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Dinsmore, J. Blaylock find IMCA checkers at I-37 Raceway 5/1/10


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I-37 Raceway, 5/1/10

 

Pleasanton, Tx.,(May 1st, 2010) Racing action resumed at I-37 Raceway's semi-banked ¼ mile clay oval just south of San Antonio Saturday night with the Street Stocks schedule off, but invited to come out and run with the Limited Late Models. The Brazos Mini Sprint Series also was on the racing card making their third trip to the speedway.

 

In a strange twist of fate three drivers, who have seen the wrong side of life at the track, plus last week's hard luck award winner, found their way to the Winner's Circle. James Blaylock, Roy Easler and Hunter Montgomery had all been upside-down early this season, with Frank Okruhlik losing a clutch on the final lap.

 

Racing Karma?

 

 

 

Dinsmore Dashes to Modified Daily Double

After taking a couple races off to go racing in north Texas, Kerrville's Greg Dinsmore picked up where he left off, putting it on the IMCA Modified field. Dinsmore, who started in the back, returned to March form taking the checkers in both the heat and feature. Working his way past early leader Darin Leonard on lap 3 Dinsmore put some distance on Leonard. In the final stages Dinsmore held off Leonard during several restarts for his third checkers of the season.

 

As green waved on the 20-lap IMCA Modified main, Robert Liese jr was first into turn 1, but slid up in turn 2. This gave Leonard an opening to shoot past for the lead with Dinsmore hot on his tail. Dinsmore kept the pressure on Leonard as the two Harris Chassis' battled for the lead. Dinsmore was able to duck under Leonard coming out of turn 4 to pass his old championship car and lead lap 3.

 

Further back Bill Pittaway was moving forward going past Joe Spillman on lap 3 for fourth, then Liese for third on lap 5. Pittaway slipped on lap 6 sidetracking through the infield and giving the spot back briefly. Coming to the crossed flags it was Dinsmore, Leonard, Pittaway, Liese and Spillman in the top five. Pittaway continued to have trouble looping it on lap 12 to bring out a caution.

 

On the restart Dinsmore and Leonard pulled ahead of Liese and Spillman, with Pittaway quickly back to fifth. Pittaway got around Spillman on lap 15 after Spillman slipped in urn 2. Marlin Samford went for the first of two spins on lap 15 bringing out the caution. Samford brought out the yellow again shortly after the restart going around again on lap 16.

 

Once back to green Dinsmore began easing away from Leonard, while Pittaway closed in on Liese to try to take third back. The final circuits saw Dinsmore increase his margin, with Liese holding off Pittaway. At the checkers it was Dinsmore in the racetechinfo.com, AFCO Shocks, Fast Shafts, Lowery Plumbing, QTI Graphics, Cen-Tex Motorsports, Harris Chassis taking the victory.

 

“This car has actually got this place dialed in,” replied Dinsmore. “Bob Harris gave me some ideas on things to change in the front end so James(Foster) and I redid some stuff and now the car wants to go through the corners even better. It worked good before, but now it's even better. Racing up north the competition is a little stronger so we had to make the car better.”

 

“I'm going to try to keep my points average up in Abilene but I like it here too. I have a lot of good friends down here and it's easier to get to.”

 

“We really don't have to change a lot between here and Abilene gear-wise. All we did was adjust the stagger and change a spring. The biggest difference is knowing who I can race with up there. I know and have raced with all these guys here longer so I know how they're going to enter the corners and who I can race along side.”

 

 

 

IMCA Modifieds

8g Greg Dinsmore

26 Darin Leonard

67 Robert Liese jr

37 Bill Pittaway

44 Joe Spillman

80 Dennis Taylor

c31 Marlin Samford

53x Matt Fox

17 Cody Tidwell---DNS

24 Tracy Fink---DNS

 

 

 

IMCA Modified heat

8g Greg Dinsmore

37 Bill Pittaway

c31 Marlin Samford

67 Robert Liese jr.

26 Darin Leonard

44 Joe Spillman

80 Dennis Taylor

17 Cody Tidwell

24 Tracy Fink---DNS

 

 

 

Blaylock Brothers with 1-2 Sportmod Sweep

The Blaylock brothers scored a one-two finish in the IMCA Southern Sportmod main with James holding off, younger brother, Brandon for the win. J. Blaylock, coming back from a rollover last week, chased down early leader Ray Doyon III getting the top spot on lap 6. B. Blaylock worked his way up to second challenging his brother throughout the latter stages on the 20-lap event. Bill Pittaway closed in on B. Blaylock in the final laps giving J. Blaylock some breathing room at th finish.

