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September 19th Race Summaries


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Texana Raceway Park

September 19, 2009

 

“Track Championships Determined and Bruce Tesch Spanks ‘em in Mechanics Race”

 

On a night with numerous drivers mathematically in the chase for championships in numerous classes and the added bonus (or detriment) of double points on the line, it was a season closer that provided entertainment galore. With 75 teams on hand, action in every class was the order of the night.

 

As the 13 teen mini-stocks rolled on the track for their feature, three drivers (Jason Bloom, Zach Tesch, and Lauren Chamberlain) were mathematically in the chase. Travis Manning was on the pole following a fantastic heat race win, and Lauren Chamberlain was on the outside of row one. As the green dropped, it was Chamberlain to the early lead. Behind Chamberlain were Bloom, Manning and Tesch. As they say in the racing world and other sports, “it ain’t over til it’s over. After several green flag laps, a caution came out for debris on the track. With the lead pack coming down the front straight, Bloom wasn’t able to see the debris ahead and chose the wrong line when slowing down. Unfortunately, Bloom who held the points leader coming into the night suffered a flat rear tire and was sidelined for the remainder of the event. This suddenly placed a significant twist on the chase for the championship. With Chamberlain in front on the restart, Tesch was ready and catapulted on the restart to get the point on Chamberlain down the front straight. With Tesch in the lead, a mathematical possibility at the championship was at hand for him or Chamberlain given that Bloom was sidelined. All the while Chase Sanchez who started at the tail of the feature after having an encounter with the wall in the heat, was carefully marching his way to the lead pack. Sanchez was able to get past Chamberlain and set his sights on Tesch. There just weren’t enough laps to get it done though and Tesch was the first to the line. Tesch won the feature and also secured the championship.

Top Five

72 Zach Tesch

63 Chase Sanchez

55 Lauren Chamberlain

76 Travis Manning

03 Justin “Justang” Sickle

 

Seventeen Texana Classic Dwarfs showed up to do a little racing and make their presence known. Coming into the feature for the Texana Classic Dwarfs, Andrew Cline held a healthy lead over rookie contender Brad Wright. Before the first full lap could be completed failure on Carl Veach’s ride caused a caution and Veach was sidelined. Willie Veach Jr. began his march to the front and Joseph Snow was leading. Snow got loose and spun, which gave the lead to Veach Jr. Veach Jr., began to start to stretch out the lead followed by Frank Fruia, and Andrew Cline. Cline would work his way up to the 2nd position but didn’t quite have enough time to make a run on Veach Jr. Robert Smith locked down into third position with Frank Fruia and Mike Christians in 4th and 5th respectively. With laps winding down, Veach Jr., would score another feature win to add to his portfolio. Cline who secured the championship with his finish came in 2nd.

Top Five

41 Willie Veach Jr.

19 Andrew Cline

21 Robert Smith

3x Frank Fruia

13 Mike Christians

 

The Texana Bombers had two contenders (Chris Shafer and Janet Perks) in the chase for the championship at the start of the night. In fine fashion, both Perks and Shafer won their respective heats keeping everything on status quo in points at the start of the feature. Perks took the early lead with Brian King and Chris Shafer following in 2nd and 3rd. The front three in the pack started to distance themselves from the field. As the mid pack group was running, Shawn Kline got loose on the front straight causing he and David McBride to sharie a little paint. Regrouped, the two continued with no caution thrown. The front three would encounter the lappers. Perks on the high line, got trapped behind the lapper, and Brian King slipped in to the low side coming into turn 4. Perks and King got together, but incredibly, both recovered and no caution. Shafer remained in 3rd position. In the latter stage of the race, Perks car started loosening up, causing her move too high in the turns. Shafer took the opportunity to go low and make the pass. Shafer then set his sights on King. On the last turn of the last lap, Shafer had the line and it was a drag race to the start/finish line. Another excellent example of where the transponders paid off. With the two traveling at approximately 63 miles per hour at the start/finish line, Shafer won the feature over King by 14 thousandths of a second. Extremely close. Shafer also secured the track championship.

