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Mike McCarthy on a Mission - Wins Modified Main at I-37 Speedway

Coming back from early early adversity, Round Rock’s Mike McCarthy made a last lap pass to steal the victory IMCA Modified feature from last week’s winner, Rick Green. McCarthy got out front early but was forced to pit from the lead when a shock broke. McCarthy fought his way back to the front to battle with Green. When Green had his own troubles in the final laps, McCarthy snuck by coming to the white flag and held on for the win.

As the 20-lap IMCA Modified main event roared to life, McCarthy got a good jump from the pole to lead them into turn 1 with Bill Pittaway, Rick Green and Matt Fox three wide. Before completing lap 1 Marlin Sanford went around to bring about a complete restart. McCarthy again got out front with Fox and Green side by side for second. Green got the spot on lap 1, while Darin Leonard went by Sanford for fifth.

Robert Liese jr. was next to put Fox back a spot on lap 2 with Fox spinning and collecting Pittaway and Joe Spillman. Under caution McCarthy pulled off with a broken shock to the hot pit handing the lead Green on the lap 3 restart. Once back to green Leonard got past Liese for second, while McCarthy charged back into the top five. Fox looped it again on lap 4 to bring out a caution.

Once back to green McCarthy blasted past Sanford for fourth then Liese for third. Pittaway followed to fifth. A caution for debris on lap 6 saved Spillman who got tagged and spun on the front stretch. Leonard took a look low inside Green as green waved again, but fell back in line as the top three got away clean. Pittaway was able to take fourth from Sanford. At the crossed flags it was Green, Leonard, McCarthy, Pittaway and Sanford.

After a caution for a stalled car, Green got a four car length advantage on the restart but McCarthy quickly closed back in. As the top four eased away Sanford, Spillman and Joe O’Bryan scrapped it out for fifth until O’Bryan went around on lap 16.

The top three broke away on the green with Leonard looking to get back under McCarthy for second. Spillman got inside and by Sanford for fifth, but spun off turn 2 and collected Sanford for a lap 18 caution.

As the racing resumed McCarthy got along side Green with the two wheel to wheel on the back stretch. Green held on to the point until lap 18 when he slipped high in turn 4. McCarthy seized the opportunity and slipped by to lead as the white flag waved. McCarthy in the Superior Race Fuels, Spillman Excavating, BG Mesa, BC Repairs, Quality Engine Exchange, Edge Chassis eased away to take the checkers.

“I was on a mission tonight,” McCarthy said after the race. “I really wanted to get a win tonight. I was driving it hard. This is my first win here since 2005.”

“I had a shock that broke in the heat race but didn’t know it. It started flopping around in the feature so I pulled off and got it off. I ran the entire race without a left rear shock.”

“Rick’s(Green) car had some brake problem and he slipped up and I got under him. I think the most important thing is to race people clean, and that’s what I try to do. No matter who it is. I didn’t have an opening until he broke. I don’t know if I was fast enough to get by him.”

IMCA Modified resuls

1. 20 Mike McCarthy
2. 82 Rick Green
3. 26 Darin Leonard
4. 37 Bill Pittaway
5. 67 Robert Liese jr
6. 44x Joe O’Bryan
7. 44s Joe Spillman
8. 17 Cody Tidwell
9. c31 Marlin Sanford
10. 53 Matt Fox
11. 24 Tracy Fink—DNS

IMCA Modified winners were Bill Pittaway and Mike McCarthy

Johnny Torres Tops in Sportmod Scramble

Even a dismal heat race finish didn’t bother Johnny Torres, who would start the 20-lap IMCA Southern Sportmod feature dead last. Torres quickly worked his way forward running in the top five by halfway. Torres moved in on early leader and defending class champion, Mark McGahey after a restart. Ducking inside on lap 12 Torres got past McGahey to lead lap 13. From there Torres increased his margin over McGahey easily cruising to his first checkers of the season.

“I just drove as hard as I could,” commented Torres who started 13th in the 24/7 Towing, Douglas Glass, Ace Transmissions, Spreen Racing Engines, Stealth Racing Chassis SportMod. “It seemed like I passed some guys three time getting up there. It was worth it at the end. The cushion was working pretty good. It started out a little heavy, but as it went along it dried out and I got faster.”

“I’m pretty good at starting near the back. I can’t remember the last time I started up front so it was like a normal race. That’s why I was comfortable back there. I feel good racing side by side with all these guys. We’ve been racing together for a long time.”

“I’m not worried about points. I’ll just try to win as many as I can and see how it all works out.”

