USRA MOdifieds @ Stock Car Spectacular

[rebelracewriter]

Veterans Chris Swenson and H.E. Naumann led the stellar field of 20 for the 75 lap USRA Modified main event. Swenson got the jump on Naumann when the green waved and led out of turn 2. Billy Becka, not showing any signs of points racing, dove inside Swenson on the back stretch and got the point on lap 1. Ryan Englehardt followed into second leaving Swenson and Mark Chrudimsky wheel to wheel for third.

 

Ralph Burris drifted high off turn 2 losing several places and moving Jason Ray up to seventh. The top four had just began to check out when Larry Hughes blew a motor going into turn 1. The leaders, who were close behind, slid and spun through the fluid with Swenson getting into Hughes, putting both on the trailer for the night.

 

Once back under green, the field tip-toed through the oil dry as Becka got ahead of Engelhardt by three car lengths. As the lead group settled in, Bobby Teer jr. got by John Witzsche for ninth. Points contender, Bruce Beddoe was looking to pick up a spot on lap 28 as he pressured Ray for fifth. Yellow waved on lap 29 for spins by David Machen and John Shultz between turns 3-4..

 

After a little bumper tag in the field coming to green, Englehardt stayed on the bumper of Becka, with Chrudimsky a couple lengths back. Chrudimsky closed up on the back of Englehardt and got a run inside down the back stretch. The two made contact sending Englehardt spinning off the track into the grass.

 

Becka and Chrudimsky inched away from the field once back to green with Naumann, Ray and Beddoe rounding out the top five at halfway. Yellow came back out on lap 39 when the corner cone got knocked up onto the track. Ray tagged the cone coming to yellow, scattering little cone-ettes down the front stretch.

 

Becka and Chrudimsky got a good jump on the restart with Chrudimsky quickly looking inside on the front stretch. Chrudimsky got the top spot on lap 48 and got a slight margin on Becka who had gap back to Naumann. Machen brought out another caution on lap 52 when he spun in turn 1.

 

Just as the green waved again, Witzsche got sideways coming out of turn 4 and clipped Shultz sending him airborne for a second. Milton Krauss, Machen and points chasers, Bob Slezinsky and Trey Mitchell all got collected in the melee on the front straight. All drivers were ok and walked away from the grinding crash.

 

Once back to green, Beddoe picked up fourth from Ray and the lead duo crept ahead of Naumann. Beddoe then started to put the heat on Naumann, but got loose losing ground on lap 53. Chrudimsky began to pull away Becka, Naumann and Beddoe, who had caught back up the second place battle.

 

As the top six separated themselves out, Bruce Barber was looking to get by Jim Meyers for seventh. In the waning laps Burris caught Ray for fifth, but never mounted a major challenge. Chrudimsky was on cruise control as he built a one second advantage on Becka. As the checkers waved it was Chrudimsky in the Austin Vol-Tech, Westside Performance, FRE Chassis taking the victory.

 

“Our car took five or six laps to come in,” stated Chrudimsky. “The car was good but it needed a few laps. We got to working on Billy(Becka), he slipped a little, I got under him and went on. I have to thank my Mom, Dad, wife, kids and crew. The car was great. We did what we came to do. We won the last two races and came up a few spots short in the championship battle. My hat’s off to Billy and his guys.”

 

“We were all racing, racing for the win, the big picture tonight was there too. There was only 39 points between the five of us. I race ever lap hard, try to keep it clean. That’s all you can do.”

 

“In should have just wrecked Mark(Chrudimsky) and got the win and championship,” joked new USRA Modified Champion, Becka as Chrudimsky listened in on the tech pad. “No really, it feels really good. This is my first ever championship. I’ve never points raced before in my life. This is actually the first full season I’ve ever run so that makes it even nicer.”

 

“He was a little better than me tonight. We had a good car. The car was a little better than the driver tonight. I messed up and let it get up high and he just got under me. When they told me was there I just let him go. I tried to follow him, but he had the better car.”

 

“I was just running my race, not worried about where Bruce(Beddoe) or the other points racers were. I can only do what I can do. Stay out of trouble and run smart, that’s all you can do.”

 

“Now that I’ve got a championship, I’ll probably go Nextel Cup next season,” added the always entertaining Becka. “I want to thank all my sponsors, Rays Auto & Truck, Insurance Auto Salvage, R&B Fleet Service, Demarithis Tire & Auto Sales, Tim McGallon, Victoria Auto Auctions, and a big, big thanks to John Heil it’s one of his chassis’ and his motor.”

 

USRA Modifieds

Position, Car Number, Name, Hometown, Qualifying Time, Laps Completed

1. (39) Mark Chrudimsky, Hutto, TX, 15.163, 75 Laps

2. (29) Billy Becka, La Vernia, TX, 15.182, 75

3. (40) H.E. Naumann, Del Valle, TX, 15.199, 75

4. (18) Bruce Beddoe, Robstown, TX, 15.121, 75

5. (77) Jason Ray, New Braunfels, TX, 15.403, 75

6. (28) Ralph Burris, Jr, Pearland, TX, 15.343, 75

7. (6) Jim Myers, Corpus Christi, TX, 15.652, 75

8. (71) Bruce Barber, Robstown, TX, 15.995, 75

9. (2) Bobby Teer, Jr, Comfort, TX, 15.393, 75

10. (22) John Paul Kliewer, Boerne, TX, 15.826, 75

11. (96) Milton Krauss, Bulverde, TX, 15.991, 74

12. (45) Clare Randell, Portland, TX, 16.287, 73

13. (97) John Witzsche, Corpus Christi, TX, 15.538, 52

14. (44) John Schultz, Round Rock, TX, 15.695, 52

15. (47) Trey Mitchell, Wimberley, TX, 15. 700, 52

16. (26) Bob Slezinsky, Beeville, TX, 16.043, 52

17. (81) David Machen, Del Valle, TX, 15.847, 52

18. (53) Ryan Engelhardt, Lake Travis, TX, 14.952, 33

19. (15) Chris Swenson, Boerne, TX, 15.174, 820. (88) Larry Hughes, Arlington, TX, 17.089, 7