Egbert, VanKirk win, Pittaway, Torres secure Mod, Sportmod titles @ I-

[rebelracewriter]

I-37 Raceway, 9-25-10

By J M Hallas

 

Pleasanton, Tx.,(Sept. 25Th, 2010) It seemed like a month since motors were fired in anger at Pleasanton's I-37 Raceway. Oh ya, between time off from the IMCA National events and one rain out it had been since August 28th since the ¼ mile, semi-banked dirt oval saw life. Even this weekend was in doubt as scattered showers dotted the area, but the track dodged the bullet with racing action going undelayed throughout the night.

 

Several new faces saw action in the nights event including a return of two past IMCA Modified Rookies of the Year, Trevor and GW Egbert, who hadn't been at the track since 2004. The Pure Stock division saw a handful of new drivers out of the Corpus area try their hand as they prepped for October's Thousand Buck Shootout on the 22nd and 23rd.

 

With points season ending for the IMCA classes at the end of the month, the IMCA Modified and Southern Sportmod Champions would be finalized, with the four other classes crowning their champs at next Saturday's season ender.

 

 

Egbert Eases Away for Modified Main, Pittaway Claims Championship

Trevor Egbert made his return to the speedway an enjoyable one as he and bother GW made the haul from the Temple/Belton area. T. Egbert quickly worked his way to the front then had to hold off former track champ, Greg Dinsmore. T. Egbert was able to ease away on restarts to take the victory.

 

Corpus Christi's Bill Pittaway came into the night with a big enough points lead that no one could catch last years IMCA Southern Sportmod champion. Action started even before the drop of the green. In an attempt to roll in some rough spots after a flip in the previous Pure Stock feature, Pittaway got crossed up and collected GW Egbert IV ending his night before the green would even fly.

 

This left 11-cars to take the flag for the 20-lap IMCA Modified main event. Jamie Campbell lead the field into turn 1 with the point followed by Robert Liese jr., Dennis Taylor, Darin Leonard and Dinsmore in pursuit. Matt Fox brought and early caution on lap 1 when he had trouble in turn 3. On the restart it was a mad scramble with Taylor going past Liese and Dinsmore wheel to wheel with Leonard as T. Egbert looked on.

 

Taylor and Campbell were side by side for the lead on lap 3, with Leonard, Dinsmore and T. Egbert three wide for fourth. As Taylor assumed the top spot, T. Egbert and Dinsmore shook out of the pack second and third, respectively. T. Egbert ducked inside Taylor on lap 5 and snagged the lead on lap 6. Leonard and Campbell were side by side for fourth when Jason Borlace spun in turn 3 to bring out a yellow on lap 7.

 

Back under green, T. Egbert inched away with Dinsmore getting under Taylor for second. At the crossed flags it was T. Egbert, Dinsmore, Taylor, Leonard and Campbell in the top five when Fox again had issues going around in turn 4. Once back to green T. Egbert and Dinsmore got a good jump, while Borlace began working his way back up. Borlace would get sixth from Liese on lap 14. Campbell went around between turns 3-4 to bring out the final caution on lap 16.

 

When green waved again T. Egbert began to ease away from Dinsmore, who had a gap back to Taylor and Leonard. With two to go Borlace and Pittaway were battling for fifth. T. Egbert took the white with comfortable margin cruising unchallenged to the checkers in the 121 Towing, Pro Image Signs, E&E Collision, Big Tex Autoplex, CenTex Motorsports, Lingo Race Engines, Hoffman Chassis.

 

“I was just being smooth and ran where they weren't,” replied Egbert. “This has always been a multi-groove track, you can run the top, bottom and middle like I did tonight. I like this track. It has been good to us. Once you get your car where you like it, you just leave it or make small adjustments. We used to try every bar, in every hole.”

 

“I knew we were three wide there at one point. You put a lot of trust in these guys. Luckily it worked out good, sometimes it doesn't. I've raced with Greg(Dinsmore) a long time and wasn't worried about him. I'm not real familiar with the other guy(Darin Leonard), but it turned out that he's a class act and good driver.”

 

“These cars are so different than what we ran here four years ago we really couldn't use any of our past knowledge. I was kind of discouraged after hot laps that we might have a handle on it since we've been here before. There really wasn't a lot we could carry over. This was basically the same set up we used at Kennedale a couple weeks ago.”

