ALTAMAHAW, N.C. – What appeared to be a straightforward win for Jimmy McCune turned into a final-lap thrill show during the opener to the Must See Racing Championships Friday night at Ace Speedway.

McCune, who assumed command of the 30-lap tilt on lap 14 after early leader Ryan Litt went to the work area with a flat right-rear tire, appeared to be cruising to victory over Brian Gerster as he took the white flag from chief starter Bill Shipman.

Jimmy McCune won Friday's Must See Racing sprint car bout at Ace Speedway. (David Sink photo)

Then turn three came along, and McCune found himself suddenly pinned behind the slower car of Johnny Petrozelle III with the checkered flag in sight.

At that moment, Gerster pitched a Hail Mary pass attempt down to the apron of the fourth corner, nosing ahead of McCune for an instant before his longtime rival used the momentum off the high side of the race track to surge back past coming to the finish line.

Knifing around another lapped car and nearly shoving Petrozelle across the stripe, McCune edged out Gerster by a car length – or .114 seconds – for his fourth win of the season, extending his point lead.

“I knew he was going to throw it down there; I saw the way that those lap cars were at the end and I was like, ‘Oh God, I don't want to hit the bottom,’ so I just held it there. And then I saw him go and I just hit the hammer. I was gonna push the 81 (Petrozelle) across the line if I needed to.”

The victory was the 33rd of McCune’s Must See Racing Sprint Car Series career in the tour’s maiden visit to the four-tenths-mile, semi-banked North Carolina oval.

And while Friday night’s triumph did put McCune in prime position to sew up his fifth straight championship during Saturday’s season finale race, that was the last thing on his mind in victory lane.

“Everyone knows I don’t think about points, but man, Litt was real strong early,” McCune acknowledged. “It looked like we were just starting to catch him when he got to the heavier traffic; we were just starting to inch back up, because I made a couple of adjustments during that run and the car seemed to like it and started coming back to me. I thought maybe we would have had something for him.

“It would have been nice to race him. It’s just an unfortunate that he had that tire cut down, because it would’ve been a hell of a battle between the three of us.”

Gerster hung on for second in the breathtaking finish, admitting that if the stakes were higher, he might have used a different tactic to reach the line first instead of the squeaky-clean finish that ensued.

“If we were racing for $10,000 in this one, I probably would have fed him a right rear (tire),” said Gerster of his battle with McCune.

Joe Liguori filled out the podium, racing to his strongest result of the season, with Litt climbing back to fourth after a successful tire change in the work area.

Litt was attempting to pass the lapped car of Tim Henthorne going down the frontstretch when the two made contact, cutting down both Henthorne’s left-front tire and Litt’s right rear.

“I could have been a little more patient, but I basically had him (Henthorne) cleared,” noted Litt. “He came down and apologized. It’s just really disappointing. This thing was a rocketship tonight.’

To view complete race results, advance to the next page.

RACE RESULTS: Must See Racing Sprint Car Series; Ace Speedway; Oct. 18, 2019

Hamilton Trucking Time Trials: 1. #50m – Brian Gerster, 13.567; 2. #88 – Jimmy McCune, 13.655; 3. #13 – Joe Liguori, 13.709; 4. #07 – Ryan Litt, 13.726; 5. #26 – Jeff Bloom, 13.845; 6. #75c – Jerry Caryer, 14.034; 7. #8 – Anthony McCune, 14.065; 8. #9s – Charlie Schultz, 14.180; 9. #81 – Johnny Petrozelle III, 14.498; 10. #8a – Adam Biltz, 14.634; 11. #72s – Joe Speakman, 14.710; 12. #17 – Bobby Komisarski, 14.750; 13. #85 – Rick Holley, 15.159; 14. #15 – Tim Henthorne, 15.458; 15. #51 – Joshua Sexton, 15.575; 16. #4L – Anthony Linkenhoker, 15.969; 17. #74 – Ivan Shaver, 16.250; 18. #7 – Tom Jewell, 16.342; 19. #32 – Todd McQuillen, 17.115.

Abe’s Auto Parts Heat #1 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Joe Liguori (4), 2. Bobby Komisarski (1), 3. Johnny Petrozelle III (2), 4. Jerry Caryer (3), 5. Rick Holley (5), 6. Anthony Linkenhoker (6), 7. Todd McQuillen (7).

Abe’s Auto Parts Heat #2 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Charlie Schultz (2), 2. Jimmy McCune (4), 3. Jeff Bloom (3), 4. Joe Speakman (1), 5. Tim Henthorne (5), 6. Ivan Shaver (6).

Abe’s Auto Parts Heat #3 (8 laps, all transfer): 1. Anthony McCune (2), 2. Brian Gerster (4), 3. Ryan Litt (3), 4. Adam Biltz (1), 5. Joshua Sexton (5), 6. Tom Jewell (6).

Engine Pro A-Feature (30 laps): 1. #88 – Jimmy McCune (5); 2. #50m – Brian Gerster (6); 3. #13 – Joe Liguori (4); 4. #07L – Ryan Litt (3); 5. #9s – Charlie Schultz (7); 6. #75c – Jerry Caryer (1); 7. #26 – Jeff Bloom (2); 8. #81 – Johnny Petrozelle (8); 9. #8a – Adam Biltz (9); 10. #72s – Joe Speakman (10); 11. #85 – Rick Holley (11); 12. #15 – Tim Henthorne (12); 13. #4 – Anthony Linkenhoker (13); 14. #51 – Joshua Sexton (16); 15. #74 – Ivan Shaver (14); 16. #17 – Bobby Komisarski (15); 17. #32 – Todd McQuillen (18); 18. #7 – Tom Jewell (17); 19. #8 – Anthony McCune (DNS).

