Dinsmore, Butcher come through for IMCA wins @ I-37 Raceway

[rebelracewriter]

Alamo Homes Night @ I-37 Raceway, 5/8/10

By J M Hallas

 

Pleasanton, Tx.,(May 8th) The day started early for over a dozen drivers who signed up for the Alamo Homes Customer Appreciation BBQ and Car Show at Southton Road lot along I-37. Hailee Marcx in her Front Runner took home best looking car award, along with $50.

 

In celebration of Mothers Day, the track had a special show for all the moms in the house, who received flowers and giveaways throughout the nights event.

 

Racing action was fast and furious with two features not fully determined until the checkers waved. The IMCA Southern Sportmod feature was one for the ages with three wide racing for the lead in the final laps. In Limited Late Models the leader at the white flag failed to take the checkers opting for a side trip off track.

 

 

Dinged Dinsmore Doubles Again

Despite feeling under the weather personally, and his car damaged in an early race skirmish, Kerrville's Greg Dinsmore overcame the adversity to take both the heat and main event wins. Dinsmore got by early leader Rick Green then powered his ractechinfo.com, AFCO Shocks, QTI Graphics, Lowery Plumbing, Fast Shafts, Cen-Tex Motorsports, Harris Chassis to his second win in a row.

 

As green waved for the 20-lap IMCA Modified main Dinsmore, Green and Joe Spillman were three wide in turn 2. Spillman went around and caught Dinsmore in the side, then collected Marlin Samford and Robert Liese jr. All were able to continue. On the second start, Green lead into turn 1 while Dinsmore worked past Darin Leonard for second.

 

Dinsmore quickly put the heat on Green for the lead as he looked low on lap 2. Dinsmore got inside Green to get the bumper out front on lap 3, but Green fought back as the two raced wheel to wheel for the lead. Dinsmore was finally able to take the line away while Bill Pittaway got third from Leonard. The field was spread out as the race came to halfway with Dinsmore, Green, Pittaway Leonard and Dennis Taylor in the top five.

 

Dinsmore had begun to stretch out his lead when Liese went around on lap 13 to bring out a yellow an erase his lead. Back under green, Pittaway looking low on Green, as Taylor tried the high side of Leonard. Green held off Pittaway who was now being challenged Leonard for third. Taylor brought a yellow on lap 16 when he looped it in turn 2. As the race resumed, Pittaway again was pressuring Green giving Dinsmore the chance to ease ahead. Pittaway and Green ran side by side in the final laps with Pittaway getting the spot. At the checkers it as Dinsmore with a comfortable margin scoring the victory.

 

“I want to dedicate this win to Kenny Stones father, Bob,” said Dinsmore. “I know a lot of racers are pulling together for him. Bob is in our hearts and minds as is Kenny and his family.”

 

“I just had to do my best to get by Darin(Leonard) and Rick(Green). I changed my line to get under them once I saw where they were running. You just have to pick out where that moisture is and miss the dry spots. You just have to keep working them.”

 

“The frame got pushed in pretty good on that start and the car got really tight. It just wouldn't get off the corner. So I had to adjust my line to the high side instead of the bottom where the moisture was. The car liked the bottom but would shoot up the track. So I had to enter high then get off low.”

 

“I jerked the car back and forth, stood on the gas, trying to check the car out after the crash. The first time I took off it jumped out of gear so I tried to pull the sheet metal off the shifter. It makes you think something is going to go wrong but you just don't know when. I've been sick with the flu and then this. What else can happen?”

 

“It was a pretty hard hit. I tried to turn it sideways to get away from Joe, but it happened. I could hear that it was three wide. We'll get it over to BC Collision and put it on the frame machine and change some bars, but it should be back next weekend.”

 

 

IMCA Modifieds

8 Greg Dinsmore

37 Bill Pittaway

82 Rick Green

26 Darin Leonard

44 Joe Spillman

80 Dennis Taylor

c31 Marlin Samford

67 Robert LIese jr

 

 

IMCA Modified heat;

8g Greg Dinsmore

c31 Marlin Samford

26 Darin Leonard

44s Joe Spillman

82 Rick Green

67 Robert Liese jr

80 Dennis Taylor

37 Bill Pittaway

 

 

Butcher Best in Sportmod Battle

The IMCA Southern Sportmod race was a crowd pleasing classic as three drivers battled it out for the win. Johnny Torres and Dustin Butcher both ran down race-long leader, Chuck Perry in the latter stages of the 20-lapper. With Perry and Torres running side by side, Butcher found an opening going three abreast on lap 16. Torres and Butcher cleared Perry and were still wheel to wheel until Butcher got the point coming to white flag and held Torres off for the win.