 

“I've been running some with the USMTS guys and it's there job to come to your track and beat you. That's kind of the mindset I have now as a driver. It works out pretty good.”

 

 

IMCA Modifieds

78 Trevor Egbert

8g Greg Dinsmore

38 Dennis Taylor

26 Darin Leonard

37 Bill Pittaway

21 Jason Borlace

67 Robert Liese jr

12 Bob Leinweber

29 Jamie Campbell

53x Matt Fox

c31 Marlin Samford

717 GW Egbert IV---DNTG

24 Tracey Fink---DNS

 

 

IMCA Modified heats

Heat 1

78 Trevor Egbert

21 Jason Borlace

38 Dennis Taylor

67 Robert Liese jr

37 Bill Pittaway

53x Matt Fox

c31 Marlin Samford

 

Heat 2

8g Greg Dinsmore

26 Darin Leonard

29 Jamie Campbell

717 GW Egbert IV

12 Bob Leinweber

24 Tracy Fink

 

 

VanKirk Victorious in Sportmod Scramble, Torres Takes Title

Multi-time Limited Late Model Champion, Moe VanKirk added his second win of the season leading nearly flag to flag. VanKirk took over the top spot on lap 2 from Larry Jernigan and never looked back on his way to the checkers in the 94.3 Revolution Radio, Hill Country Happenings, Swenson Racing Products, The Alignment Shop, Reid Graham Company, Morris Graham powered, HOT Chassis.

 

Holding nearly a 20 point margin over his nearest competitor and team mate Jason Stanley who was not in attendance, and a short field of cars, all Johnny Torres had to do was start the IMCA Southern Sportmod feature to lock up his title. Fortunately that was all that was needed as he fell out fell out at halfway with mechanical problems.

 

Eleven cars started the 20-lap IMCA SSM feature with Robby Minten getting loose and Jernigan getting the early lead. Randy Bennett, VanKirk, Minten and Jesse James chased Jernigan. VanKirk got by Bennett for second on lap 1 and jumped on the chance when Jernigan slid too high, to snag the lead on lap 2. Torres and James battled side by side for fourth on lap 3 while George Egbert got along side Minten for sixth.

 

Egbert's run ended when he and Minten made contact cutting a tire as Egbert rolled to a stop in turn 2. On the restart VanKirk edged away while Bennett gave Jernigan a look low. Mickey Helms moved in the challenge James for fourth on lap 5. Torres got inside Bennett for third on lap 6, with Helms looking to follow finally getting the spot on lap 8. Torres then challenged Jernigan for second with the duo making slight contact in turn 1. At halfway it was VanKirk, Jernigan, Torres, Helms and Bennett in the top five.

 

Yellow waved on lap 10 for Minten spun in turn 2 and Torres sitting dead just off turn 2. Back under green VanKirk got away cleanly, as Helms put the heat on Jernigan for second. Helms tried high one lap and low the next while Bill Pittaway moved by James for fifth. Helms finally got along side Jernigan for second on lap 15, finally completing the pass on lap 16. Helms found himself nearly ¾ of a straightaway behind VanKirk and needing a caution. That yellow never came as the race ran to the checkers with VanKirk still holding a huge advantage over Helms.

 

“I found some good dirt down low,” exclaimed VanKirk. “Nobody else was running down there. It was there all night long. I thought for sure it would be gone by feature time, but there was still traction there. The lower you could get, the faster you could go.”

 

“We watched the track between the heat and feature and tried to predict what it was going to do. This was probably one of the best tracks we've had. It looked like it was going to go dry slick and rubber up. The more races on it it seemed to bring the moisture back up.”

 

“I knew Johnny(Torres) was in the points chase and I'm not so I was going to stay out of his way. He's done great all year. I wasn't going to press the issue with him, but he was never up there.”

 

“I've got to thank my crew chief Steve(Howard), he's been here for both my wins. He can't make all the races but when he does, we win. He's been with me through my championships in Limited Late Models, too.”

