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Texas Super Racing Series returns to Corpus Christi Speedway after four year absence

After nearly a four-year absence from racing at Corpus Christi Speedway, the Texas Super Racing Series Late Model Series returns to the quarter-mile ‘bullring’ on Saturday night.

“I’m thrilled to be able to go back to Corpus Christi,” said Mary Ann Naumann, TSRS founder and owner. “I have always liked the little ‘Bullring.’ It can be a little intimidating for the drivers and given the right respect, it’s a fun track to watch a race there.”

Corpus Christi Speedway, better know as the ‘Bullring’ in the South Texas racing community, has a reputation of being a fast, but challenging quarter-mile asphalt oval. The last time the TSRS Late Models visited the speedway was April 23, 2005. Jamie Fuller won that event.

On Saturday night, the TSRS Late Models and the newly acquired Allison Legacy Series will compete for the first and only time this season at the track.

The Late Models will compete in a 75-lap race and the Allison Legacy Series will compete in a 50-lap main event. The gates open at 6 p.m., qualifying for both series begins at 7 p.m. and the feature races start at 8 p.m.

“I see a different kind of excitement with the staff, officials and the teams that have already pre-registered,” Naumann said. “This will be the first time the series has been away from our home track this season and for the Allison Legacy Series, I think it is going to be extremely exciting for them because it will be the first time that they will really be a part of the TSRS.”

Naumann, also the owner and promoter of Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, said a new sense of excitement and enthusiasm has been developed with both series since she acquired the Allison Legacy Series late last year.

“I know that it is a huge part of Thunderhill by having the TSRS there and adding the Allison Legacy Series too,” Naumann said. “Bringing on the TSRS Allison Legacy Series has been a new branching that to me has put a little more excitement in the series.”

Naumann said she is pleased with the way the TSRS Late Model season has started. After two races there are two different winners on circuit. Robert Barker won the season opener on March 14 and Cody Smith won the last race on March 28. Both races were held at Thunderhill.

“No one is dominating this year,” Naumann said. “I think we are going to see some good side-by-side and good, hard racing. A lot of cars are competitive with each other, and they are not separated.”

Despite a struggling economy, the two series are drawing decent car counts. The Late Models are averaging 17 cars per race and the Allison Legacy almost 14.

“I think that because of the way we’ve scheduled the races that we try to give the teams enough time in between (events),” she said. “And what they have done is budgeted it out where they can afford to run with us.”

Saturday’s race marks the third stop on the TSRS circuit. In addition to the Corpus Christi and Thunderhill, the series’ home-based track, the TSRS Late Models will also be racing at Houston Motorsports Park Speedway and at Red River Speedway in Wichita Falls in 2009.

“I think it’s wonderful for the series that we have four different tracks where we compete,” Naumann said. “I think the reputation that the series has had and the consistency that it has had, has played an important part of why the tracks want the series to be there.”

Barker enters Saturday’s 75-lap TSRS Late Model race with a narrow five-point lead over Bobby Teer Jr. in the series standings. Smith is 39 points back in third, followed by rookies Jeff O’Neill and Kendall Bumbera, who are fourth and fifth respectively. Only 66 points separate the top five drivers in the standings.

“I think once the drivers start seeing the different tracks where they are going to be racing, then they will get more excited about it and it will seem more like a touring and traveling series.” Naumann said.

by Mike Haag, San Antonio Express-News
Photos by Jeff Garvin

Pursley, East and Barker score big wins at Allstate Texas Racefest at Thunderhill Raceway

It was bone-chilling cold in Kyle, Texas, but the racing on the 3/8-mile Thunderhill Raceway oval was plenty hot as the Allstate Texas Racefest took the green flag at Thunderhill Raceway Saturday night. About 4,000 fans braved chilly, 50 degree temperatures for a rare NASCAR Grand National West appearance as well as an equally rare visit by the USAC National Midgets and the season opener for the Texas Super Racing Series Late Models.

A controversial finish highlighted the featured NASCAR Grand National West 150-lapper at the tight 3/8-mile, paved Thunderhill oval.

