I-37 Raceway results 4/18/08

[rebelracewriter]

Media Night @ I-37 Raceway, 4/18/08

By J M Hallas

 

Pleasanton, Tx.,(April 18th, 2008)

 

With the B&W Motorsports team of Steve Whiteaker jr. and Dustin Butcher off in east Texas chasing the USMTS Southern Series points, the IMCA Modified field was wide open for a new winner, as well as the IMCA Southern Sportmod class looking at the possibility of a new face in Victory Lane.

 

 

Clegg Captures Modified Main

Defending IMCA Modified track champion, Curt Clegg found himself back in the I-37 Raceway Winners Circle. Clegg started up front, held off hard charging Greg Dinsmore, and led every lap on his to the win.

 

As the green flew, Clegg got the jump n polesitter, Patrick Kelly and was out of turn 2 with the lead. Kelly fell back to second, Bill Pittaway third and Dinsmore fourth. Dinsmore picked of third from Pittaway on lap 2, then second from Kelly on lap 4 as he patiently worked his way up to the leader. Pittaway, Brain Rye and Randy Yount battled for fourth on lap 6.

 

 

The yellow waved on lap 8 when Kelly scraped the front stretch wall, cut a tire and slid through the opening at the end of the entry road. Rye got the jump on Dinsmore as green waved again, but Dinsmore quickly retook second and closed on Clegg. Coming to halfway Dinsmore was putting the heat n Clegg, with Rye, Pittaway and Yount finishing out the top five.

 

 

As Dinsmore challenged Clegg, the car clipped a rut a broke the left front suspension. Dinsmore tried for two laps with his wounded ride, but finally slid to a halt on the top of turn 3 to bring out the yellow. Once back to green, Rye took his shot at the lead, but Clegg held on and got a couple car lengths breathing room. Rye closed in the final laps only got close enough to give Clegg's quarter panel a brush. Clegg, the new father to be, held his line and took the checkers in the Swenson Racing Products, QA-1 Shocks, Jeff's Performance Race Engines, GRT Chassis. Car owner and wife Kristina joined him in Victory Lane after doing a Polish victory lap in honer of a fallen friend.

 

 

“It's great to be back in the Winners Circle again,” said Clegg. “The track was a little rough, but the car was pretty good. I could hear Greg(Dinsmore) back there. I knew if I just held my line and stayed smooth that he'd have to go around on the outside. There wasn't much down on the bottom. Lucky for me he didn't get around.”

 

“You just want to be smooth, hold your line and try not to make any mistakes. Once you make one mistake, someones going right by you. It's just dog eat dog out there. Even after I saw Greg was broke, there's always someone next in line.”

 

“I got a little excited about being in the lead on the next restart, that he(Brian Rye) got a run because I was over-driving the car real bad. I just needed to calm down and be smoother. It's real tough this year, competition-wise. It's a good thing. It's the only way to get better.”

 

 

Modifieds IMCA

1. 35 Curt Clegg

2. 25r Brian Rye

3. 66 Randy Yount

4. 37 Bill Pittaway

5. 8g Greg Dinsmore

6. 84 Patrick Kelly

 

IMCA Modified heat winner, 8g Greg Dinsmore

 

 

It was a “Family Affair” in the IMCA Southern Sportmods as brothers and previous winners, Allen and Johny Torres slugged it out for half the race. The younger brother got the best of of big bro, to take his second ever IMCA SSM victory fending off several challenges along the way.

 

 

In the 20-lap, 14-car IMCA Southern Sportmod main, Jordan Lueck got the edge on Mike Finkel as green waved, but it was Allen Torres quickly coming up through to lead lap 1. Danny Norvell, Johnny Torres and Andy Van Blarcum moved up getting by Lueck as the field separated into two, four-car packs up front. Finkel brought out the yellow on lap 3 as he rolled to a stop in turn 2 along the edge of the track.

 

 

On the restart, Bill Pittaway got by Van Blarcum for fourth, while J. Torres was putting pressure on Norvell for second. Norvell clipped the front stretch wall, breaking the right front, and sliding into the turn 1 tire wall at the entry/exit opening. Once back to green, the Torres' stayed glued at he bumpers, with Van Blarcum retaking third from Pittaway.

 

 

At halfway it was A. Torres, J. Tores, Van Blarcum, Pittaway and Jimbo Myers n the top five. Rene Mares spun on lap 10 and barely got missed by Steve Grantz as the final yellow waved. Once back to green it was J. Torres giving little brother a slight bumper tap and he looked inside on the back stretch. Allen held off Johnny as the top six stayed in line.