IMCA Southern Sportmod results

1. 66 Johnny Torres
2. 92 Jason Stanley
3. D9 Ray Doyon III
4. 37 Bill Pittaway
5. 88 Mark McGahey
6. 51 Greg Rohmer
7. 18 Larry Jernigan
8. 11 Chris McLendon
9. 89 Doug Livingston
10. 09 David Routen
11. 4 Robby Minten
12. 00 Leland Frautchi
13. 66y Randy Yount

IMCA SSM heat winners: Doug Livingston and Larry Jernigan

With the Limited Late Models and Street Stocks both having short fields, they ran their features together, but scored separately. As green waved Barry Major got the lead of the Limited Late Models, while Dennis Jasik took the Street Stock point. Kelly Hardage got out of shape and body slammed Jasik in turn 2 ending both of their nights early. Once back to green, Major grabbed the top spot again with AJ Wernette leading the Street Stocks.

Wesley Skains, who took a wild ride in the heat race, brought out the yellow on lap 2 when he half spun and stalled. As racing resumed Major eased away from Richard Bartosh and Gary Hunter, as Skains worked his way back up. Skains got by Hunter then Bartosh and chased down Major for the lead on lap 9. Skains lost ground after going to high in turn 2 then went over the turn 2 hill, but not as far as the trees on this adventure.

Major again inched away from Bartosh and Hunter, while Wade Jones was waiting patiently behind Wernette in the Street Stock battle. Jones got around Wernette on the final circuit to take the Street Stock while Major scored his first victory in Limited Late Models.

Tator Plumbing Limited Late Models

1. 33 Barry Major
2. 7 Richard Bartosh
3. 14 Gary Hunter
4. 25 Wesley Skains
5. 18 Shane Moore
6. 12 Kelly Hardage

Limited Late Model heat winner Barry Major

Street Stocks
1. 41 Wade Jones
2. 37 AJ Wernette
3. 8 Dennis Jasik
4. 40 Mike Lyon—DNS

Street Stock heat winner Wade Jones

Jason Smith beat Brandy Ramzinski into turn 1 to get the point in the 18-car, 20-lap Pure Stock feature. Freddie Geirisch got by Ramzinski for second and caught Smith for lead on lap. Marc Roy and Sonny Jones both got past Ramzinski for third and fourth until Roy slipped off turn 2 giving third to Jones. Geirisch and Smith were door to door for the lead on lap 3, while Roy got third back from Jones. Geirisch was able sneak by Smith for the top spot on lap 4.

Roy took second from Smith on lap 4 while Jones snagged third on lap 6. The lead duo of Geirisch and Roy were catching the back of the pack when Anna Major got turned around to bring out a caution on lap 8. Once back to green, Geirisch inched ahead while Roy and Jones swapped second. Behind them Patrick White, Frank Okruhlik and Sean Terry had their own scramble going on for fifth.

Rick Snyder and JW tangled on lap 10 with Major ending up stuck on an infield tire. On the restart Jones ducked low on Geirisch getting along side on the back stretch. Jones got the bumper out front on lap 11 as the two continued to run side by side. Jones slipped high with Geirisch retaking the lead on lap 12 and Roy sneaking past for second. Roy had just started to pressure Geirisch for the lead when yellow waved for James Watson who took his Pure Stock truck four-wheeling of turn 2.

As green waved again Geirisch, Roy and Jones broke away from another three car battle between Ramzinski, Okruhlik and Terry for fourth. Terry got around Okruhlik for fifth on lap 16. With two to go Roy was on Geirisch’s bumper and Jones was lurking three car lengths back. Geirisch was able to hold off the defending track champ Roy on the final lap, with Terry getting by Ramzinski and White going past Okruhlik.

Pure Stocks
1. 19 Freddie Geirisch
2. 24 Marc Roy
3. 555 Sonny Jones
4. 23 Sean Terry
5. 88 Brandy Ramzinski
6. 17 Patrick White
7. 99 Frank Okruhlik
8. 72 Gilbert Amezquita
9. 4 Brandon Eure
10. 9 Jarret Payton
11. 66c Rick Snyder
12. 77 Ray Radicke
13. 43 Eric Watson
14. 44 James Watson
15. 80 JW
16. 33 Anna Major
17. 02 Philip Haywood
18. 13 Jason Smith
19. 15 William Cavender—DNS

Pure Stock heat winners Freddie Geirisch and Marc Roy and Patrick White

With a couple generous contributions from Tator(Mason) Plumbing and Pure Stock driver, Jason Smith the Front Runners has more than just glory and a trophy on the line for their 15-lap, 13-car feature. At the start Chad Thrush and Nick Hencey stayed side by side until Charlie Earnhardt III squirted through the middle to get the lead on lap 1. Hencey, Roy Easler, Thrush and Cameron Smith fell in line behind Earnhardt.

Easler spun himself out of third on lap 2, with James Sanford getting by Smith for fifth. Easler couldn’t clear the edge of the track bringing out a caution on lap 3. On green, Earnhardt and Hencey put some distance on the third place fight. Sanford did a half spin on lap 5 giving up fifth to Steven Stanley. By halfway Earnhardt was pulling ahead of Hencey, while Alec Jasik got by Thrush for third.