 

IMCA Southern Sportmods

58 Moe VanKirk

175 Mickey Helms

18 Larry Jernigan

22 Randy Bennett

37 Bill Pittaway

3j Jesse James

115 Chuck Perry

4 Robby Minten

10 Travis Penny

66 Johnny Torres

70 George Egbert

99 Billy Meyer---DNS

 

 

IMCA SSM heats

Heat 1

3j Jesse James

37 Bill Pittaway

70 George Egbert

18 Larry Jernigan

10 Travis Penny

99 Billy Meyer

 

Heat 2

58 Moe VanKirk

66 Johnny Torres

22 Randy Bennett

175 Mickey Helms

4 Robby Minter

115 Chuck Perry

 

 

The Tator Plumbing Limited Late Models saw Richard Bartosh come out of turn 2 with the lead with Shane Moore and Bo Beckner side by side for second. Beckner secured the spot on lap 1 as Chris Brock and Ron Sprayue fell in line behind Moore. As Brock and Sprayue battled for fifth, Wesley Skains, in a back up car, worked his way up to sixth. After holding off Sprayue Brock challenged and took third from Moore.

 

At halfway Bartosh had built a good lead over Beckner who had a gap back to Brock, Moore and Sprayue. Skains got past Sprayue on lap 9 for fifth when Beckner spun from second erasing Bartosh's big lead. Skains jumped the restart going by both Moore and Brock and would be docked those spots on the next restart.

 

Sprayue, Brock and Moore were three wide for third(actually second) on lap 11 with Sprayue getting the spot after the trio swapped some paint. Moore got the spot back from Sprayue briefly on lap 12 , but Sprayue retook it a half lap later. Brock and Moore got together in turn 3 for a late caution. Sprayue tried to hang with Bartosh on the restart but spun coming to the checkers leaving Bartosh to get the victory 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

25/25x Wesley Skains

6c Craig Crawley

14 Gary Hunter

10 Chris Brock

42 Ron Sprayue

1 Roger Baker

60 Harlin Covert

18 Shane Moore

75 Bo Beckner

25 Jason Lawrence--DNS(Gave up car to Wesley Skains)

1x Andrew Hessler---DNS(Blew motor)

 

 

Limited Late Model heat winners, 18 Shane Moore, 7 Richard Bartosh

 

 

Justin Henley grabbed the early lead in the 15-lap Street Stock feature with Greg Lackey, AJ Wernette, Dennis Hilla and Mike Lyon trailing. Lap 2 saw Wernette and Hilla get past Lackey for second and third. Lackey gave up two more spots to Lyon and Wade Jones on lap 3. Kevin Hyland spun in turn 2 to bring out the yellow on lap 4. Once back to green Wernette got inside Henley to grab the lead on lap 5, with Henley and Hilla side by side for second.

 

Hyland had another spin to bring out the yellow hankie on lap 5. Under caution Henley pitted to remove loose exhaust parts. As green waved again, Wernette, Hilla and Jones broke away from the field, with Hilla taking a look low. Max Helms and Charles Earnhardt tangled on lap 6 to bring out the caution and send Earnhardt to the tail. Wernette got a slight advantage while Hilla and Jones battled side by side for second with Jones getting the spot.

 

Hilla tried to fight back but to no avail as he got loose on lap 10 allowing Lyon to close the gap. Up front Jones was now pressuring Wernette for the lead. Jones got along side Wernette on lap 11, while Henley worked his way past Lackey to get back in the top five. Jones got the point from Wernette on lap 12 and wasted little time putting distance on the field motoring to the win in the Opiela Mechanical, Mission Racing, SABFI, Jeff's Auto Rebuilders, Camaro.

 

Street Stocks

41 Wade Jones

37 AJ Wernette

2x Dennis Hilla

40 Mike Lyon

96 Justin Henley

41g Greg Lackey

53 Max Helms

31 Charles Earnhardt

72 Kevin Hyland

98 Williams Saunders

 

 

Street Stock heat winners, 96 Justin Henley, 37 AJ Wernette

 

 

As usual the 20-lap, 20-car Pure Stock feature was a rock 'em, sock 'em affair with trouble befalling the three early leaders. Freddie Geirisch beat Jarrett Payton out of turn 2 for the lead with Payton, William Cavender and Frank Okruhlik behind. Okruhlik got past Cavender for third on lap 1 while points leader and defending champ, Mac Roy ran side by side with Janel Hilla for fifth. Aaron Leddy brought out an early caution on lap 2 with a spin in turn 2.

 

Geirisch and Okruhlik rocketed away back under green with Okruhlik using the high side to get next to Geirisch on lap 3, with Roy ducking under Cavender for fourth. As Okruhlik continued to try the top side, Roy got past Tim Watson for third. Okruhlik had just nosed ahead of Geirisch when yellow waved for a spin by Billy Denton after contact with Brandy Ramzinski. Denton retained his spot, Ramzinski went to the back.

