Tri-City Speedway report 5/18/07

[rebelracewriter]

For Immediate Release - May 18, 2007

 

Dirt Track Racing Delivers the Action, Again!

 

by Bill Morris,

 

Friday night's racing at the Tri-City Speedway provided race fans with an evening of excitement and close racing. From last lap passes to a car over the wall, fans should have qualified for a refund as they only used the edge of the seat that they purchased.

 

In Pure Stock feature action the green flag waved for Dubba Hawkins, who started the event from the pole, minus most of his sheet metal. Hawkins flew his car over the wall in the preliminary heat event, tumbling end over end toward the pit area. Hawkins was not injured and returned to lead the first six laps of the 15-lap feature event. Leading the field to the checkered flag for the second time in as many races was San Antonio’s Adam Torres. Jimmy Schanen, of Beeville, finished in second place ahead of Bastrop’s Danny Bennett.

 

With the Tri-city Speedway being the address for auto racing in the San Antonio area, former pavement drivers are discovering the fun of real racing. Two ex-pavement pilots took home top honors in the 12-lap Street Stock event. Picking up his second win of the season was Boerne’s Eric Knudtson. Taking runner-up honors in his first time racing on the dirt, was Donny Horelka, of San Antonio. Rounding out the top three finishers was San Antonio’s Chris Clark.

 

Fans were on their feet as the Super Stock finish exited the final turn. Helotes’s David Boudreau took an early lead and looked to be on his way to winning the 15-lap feature, but a charge off the fourth turn on the final lap gave the win to New Braunfel’s driver Trey Votion. Boudreau lead the first 14 laps, with Votion leading only one lap, but it was the most important lap. Third place went to Somerset’s Howie Marcx.

 

Winner of the 15-lap feature event for the IMCA Sport Mods was Mickey Helms, racing out of Victoria. Following Helms to the finish line was Robston’s Andy VanBlarcum and Corpus Christi’s Bill Pittaway. The yellow flag interrupted the racing on lap 2 when Pleasanton’s Mike Finkel steered his yellow number 7 into the infield, after losing a engine, in a spectacular cloud of smoke.

 

The 20 lap feature event for the IMCA Mods provided race fans with all the action of dirt track racing. Chris “The Iceman” Swenson, of Kerrville, picked up the checkered flag from his starting spot outside the front row, but it wasn’t easy. An early lap crash coming out of the fourth turn brought out the first red flag. Three cars tangled, turning two of them into “instant junk”. Shawn O’Bannon, of Johnson City, totally destroyed his ride and Victoria’s Max Helms suffered extensive damage to his racer. The third car involved in the “instadent” was Rick Green, who was able to drive away and rejoin the racing. On lap 10, Kerrville’s Greg Dinsmore, who was pressuring the leader, brought out the second red flag, when his motor exploded in a cloud of smoke and a ball of fire. The local fire crew went to work to limit the damage, but Dinsmore was through for the evening. With Dinsmore on the trailer it appeared that Swenson could coast to the winners circle. As the laps wound down, Liberty Hill’s Rick Green, who had started on the rear of the field following his involvement in the early accident, moved through the field and was challenging Swenson for the win off the final turn. Chuck Perry of Corpus filled out the top three finishers.

 

Next Friday night the Tri-City Speedway will host pick-up truck racing. This should be an interesting event as the trucks and many of their drivers have previously been limited to pavement racing. Make plans now to join the fun, starting at 8:00pm. The track is located on the frontage road of I-37 at the 101 mile marker.