After leading the last third of the race, Mike David of Modesto, CA, found himself facing a green, white checkered finish because of a caution period on the next to last lap. Since NASCAR utilizes side-by-side restarts, Eric Holmes of Escalon, CA, lined up outside the leader with Greg Pursley of Newhill, CA, positioned directly behind David.

David and Holmes raced door-to-door for a lap with David forcing Holmes up the track as the field took the white flag. This gave Pursley a chance to dive to the inside and the trio went into turn one three wide, which doesn’t usually work well at the Kyle speed plant.

Pursley, on the very inside, collided with David as he came back down the track, sending the latter into a spin, then took the lead and sprinted to the finish line for his first win in the prestigious series.

“Mike and Eric were beating each other up pretty good,” Pursley said. “I got under (David) and he turned down. It definitely wasn’t intentional. We don’t run that way. David is a friend of mine and we’ve been racing together a long time.”

However, David appeared to be upset at the turn of events after he led for more than 60 laps before the mishap on the last circuit.

“It’s just one of those thing,” Pursley said.

Moses Smith of Tempe, AZ, who had not been a factor in the race until the end when he scooted around the last lap skirmish, finished second while Holmes took third.

Unofficial Results

1. 26 Greg Pursley, Newhall, CA, 155 laps
2. 16 Moses Smith, Tempe, AZ, 155
3. 20 Eric Holmes, Escalon, CA, 155
4. 88 Jamie Dick, Albuquerque, NM, 155
5. 61 Brett Thompson, Jerome, ID,155
6. 17 David Mayhew, Atascadero, CA, 155
7. 2 Mike David, Modesto, CA, 155
8. 34 Johathon Gomez, Twin Falls, ID, 155
9. 6 Jason Bowles, Ontario, CA, 154
10. 10 James Warm, Aurora, OR, 154
11. 21 Blake Koch, West Palm Beach, FL, 154
12. 3 Wes Banks, Oakdale, CA, 153
13. 15 Jack Sellers, Sacramento, CA, 152
14. 5 Jonathan Hale, Rio Linda, CA, 152
15. 1 Jim Inglebright, Fairfield, CA, 150
16. 09 Bow Carpenter, San Antonio, TX, 147
17. 12 Paulie Harraka, Wayne, NJ, 106
DNF 04 Phillip Hollis, Evandale, TX, 29
DNF 31 Jim Marchino, Modesto, CA, 5

Earlier in the evening, Bobby East of Pittsboro, IN, knocked out an easy victory in the Texas Lightning 100 USAC midget car race. By the time 30 of the race’s 60 laps were in the books, East had lapped seven cars and had built a huge lead over the 22-car field.

“I could tell the car was fast, but you never know how fast until you run,” East said.

Even after a caution flag bunched the cars after 30 laps, East re-asserted himself and won virtually without contest.

“We had a great lead and the car ran great the whole race,” East said. “Hopefully, it’s a sign of things to come.”

The win was East’s first in four starts this season. Within three weeks, he said, his team will be back up in Indiana, where midget racing enjoys its greatest popularity. After starting the season with three races in California, East wasn’t alone in expecting the Texas weather to be more accommodating.

However, race night temperatures in the upper 40s kept the track from heating up enough to prevent sliding.

“It was colder here today than it was in Indiana,” East said.

Unofficial Results

1. 4 Bobby East, 60 laps
2. 3 Darren Hagen, 60
3. 7A Dakoda Armstrong, 60
4. 67 Kevin Swindell, 60
5. 21 Tracy Hines, 60
6. 17B Brad Kuhn, 60
7. 1 Cole Whitt, 60
8. 11 Jerry Coons Jr, 60
9. 98 Bobby Santos, 60
10. 7C Caleb Armstrong, 60
11. 30 Chad Boat, 60
12. 49 Brad Sweet, 60
13. 20 Levi Jones, 60
14. 69 A.J. Fike, 59
15. 8 Ricky Ehrgott, 58
16. 97 Cale Conley, 58
17. 12 Henry Clarke, 57
18. 06 Mario Clouser, 54
19. 17 Chris Windom, 44
20. 16 Slade Miller, 25
21. 31 Buddy Lowther, 21
22. 5D Zach Daum, 4

In the night’s first race, a 50-lap Texas Super Racing Series feature, Robert Barker beat Heath Stewart by one-half car length after the two raced neck and neck for the duration.

