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West KY Dirttrack Series Zentmeyer Triumphs Racing was tight on this night on Paducah International Raceway's 3/8 mile high-banded course and Bill Zentmeyer was the rider putting on the show. After hours of work to get the track dry enough to ride on, promoter Steve Nace laid out another perfectly prepared surface. Zentmeyer's pin-it-open style entertained the crowd with drag strip-style black strips coming off the tires.
Gene Yopp and Dennis Porter led the Over 40 class into turn three on the opening lap with Ed Clark, Byron Ward and Zentmeyer jamming in behind. Yopp set the pace and took control at the front, while Zentmeyer started a charge on this twin cylinder Triumph. Zentmeyer picked off a rider per lap using the top of the groove to do the deed. With two laps left to run, he caught Yopp and immediately move into the point. Zentmeyer kept the throttle pinned and went on for a comfortable win over Yopp, Porter, Ward and Clark.
Bill Gruwell led the Over 30 pack over Yopp, Clark, Steve Atwell and Jeff Jones. Gruwell opened up a lead while Jones worked his way toward the leader. On the last lap Jones used an outside drive into turn three to make the pass and score the win. Gruwell was a close second over Yopp and Clark.
Jeremy Anderson then used the same bike as Jones to nail the hole shot in the Open Amateur final. Anderson then left the pack behind to win by nearly a straightaway. The battle for second was a heated one as Kenny Kondoudis nabbed the spot by half a wheel over Jordan Jenkle.
The 200cc Pro-Am class was a wild affair with five riders having a shot at the win. Hayden Gillim was at the front battling with Frankie Lee Gillim for the spot. At the halfway point Zach Oliffe slipped underneath both riders to take the lead. The Georgia rider kept a smooth line and scored the win while Hayden held on to second over Frankie Lee, Patrick Pyle and Jonathan Heiden.
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Two separate bar bangers were going on in the 85cc class with the Gillim brothers up front and Heiden and Oliffe going at it for third. Coming off turn four to the checkers Hayden came up the inside of Frankie Lee to get the win and Oliffe did the same to Heiden to score third. Ethan Gillim came through the pack to round out the top five.
Hayden also carried the checkers in the 65cc main after holding off a last lap charge by Ethan. Jake Lewis was third over Hayden Stewart and Nathaniel Vowell.
At one spot or another on the track nearly every rider took a turn at the front of the 50cc Shaft class. It all came down to the line with Dylan Douglas taking the win by the narrowest of margins over Jacob Morris, Nick McFadden, Austin Hines, Bubba Neeley and Evan Stewart.
Brian Neblett came back from the second spot in the heat race to score the victory in the Trailrider division over Jeff Heiden and Steve Parrish.
The TT course featured a new layout including three jumps. The 50cc Shaft class took to the track and Morris led them into the infield while both McFadden and Douglas hit the ground. Morris kept it on two wheels to take a safe win over Neeley. McFadden remounted and worked his way back up to third over Hines and Stewart.
Hayden led the 65cc pack into the infield over Lewis and Ethan. Ethan made the move to second two laps later and the podium was set. Stewart and Vowell rounded out the top five.
Frankie Lee netted the win in the large 85cc final with a flag-to-flag run. Jonathan Heiden stayed on his rear wheel to finish second over Cody Brown, Hayden , Nikki Spore, Oliffe, Ethan, Lewis and Mike Heiden.
Dax Powell doubled up on wins in the Open Amateur and 200cc Pro-Am ranks. After coming from behind to nip Tyler Porter at the finish in the Open class, He held a slightly better margin of victory over the 200's. Following him home were Pyle, Frankie Lee, Brandon Thompson, who topped the 200cc Amateur class, and Hayden.
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