MODIFIED 100 AT I-76
Write up by: Joe Starr / Big West Racing

Fort Morgan, Colorado, August 9, 2008 – I-76 Speedway's owner, Butch Speicher, created another super race, the Modified 100, which was one of the hottest features this year. Along with the other five classes and Fan Appreciation night, the evening fully action-packed.

The Modified 100 Main Event was not for the weak at heart and it took a full field of gutsy drivers to attempt 100 grueling, hard-driven laps. There was so much bump and grind action in the race and crashes that the cars were mostly left with ragged sheet metal hanging on the frames and worn out shocks, joints and tires. The track got rough and the obviously tired drivers showed their grit to make it to the end. Only eleven of the drivers actually got the checkered flag, but it was truly a great race. Earlier Heat Races put Brett Smith of Fort Morgan, and Dominic Ursetta of Arvada, on the front row. Ursetta quickly took the lead but had to continually defend his position from attempts by another Fort Morgan driver, Brad Shelton. With Ursetta still in the lead, Shelton and Smith tangled sending Shelton to the back. At that point, Dave Garmann of Miliken, got the lead. Ursetta worked the next fifteen laps to retake first place from Garmann.

At lap 50, the field of cars was stopped in front of the pit entrance to allow the pit crews to refuel the cars, and the next 50 laps were started. Brad Shelton, with a readjusted attitude, hard-charged his way back to the front and by lap 76 captured the lead. After leading only four laps, Shelton blew his motor sending him to the pits, and relinquishing the lead back to Dominic Ursetta. Ursetta then stretched his lead out showing that he still had the car to win and went for the checkered flag. It was a beautiful win and Ursetta had lots of help celebrating his victory. Garmann came up second and Bill Schumacher of Arvada, was third.