 

On the restart Geirisch,Okruhlik and Roy pulled away, while Jarrett Barber got fifth from Payton. Geirisch pushed high in turn 4 with a problem and stopped handing the lead to Okruhlik on lap 8. On the restart Okruhlik got a good jump, but a small oil fire under the hood saw the yellow wave and put Okruhlik at the back. This gave the point to Roy for the restart that saw Barber get by Cavender for second and Leddy work his way back up to fifth.

 

Barber got beside Roy, who was having overheating issues, and got the lead on lap 11, with Denton getting third from Cavender. Denton picked off Roy and was quickly on Barber for the lead. Denton snared the top spot on lap 12 while Leddy got around Roy for fourth and Hunter Flanagan moved into the top five a lap later. Leddy then moved in to battle side by side with Barber for second as they swapped the spot almost corner for corner.

 

As they scrapped it out, Denton was able to put distance on both. While Denton inched away, Okruhlik worked his way back to seventh. With the white flag in the air, Ramzinski spun in turn 4 setting up a two lap shootout to the finish. Denton was able to pull away while Barber and Leddy continued to slug it out for second. Denton went unchallenged for the victory. Coming to checkers Jerry Jones took a wild tumble down the front stretch after contacting the turn 4 tire barrier. As Jones climbed out he told track officials, “That was better than a ride at Six Flags.”

 

** It is my understanding that the four Corpus rules cars where only racing for fun, no points, no purse as a test to see what class they would fit in for the Thousand Buck Shootout. Thus the actual win was awarded to Leddy.

 

Pure Stocks

84 Billy Denton**

93 Aaron Leddy

19b Jarrett Barber**

58 Hunter Flanagan**

24 Marc Roy

15 William Cavender

1 Tim Watson

7x Janel Hilla

44 Eric Watson

88 Brandy Ramzinski

3d Ryan Doyon

95 Jerry Jones

99 Frank Okruhlik

77 Ray Radicke

17 Patrick White

9 Jarrett Payton

66r Rick Snyder

02 Phillip Haywood

19 Freddie Geirisch

26c Cody Leonard**

13x Gary Chain---DNS

117 Devin Adler---DNS

 

 

Pure Stock heat winners, 24 Marc Roy, 99 Frank Okruhlik, 19 Freddie Geirisch, 84 Billy Denton

 

In a race that saw a father(Charles Earnhardt) and his two sons(Cody and Charles III) racing against each other, Corey Samford led the Front Runner field into turn 1, but it was three wide on the back stretch for the lead. Nick Hencey got out front but James Samford got turned around to bring about a complete restart. Under caution, C. Samford pitted with a flat right front.

 

On the second try Hencey quickly grabbed the point with Charles Earnhardt III, Jimmy Carroll and J. Samford in tow. In the pack Roy Easler did a 360, but continued without caution. Yellow waved on lap 2 when J. Samford and Co. Earnhardt tangled in turn 4. On the restart Hencey jumped out to big lead quickly. C. Earnhardt worked his way by Carroll for second on lap 5.

 

After recovering from his small circle, Easler, racing in memory of his friend, began charging to the front getting around C. Earnhardt III on lap 6. Easler then bested Cameron Smith and Carrol for third leaving Smith and Carroll swapping fourth. Easler slipped too high giving Smith an opening to get back by. The two ran door to door for two laps. Easler secured the spot and caught C. Earnhardt on the final lap for second as Hencey was easily motoring to the win in the Quality Ambulance Service sponsored car.

 

Front Runners

911 Nick Hencey

12 Roy Easler jr

20 Charles Earnhardt(Not racing for points/position)

13 Cameron Smith

67Jimmy Carroll

96/113 Hailee Marcx

33 Cody Earnhardt

55 Corey Samford

33c Charles Earnhardt III

35 James Samford

98 Amber Clay---DNTG

98E Elizabeth Brander---DNS

57 Trevor Bettis---DNS

 

 

 

Front Runner heat winners, 67 Jimmy Carroll, 911 Nick Hencey

[jmm13]

Good Job Hailee for staying out of harms way. You followed dads advice and managed to finish 5th. Good job and a big thank you to the Stanleys for letting us borrow your frontrunner.