Sanford had just taken fifth back from Stanley when red waved for Jasik who ended up on his roof after rolling 1 ½ times in between turns 1-2. Jasik was able to crawl out a little shaken, but otherwise uninjured. When the field was shown the green again Hencey got a good jump getting by Earnhardt in turn 1. Earnhardt fought back in turn 2 to retake the top spot. The top three ran nose to tail in the final laps, but no one could get by the Earnhardt who took his second win on the year.

Front Runners
1. 33 Charlie Earnhardt III
2. 911 Nick Hencey
3. 35 James Sanford
4. T-30 Chad Thrush
5. 20 Brent Bouchillion
6. 96 Steven Stanley
7. 66c Cindy Snider
8. 98 Amber Clay
9. 113 Hailee Marcx
10. 67 Kathy Williams
11. 8jr Alec Jasik—flipped
12. 12 Roy Easler
13. 13 Cameron Smith

Front Runner heat winners Charlie Earnhardt III and Nick Hencey

By J.M. Hallas
Photos by Jamie Brabson

I-37 Raceway’s “Thousand Dollar Shootout” to end season on a high note this weekend

The final night of championship racing at I-37 Raceway featured a full moon, the second largest crowd of the season (which sang the national anthem after the CD had a glitch), and a hard but clean night of racing that made everyone hungry for more next season.

There is one more event left on the schedule, though, and it’s a big one: the second annual Hill Country Satellite “Thousand Buck Shootout” on Friday and Saturday, November 6-7, 2009. This will be the final race until the 2010 season kicks off in mid-March, and each class will have its own sponsor and the newest class, the already popular with fans and drivers front drive “Front Runner” class, will run two races, a normal race on Friday and an enduro on Saturday that is attracting cars from all over south Texas. The Front Runners will be racing in the “Tator Plumbing Front Runner” feature, backed by the San Antonio company.

Boerne’s Robert Barker, winner of the last Texas Super Racing Series race on the asphalt at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, will try dirt racing for the first time, jumping into fellow Boerne resident (and I-37 Race Director) Eric Knudtson’s Chevrolet Camaro to run the “BPTI Street Stock” race. For the fans, the night’s excitement will include a drawing for a new flat screen television set.

Kerrville’s Moe VanKirk started last season a little late but still managed to win the title. This year he blew away the field and won more than two-thirds of the Limited Late Model races despite having to start nearly every race from the back as the points leader. With no points on the line at the “Shootout,” just money, the Limited Lates will likely let it all hang out in the “C-D Electric Limited Late Model” feature.

San Antonio’s Mark McGahey worked speed and consistency into a formula good enough to win his first IMCA Southern Sports Modified championship at I-37 Raceway. The “Sports Mods” will run the “Manning Safety Services Sports Modified” feature, backed by the suppliers of oil-field safety equipment, and the big Modifieds will be back for the “3-D Landscaping Modified” feature.

The Street Stocks saw a season-long battle among four drivers who should (and probably will) move up in class next year. Though last year’s rookie of the year Wade Jones of Jourdanton had the title locked up early, he also had Floresville’s A. J. Wernette and San Antonio driver Tommy Casey on his tail every week and all year.

They’ll be racing for “BPTI Street Stock” purse with no worries about fixing the car before next season, but they will be dealing with an experienced and high-profile “rookie” in Robert Barker, a former winner at San Antonio Speedway, Thunderhill Raceway and Houston Motorsports Park.. This one is likely to get interesting in a hurry.

The Pure Stock class was a battle among several drivers including former track and class champion Janel Hilla, former track photographer Marc Roy, Sean Terry (forced to miss several races due to his work on an oil rig) and rookie William “Heat” Saunders. It came down to the last night, with Hilla winning her heat race to close to within three points of Roy as they started the feature.

Roy had problems of his own, and was forced to use a car borrowed from his teammate Lynn Hardy for the final two races following damage to his car, while Mike Brown, who hadn’t won a race all year, came through to win on the last night. Roy flashed across the line just behind him with Hilla on his tail, but Roy had the Pure Stock title. Still, Hilla has finished first, third and second in the last three championships and will be back next season.

They’ll be running in the “Douglass Glass Pure Stock” feature, with Dennis “Loco Ocho” Jasik of Douglass Glass probably out there in his number 8 Pure Stock trying to keep some of the money in the company.

Cars are expected from Austin, Houston, Goliad and perhaps Killeen with added cash on the line, Overall title sponsor Hill Country Satellite handles everything from Direct TV to security systems and even supplies racing radios.

Racing will start on Friday at 7:30 pm and on Saturday at 7:00 pm. The full schedule for the special Friday-Saturday event will be posted in advance on the I-37 Raceway web site. (www.i37raceway.com) or call (210) 478-0111.

by TQ Jones

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