NickHolt Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 For Immediate Release – August 13, 2006 Contact: Nick Holt, USRA Media Director (210) 690-8564 (office) (210) 415-1251 (cell) cnholt@sbcglobal.net Aramendia, Barker Split NASCAR Late Model Twin 25s at San Antonio Speedway A good crowd was on hand Saturday night for the “Craftsman Night at the Races” stock car racing show at San Antonio Speedway that featured twin 25-lap main events for the NASCAR Late Models and a wild Demo Derby to top off the night. Late Model points leader Joe Aramendia of San Antonio resumed his winning ways in the first twin 25-lap feature, taking a narrow victory over arch-rival and defending NASCAR LM champion Robert Barker of Boerne. Aramendia dominated the first half of the season at the half-mile, high-banked SAS oval and at one point a bounty of several hundred dollars was offered by the track to anyone who could beat him “fair and square.” Barker was the one who finally pocketed the bounty money which was the beginning of a three-race win streak of his own. In the first Craftsman Twin 25, China Grove’s Frank Johnson, who started on the outside pole next to Aramendia’s teammate Brian Moczygemba of San Antonio, got a good jump and took off leaving Moczygemba, Aramendia and Barker several car lengths behind. But by the fourth lap Aramendia and Barker got by Moczygemba and took off after Johnson who looked like he was destined to pick up his first Late Model victory of the season. It was not to be, however, as Johnson picked up a slight push in the turns after a brief caution period at lap 11 for contact and spin outs involving Jourdanton’s Donny Horelka and Moczygemba. It wasn’t long after the restart that Johnson slipped up the track between turns one and two which allowed both Aramendia and Barker to scoot under Johnson. Barker then went to work looking for a way past Aramendia for the lead. It looked like Barker had the faster car, but every time it looked like Barker had found an opening Aramendia would shut the door. Johnson’s night came to a violent end while running a strong third when a ball joint in the right front suspension failed just as he entered the first turn. His car barely slowed before he smacked the unforgiving SAS steel wall nose first, caromed off the wall and slid down the track into the concrete inside retaining wall. Johnson walked away from the pile of junk that was once a well-maintained Late Model Stock car. “I’m just glad I invested in all that safety equipment,” Johnson said in the understatement of the evening. On the restart – with only five laps remaining - Aramendia and Barker resumed their battle for the lead with Barker looking both inside and outside for a way by. Barker could have easily forced the issue with a bump and run at any number of points, but in keeping with his “run clean: reputation, only incidental contact was made between the pair. Aramendia held on to win by a car length. Moczygemba, Horelka and Donald Pogue of Jourdanton rounded out the top five. At the start of the second 25-lapper, Horelka got out early, but before the second lap was complete Horelka and Moczygemba made contact and spun in turn four. Barker had already passed Horelka for the lead, but since the field reverted to the last completed lap, Horelka was put back in the lead for the restart. It wasn’t long before Barker and Aramendia got by Horelka, but this time Barker took off, leaving Aramendia and several car lengths back while Horelka fell even further back as the laps clicked off. But with four laps to go, Aramendia’s Late Model suddenly began to spew blue smoke. Fearing that oil was being laid down on the track, race officials called for a yellow flag to check the track and Aramendia’s car for oil. None was found. With the field bunched up for the restart, it was Barker, Aramendia and Moczygemba up front and it looked for a minute like Aramendia had something for Barker. Until his car started smoking again, that is. This time there was definitely some oil being put down and Horelka, who was right on Aramendia’s bumper, spun in turn two to bring out the yellow flag along with a black flag for Aramendia. As fate would have it the caution period turned into an extended red flag period as the track’s EMT crew attended to a medical situation in the grandstands. This gave the Aramendia crew plenty of time to fix the oil leak and Aramendia was able to join the rear of the field for the restart. As the green flew with three laps to go, Barker pulled away from Horelka, who was awarded his second place spot back by track officials, and won going away. Horelka finished second with Moczygemba, Todd Farris of College Station and Pogue rounding out the top five. In one of the most competitive races of the evening, Mark Mathias took his Sportsman Camaro to victory circle after a race long battle with Keith Garrett and Eric Knudtson. The top five raced nose-to-tail, bumper-to-bumper for most of the 25-lap Sportsman feature. Rounding out the top five were Tater Mason and Chad Menard. In the supporting races, Jody Wayne Stuart easily won the 15-lap Grand Stock feature and Paul Lipp won by three-quarters of a lap over Leonard Flores in the 20-lap Road Runner main event George Underdahl of Marion, driving a Cadillac Deville, won the slam-bang, six-car Destruction Derby with SAS track announcer Milton Hope coming in second. San Antonio Speedway Results, 8/12/06 NASCAR Late Model 1st 25-lap Feature 1. (79) Joe Aramendia, San Antonio, 19.69, 25 laps 2. (17) Robert Barker, Boerne, 19.32, 25 3. (50) Brian Moczygemba, San Antonio, 19.98, 25 4. (41) Donnie Horelka, Jourdanton, 19.81, 25 5. (16) Donald Pogue, Jourdanton, 20.18, 25 6. (96) Todd Farris, College Station, 21.15, 25 7. (11) Frank Johnson, China Grove, 19.78, 20 8. (7) David Henley, San Antonio, No Time, 2 Lap Leaders: (11) Johnson led 1 - 14, (79) Aramendia led 15 - 25 NASCAR Late Model 2nd 25-lap Feature 1. (17) Robert Barker, 25 laps 2. (41) Donny Horelka, 25 3. (50) Brian Moczygemba, 25 4. (96) Todd Farris, 25 5. (16) Donald Pogue, 24 6. (79) Joe Aramendia, 22 7. (16) David Henley, 16 8. (11) Frank Johnson, DNS Lap Leaders: (41) Horelka led 1, (17) Barker led 2 - 25 NASCAR Sportsman 25-lap Feature 1. (20) Mark Mathias, 25 laps 2. (31) Keith Garrett, 25 3. (12) Tator Mason, 25 4. (5) Chad Menard, 25 5. (15) Tommy Casey, 25 6. (93) Jamie Fuller, 25 7. (29) Jamie Evans, 25 8. (82) Dwayne Markgraf, 23 9. (92) Jason Stanley, 11 10. (6) Craig Crawley, 4 11. (27) Eric Knudtson, DQ Road Runner 20-lap Feature 1. (83) Paul Lipp, 20 laps 2. (66) Leonard Flores, 20 3. (42) J.R. Eichelberger III, 9 4. (5) Gary May, 6 5. (58) Larry Reeves, DNS Grand Stock 15-lap Feature 1. (12) Jody Wayne Stuart, 15 laps 2. (7) Richard Fitch, 15 3. (48) Steve Dalrymple, 7 Destruction Derby 1. (37) George Underdahl, Marion 2. (24) Milton Hope, San Antonio 3. (66) Leonard Flores III 4. (911) Brad Bush, San Antonio 5. (20) Troy Mutz, San Antonio 6. (12) Jody Wayne Stuart, San Antonio ---30--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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