 

On the initial start Perry jumped out front quickly with three and four wide racing in the pack. Brian Rye and David Routen tangled to bring out the caution. Perry again grabbed the lead on the second start with Roger Strickland, Doug Livingston and Jason Stanley in tow. Greg Rohmer slowed and stopped along the back stretch and brought out a caution on lap 1. Back under green Perry got away clean, while Livingston, Stanley and Bill Pittaway battled for third.

 

Pittaway got the spot with Torres passing Stanley for fourth as Strickland spun himself from second to the infield without caution. Torres was now challenging Pittaway, while Butcher cracked the top five on lap 5. Butcher then snagged fourth from Stanley on lap 6. After holding Torres at bay, Pittaway began putting the heat on Perry for the lead. Pittaway could duck under Perry going into the turn, but Perry would pull ahead off the corners.

 

At the crossed flags the top four of Perry Pittaway, Torres and Butcher were nose to tail, with Stanley holding on to fifth. Pittaway then tried high looking for a way past Perry. As they raced side by side, Torres had thoughts about going three wide, but stayed in line behind Perry. Torres wrestled second away from Pittaway on lap 13 followed by Butcher to third. Torres got along side Perry and edged ahead to lead lap 14, while Butcher lurked in third. Torres and Perry were still wheel to wheel on lap 15 when Butcher made his move. Butcher ducked under both as they ran three wide for the top spot.

 

Torres and Butcher both cleared Perry and were still tied at the rub rails during lap 17. With two to go, and the crowd on its feet, Butcher was able to sneak ahead to lead coming to the white flag. Once clear of Torres, Butcher eked out a slight margin on the final lap to take the hard earned win in the Access Ford, WW Bodies, Advantage Auto Salvage, Frankie Majek powered, Rush Chassis.

 

“It was certainly a great race,” commented Butcher. “We made it three wide there near the end and that was fun. When I was running back in third I got to try a couple different lines. I found a line that helped me. The track was good, no one got their car torn up, so all in all it was a good night. I really have to thank my family for all the help and support”

 

“I wasn't planning on going three wide, but a gap just opened up and I just filled the gap. It just kind of happens. I was fortunate enough that there was room and it worked out for me. I didn't have any worries running along side either of those guys They're both good drivers and I was comfortable racing them. That made it easier to make the decision to go three wide.”

 

“Starting towards the back you have to be 'patiently, impatient.' You have to go when there is a hole, but not be overly aggressive and put yourself in a position to get taken out.”

 

“With my new baby girl I don't have time to travel much. I'm going to try to make the Sportmod Nationals, Houston at the end of year during the big USMTS Show and maybe a couple others here or there.”

 

IMCA Southern Sportmod

90 Dustin Butcher

66 Johnny Torres

115 Chuck Perry

4R Brian Rye

21 EJ Gilpin

37 Bill Pittaway

92 Jason Stanley

89 Doug Livingston

09 David Routen

18s Roger Strickland

51 Greg Rohmer

 

 

IMCA SSM heats;

Heat #1

90 Dustin Butcher

115 Chuck Perry

21 EJ Gilpin

66 Johnny Torres

51 Greg Rohmer

09 David Routen

 

Heat #2

92 Jason Stanley

18s Roger Strickland

37 Bill Pittaway

4R Brain Rye

89 Doug Livingston

 

 

Shane Moore jumped into the lead early in the Tator Plumbing Limited Late Model feature with Wesley Skains and Patrick Kelly in pursuit. Kelly got by Skains on lap 1 for second with Richard Bartosh following to third a lap later. Kelly dove under Moore in turn 3 to snag the lead on lap 3. Moore, in perhaps a case of mistaken black car identity, drove into Kelly in turn 1 sending him around. Kelly was put back in the lead, with Moore pulling off.

 

Once back to racing, Skains and Barry Major swapped third with Skains securing the spot. Skains made contact with Bartosh in the scrap for second with both going around. Skains went to the tail, Bartosh back to second for the restart. As green waved again the top three of Kelly, Bartosh and Major stayed nose to tail until Kelly started easing away. As Kelly took the white and drove into turn 1 the car continued straight over edge handing the lead, and win to Bartosh in the Bauer Racing, Gateway Church, Bowen Welding, Sarges Discount Tools, T&S Bit Service sponsored car.

 

Tator Plumbing Limited Late Models

7 Richard Bartosh

25(33) Barry Major

25x Wesley Skains

84 Patrick Kelly

14 Gary Hunter

18 Shane Moore

 

 

Limited Late Model heat winner; 25(33) Barry Major

 

 

Wade Jones in the Opiela Mechanical, Mission Racing, SABFI, Jeff's Auto Rebuilders Camaro scored another runaway victory in the Street Stocks. Heat winner, AJ Wernette tried to hang with Jones in the early laps, but Jones was too strong and pulled ahead of Wernette and Mike Lyon to add another win to his career total.