Lap Leader(s): Ryan Litt 1-13, Jimmy McCune 14-30.

Hard Charger: #88 – Jimmy McCune (+4)

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Jacob Seelman
Freelance Writer
Series Announcer for Must See Racing

ALTAMAHAW, N.C. – Continuing his torrid pace at Ace Speedway, Brian Gerster rolled to the 31st fast time of his Must See Racing Sprint Car Series presented by Engine Pro career during Hamilton Trucking Time Trials on Friday night.

Gerster, who was fastest in practice and the final car to take time in qualifying, powered to a lap of 13.567 seconds (106.140 mph) around the four-tenths-mile oval with the Dick Myers Racing No. 50m.

The two-time Must See Racing champion’s effort was his series-leading fourth fast time of the year.

Brian Gerster at speed at Ace Speedway on Friday. (Jacob Seelman photo)

Gerster’s longtime rival – four-time series champion Jimmy McCune – was second-quick in qualifying, just as he was in practice during the afternoon. A lap of 13.655 seconds (105.456 mph) with the No. 88 Abe’s Auto Parts & Sales/B&B Machinery Movers/Rev-X Oil sprinter was the Toledo, Ohio native’s best.

Florida’s Joe Liguori (13.709/105.040) was third on the board, ahead of championship hopeful Ryan Litt (13.726/104.910) and National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Jeff Bloom (13.845/104.009).

Jerry Caryer, Anthony McCune, Charlie Schultz, Johnny Petrozelle III and Adam Biltz filled the top 10.

All 19 cars on the grounds turned a lap in qualifying, with a spin by Schultz on his second lap serving as the lone issue during the time-trial session.

Racing at Ace Speedway is slated to begin shortly after 8:30 p.m. The program is headlined by a 30-lap Must See Racing Sprint Car Series feature, a precursor to the championship 40-lap main on Saturday.

QUALIFYING RESULTS: Must See Racing Sprint Car Series; Ace Speedway; Oct. 18, 2019

Hamilton Trucking Time Trials: 1. #50m – Brian Gerster, 13.567; 2. #88 – Jimmy McCune, 13.655; 3. #13 – Joe Liguori, 13.709; 4. #07 – Ryan Litt, 13.726; 5. #26 – Jeff Bloom, 13.845; 6. #75c – Jerry Caryer, 14.034; 7. #8 – Anthony McCune, 14.065; 8. #9s – Charlie Schultz, 14.180; 9. #81 – Johnny Petrozelle III, 14.498; 10. #8a – Adam Biltz, 14.634; 11. #72s – Joe Speakman, 14.710; 12. #17 – Bobby Komisarski, 14.750; 13. #85 – Rick Holley, 15.159; 14. #15 – Tim Henthorne, 15.458; 15. #51 – Joshua Sexton, 15.575; 16. #4L – Anthony Linkenhoker, 15.969; 17. #74 – Ivan Shaver, 16.250; 18. #7 – Tom Jewell, 16.342; 19. #32 – Todd McQuillen, 17.115.

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Jacob Seelman
Freelance Writer
Series Announcer for Must See Racing

ALTAMAHAW, N.C. – Brian Gerster led the way during Friday afternoon’s opening practice rounds for the Must See Racing Championships at North Carolina’s Ace Speedway.

Gerster, who unofficially eclipsed the current Ace track record of 13.22 seconds during open testing on Thursday, turned a best lap of 13.540 seconds (106.352 mph) with the No. 50 RAM Engineering Midwest sprinter for Dick Myers Racing in the second of two 15-minute sessions, amid the afternoon heat.

Second on the time sheets was the driver hoping to secure his fifth consecutive Must See Racing Sprint Car Series championship this weekend, Jimmy McCune. The Toledo, Ohio, driver posted a time of 13.653 seconds (105.471 mph) with his No. 88 Abe’s Auto Parts & Sales/B&B Machinery Movers/Rev-X Oil machine.

Following McCune was his season-long championship rival, Canadian Ryan Litt, at 13.717 seconds (104.979 mph) in the No. 07L Xtreme Metal Worx/BS&B Radiator Diablo.

Joe Liguori and Anthony McCune completed the top five.

The only incident of note occurred in first practice, when Tom Jewell got out of the groove in turn one and slapped the outside wall at the exit of the second corner, his second incident in the last two races.

Jewell was unhurt and his White Hare Racing team was able to repair the No. 7 mount for final practice.

Qualifying for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series will roll off at 6:45 p.m.

PRACTICE RESULTS: Must See Racing Sprint Car Series; Ace Speedway; Oct. 18, 2019

1. #50m – Brian Gerster, 13.540 seconds
2. #88 – Jimmy McCune, 13.653 seconds
3. #07 – Ryan Litt, 13.717 seconds
4. #13 – Joe Liguori, 13.876 seconds
5. #8 – Anthony McCune, 13.895 seconds
6. #9s – Charlie Schultz, 13.947 seconds
7. #26 – Jeff Bloom, 14.081 seconds
8. #75c – Jerry Caryer, 14.241 seconds
9. #17 – Bobby Komisarski, 14.407 seconds
10. #8a – Adam Biltz, 14.484 seconds
11. #81 – Johnny Petrozelle III, 14.584 seconds
12. #72s – Joe Speakman, 14.625 seconds
13. #7 – Tom Jewell, 14.749 seconds
14. #85 – Rick Holley, 15.116 seconds
15. #15 – Tim Henthorne, 15.250 seconds
16. #51 – Joshua Sexton, 15.314 seconds
17. #4 – Anthony Linkenhoker, 15.415 seconds
18. #32 – Todd McQuillen, 15.789 seconds
19. #74 – Ivan Shaver, 15.863 seconds

Jacob Seelman
Freelance Writer
Series Announcer for Must See Racing