 

It took three tries,but the IMCA SSM feature finally got underway. On the first try Travis Penny lead from the pole into turn 1 but got sideways stacking up the field. Robby Minten got out front on the second try but spun in turn 4 collecting nearly 1/3 of the field, most with only cosmetic damage. Doyon led the pack into the first turn on attempt number three, with David Routen spinning in turn 2.

 

Finally under green with Doyon on the point and J. Blaylock in pursuit. J. Blaylock got inside Doyon on lap 2 with the two side by side on lap on lap 2. B. Blaylock worked his way around Doug Livingston for third, while Pittaway gabbed fifth. J. Blaylock continued to look under Doyon, while Randy Bennett, Jason Stanley and Larry Jernigan were nearly three wide battling for sixth.

 

Pittaway got past Jeff Nix for fourth on lap 4 as the fight for the lead heated up again. J. Blaylock got along side Doyon on the back stretch and was able to get the nose out front on lap 6. J. Blaylock secured the lead going into turn 1. Stanley brought out a yellow with a spin slowing the action again. Once back to green B. Blaylock was under Doyon in the scrap for second, while Bennett got by Nix for fifth.

 

After giving up second to B. Blaylock, Doyon lost third to Pittaway on lap 8. At halfway it was J. Blaylock, B. Blaylock, Pittaway, Doyon and Bennett in the top five. Greg Rohmer brought out a yellow on lap 11 when he went around in turn 4. On the restart B. Blaylock began pressuring his brother for the lead, with Pittaway looking for an opening on both. Bennett gave up his top five spot when he looped it in turn 4 on lap 12.

 

J. Blaylock got a good jump once the green waved again, as Stanley worked his way back up to fifth. Stanley got along side Doyon for fourth on lap 15 as they ran wheel to wheel. With two to go, Pittaway was looking for a way past B. Blaylock as J. Blaylock inched away. Doyon held off Stanley, B. Blaylock kept Pittaway at bay, with J. Blaylock in the Central Ready Mix, Diamondback Transport, The Spine & Orthopedic Institute of San Antonio, Bebo Graphics, Spreen Race Engines, HOT by Blaylock Chassis taking the win.

 

“I really have to give this win to my dad,” commented J. Blaylock. “He put it countless hours getting the car ready after we rolled it last week. He's the one that got it back in shape and ready to race. It was more special because my wife and little girl were here to see it.”

 

“At the beginning of the race I was just fishing around to see where the car would work the best. I tried a couple different lanes racing Ray(Doyon). After I got the lead I just had to pick my battles on which line to run. You could keep it wound up more on top. Once I saw my brother was in second half my plan went to defense and I just tried to run where he wanted to go.”

 

“Brandon usually tries some radical things on his car, but both of us were having some brake issues. I was actually kind of surprised when he pulled up along side me under caution. We typically don't let each other know when we're behind the other. Racing with him really puts some more pressure on me. Yes, I feel more comfortable racing with him, but we both don't want to be out done by other brother.”

 

 

IMCA Southern Sportmods

7b James Blaylock

9b Brandon Blaylock

37 Bill Pittaway

D9 Ray Doyon III

92 Jason Stanley

85 Jeff Nix

18 Larry Jernigan

51 Greg Rohmer

22 Randy Bennett

09 David Routen

88/89 Doug Livingston

18s Roger Strickland

4 Robby Minten

11 Chris McLendon

66 Johnny Torres

115 Chuck Perry

10 Travis Penny

 

 

IMCA SSM Heats

Heat #1

4 Robby Minten

D9 Ray Doyon III

11 Chris McLendon

10 Travis Penny

18s Roger Strickland

66 Johnny Torres

 

Heat #2

18 Larry Jernigan

115 Chuck Perry

92 Jason Stanley

9b Brandon Blaylock

22 Randy Bennett

51 Greg Rohmer

 

Heat #3

88/89 Doug Livingston

7b James Blaylock

09 David Routen

85 Jeff Nix

37 Bill Pittaway

 

 

Shane Moore grabbed the early lead in the Tator Plumbing Limited Late Model 15-lap feature. Barry Major brought out the caution on lap 2 when he went up in smoke and couldn't get off the track. On the restart Gary Hunter took a look under Moore for the lead in turn 1. Moore got sideways in turn 2 collecting Hunter, Wade Jones and Richard Bartosh, who was not able to continue. Under caution, Wesley Skains was forced to pit with a flat right rear.

 

Once back to green Hunter worked his way up to third getting by Carl Pitts. On lap 5 the top three of Moore, Jones and Hunter were nose to tail until Moore slid high off the corner and Jones, in his Street Stock, got by for the lead on lap 7. Hunter continued to chase Jones and got inside on lap 10, grabbing the top spot on lap 11. From there, the four-time class champion eased away to take the win in Taz Racing, Douglas Glass sponsored car.

