Garrett takes ARTS opener

[NickHolt]

Garrett Takes ARTS Opener

Thunder Hill Raceway

By Kelly Freeman

4-21-04

 

KYLE, TEXAS - The Allstar Race Truck Series (ARTS) held it’s first race of the season this past Saturday at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas. Among the 18 entries was the 2003 Lone Star Region Champion, Robert Walton out of Delvalle, Texas.

 

Throughout practice there was a number of drivers that gained speed in each session including the entry from Hutto, TX #26 of Jon Denham that reached a lap time of 16.695. Jon Garrett from Tyler, Texas turned a lap in 16.680 seconds behind a 16.584 that the #59 truck of Jimmy Spillar popped off.

 

In time trials Denham would scream in with a 16.523 just infront of Garrett’s 16.527. Greg Davis, Bryan Meredith, and Jimmy Spillar rounded out the top 5 in qualifying. Robert Walton would end up with the 6th fastest time.

 

Out of the 18 trucks, only 15 would start the feature race due to transmission trouble with the #18 of Bud Carroll, and engine troubles with the #52 Steve Green and #98 Chuck Shoenfeld, all of which came about in practice.

 

The top 5 qualifiers would invert to start the 50 lap event on Saturday’s cool breezy night. Right from the start the #59 Jimmy Spillar and #30 Bryan Meredith would tangle in turn 1 from the front row. After a restart and a few laps the #99 of Greg Davis would assume the top spot soon to be taken over by Meredith followed by Garrett, Denham, Walton, and Todd McLemore.

 

A yellow was thrown on lap 10 when Walton and the #42 of Josh Freeman tangled. At the same time Spillar was being black flagged for smoke and a small fire under the hood from an oil leak that was rapidly repaired.

 

Garrett would take the lead with a pass on the outside when Meredith was caught behind slow traffic on the low side early in the race. Garrett never look back through a number of cautions for several minor incidents on the raceway. Keith Patrick would come from 10th to second as the #7 of Pancho Mendoza would quietly sneak into the top 5 after starting in the back with not even one practice nor qualifying lap completed.

 

Finish/Number/Name/Laps Completed/Starting Position

1. 66 Jon Garrett 50 laps 4

2. 21 Keith Patrick 50 laps 10

3. 10 Robert Walton 50 laps 6

4. 26 Jon Denham 50 laps 5

5. 7 Francisco Powell 50 laps 12

6. 59 Jimmy Spillar 49 laps 1

7. 77 Todd McLemore 49 laps 8

8. 30 Bryan Meredith 48 laps 2

9. 9 Chett Gehrke 45 laps 9

10. 99 Greg Davis 43 laps 3

11. 23 Matthew Howell 37 laps 13

12. 5 Bill Hamilton 17 laps 7

13. 69 Jim Beasley 17 laps 15

14. 42 Josh Freeman 13 laps 11

15. 29 Larry Latham 13 laps 14

52 Steve Green DNS

18 Bud Carroll DNS

98 Chuck Schoenfeld DNS