 

Street Stocks

41 Wade Jones

37 AJ Wernette

40 Mike Lyon

 

 

Street Stock heat winner; AJ Wernette

 

 

The 15-lap Pure Stock feature turned into more like an episode of Surviver in some ways than a race. As green waved Jason Smith was first into turn 1, coming out of turn 4 Barry Major spun from third and got drilled by Ray Radicke nearly knocked the front off Major's(wifes) car. On the second start, Smith got out front again but spun in turn 4 collecting William Cavender and having a fire erupt in the engine compartment. The flames were quickly knocked down, but both were done for the night.

 

The third time almost wasn't a charm as Brandy Ramzinski, Sean Terry and Frank Okruhlik tried to go three wide in turn 1, then pulled off the maneuver in turn 3. Okruhlik came out with lead with Terry in second and Ramzinski third. As Terry pressured Okruhlik, defending champ, Marc Roy was door to door with Ramzinski for third. Roy took the spot on lap 3, while Okruhlik eased ahead of Terry by a few car lengths.

 

In the pack, Janel Hilla and Pat Kelly sr. were fighting for fifth when Hilla caught Kelly in the rear sending him around the back stretch, Hilla and Kevin Hyland then tangled in turn 4 with Hilla jumping an infield tire, but continuing on. Jarrett Payton brought out a yellow on lap 9 when went around in turn 4. On the restart the top three got away only to have Terry spin in turn 4 and get tagged head-on by Roy, who had nowhere to go.

 

Okruhlik got a big jump on Ramzinski once the green waved again with a gap back to birthday boy, Richard Snyder, Hilla and Hyland. Snyder lost his top three present when he went over the hill in turn 3 ending his night. Okruhlik again got ahead, while Hilla and Hyland ran side by side for third. Hilla held the spot and closed on Ramzinski in the final circuits, but up front it was Okruhlik cruising for what he thought was a back to back win. Okruhlik failed post-race tech handing the victory to Ramzinski

 

Pure Stocks

88 Brandy Ramzinski

7x Janel Hilla

72 Kevin Hyland

9 Jarrett Payton

66r Richard Snyder

23 Sean Terry

24 Marc Roy

71 Mike Harrison

64k Pat Kelly sr

77 Ray Radicke

13 Jason Smith

15 William Cavender

33 Barry Major

99 Frank Okruhlik---DQ(Heads)

 

Pure Stock heat winners; 23 Sean Terry, 33 Barry Major

 

 

The Front Runner feature saw Roy Easler take up where he left off last week, out front. Easler got a good jump on green followed by Cameron Smith, Steven Stanley, Chad Thrush and Nick Hencey. Brent Bouchillion and Amber Clay stopped in turn 4 to bring yellow out on lap 1. On the restart Hencey got past Thrush then along side Stanley for third. Hencey got the spot on lap 3, while Cody Earnhardt took fifth from Thrush. Earnhardt then picked off fourth from Stanley, who also gave up fifth to Thrush.

 

Smith slowed on lap 5 giving up spots to Hencey and Earnhardt before Stanley went over the turn 3 hill to bring out caution. As Easler pulled away back under green, Bouchillion worked his way back up to fourth. Hencey lost second to Earnhardt on lap 6 and just as Bouchillion got third he lost the right front, ending his night. Easler was able to cruise to the back to back wins with a good margin over Earnhardt.

 

Front Runners

12 Roy Easler

33 Cody Earnhardt

911 Nick Hencey

113 Hailee Marcx

35 James Samford

20 Brent Bouchillion

T30 Chad Thrush

57 Trevor Bettis

13 Cameron Smith

96 Steven Stanley

67 Richard Whitehead

68 Devin Adler

98 Amber Clay

66c Cindy Snyder---DNS

 

 

 

Front Runner heat winners; 13 Cameron Smith, 12 Roy Easler

[SassyCassie14]

Go kart winners

 

ages 6-9

#9 Caitlyn Leonard

 

ages 10 & up

#13 Cody Smith

(wtg to my cuddly Cody. We are soooo proud of you)

 

 

The pure stock 99 was dqed so you know jay.

[rebelracewriter]

No....I'm always the last to know....LOL

[jmm13]

WTG Hailee for your first top 5!! Sometimes it helps just being able to survive out there lol.. Keep up the good work. We see you improving every week. All of us are very proud of you!!!

 

WTG Johnny too!! Good to see you up front again after the bad luck you have had the last two weeks..