THURSDAY NIGHT HORNETS AND BUMBLE BEES presented by Steve Copp Construction August 28th, 2008 By Ken Keating, Illusion Photography The curtain came down on the Thursday Night Thunder Series with the Hornet and Bumblebees with a bang. Fifty plus cars qualified making for entertaining and competitive racing once again as the dedication has been consistent all year. Three Trophy Dashes opened the program followed by eight Heat races, and one B-Main with two A-Mains before darkness became a problem.                 The first expert Heat featured a great battle between Daryl and Daryn Cahill. Neither driver gave an inch to the other as they raced side by side and door handle to door handle for several laps. They raced clean with little bumping but almost glued to the other much to the delight of the fans that came to the show. At the flag it was Daryn by just inches as he won the drag race down the front stretch over Brother Daryl. Third place went to Peter Gray-Owen.                 Thirteen cars lined up for the rookies B-Main with the top four cars moving to the A-Main. Willow Webb, sporting a brand new car, led for the first three laps until she was passed by Stewart Manning on lap four. Shane Wright also moved up and into contention on the same lap. Manning led until the very last lap when Tyler Broughton made the pass for the lead. Wright followed through to take the second spot also on the last lap sending Manning into third with Ed Prewitt rounding out the top four.                 Nineteen cars took the green flag for the rookies A-Main. Cody Laughran led start to finish with Blair Davis on his rear bumper also flag to flag. Behind them Cassandra Musfelt, Todd Dunlap, and Reece Crocker jockeyed for positions. At the checkered flag it was the points leader Musfelt holding on for a third place finish.                 Track officials decided that thirty laps would be the distance for the A-Main and final race of the Thursday events and the night as well. Daryn Cahill had the pole with Daryl Cahill starting third. Daryl wasted little time getting to little brother once again. Caleb VanBree moved into third spot on lap three with Robyn Trotter moving to fourth on lap three as well. From his seventeenth starting spot, Dean Bowers jumped to fourth on lap seven and Phil Lagan moved into contention from eighteenth to fifth on lap eight. This set up the best Hornet race for 2008 as the Cahill Brothers once again raced side by side, bumper to bumper up front and Bowers, Trotter and Lagan all glued together trying to get by the Cahills. The fans were very vocal as the five front runners took their turn on trying to get by the others. As with the Heat race Daryl and Daryn raced hard and clean but not giving an inch. The others behind them also raced clean and hard. At the checkered flag it was Daryl returning the favor on his brother as he finished first, Daryn in second, Bowers won the battle for third, VanBree held off the challenge from Lagan.                 The Hornets and Bumblebees will be part of the Hot August Nights program slated for the 29th and 30th. They will be racing the big oval which should lead to some interesting and faster racing.    RACE SUMMARY: BUMBLE BEE TROPHY DASH: Laura Ashley-Grant; Val Quinn; Carrie Shaw; Cassandra Musfelt ROOKIE TROPHY DASH: Larry Rogers; Russell Bragg; Cole Schuurman; Ed Prewett EXPERT TROPHY DASH: Robin Trotter; Mike McPeek; Jean-Luc Lagan; Brandon Carlson BUMBLE BEE HEAT RACE: Jacklyn Orza; Carrie Shaw; Cassandra Musfelt; Lois Lagan ROOKIE #1 HEAT RACE: Jason Ellis; Cole Schuurman; Cameron Phillips; Russell Bragg ROOKIE #2 HEAT RACE: Blair Davis; Brandon Phillips; Garrett Smith; Jake Spring EXPERT #1 HEAT RACE: Daryn Cahill; Daryl Cahill; Peter Gray-Owen; Rocky Sandhu EXPERT #2 HEAT RACE: Steve Copp; Caleb Van Bree; Ian Fraser; Mike McPeek EXPERT #3 HEAT RACE: Daryl Crocker; Phil Calnan; Dean Bowers; Rory Smith ROOKIE FUN HEAT RACE: Garrett Smith; Reece Crocker; Cole Schuurman; Tyler Broughton EXPERT FUN HEAT RACE: Brandon Carlson; Steve Copp; Mike McPeek; Phil Calnan ROOKIE "B" MAIN EVENT: Tyler Broughton; Shane Wright; Stewart Manning; Ed Prewett; Liam Hays Ben Rittenhouse ROOKIE "A" MAIN EVENT: Cody Loughran; Blair Davis; Reece Crocker; Cassandra Musfelt; Stewart Manning EXPERT "A" MAIN EVENT: Daryl Cahill; Daryn Cahill; Dean Bowers; Caleb Van Bree; Phil Lagan; Robin Trotter; Bill Peacey;