rebelracewriter Posted April 25, 2010 Report Share Posted April 25, 2010 I-37 Raceway, 4/24/10 By J M Hallas Pleasanton, Tx.,(April 24th, 2010) After a scheduled week off, which was probably a good thing after rains soaked the track, racing resumed at Pleasanton's I-37 Raceway Saturday evening under sunny skies. Several new drivers showed up making their first appearance on the 1/4 mile, semi-banked clay oval just south of San Antonio. There was plenty of action throughout the night with two cars taking tumbles, and two new first time winners. During intermission James Blaylock, still trying to shake down a new car, rolled over the turn 3 hill in hot laps. Blaylock rebounded to finish third in the main. Roy Easler clipped an infield tire while battling for the Front Runner lead and ended up on his roof. He was able to climb out uninjured. Pittaway Picks Off Modified Win Corpus Christi's Bill Pittaway found his way back into the Winners Circle for the first time this season holding off Darin Leonard early, then Rick Green in the final laps. Pittaway took over the lead from early leader Joe Spillman, then battled with Leonard making contact ending Leonard's night. Green made a big charge at the finish but came up a little short as Pittaway in the C-D Electric, Wells Racing Engines, Harris Chassis held on for the win. At the start of the 20-lap IMCA Modified A-main, Joe Spillman grabbed the lead in turn 1 with Pittaway second and Leonard along side Robert Liese jr. for third. Leonard secured the spot on lap 1, with Green following through to forth. Spillman slipped high of turn 2 giving Pittaway an opening to sneak past for the lead on lap 3. Leonard then got by Spillman a lap later for third. Spillman had trouble with turn 2 gain on lap 4 as he looped it to bring out a yellow. On the restart the top three got away clean, with Leonard taking a look inside Pittaway on the back stretch. Leonard again took a peek under Pittaway on lap 5 while Spillman worked his way back to the top four. Marlin Samford had turn 2 bite him when he went around on lap 6 to bring out a caution. Back under green, the top three were again pulling away, while Spillman's trouble continued after he spun off turn 2 and found the infield water hole. Spillman got righted without caution, but pulled off. Meanwhile up front, Green was pressuring Leonard for second as they came to the crossed flags it was Pittaway, Leonard and Green with a gap back to Samford and Leinweber rounding out the top five. Leonard closed in on Pittaway who was slipping high coming out of turn 2. Leonard got along side Pittaway and as they dove into turn 3 the two made contact. Leonard got by only to spin to the infield with a broken center link on lap 12. On the restart Pittaway again slid up in turn 2 giving Green a look low, but Green was unable to capitalize. Pittaway then inched ahead of Green who had a good margin back to Samford and Leinweber. In the final laps Green quickly closed back in on Pittaway to within two car lengths on lap 18. Green was able to get to Pittaway's bumper as the white flag waved. Green tried low in turns 1-2 to no avail, then tried to diamond off turns 3-4 and duck under Pittaway. Coming to the checkers it was Pittaway holding off Green by a car length at the line for the win. “I didn't feel like I had the best car, but I won,” commented Pittaway. “I think Darin(Leonard) had a better car than I did. I pushed up out of turn 2 and when I finally got the car to turn and come down we made contact. I hated to see it happen. I had the car set up tight and didn't have time to change it after the Go-Kart races,” “With Darin having basically the same car it's good running someone heads-up in equal equipment. On these Harris cars you really have to protect the nose. I've had two center links bent already this year too.” “I never saw or heard Rick(Green). I wear ear plugs to drowned out most of the noise. I just want to hear my motor in case anything goes wrong. We've run each other clean all year and it makes it easier to come back the next race and be ready instead of having to fix stuff.” IMCA Modifieds 37 Bill Pittaway 82 Rick Green c31 Marlin Samford 12 Bob Leinweber 26 Darin Leonard 44s Joe Spillman 67 Robert Liese jr IMCA Modified heat 37 Bill Pittaway 67 Robert Liese jr 44s Joe Spillman 12 Bob Leinweber 82 Rick Green c31 Marlin Samford 26 Darin Leonard Rye Does It Ryet for Sportmod Win Brian Rye didn't let starting ninth in the IMCA Sportmod feature phase him. Rye methodically worked his way up, avoiding wrecks and caught a break when early leader Doug Livingston had trouble. The Corpus Christi driver took over the lead near