Barker, the runnerup to 2008 TSRS Late Model champion Heath Stewart last season, got a bit of revenge as he got the jump on Stewart at the very start of the race then held off Stewart for the entire race and won by a scant half-a-car length at the finish.

The win is Barker’s fourth career TSRS win, moving him up into a tie for fifth place on the all-time TSRS win list with Stewart as well as former series champ Ronny New.

This race also generated a bit of controversy.

On Lap 44, Stewart, who was being challenged hard by ‘08 Rookie of the Year Jake Kruger, spun coming out of Turn 2 after contact with Kruger. After some discussion among race officials it was ruled that Kruger had spun Stewart and sent Kruger to the back while Stewart retained his second-place spot.

Official Results
1. Robert Barker, Boerne
2. Heath Stewart, Del Valle
3. Bobby Teer, Jr., Comfort
4. Chris Schild, Leander
5. Cary Stapp, San Marcos
6. Jeff O’Neill (R), Round Rock
7. Dillon Spreen, Boerne
8. Jake Kruger, Bastrop
9. Bradley Burke, Johnson City
10. Kendall Bumbera (R), Sealy
11. Todd Farris, College Station
12. Mark Mathias (R), San Antonio
13. Jason Hollander, Round Rock
14. Cody Smith, La Vernia
15. Levi Krauss (R), Schertz

(R) Denotes 2009 TSRS Rookie

Staff Report
Photos by Jeff Garvin and Tory Christopher

Proven field lines up for Texas Super Racing Series opener this weekend at THR

There will plenty of “bragging rights” at the start/finish line when the Texas Super Racing Series (TSRS) Late Models line up to take the green flag for their season opener this Saturday for the Allstate Texas Thunder 50 at the 3/8-mile asphalt oval that is Thunderhill Raceway (Kyle, TX).

Among the drivers expected to start the TSRS season opener, there are 22 track and series championships, along with four Rookie of the Year (ROY) trophies.

Included in that barrage of championships and ROY titles is 2005 TSRS champion Chris Schild (Leander, TX), who had a four-year run of winning at least one race, which was snapped last season. Schild, the 2005 TSRS champion, has more than enough incentive to drive to victory lane on Saturday, as he’s tied with ‘06 series champ Tommy Gural for the most career wins in TSRS history (eight).

And expect Schild to start near the front as he’s the series leader in Fast Qualifier Awards (13).

There will be plenty of competition from a field that includes a host of up-and-coming youngsters. Fifteen-year-old Jake Kruger (Bastrop, TX) won two series races in ’08 and beat out Dillon Spreen (age 14) for the ROY award last season. Spreen, from Boerne (TX), is a nine-time champion (seven quarter-midget regional championships, two Allison Legacy championships) and will be out to add another drivers’ award to his large trophy case.

Two more young guns who will take their first laps in TSRS at Thunderhill Raceway (THR) on Saturday: Levi Krauss (age 17, Schertz, TX), the ‘08 ASA A-Line Super Stock ROY at THR; and, Kendall Bumbera, (Sealy, TX) the sister to Kristin Bumbera, who is currently driving in the NASCAR Camping World Series East for Bobby Hamilton, Jr.

Schild is one of a few “grizzled veterans” who will be spotlighted Saturday. Cody Smith, who was the 2006 TSRS ROY and Runner-up Champion as well as the ’05 THR Hobby Stock Champion, will steer his #05 car onto the track. He and Schild will be joined – among others – by Cary Stapp, the 2008 ASA National Champion and four-time THR ASA A-Line Super Stock champ; and, Bobby Teer Jr. (Comfort, TX) the 2004 THR Super Stock champ.

Information on TSRS can be found at www.manracingpromotions.com. Information about THR and the Allstate Texas Racefest can be found at www.texasracefest.com.

by Chuck Licata
Photo by Jeff Garvin

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