THR race recap, 5/22/04

[NickHolt]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 24, 2004

Contact: Thunder Hill Raceway, 512.262.1352

 

Teague pulls off first 'Three Peat' of young THR season

 

By Jon Sagester and Chuck Licata

 

KYLE—Back in the 1990’s, the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls ran off not one, but two “three-peat” performances. Air Jordan and Company won NBA titles in the 1990-1992 seasons and then again from 1995-1997.

 

Jim Teague (Dale), driver of the #73 A-Lane Auto Parts (AAS) Street Stock car at Thunder Hill Raceway (THR), has introduced that term at THR this year. Not bad for a driver who missed the first two races this season. Teague has won the last three A-Line Auto Parts Street Stock feature races at THR. Teague timed Win #3 perfectly this past Saturday night as Kurt Filbert, marketing director of A-Line Auto Parts in Austin (an affiliate of Arnold Oil Company), presented Teague with a $100 certificate for winning the A-Line Auto Parts 40 on, appropriately, A-Line Auto Parts Night at Thunder Hill Raceway, located in Kyle, in front of an estimated crowd of 1,200 fans.

 

Starting the 15-car race the eighth position, Teague slowly worked his way to the front. On the 24th lap of the 40-lap feature, Teague took over first place then held off the hard-charging Marvin “The Marvinator” Buck (Austin) for his third straight win.

 

Other winners last Saturday night at THR included Alvin Stewart (Late Models class), Joseph Tschoerner (Captial City Trade & Technical School Hobby Stocks) and Marcia Moore (Grand Stocks). Racing wasn’t the only entertainment the fans enjoyed Saturday night as the Hays High School Marching Band played a stirring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, for the opening ceremony. The band was under the direction of Tony Leslet, Joey Lucity and Chris Gordon.

 

The AAS Street Stocks feature saw five drivers lead different parts of the race. Robert Lizotte (San Marcos) led for 16 laps before getting a flat tire during a caution period on Lap 24. Duane Toyne (Leander) had the lead spot on the restart, but Teague went inside of Toyne coming out of Turn 2 and took the lead for the final 16 laps.

 

Others who led the race were pole sitter John Wire (Spicewood) and Chris Birmingham (Leander). Second place went to Marvin Buck (Austin while Bobby Teer, Jr., (Comfort) finished third. Teer’s finish allowed him to grab the AAS Street Stocks points lead. Teer sits with 513 points, followed by Pflugerville’s Doug Ayers (491 points) and Bobby LaFont (Volente) with 457.

 

The Thunder Hill Late Models put on a fascinating race when Alvin Stewart (Austin) started on the inside pole with his son, Robert Stewart (Austin) starting beside him on the front row.

 

Alvin Stewart took the green flag on the start and led the nine cars through the entire 35-lap race for his first win of the season. The real race, however, was between Robert Stewart and James Reeder (Buda), the defending 2003 Late Model Champion.

 

Starting from the fifth spot, Reeder got together with Robert Stewart in Turn 3, bringing out the caution flag on the 19th lap. Both Reeder and Robert Stewart were sent to the back of the field but worked their way back to second and third place, respectively, by Lap 22.

 

Alvin Stewart and Reeder stayed tight together and pulled away from the rest of the field to battle for the win. The elder Stewart hung on to take the checkered flag with Reeder finishing second and Robert Stewart third.

 

With one win and two second-place finishes, Reeder is leading the THR Late Model points standings with 349 points. David Snokhous (Round Rock) is second with 306 while Richard Norman (Roanoke) is third with 292.

 

Joseph Tschoerner (Bartlett) picked up his first win of the season in the Capital City Trade & Technical School (CCTTS) Hobby Stock feature, with Kevin Bowen (Hutto) taking second and David Hassinger (Kyle) placed third.

 

The CCTTS Hobby Stock points leaders are now Hassinger (546 points), Joseph Tschoerner (535) and Kevin Bowen (509 points).

 

Tracy Tschoerner, a 17-year-old Taylor High School senior, got together with Wes Ahl (Wimberley) as they both spun out in Turn 3 on the 15th lap; both cars had to be towed off the track.

 

It was fun for everyone as the Grand Stocks took the track for the final feature of the exciting evening. The Grand Stocks are street cars that have the safety roll bars and harnesses installed, along with other safety features, but don’t have the fine-tuned engines, nor the speed that are part of the other classes. They are driven by, mostly, inexperienced race car drivers who are more adept at fighting road rage on the interstate. The one thing they have in common is the desire to give their all and win the race, or at least finish it.

 

The Grand Stock drivers put on an entertaining race Saturday night. It more-so resembled a Demolition Derby” than a race, with all of the bumping and spinning that occurred.

 

Marcia “The Brave” Moore captured the win after coming in second last week. Jim “Crazy Cooter” Lynch finished second and Daniel Hassinger was third in the 10-lap race.

 

The AAS Street Stocks, the CCTTS Hobby Stocks and the Grand Stocks will all be back this Saturday night at Thunder Hill Raceway. They will be joined by the Allison Legacy Cars, the class which recently produced NEXTEL Cup rookie Brian Vickers, who drives the #25 Hendricks Motorsports Chevrolet in NASCAR’s premier class. Grandstand gates open at 5:30 p.m. with Opening Ceremonies set for 7 p.m. at Thunder Hill Raceway, which is located on the IH-35 access road at exit 210 (Yarrington Road exit) off IH-35 North.