halfway then held off a charging Dustin Butcher in the waning laps to snag his second win of the season. Seventeen cars took the green in the 20-lap IMCA Southern Sportmod main with Randy Yount and Livingston staying wheel to wheel through turns 1-2. Livingston came out of turn 2 with lead with Yount, Bill Pittaway, Ray Doyon III and Rye along side Greg Rohmer for fifth. As the top six sorted out single file it was still two wide racing for seventh and ninth. Rohmer spun in tricky turn 2 scattering the pack with JJ Jennings going around, and EJ Gilpin forced to pit with a flat. On the restart Pittaway got a good jump on Yount for second, but passed before the cone bringing the yellow back out. The next restart saw Pittaway again try to get inside Yount, with Doyon looking for an opening of his own. As the trio went into turn 3 Pittaway and Doyon tangled sending Pittaway around and both drivers to the tail. The third time wasn't a charm either after Randy Bennett and David Routen spun between turns 1-2. Under caution Yount pulled off from second. Finally back under green with a new top five of Livingston, Rye, Butcher, Jason Stanley and Johnny Torres running up front. Rye took a look under Livingston while Stanley was trying to get under Butcher and James Blaylock was grabbing fifth from Torres. Livingston slowed coming off turn 2 handing the top spot to Rye on lap 8. Robby Minten went around in turn 2 to bring out a yellow, with Livingston puling to the pits. With Rye now out front, Blaylock got along side Stanley for third once the green waved again. Blaylock got the spot on lap 9 while Jennings, Gilpin and Doyon, who was now on a mission, ran three wide for seventh with Doyon getting the spot. At halfway the top five were Rye, Butcher, Blaylock, Stanley and Torres. Doyon then picked off sixth from Rohmer on lap 12. Butcher was just starting to pressure Rye for the lead when Bennett went around bringing out a caution on lap 16. On the final restart Blaylock got along side Butcher for second giving Rye some breathing room out front. Blaylock and Butcher continued battling side by side down the back stretch with Butcher holding the position. As the white flag was shown the top three were running nose to tail and it was anyones race. Butcher took his shot ducking low in turn 2 but Rye was able to hang on and snare the victory in the SBG Racing, RPM Racing, Willie Cotton Race Engines, HOT Chassis. “I just ran the bottom,” replied Rye. “Everyone else was running the top at the beginning of the race and I was able to get under them. I was able to pick up several spots with the cautions. I try not to look back to see who's there. I didn't see anybody until about two to go when Dustin(Butcher) tried to get under me. ” “The groove moved about mid-race. Once I got up to second I tried to pass the leader on the bottom and I couldn't get by him I moved up to the top and he slipped and I dove under him. It was still a little high for the way I like to run here. The redo on the track hasn't effected my car, I usually just run the bottom” “We took a few weeks off to run Go-Karts with my nephew so the car has just been parked. We're going to come up here a few more times this year, run in Corpus and some big shows at the end of the year.” IMCA Southern Sportmods 4R Brian Rye 90 Dustin Butcher 7b James Blaylock 92 Jason Stanley 66 Johnny Torres D9 Ray Doyon III 21 EJ Gilpin 37 Bill Pittaway 51 Greg Rohmer 75 Flint Brown 09 David Routen 22 Randy Bennett 26 JJ Jennings 89 Doug Livingston 4 Robby Minten 66y Randy Yount 10 Travis Penny 00 Leland Frautschi---DNS IMCA SSM Heats Heat #1 66y Randy Yount 66 Johnny Torres 26g JJ Jennings 37 Bill Pittaway 75 Flint Brown 4 Robby Minten Heat #2 D9 Ray Doyon III 89 Doug Livingston 21 EJ Gilpin 90 Dustin Butcher 10 Travis Penny 00 Leland Frautschi Heat #3 92 Jason Stanley 7B James Blaylock 4R Brian Rye 51 Greg Rohmer 22 Randy Bennett 09 David Routen(infield violation) The week off was probably a good thing for Wesley Skains giving them time to make repairs on the car. After several off-track excursions two weeks ago, Skains came back as good as ever. Multi-time track champion Gary Hunter grabbed the early lead of the 15-lap Limited Late Model feature with Skains in pursuit. Skains gave up second briefly to Patrick Kelly on lap 2. Skains then charged past Kelly and Hunter for the lead on lap 3. Ellis Tracey brought out the yellow on lap 4 with a harmless spin. Once back to green Skains slid up in turn 1 giving Hunter a look low, but Hunter was unable to clear Skains. Hunter and Kelly then ran side by side on lap 6, with Hunter holding the spot. Richard Bartosh moved in Kelly with