By Frank Vehorn

HAMPTON, VA -November 13, 2005- Ken Simmons of Chesapeake avoided the wrecks and problems that plagued most of the other top contenders Saturday night to open the 2005-06 Arena Racing USA season with a convincing Top Dog victory.

The largest opening night crowd in the indoor racing league's four year history - estimated at 3,200, watched the fender-banging action in the Hampton Coliseum.

Simmons, who failed to win one of the 50-lap Top Dog events last season, took the lead after a crash that involved the lead cars on the second lap.

C.E. Falk and Travis Miller were involved in the first-turn crash as Simmons took the lead from pole-sitter Shag Hartman.

Falk dropped back to fourth and Miller to sixth. Falk came back to finish second but his car was no longer strong enough to challenge Simmons. Miller dropped from the chase while running second on the 20th lap.

Jack Parsons finished the Top Dog third, followed by Bobby Dean, Derek Miller, and Matt Midgett.

Simmons, the top rookie on the circuit last season, finished third in the C Main to get his ticket to the Top Dog.

Tempers boiled over a couple of time in the competitive 50-lap Main races.

Both Scott Prilliman and Denver Alvis were ejected from the B Main after going for revenge following an incident between them.

Travis Miller won the B Main after Alvis led the first 21 laps.

Matt Midgett led the final six laps to win the C Main and C.E. Falk took the lead from his brother Wesley on the 42nd lap to win the A Main.

Travis Wall won the rookie race.

Aaron Adams, last season's champion, finished eighth in the A Main and failed to make the Top Dog.

RESULTS Top Dog: 1. Ken Simmons, 2. C.E. Falk, 3. Jack Paarsons, 4. Bobby Dean, 5. Derek Miller, 6. Matt Midgett, 7. Chris Florian, 8. Patrick Morgan, 9. Shag Hartman, 10. Michelle Pearl, 11. Travis Miller, 12. R.J. Davis, 13. Kerry Gilbert.

A Main: 1. C.E. Falk, 2. Derek Miller, 3. Chris Florian, 4. Wesley Falk, 5. R. J. Davis, 6. Kerry Gilbert, 7. Travis Fortune, 8. Aaron Adams, 9. Steve Green, 10. Chris Crecelious.

B Main:`1. Travis Miller, 2. Shag Hartman, 3. Bobby Dean, 4. Michelle Pearl, 5. John Farrer, 6. Denver Allis, 7. Scott Prilliman, 8. Troy Robinson, 9. Bill Dailey C. Main: 1. Matt Midgett, 2. Patrick Morgan, 3. Ken Simmons, 4. Jack Parsons, 5. Larry Murphy, 6. Jordan Wood, 7. Rob Wells, 8. Dan Manherz, 9. Don Guschel.

Rookie Main: 1. Dane Wood, 2. Francis Jarelle, 3. Lee Banks, 4. Stephen Kirby, 5. Travis Wall, 6. Roger Miller, 7. Greg Pass, 8. Craig Rayfield, 9. Randy Sample.

Rookie Heat: 1. Travis Wall, 2. Dane Wood, 3. Randy Sample, 4. Francis Jarelle, 5. Lee Banks, 6. Craig Rayfield, 7. Greg Pass, 8. Roger Miller, 9. Stephen Kirby.

Heat 1: 1. C.E. Falk, 2. Derek Miller, 3. Aaron Adams, 4. R.J. Davis, 5. Travis Miller, 6. Bill Dailey, 7. John Farrer, 8. Jordan Wood, 9. Ken Simmons.

Heat 2. 1. Wesley Falk, 2. Kerry Gilbert, 3. Chris Crecelious, 4. Michelle Pearl, 5. Shag Hartman, 6. Troy Robinson, 7. Larry Murphy, 8. Don Guschel, 9. Rob Wells.

Heat 3. 1. Travis Fortune, 2. Steve Green, 3. Chris Florian, 4. Scott Prilliman, 5. Bobby Dean, 6. Denver Alvis, 7. Patrick Morgan, 8. Jack Parsons, 9. Matt Midgett, 10. Dan Manherz.


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