Top Five

77 Chris Shafer

31 Brian King

12 Janet Perks

26 David McBride

11 Shawn Kline

 

The Hot Stock trucks had the closest points chase at the start of the night with five contenders in the chase, and only 10 points separating the top three (Greg Turner, Bob Ort, and Justin Bloom). Turner went to the early lead and decided to never look back. The race was on between Ort and Bloom. Bloom was giving the truck everything it would take. At one point Bloom and Ort got together but both recovered. A few laps later Bloom would spin on his own and lose several positions and have to work his way back through traffic. All the while, Turner was in rhythm and making it perfect through the turns lap after lap. Turner would cruise to the win and also secure the championship, followed about half a straight back by Ort.

Top Five

13 Greg Turner

43 Bob Ort

84 Justin Bloom

8 Larry Paris

76 Justin “Peanut” Airhart

 

Before the night began, GW Hessong had the championship secured. But racing is racing and Hessong along with the rest of the group wanted to give the fans their moneys worth. Hessong took the early lead followed by Randy Stevenson. Meanwhile Eric Floyd was rolling his way forward and becoming a threat to the front two. Hessong and Stevenson would spin and open the door for Floyd. Once in the lead, Floyd made it look easy as he began pulling away from the field. When the checker flew, Floyd won by approximately a full straight.

Top Five

26f Eric Floyd

67 Sonny Hammond

47 GW Hessong

70 Mike Davenport

83 Randy Stevenson

 

In Limited Modified action the chase was for the championship was between Paul White and Mickey Helms. Helms went to the early lead followed by Thomas Downing and Paul White. After just a couple of laps, Downing experienced mechanical failure and came to rest on the outside of turn 3. As this one progressed, Bryan Eddins was marching his way to the front and would get past White for 2nd. As Eddins moved up, he and Helms would collide which then opened the door for White who had patiently followed in 3rd. With White to the lead, Eddins would chase but not catch White. A caution for a broken axle on Victor Lindsey’s ride set up one final chance to bunch up the field. White would get the point on the restart and Eddins would fall in behind. At the checkers it was White with the win and the championship.

Top Five

216 Paul White

211 Bryan Eddins

12 (apologies I missed the driver name, but excellent job)

36 Cody Hildebrandt

888 Aaron Lunsford

 

At the start of the night, Paul White had the Modified championship secured. But, never one to waste an opportunity to make a good run, White was ready to score one more win. White took the early lead and pull away from the field. Darin Leonard and Jesse Manning were running close as well as Foster Ellison before Manning experienced trouble. In the mean time, Vince Kacir marched his way up to the front group. As the final checker flew on the 2009 season chases, White took the win followed by Leonard and Kacir

Top Five

2w Paul White

26 Darin Leonard

155 Vince Kacir

96 Foster Ellison

6 Wesley Anderson

 

With features completed and class champions confirmed, it was time for the annual Mechanic Races and Powder Puff Races. The contendors for each were paired according to class of car with some classes crossing over for pairing. Most impressive was Bruce Tesch in the 216 Chapman prepared Limited Modified. Tesch came out with his game face on, and flat blistered the track. Tesch was so smooth he was approaching lapping the entire field, and cruised to an easy victory. Tesch visibly excited about his win and continuing laps was finally given the black flag for his excessive victory celebration on the track. In all seriousness, track owner Bruce Tesch did a fantastic job and it was an excellent way to cap off the season with the track owner taking a win.

 

Please mark your calendars for the annual awards banquet on January 9, 2010 at Brackenridge Plantation in Edna. Everyone is encouraged to attend and we definitely welcome the fans who would like to attend. Texana Raceway Park owners Bruce and Donna Tesch would like to thank the dedicated teams for competing in 2009, the fans and the entire staff that makes the wheels turn at Texana Raceway Park.

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Monty , just to clear things up alittle , Jason did not run over debris on the track. He was hit by the number 9 car in the right rear wheal and knocked his valve stem out of his tire, meanwhile taking the bumper of the 9 car. all this was done while under a caution which sux! when everyboky was told at the meeting that if you hit the top cars you would have to leave the track. Congrats to Zach on the win, well done and deserved. good job done by Lauren also. Also all the mini drivers have come a long way this year and I think all of them deserve a hand.

 

ON the trucks , You mixed put Jasons name instead of Justin

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If I bring back all the crickets I hauled home in the truck and trailer can I get a refund?

 

Ahh, just consider them as an end of the season gift. I'll go ahead and tear up the invoice I had prepared for them. But, we do appreciate your honesty as we were concerned on Sunday morning when we counted and several were missing. Whew,,,, mystery solved.

 

I do hear though that they are very tasty when covered with chocolate.

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