEDWAY

Tommy Kunsman made it three in a row with his win in the Hyper Racing/EVO Injection 600 Micro Sprint feature event.  Matt Smith was crowned as the 600 Micro Sprint Champion for the third time in his racing career.  Alex Swift raced to his eighth win of the season in the 270 Winged Micro Sprints and won his fourth championship in the with car owners, John and Amanda Blanda.  Amanda Angstadt raced to her seventh win of the season in the All Star Slingshots while Michael Beckett was crowned as the 2022 Slingshot Champion.  Christian Buffalino won his seventh Junior Slingshot feature of the season while Brayden Morrison took the 2022 Championship honors.

Luke Thomas returned to Friday night competition and drew the pole for the start of the twenty-five lap feature event for the 600 Micro Sprints.  Thomas took the lead with Gary Bozowski racing in second.  Kunsman worked his way through the field after starting in the twelfth spot on the grid.  By lap five, Kunsman raced in fourth behind Thomas, Sapp and Steve Snyder, Jr.

By lap nine, the leader was racing into lapped traffic but the caution waved for Daniel Dickerson. The restart gave Thomas a clear track ahead but it also erased his lead and moved Kunsman along side of the Vincent No. 97 on the restart.  Thomas led through lap ten but Kunsman moved out in front on lap eleven.

Thomas kept pace with Kunsman for several laps but was not able to mount a challenge for the lead.  Kunsman and Thomas raced ahead of the field as the battle was ongoing for third with Bozowski, Chris Fenimore and Steven Snyder, Jr.

Kunsman raced to his fifth Spirit victory of the season over Thomas, Bozowski, Fenimore and Snyder, Jr.  Anthony Tramontana raced to a sixth place finish in a second Cassidy Painting No. 92 followed by Bobby Bracall, Connor Gross, Matt Smith and Nick Sapp.

Jon West led the first six laps of the twenty lap winged 270 feature.  Alex Swift raced into second on lap two after starting mid-pack.  Swift took the lead on a lap eight restart.  Both Billy Gray and Nick Walton headed to the pits under the caution.

Swift led all the way to the checkered for his eighth win of the season and the 2022 Championship.  “You could go wherever you wanted,” Swift said of the wide track surface.  “It was smooth and wide.”  The track champion picked up a vibration during the race that had him concerned right up to the checkered flag.

Joe Dopke finished second followed by Tommy Rinck in his own No. 11R, Dominic Pomponi and Lee Nardelli who raced his way back into to the top five after a multi-car incident on lap eight.

Amanda Angstadt drove a flawless race for her seventh win of the season.  Angstadt had pressure throughout the twenty lap All Star Slingshot feature event.  Michael Beckett tried several times to take a look around Angstadt for a challenge.  PJ Bozowski took second away from Beckett with about four laps remaining and pressured Angstadt all the way to the checkered.

Angstadt took the win over Bozowski, past Champion, Ryan Davey, Michael Beckett and Scott Phillip.

Beckett was crowned as the 2022 Slingshot Champion, collecting six wins along the way.  Beckett thanked his family and sponors for their support.

Christian Buffalino won his seventh Junior Slingshot event of the season over Brayden Morrision but it was Morrison who picked up the Championship.  These two drivers have shared Victory Lane since Buffalino started racing earlier this season.