NickHolt Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Thunder Hill Raceway, 512.736.8230 EXCITING RACES DOMINATE ON-TRACK PERFORMANCE AT THR By Jon Sagester and Chuck Licata KYLE—It was all Thunder Hill Saturday night as the Hobby Stocks, Street Stocks, Late Models and Grand Stocks classes pulled off some of their best finishes of the season at the 3/8-mile paved oval in front of a crowd of about 700 fans. The Capital City Trade and Technical School Hobby Stocks started 10 cars in the first feature race of the night, a 20-lap dazzler that produced an exciting finish . Tracy Tschoerner (Taylor), a 17-year old senior at Taylor High School, picked up her first Capital City Trade & Technical School (CCTTS) Hobby Stocks win. Ironically, Tschoerner took the checkered flag one week after she registered a DNF (did not finish). She moved up to the CCTSS Hobby Stocks class in the middle of last season when the Pure Stock class was dropped from the THR racing schedule. The feature win moves Tschoerner into second place in the CCTTS Hobby Stocks season points standings. She sits with 412 points, 26 behind leader David Hassinger (Kyle), who has 438 points. Family racing is prevalent in this class as the Tracy leads her uncle, Joseph Tschoerner (Bartlett), who is third with 410 points. Before Tschoerner took the lead for good on lap 16, Matthew Hodge (Kyle) and Hassinger provided the best racing of the season in the CCTTS Hobby Stocks of the short 2004 season. Hodge, who started fifth, took over the lead on lap five when Jay Simon (Lakeway) crashed into the wall coming out of Turn Four. During the caution, the pole sitter and previous leader, Eric Batch (San Marcos) had to pit with a flat tire. Moving up steadily and consistently from his eighth-place start, Hassinger (who had won the two previous feature races) went to the outside of Hodge on lap seven, and the two raced side-by-side for nine straight laps. Neither driver budged as they put on an exhilarating display of driving skills. The crowd came to its feet as the two continued their dramatic side-by-side battle for the lead. Hodge, though, lost control in turn two and sideswiped Hassinger, bringing out a caution flag. THR's new "all-involved” rule put both drivers to the rear of the pack, handing the lead to the younger Tschoerner took over the lead. She held off some fierce competition for the last four laps to claim the victory. Wes Ahl (Wimberley) finished second, followed by Joseph Tschoerner. Kris Wilson (Austin) got off to a good start in the A-Line Auto Parts Street Stocks feature and took the early lead away from pole-sitter John Wire (Spicewood). Wilson led four laps before going wide and high off the turn, giving Gary Dean (Spicewood) a chance to pull into the lead. Meanwhile, last week’s winner, Jim Teague (Dale) was pushing himself through the pack from his 13th-place start in the 21-car race. On lap seven, Teague went to the inside of Dean in Turn One and grabbed the lead. Teague led the rest of the 30-lap race for his second straight win. Don Banker (Austin) came in second while Doug Ayers (Pflugerville) was third. Ayers thus pulled into a tie for the 2004 season points lead with Bobby LaFont (Volente), as both drivers sit atop the A-Line Auto Parts standings with 408 points apiece. Bobby Teer, Jr. (Comfort) is second 407 points. All three consistently finish in the top five places with LaFont having one second place finish and three fourth-place finishes in four starts this season. Cary Stapp (San Marcos), the defending 2003 Street Stock Championship Driver, who has one win to the young season, had engine problems on Saturday night. He blew his engine on Lap 20, and his car left a trail of white smoke as he exited the track. Stapp currently sits in fifth place with 344 points. Marc Currey (Driftwood) then held off a hard-charging James Reeder (Buda) to register his first win in the Thunder Hill Raceway late Model feature. Currey was the 2002 Street Stocks champion. Reeder was on Curry's rear quarter-panel as they finished the 35-lap race side-by-side, bringing the crowd to its feet. Starting last in the 8-car race, Currey moved into first when Reeder (who was leading on lap 21) made a pit stop under caution because of a flat tire and re-entered the track in last place. The yellow flag came out when Richard Norman (Roanoke) and Robert Stewart (Austin), who were running second and third respectively, got together and were sent to the rear of the pack. Reeder passed Stewart and Norman and was fighting off David Snokhous (Round Rock) when Reeder, Snokhous and Stewart spun out in Turn Two on Lap 25. That put Reeder at the back of the pack again on the restart. It only took him two laps to climb back to second place, and suddenly Reeder was giving Currey all he could handle in the battle for the lead. The two made a real race for the next eight laps in front of the cheering crowd. Currey was barely able to hold off Reeder, a past track champion, until the final doorknocker at the finish. Norman held on for a third-place finish. Reeder remained the THR Late Model points leader with 236 with Snokhous sitting in second with 212. Norman is third with 202 points. Mike Davis took the lead from pole-sitter Marcia Moore and steadily drove to a win in the 10-lap Grand Stock feature race. Second place went to Moore, with Robert Copple, (77) finishing third. A couple of drivers from Thunder Hill Raceway, with their race cars in tow, will head down to Hays High School this Friday (May 21) at 11:30 a.m. to display their cars to the Hays H.S. students. The Hays High School Marching Band will then perform the National Anthem the following night (May 22) during opening ceremonies on A-Line Auto Parts night at THR. The grandstand gates will open at 5:30 p.m., with Opening Ceremonies starting at 7 p.m. The big race of the night will be the A-Line Auto Parts 40-lap Street Stocks race. Other feature races will take place in the Late Models, Hobby Stocks and Grand Stocks classes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Hey did ya'll look at the right date on the schedule. For 5-22-04 is say's LM Street, Hobby and Grand. For 5-29-04 is say's Street, Hobby, Grand and Legacy's. Just want to make sure I'm looking at it right thats all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckLicata Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Kathy, You're right, thanks for the heads-up. The revised Press Release is on its way now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck99 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Thanks for the coverage Jon. Good stuff (except for the part about our car.) cs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman77 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 By the Way BATMAN is Robert Copple not David Copple. No Biggy but wanted to correct my name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Sorry Robert. I corrected your name in the story. Kathy has the correct name in the results posting. Not sure how that got turned around. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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