Gunn Collects $20K Win at Staging Light Stone Jug Race #1

Barush, Barr, Boring, Gunn, Yaeger, and McCune earned wins at Event #1 of the Staging Light Stone Jug Championship Bracket Series presented by GOTUS Trucking at Keystone Raceway Park.

Photos by Chris Simmons Photography

Race Recaps provided by Staging Light

NEW ALEXANDRIA, PA- Staging Light kicked off their Stone Jug Championship Bracket Series with Event #1 on June 21-23, 2024 at Keystone Raceway Park. This event featured three-days of bracket racing action with the Fuel Factory $10K on Friday, Abruzzi Transmission & Converters $20K on Saturday, and the McCarty Auto Parts $10K on Sunday. On the side of caution, race officials made the decision to run both the Abruzzi $20K and McCarty Auto Parts $10K on Saturday due to incoming weather.

The next event on the Stone Jug Championship Bracket Series schedule is the 10th Annual 660 Top Bulb Nationals & Bottom Bulb Challenge on July 26-28, 2024 at Keystone Raceway Park.

Fuel Factory $10K Friday

In Fuel Factory Friday, Bill Barr footbraked his way past AJ Casini in the One Sky Media Webmasters No-Box field to pick up the bonus money plus a Summit gift certificate. Barr joined in the main event, and soon after became the last door car remaining. At the ladder round, Joe Barush threw 3 total at Kyle Cultrera, Barr put out Andy Conrath, and JP Schuster trailered Joey Stojackovich.

In the semi-finals, Barr laid down 16 total against Schuster’s .015 dead 5. Barush held the Bye Run, and honored Sean Serra with the 1.39 dial salute.

In the finals, Barush was not to be denied with a .002 dead 5, over Barr’s lone miss of eliminations, .029 dead 3. Barush picked up the Staging Light Eagle Trophy and Big Check, Hot Shot’s Secret Winner’s Box, and Maxx Performance Inc. Fuel Jug with a barrage of incredible laps throughout the Friday main event.

Fuel Factory $3K Gamblers

In the Fuel Factory Friday $3K Gamblers, Kevin Boring punched his ticket to the winner’s circle over a brutally competitive field. In the finals, Boring’s 13 total was enough to push out Russ Benish, who laid down a number of outstanding runs throughout eliminations himself.

Abruzzi $20K Saturday

Canada’s Dave Gunn added another big check to his collection in the Abruzzi 20K, using a .001 to qualify on top of an even ladder and then backed it up with a .000 to earn the all-important semi-final bye. Rich Coury ran himself on the ladder, then faced bottom bulber CJ Yaeger in the semis, who defeated Jake Battaglia in the One Sky Media No-Box final. Yaeger’s .012 dead 0 ended Coury’s impressive run.

In the finals, Gunn locked up the victory with a .008 dead 3, over Yaeger’s .016 dead 9.

McCarty Auto Parts $10K Sunday

File this one under “We didn’t have an MVP Award, but if we did, Kevin Boring won the dang thing!” Piled on top of the Best Package of Fuel Factory Friday and a win in the Friday $3K Gamblers, Boring repeatedly found his way to dead-on to capture the McCarty Auto Parts $10K Finale.

Mark Orlowski suffered through some gremlins early in the day, but once they were exorcised, the car and driver marched confidently toward the finals. Once there, however, Orlowski went LB3A to give the McCarty Auto Parts 10K win to Boring.

Mike McCune double-oh’d his way to the One Sky Media No-Box Bonus by defeating a red-hot Nick Bowman, which earned him a spot on the ladder in the main event.

Congratulations to all winners and finalists from Event #1 of the Staging Light Stone Jug Championship Bracket Series presented by GOTUS Trucking at Keystone Raceway Park.

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