a short door to door battle for third. As Skains motored away Hunter and Kelly renewed their fight for second. The two made contact on the last lap and spun in turn 3 at the same time Skains, sponsored by S&S Bridge Painting, Reid Graham and Covert Sheet Metal, was taking the checkers. Tator Plumbing Limited Late Models 25 Wesley Skains 7 Richard Bartosh 6 Ellis Tracey 14 Gary Hunter 84 Patrick Kelly 33 Barry Major 18 Shane Moore---DNS Limited Late Model heat winner; 25x Wesley Skains It was another trip to Victory Lane for Wade Jones in the 10-lap Street Stock feature. Jones took over the lead from AJ Wernette on lap 4. Jones then pulled away in his Opiela Mechanical, Horelka Racing, Camaro taking the win for his son, Peyton, who celebrating his first birthday. Street Stocks 41 Wade Jones 37 AJ Wernette 74x Steve Mireles 18 Shawn Moore---DNS Street Stock heat winner; 41 Wade Jones A dozen cars took the green for 20-lap Pure Stock feature with Jarrett Payton getting out front after Brandy Ramzinski spun from the pole, but kept the power on. Ray Radicke brought out the yellow on lap 1 when he broke and stopped on the front stretch. On the restart Frank Okruhlik got around Payton on the high side to lead lap 2. Defending track champ Marc Roy moved along side Payton as they fought it out for second. Ramzinski spun again on lap 3 this time bringing out a yellow. Back under green Roy was now pressuring Okruhlik for th lead while Pat Kelly sr. was trying to get under Payton for third. Okruhlik got some distance on Roy after he went airborne over a infield tire coming off turn 2. Kelly finally completed the pass on Payton for third on lap 7. Ramzinski went around a third time in turn 2 bringing out the yellow on lap 9. Once back to green it was Okruhlik, Roy, Kelly Payton and Mike Harrison coming to the mid point. Roy had trouble in turn 2 again, spinning and losing numerous spots. With five to go Okruhlik had a half straight advantage over Kelly with gap back to Payton, Harrison and Janel Hilla. Okruhlik lost that margin when Rick Snyder brought out yellow on lap 15 when he got hung up on an infield tire. On the restart Payton spun from third, while Roy worked his way past Hilla to get back in the top five. Payton spun again on lap 18 and was facing the wrong way in turn 1 to bring out the yellow setting up a green, white, checker finish. Kelly took a look low in turn 1 back under but lost some ground, as Roy was trying low on Harrison. Kelly again ducked low in turn 1 on the final lap, while Okruhlik began to slow with clutch problems. Kelly led the final ¾ of a lap to score a win for the “Blue Oval” fans in the Northside Ford, Kelly Racing sponsored Ford. Pure Stocks 64k Pat Kelly sr. 71 Mike Harrison 24 Marc Roy 7x Janel Hilla 15 William Cavender 9 Jarrett Payton 99 Frank Okruhlik 88 Brandy Ramzinski 66r Rick Snyder 1 Charlie Henley 44 James Watson 77 Ray Radicke 17 Patrick White--DNS 13 Jason Smith---DNS 13x Gary Chain---DNS Pure Stock heat winners; 24 Marc Roy, 88 Brandy Ramzinski As the green flag dropped on the 15-lap Front Runner feature the two heat winners, Roy Easler and Chad Thrush stayed side by side. In the pack Brent Bouchillion slid over the turn 3 hill bringing about a complete restart. Once again Easler and Thrush ran side by side with Nick Hencey, Steven Stanley and Scott Schneider in tow. Easler and Thrush were still door to door until Easler slipped high giving Thrush the lead on lap 3. Easler came back to get the point again on lap 4 with Thrush still challenging. While passing a slower car the two made contact sending Thrush over turn 3 to bring out a caution. On the restart Hencey and Stanley were now battling with Easler for the lead. Easler got turned to the infield, clipped an infield tire and rolled over to bring out a red. Once back to racing, it was Hencey now on the point with Stanley, Cameron Smith, Schneider and Cody Earnhardt running in the top five. As the top five pulled away Co. Earnhardt moved in to battle with Schneider for fourth until Schneider broke and stopped on the back stretch to bring out a yellow. Hencey got a big jump on green, while Smith began to fade with a flat right rear. Hencey cruised on to take his first feature win. Front Runners 911 Nick Hencey 96 Steven Stanley 66R Cindy Snider 98 Amber Clay 57 Trevor Bettis 33 Cody Earnhardt T30 Chad Thrush 14 Kathy Hime 113 Hailee Marcx 13 Cameron Smith 35 James Samford 3 Scott Schneider 20 Brent Bouchillion 12 Roy Easler 33c Charlie Earnhardt III Front Runner heat winners; 12 Roy Easler, T30 Chad Thrush Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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