DeVilbiss doubles up in EQ Wild West Tour at Desert Thunder

[rebelracewriter]

DeVilbiss doubles up in EQ Wild West Tour twinbill at Desert Thunder

 

By Chris Martinez

 

PRICE, Utah (June 4-5) – A pair of middle of the pack starts led to a pair of $1,000 IMCA Modified feature wins for Zane DeVilbiss.

 

The New Mexico hotshot swept the June 4-5 EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West Tour twinbill at Desert Thunder Raceway, driving from 14th on Friday and from 10th on Saturday.

 

“It gives me more motivation when I have to start from further back,” said DeVilbiss, already the winner of a career best 10 sanctioned features this season. “It was a good weekend for us. It’s been a good year.”

 

Colten Vanderherp led much of the way on opening night, bringing DeVilbiss along into lapped traffic before coming out on the short end of a late dustup with his challenger.

 

2009 series champion and “B” qualifier Justen Yeager also had his pedal to the metal, advancing 14 positions to finish second. Michael Hale, Aaron Spangler and Mark Rogers rounded out the top five.

 

Defending track champion Spangler and Vanderherp drew front row starting spots and Spangler looked like the car to beat early on, pulling to three car length lead over a tightening tussle for second.

 

Unable to maintain the fast pace, Spangler gave way to Vanderherp, who ran at the front before the backstretch mixup sent him to re-start at the back of the pack.

 

DeVilbiss led the last three times around the track; Vanderherp salvaged 13th place points.

 

Yeager drew the outside row one start on Saturday, holding off early challenges from Hale and Vanderherp while DeVilbiss dealt with two- and three-wide racing to work slowly from the middle of the field.

 

Ryan Cotrell and DeVilbiss eventually settled into second and third, respectively, while Travis Metz made his move from way back into the top 10.

 

DeVilbiss snuck into second and, after a couple quick cautions, went to the high side for the lead, bringing Cotrell along.

 

Yeager held on for third place points and pay while Metz finished his night 17 positions to the good in fourth. Vanderherp followed in fifth.

 

The sweep gave DeVilbiss his sixth career victory on the circuit, and his third win in three series events this season.

 

“We’ve got new homebuilt car and it’s been a killer,” the new 2011 Fast Shafts Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier said. “We went back to the drawing board, did a lot of research during the off-season and figured some stuff out.”

 

Forty-six Modifieds were on hand Friday, with one newcomer joining the field on Saturday.

 

Next up for the EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West Tour is the June 25-26 twinbill at Battle Mountain, Nev., Raceway.

 

Feature Results

 

June 4 – 1. Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M.; 2. Justen Yeager, Green River, Wyo.; 3. Michael Hale, West Jordan, Utah; 4. Aaron Spangler, Dove Creek, Colo.; 5. Mark Rodgers, Farmington, N.M.; 6. Travis Metz, Blackfoot, Idaho; 7. Ryan Cotrell, Las Vegas, Nev.; 8. Brian Ungaro, Green River, Wyo.; 9. Nick Nelson, Farmington, N.M.; 10. Richard Anderson, Shelley, Idaho; 11. Jason Donnelly, Rigby, Idaho; 12. Don Baisch, Rigby, Idaho; 13. Colten Vanderherp, Ferron, Utah; 14. Troy Sweeten III, Green River, Utah; 15. Jake Donnelly, Rigby, Idaho; 16. Bert Beech, Byron, Wyo.; 17. Jeff Handke, Clifton, Colo.; 18. Richard Mueller, Jackson, Wyo.; 19. Kelly Smith, Roosevelt, Utah; 20. Wade Taylor, Spring Creek, Nev.; 21. Butch Vernon, Idaho Falls, Idaho; 22. Jeep Berry, Grand Junction, Colo.; 23. Ron Moser, West Valley City, Utah; 24. Brody Spangler, Dove Creek, Colo.

 

1st heat (top two) – 1. Hale; 2. Metz. 2nd heat – 1. Mueller; 2. Nelson. 3rd heat – 1. Vanderherp.; 2. Baisch. 4th heat – 1. Berry; 2. Jason Donnelly. 5th heat – 1. Ungaro; 2. Moser. 6th heat – 1. Rodgers; 2. Aaron Spangler.

 

1st “B” feature (top four) – 1. Cotrell; 2. Yeager; 3. Beech; 4. Jake Donnelly. 2nd “B” feature – 1. DeVilbiss; 2. Sweeten; 3. Brody Spangler; 4. Handke. 3rd “B” feature – 1. Taylor; 2. Smith; 3. Anderson; 4. Vernon.

 

June 5 – 1. DeVilbiss; 2. Cotrell; 3. Yeager; 4. Metz; 5. Vanderherp; 6. Hale; 7. Chase Hansen, Myton, Utah; 8. Ungaro; 9. Taylor; 10. Joe Kent, Las Vegas, Nev.; 11. Kelly Shaw, Idaho Falls, Idaho; 12. Berry; 13. Porter Smith, Farmington, N.M.; 14. Baisch; 15. Moser; 16. Kelly Smith; 17. Nelson; 18. Mickey Stubbings, Helper, Utah; 19. Christian Johnson, Grand Junction, Colo.; 20. Zach Hensley, Green River, Wyo.; 21. Dusty Safley, Helper. Utah; 22. Sweeten; 23. Trevor Arnold, Idaho Falls, Idaho; 24. Aaron Spangler.

 

1st heat (top two) – 1. DeVilbiss; 2. Yeager. 2nd heat – 1. Vanderherp; 2. Safley. 3rd heat – 1. Cotrell; 2. Porter Smith. 4th heat – 1. Stubbings; 2. Ungaro. 5th heat – 1. Hale; 2. Arnold. 6th heat – 1. Hansen; 2. Moser.

 

1st “B” feature (top four) – 1. Sweeten; 2. Shaw; 3. Baisch; 4. Hensley. 2nd “B” feature – 1. Nelson; 2. Kent; 3. Kelly Smith; 4. Berry. 3rd “B” feature – 1. Aaron Spangler; 2. Johnson; 3. Metz; 4. Taylor.

 

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