TAMS at San Antonio

[txtom]

Had 19 cars take time Saturday night. #18 Bruce Beddoe put a 19.59 out there for the others to try to beat. Several came close--#5 Jerry Schild ran a 19.61, Chris Swenson in Raymond DeLahoussaye's #15 ran a 19.63, #14 James Cole ran a 19.64. That's 5 hundredths covering the top 4. #77 Jason Ray ran a strong 19.78, and #3 Mike Williams ran a 19.89 to round out the top 6, which were then inverted.

At the start, 3 got the jump, and led 14, 5, 77, and 15. About two laps go by, and 3 slows giving 14 the point. A couple laps later, 18 erupts like an out of control mosquito fogger, ruining a great qualifying effort and early race for Beddoe. Short red flag to check the track, and when they get going again, 14 is out front, followed by 5, 77, 15, 25. They stay this way for a good bit of the race. 14 is setting a blistering pace out front, getting out by over 2 seconds over 5 by half-way.

Somewhere about 20 to go, and cautions flies for 15 with a broken wheel. Racing again, the lead is 14, 5, 77, #25 Larry Smith, and #23 Jeff Smith, who is having his best TAMS race since joining the series. Caution flies again with 14 to go when #11 Kenny Huggins finds the turn three wall. Racing again, 14 takes off again, followed by 5, 77, 25, and 23. At the end, Cole wins in dominating style, followed by 5 who was fighting a really tight car, 77 has a nice smooth run for his second straight top-3 finish, then 25, 23, #29 (Billy Becka I think), 15, #20 Gardner, and #40 Naumann.

No question this was James Cole's race. He's had terrible luck this year, but on this night, he shook that monkey loose, ran over it, dismembered it, and pitched it out of the place.

Solid runs for Schild and Ray, who should now be 1-2 in the points, with Swenson right behind Ray in third.

[Kathy]

That was some colorful story telling.

 

Nice job.

[NickHolt]

Tom,

 

That's some great reporting, dude!

 

Nick Holt