 

 

In the final 8 laps J. Torres would get his brothers bumper, and occasionally along side, but Allen was faster off the corners to keep him just out of reach of the lead. With three to go, Johnny was again to get along side in turn 3, but Allen held him off once again. At he checkers it was the birthday boy, A. Torres in the 24/7 Towing, Pro Image Graphics, Cen-Tex Motorsports, Smiley's Chassis by Clonch, celebrating his 18th birthday with his second ever win.

 

“It was awesome,” replied the young Allen. “It feels really good. I know when it's Johnny chasing me, his is the only car with a white frame. I'm not going to let him beat me again, so I crowd him a little more than anyone else.”

 

“He can consider this an early birthday present,” stated Johnny. “It was really just one groove out there. I could go in with him, but couldn't come off together. With some of the ruts, you didn't know where you'd go. I didn't want to try coming off side by side and end up with two cars to fix. It was fun and now I don't owe him anything for his birthday.”

 

“Dad always says just don't take each other out. That was all I was thinking about”

 

Interestingly enough, the drove each thr's car on the hauler, not their own.

 

“I've watched these two race each other on tricycles, bicycles, go-karts, everything,” added proud father Frank Torres, who over the off-season had a heart monitor implanted. “The can e racing out front 10 yards ahead of everyone and still crash each other. They've learned these aren't bumper cars though. As long as they don't wreck each other, and I collect the money, it's all god.”

 

 

 

IMCA Southern Sportmods

1. 94 Allen Torres

2. 66 Johnny Torres

3. 15 Andy Van Blarcum

4. 37 Bill Pittaway

5. 47 Jimbo Myers

6. 4$ Chris Rye

7. 89 Doug Livingston

8. 21g Steve Grantz

9. 60 Pat Lyon

10. 5 Jordan Lueck

11. 22 Rene Mares

12. 20 Danny Norvell

13. 11F Mike Finkel

11 Chris McLendon---DNS

 

IMCA Southern Sportmod heat winners, 137 Bill Pittaway, 94 Allen Torres

 

 

 

The short, but competitive, Super Stock class saw yet another first time winner as Moe VanKirk led flag to flag to take the win in only second race this year in the car. VanKirk, a flagman for several different tracks over the years, including I-37, quickly jumped out front as the green was shown. Multi-time track champ, Gary Hunter and Richard Bartosh battled side by side for second, while David Boudreau and most recent winner, Howie Marcx ran door to door for fourth.

 

 

Hunter got the best f Bartosh, with Marcx getting by both Boudreau and Bartosh and close in on Hunter. Hunter and Marcx then fought it for second lap after lap while VanKirk was pulling away. Marcx finally got around Hunter, but VanKirk was long gone on his way to the first ever checkers.

 

 

Super Stock

1. 58 Moe VanKirk

2. 13 Howie Marcx

3. 14 Gary Hunter

4. 7 Richard Bartosh

5. 29 David Boudreau

6. 25 Carl Pitts

7. 21 Chico Cox

 

Super Stock heat winner, 14 Gary Hunter

 

 

Alton Fambro and Craig Crawley stayed side by side as the 1-car Street Stock feature took the green. Fambro was able to inch ahead to lead lap 1, but Eric Knudtson was quickly on and by Fambro on lap 2 for the top spot. Fambro took a short trip through the infield allowing Sonny Mares and Crawley to get by, while Wade Jones and Tommy Casey battled door to door for fifth.

 

 

Jones got around Fambro for fourth on lap 4 right before Fambro found himself hard into the tire wall in tuns 3-4. Under caution, two-time winner Randy Guzman pulled of with a serious fluid leak. Back under green, Knudtson got a good jump only to see yellow wave again on lap 5 for Casey who easily backed into the turn 1 tire barrier.

 

 

On the restart, Knudtson again got a good jump on Mares, while Jeremy Hernandez got past Donald Lewis for fifth. Jones was just putting the pressure on Mares for Mares when Mares had trouble and went up in smoke, pulling to the infield. Knudtson caught the tail of the field on lap 12, but was able to increase his advantage over Jones once clear of slower cars. Knudtson ran easily to the checkers, while Crawley took a wild ride off the back stretch taking out the corner lights at pit out.

 

 

 

Street Stock

1. 27 Eric Knudtson

2. 41 Wade Jones

3. 6P Jeremy Hernandez

4. 6 Craig Crawley

5 51 Donald Lewis

6. 42 Tommy Casey

7. 67 Joe Horne

8. 3 Sonny Mares

9. 18 Shawn Moore

10. 021 Randy Guzman

11. 08 Alton Fambro

 

Street Stock heat winners, 27 Eric Knudtson, 6 Craig Crawley

 

 

 

At the start o the 20-lap Pure Stock feature, track champ, Janel Hilla got out front in turn 1, with a three wide battle for second behind her. Sonny Jones won that fight an got by Hilla tom lead lap 1, with Justin Henley and Robert Williams getting by Hilla for second and third. On lap 2 Jones and Henley were door to door for the lead while Adam Torres and Williams ran side by side for third.

