The 31st running of the Mr. Heater Hangover Race at Sandusky Speedway went off under blustery and snowy conditions on Friday, January 1st, but that didn't seem to discourage driver and fans from coming out on the first day of the New Year to celebrate racing at the 1/2 mile speed facility.
Three special classes make up the field for the Mr. Heater Hangover Race... Whiskey Stocks, Moonshine Stocks and Champagne Stocks. Whiskey Stocks are an open competition for American Made Front Wheel Drive 4 or 6 Cylinder cars. Moonshine Stocks are your more traditional "Street Stock" with 2 barrell carbs, cast iron blocks and heads and stock front clips. The Champagne Stocks are an open competition, run what your brung.
The race kicked off just moments after 1pm under overcast skies but with no preciptation falling. Champagne heats went first, followed by the Moonshine class and the 29 cars of the Whiskey class going last.
By feature time, the snow was falling and the snowballs were flying.
The Champagne Stocks took to raceable track conditions and Ron Miller driving his #35 Dirt Late Model of Oakshade Raceway (with sideboards in place) was the class of the field. Ron started on the pole (by virtual of his heat win) and lead from start to finish. He was pursued by the #113 of Rouse and #71 of Smith.
As the Moonshine Stocks took to the track... black ice conditions were starting to develop on the racing surface and drivers had to display extremely high levels of skill and caution to pilot their race vehicles around the track. The #41 of Anderson got out to the early lead and lead the race from Lap 1 to Lap 19... the snow continued to fall faster and harder as the race progressed with the track conditions becoming less and less racy. On the final lap of the race, Anderson with a full straight away lead lost control in turns 1 and 2, opening the door for the #66 of Gregory who avoided trouble and slipped past the spinning Anderson to snatch away the victory.
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When the Whiskey Stocks took to the track, the fans roared in approval as glare ice conditions were now prevelant across the majority of the track. 29 car raced down the front stretch to take the green flag with half the field sliding over the berm of turn one and into the grass.. the green flag continued to wave as track officials let it be known this was going to be run in near enduro fashion. The #58 of James lead the first half of the race till sliding off the track and making contact with lapped cars, giving the lead to the #83 of James. James in his Ford Escort would make slow continual progress.. with lap times approaching 50+ seconds in the conditions. He'd see repeated challengers close the gap, only to slide off one of the turns, as James took the tried and true fashion of making no mistakes to capture the checkered flag.
WATCH MORE OF THE MR. HEATER HANGOVER RACE HERE
