Kalamazoo, MI (Wednesday, August 18, 2021) - In Outlaw Super Late Model racing, the bucket list for Tyler Roahrig seems to be getting smaller. Heading into 2021, the Plymouth, Indiana native has been able to capture multiple Summer Sizzler and Kalamazoo Klash wins, but had never accomplished that feat in the same season. You can now check that box, as Roahrig held off 12 time Kalamazoo Speedway track champion Andy Bozell over the final 41 laps to capture Kalamazoo Klash XXIX on Wednesday night.
The evening would kick off with Brian Bergakker taking Fast Qualifier honors. Roahrig would clock in 7th in qualifying, putting him on the outside of the second row for the main event, due to the 10 car inversion. Kyle Crump and Adam Terry would lead the field to green, but on lap 1, a huge pile-up would involve Bergakker, JR Roahrig, Doug True, and others. Following the restart, Roahrig would pick up the race lead and control most of the event. It wasn’t until after a lap 84 caution that the now 4 time Klash champion would be put to the test. While defending champion Steve Needles would fade, Bozell gave Roahrig all he could handle in the remaining circuits, but came up a car length short of his 5th Klash victory.
“It definitely wore me out, I knew he was right there,” Roahrig told Speed51. “ I knew that Andy was probably going to be better but my car just went away after that caution, which is shocking because my car normally gets better after a couple cautions.”
Bozell has competed in all 29 Klash events, picking up wins in 1993, 1994, 1997, and 2007. Phil Bozell, Needles, and former track champion Mark Shook would round out the top 5.
Story - Rich Frantz, Horsepower Happenings
Photo - Speed51