Texas Pro Sedan results at THR, 7/12/03

[NickHolt]

LaBarge Take His Third Win of the Season at Thunder Hill Raceway

 

Four-time Texas Pro Sedan driver Bill LaBarge of Bryan won his third main event of the 12-race Texas Pro Sedan season Saturday night at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle. With the win LaBarge, who won his heat race and started the 16-car feature from the outside pole with his well-prepared BMW, extended his points lead over VW Scirocco driver Sergio Hexel of San Antonio who finished third.

 

Ford Mustang driver Lalo Leal of Corpus Christi, who won the other qualifying heat and started the 20-lap feature from the pole, beat LaBarge into the first turn of the first lap, but LaBarge squeezed by on the first circuit and led the rest of the caution-free event.

 

An inspired Jack Dishman of Devine, who started the feature from the very back of the pack, worked his potent Ford Mustang through the field to finish second. Dishman would have started much closer to the front but he finished dead last in his heat race after breaking a tie rod bolt early in the event.

 

Once again a trio of VW Scirocco drivers had a stirring battle for position just behind the race leader for most of the event. Sergio Hexel of San Antonio, Donnie Moore of Hutto and Jamie Garner of San Antonio battled nose-to-bumper and door-to-door until they encountered lapped traffic two-thirds of the way through. At that point Dishman was able to pick them off one at a time as the group jockied for position. Hexel finished third, Moore fourth and Garner fifth at the checkered flag.

 

Ronnie Lee of Corpus Christi, father of defending TPS Champion Randy Lee who was on vacation, drove his son's Ford Mustang to a ninth place finish, one lap down. It was the elder Lee's first drive in a TPS car.

 

Results of the Pro Sedan Feature at Thunder Hill Raceway, 7/12/03

 

1. (27) Bill LaBarge, Bryan, BMW, 20 laps

2. (2) Jack Dishman, Devine, Ford Mustang, 20

3. (20) Sergio Hexsel, San Antonnio, VW Scirocco, 20

4. (70) Donnie Moore, Hutto, VW Scirocco, 20

5. (33) Jamie Garner, San Antonio, VW Scirocco, 20

6. (26) Lalo Leal, Corpus Christi, Ford Mustang, 20

7. (7) Jesse Sandoval, Corpus Christi, Ford Mustang, 20

8. (6) Tony Johnson, Schertz, Ford Mustang, 20

9. (30) Ronnie Lee, Corpus Christi, Ford Mustang, 19

10. (66) Ariel Arredondo, Corpus Christi, Ford Pinto, 19

11. (72) Candy Hogan, Cedar Park, VW Sedan, 19

12. (38) Dave Parks, San Antonio, VW Rabbit, 18

13. (78) Dennis Taylor, Live Oak, VW Sedan, 18

14. (34) Shane Hill, Austin, Ford Mustang, 18

15. (12) Joe Moloney, San Antonio, Honda CRX, 16

16. (48) Mike Knotts, Universal City, VW Scirocco, 6 laps

 

Leal won Qualifying Heat 1

LaBarge won Qualifying Heat 2

Leal led lap 1

Labarge led laps 2-20

Margin of Victory 1.5 seconds