 

Tator Plumbing Limited Late Models

14 Gary Hunter

41 Wade Jones

25 Carl Pitts

25x Wesley Skains

18 Shane Moore

7 Richard Bartosh

33 Barry Major

 

 

 

Limited Late Model heat winner; 25x Wesley Skains

 

 

The Pure Stock feature saw William Cavender get into turn 1 first, but Jarrett Payton executed a perfect crossover move to get inside Cavender on the back stretch. Payton got the lead as they crossed the line, while Frank Okruhlik got by Rick Snyder for third. Okruhlik then got by Cavender for second on lap 3 and ran down Payton by lap 5. The two were door to door on lap 6, while Gilbert Amezquita took fourth from Snyder.

 

Payton and Okruhlik continued to fight it out for the lead still running side by side on lap 8. Just as Okruhlik had edged ahead of Payton, caution waved for Barry Major who broke and stopped just off the track. Would it be bad luck again for Okruhlik who broke on the last lap while leading last week? On the restart Okruhlik and Payton resumed their side by side battle, as Amezquita got by Cavender for third.

 

Okruhlik finally made the pass on Payton to lead lap 9 and quickly began pulling away. In the pack, two of I-37's lady racers, Janel Hilla and Brandy Ramzinski battled for fifth with Ramzinski getting the spot. As Okruhlik pulled away in the final laps positions changed when Amezquita had trouble on the back stretch and Payton spun coming to the checkers. Okruhlik secured his first Pure Stock win in the Odie Racing, Ximenex Trucking sponsored Chevy.

 

Pure Stocks

99 Frank Okruhlik

66r Rick Snyder

88 Brandy Ramzinski

7x Janel Hilla

72 Gilbert Amezquita

15 William Cavender

9 Jarrett Payton

44 James Watson

24 Marc Roy

33 Barry Major

31j Charles Beundel

 

 

Pure Stock heat winners; 99 Frank Okruhlik, 33 Barry Major

 

 

Roy Easler, who also ended up last week on his lid, rebounded in the 15-lap Front Runner feature. Easler made it look easy(pun intended) as he jumped ahead of Cameron Smith and Steven Stanley at the start. Chad Thrush worked his way around Stanley on lap 1, then Smith for second on lap 2. A caution for debris on lap 3 was only thing to slow Easler down as he got a good jump on the field once back to green.

 

In the pack, Nick Hencey made his way up to fourth, while Stanley, James Samford, Charles Earnhardt III and Brent Bouchillion fought it out for fifth. As Easler eased away(OK I'll stop now) Hencey took third while Earnhardt emerged from the four-car scramble with fifth. Earnhardt and Samford took a side trip through the infield giving up several spots. In the final laps Bouchillion got by Thrush, as Earnhardt came back to fifth. Up front it was Easler, with nearly a half track lead, taking the win.

 

Front Runners

12 Roy Easler

13 Cameron Smith

911 Nick Hencey

20 Brent Bouchillion

33 Charlie Earnhardt III

T30 Chad Thrush

57 Trevor Bettis

96 Steven Stanley

113 Hailee Marcx

98 Amber Clay

James Samford

66c Cindy Snider--DNS

 

 

Front Runner heat winners; 12 Roy Easler, 911 Nick Hencey

 

 

Another driver who has seen the ground at I-37 Raceway, Hunter Montgomery grabbed the lead of the 20-lap Brazos Mini Sprint feature. Kyle Thompson, Matt Owen, Jacob Gilliam and Chance McCrary followed Montgomery. McCrary got past Gilliam for fourth on lap 2. Gilliam fell back into a three-car battle with Anthony Smith and Scott Blakeley for fifth.

 

Out front Montgomery was pulling away from Thompson and Owen who held a good gap back to McCrary at halfway. Just as Montgomery caught the back of the pack, Gilliam broke and stopped on track to bring out a caution. As green waved Thompson took a quick look low on Montgomery, but Montgomery pulled ahead off turn 2 with Owen now pressuring Thompson for second. At the checkers it was Montgomery, who flipped in first I-37 Raceway trip, taking the win in the Stock class, with Chance McCrary first in the Outlaw class..

 

Brazos Mini Sprints

5 Hunter Montgomery(S)

87 Kyle Thompson

84x Matt Owen

13m Chance McCrary(O)

42 Scott Blakely

337 Anthony Smith

14 Jacob Gilliam

 

 

Brazos Mini Sprint heat winners; 84x Matt Owen

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