 

 

Henley got lead briefly on lap 3, but was forced high on the back stretch by a slower car and had to hit the pit out. This gave the lead to Williams, while Henley returned, but nearly a lap down. Williams eased away from Jones, Danny Kasparwiecz, Torres and Jason Kelly who were running nose to tail. Joseph Nicholson spun to bring ot a yellow on lap 7. .

 

 

On the restart, Torres pulled of from fourth giving it up to Kelly, with Anthony Malhorin now in fifth. Kasparwicz got by Jones for second on la 10, with Malhorin getting fourth from Kelly. Kasparwicz caught Williams for the lead on lap 12, as Jones, Malhorin and Kelly ran bumper to bumper for third. Kasparwicz gave Williams a try on lap 13, but got loose and lost ground to the leader. Kasparwicz was able to close back in on Williams in the final laps as thy picker their way through slower traffic. At the checkers it Williams holding off Kasparwicz to grab the victory.

 

 

 

 

Pure Stock

1. 57 Robert Williams

2. 74K Danny Kasparwicz

3. 55 Sonny Jones

4. 25 Anthony Malhorin

5. 75X Jason Kelly

6. 7x Janel Hilla

7. c40 Jerry Adams

8. 15 William Cavender

9. 70 Joseph Nicholson

10. J8 Jared Ganz

11. 29P Daniel Pierce

12. 66 Adam Torres

13.63 J D Reynolds

14. 96 Justin Henley

15. 31J Charlie Bendul

 

07 Bryan Lorenz ---DNS

67 Joe Horne---DNS

 

Pure Stock heat winners, 57X Jason Kelly, 57 Robert Williams, 96 Justin Henley

 

 

Ryan Watkins got the early lead of the Texana Dwarf Car feature as he and Ronnie Fikes pulled away. A spin by Josh Hunt on lap 4 rebunched the field with Fikes looking inside Watkins for the lead on the restart. Fikes got the point on lap 5 and began to inch away from Watkins, Greg Sexton, and Dave Tedford until lap 8 when he broke and pulled to the infield.

 

 

This handed the lead back over to Watkins but only for a lap as Sexton got by on lap 10 for the top spot. D. Tedford then challenged Watkins until taking second on lap 11. D. Tedford slowed reeled in and caught Sexton and ducked in turns1/2 to get by and take the lead as the white flag waved. Sexton was never able to remount a charge as D. Tedford took the win.

 

 

 

Texana Dwarf Cars

1. 25 Dave Tedford

2. 1 Greg Sexton

3. 30 Ryan Watkins

4. 07 Michael Dion

5. 1jr Greg Sexton jr

6. 35 Mike Tedford

7. 2Ez Easy Casey

8. 01 Joseph Snow

9 12th Josh Hunt

10. Don Hunt

11. 40 Ronnie Fikes

00 Stan Jolliffe---DNS

Dwarf Car heat winners, 30 Ronny Fikes, 40 Ryan Watkins

[texana55]

Congrats Torres' two-some. You guys must be working your dad hard getting your cars ready each week.

 

Congrats also to Dave!

[SassyCassie14]

The 96 Pure Stock, Justin Henley was not dq'ed. He finished in the 14th position.

 

And in the Sport Modifieds there was a driver change, the 60 was Patrick Lyon.

 

 

A big congrats to our winners last night

Pure Stock 57 Robert Williams - Sponsored by Wallace Backhoe Service

Street Stock 27 Eric Knudtson - Sponsored by SunSational Pools & Spas

Super Stock 58 Moe VanKirk - Sponsored by Trey Massie Well Service, Hill Country Happings

IMCA Sport Mod 94 Allen Torres - Sponsored by 24/7 Towing, Centrex Motor Sports, Pro Image

IMCA Modified 35 Curt Clegg - Sponsored by Wife Kristina, Swenson Racing Chassis

Edited April 19, 2008 by cassy14

[rebelracewriter]

TTT Recaps added

[SASPEEDRACER24]

Congrats Curt. The driving was great but it was all motor... :-P

 

P.S. Anyone got some sparkplug wire clamps?

[bunsen honeydew]

Congrats Curt. The driving was great but it was all motor... :-P

 

P.S. Anyone got some sparkplug wire clamps?

 

Thanks!! Best 6 cylinder i ever drove!!