ROMCO @ Stock Car Spectacular 9-27-03 recap

[rebelracewriter]

7th Annual Stock Car Spectacular @ Thunder Hill Raceway 9-27-03

By J M Hallas

2002 ROMCO Series Champion Finds THR Winners Circle

Kyle, Texas. Twenty-one ROMCO Super Late Models took times for the 125 lap ROMCO series event, with part-time ASA driver Casey Smith in a borrowed car setting fast time with a 14.474 second lap on the tricky 3/8 mile D-shaped track. With the standard four car invert, the Davidson’s, Chris and father Greg shared the front row.

 

C. Davidson got the jump on green and grabbed the lead, while G. Davidson pinched Brandon Bendele to get down in the preferred, low groove. The top four stayed nose to tail as the first caution flew for a spin by Tom Grotheus on lap 9. Shortly after the restart, Clay Huckaby’s motor expired in a big plume of smoke to slow the action again on lap 20.

 

Back under green and the field broke up into two, four car packs. The first pack of C. Davidson, G. Davidson, Bendele and Smith and the second of Eddy Wallace, Bradley Riethmeyer, Tommy Grimes and Mark Chrudimsky, which was a few car length’s back. On lap 40 Riethmeyer was looking inside Wallace for fifth as the leaders closed in on heavy traffic.

 

T Wade Welch did a half spin on lap 45 while battling with Colt James for ninth, at the same time Grotheus was spinning again to bring out the yellow hankie. Just before halfway the lead trio had started to pull away from Smith in fourth. At the crossed flags the top five were C. Davidson, G. Davidson, Bendele, Smith and Wallace.

 

The top three continued to put distance on Smith, who still held a gap back to Wallace, Riethmeyer, Grimes, Chrudimsky and Welch. Riethmeyer continued the assault on Wallace until he finally made the pass on lap 70, taking Grimes along in the process. By now the Davidson’s and Bendele had nearly a full straightaway lead over a quickly fading Smith.

 

G. Davidson, not wanting be outdone by son Chris, began to put the heat on for the top spot. On lap 75 G. Davidson got the nose inside C. Davidson coming out of turn four. The two made contact with C. Davidson getting a little sideways, but making a great save. Bendele tried to capitalize on the incident and got along side G. Davidson. But both Davidson’s were able to hang on to their positions, with Bendele falling back in line, third.

 

Riethmeyer and Grimes both got Smith on lap 77, with Smith pitting on lap 80. Riethmeyer and Grimes were clearly the two fastest cars at this point, but were a full straight behind the lead trio, who were still tied together by the bumpers.

 

Riethmeyer and Grimes got the break they needed on lap 86 when Dan Harris spun, taking Robert Richardson along in the process. Back under green, the top three, with cooled tires were able to put a couple car lengths on Riethmeyer and Grimes. The caution came out again on lap 96 when Chrudimsky drove through Wallace as both spun on the back stretch, along with Welch.

 

As the race resumed on lap 100, the two Davidson’s got a slight lead over Bendele until Harros spun again on lap 101. Back under green the top four hung together, with Riethmeyer taking looks inside on Bendele for third.

 

C. Davidson got a little breathing room with 10 to go, when G. Davidson had to check up for a lap car. Bendele bumper tagged G. Davidson, while getting a little shot from Riethmeyer as they navigated past the slower car. This gave Grimes a chance to close in on the three, while C. Davidson inched away. C. Davidson would go on to take his fourth Thunder Hill victory in his Royal Purple/Turner Motorsports/Chevy Monte Carlo.

 

Results of the ROMCO 125-lap feature at Thunder Hill Raceway, 9/27/03

 

FP, CAR #, DRIVER NAME, HOMETOWN, ST, LAPS, GLL, FRL, SP, QT, PAYOFF

 

1. 71, Chris Davidson, Pearland, TX, 125, 102, 14.98, 1, 14.629, $3,600

2. 96, Greg Davidson, Pearland, TX, 125, 0, 14.96, 2, 14.627, $2,000

3. 8, Brandon Bendele, Adkins, TX, 125, 0, 14.97, 3, 14.620, $1,600

4. 49, Bradley Riethmeyer, Hutto, TX, 125, 0, 14.970, 6, 14.715, $1,400

5. 22, Tommy Grimes, San Antonio, TX, 125, 0, 14.95, 7, 14.751, $1,200

6. 99, Doug Hooks, Dripping Springs, TX, 125, 0, 15.11, 16, 15.012, $1,000

7. 39, Mark Chrudimsky, Hutto, TX, 125, 0, 14.96, 9, 14.816, $800

8. 13, T Wade Welch, Houston, TX, 125, 0, 15.04, 10, 14.832, $750

9. 55, Eddy Wallace, Round Rock, TX, 125, 0, 15.01, 5, 14.687, $700

10. 33, Robert Richardson, Mc Kinney, TX, 123, 0, 15.31, 17, 15.061, $600

11. 41, Eddie Butt, Corpus Christi, TX, 122, 0, 15.400, 18, 15.281, $600

12. 05, Josh Trees, Red Oak, TX, 117, 0, 15.9, 21, 15.704, $500

13. 02, Dan Harris, May Pearl , TX, 114, 0, 15.47, 19, 15.576, $450

14. 0, Tuffy Hudson, Portland, TX, 96, 0, 15.2, 13, 14.851, $400

15. 93, Casey Smith, Austin, TX, 77, 0, 14.96, 4, 14.474, $375

16. 90, John David, Odessa, TX, 52, 0, 15.1, 12, 14.837, $350

17. 15, Colt James, Buda, TX, 46, 0, 15.03, 11, 14.835, $325

18. 11, Tom Grothues, San Antonio, TX, 43, 0, 15.08, 14, 14.970, $300

19. 51, Michael Crofford, Houston, TX, 28, 0, 15.13, 8, 14.777, $250

20. 64, David Lehnert, Corpus Christi, TX, 23, 0, 15.61, 20, 15.578, $200

21. 17, Clay Huckaby, Buda, TX, 19, 0, 15.15, 15, 15.011, $175

 

FP = Finishing Position, GLL = Green Laps Led, FRL = Fastest Race Lap , SP = Starting Position, QT = Qualifying Time

 

Crew Chief award, Ringers Gloves, go to the winning vehicle # 71, sponsored by American Performance and Services.