TSRS recap, 5/29/04

[NickHolt]

Texas Super Racing Series

Public Relations Office (512) 784-3026 * Series Information Line (512) 899-2602

Press Office Phone (281) 482-6798 * Press Office Fax (281) 648-4601

 

For Immediate Release

 

Yale Grabs Second Victory And Extends Points Lead

 

Mike Yale, of Houston Texas, took home his second win of the season and extended his overall points lead at the Houston 125. The Memorial Day weekend crowd on hand was treated to some of the most exciting racing of the season so far by the stars of the Texas Super Racing Series, while also enjoying the fireworks show by Houston Motorsports Park at the conclusion of the feature event of the evening.

 

Officials at Houston Motorsports Park added a sealer to the racing surface a few weeks ago and the drivers responded with some of the fastest times in series history at HMP. During qualifying, laps turned by Mike Yale at 14.095, Ryan Englehardt at 14.895, Jeff Pollard at 14.895 all broke the previous track record of Brad Hudak of 14.920.

 

However, it wasn't good enough to hold off Hudak who also broke his own record setting a new fast time record of 14.806. "The track is real good," declared a jubilant Hudak. "We just drove it off in there and turned it. It stuck and went down to the other end. It was the best the car had been all day."

 

Unfortunately for Hudak, his bad luck was just starting when he rolled a six on the series trademark dice roll for field inversion. Hudak ended up having to start from the outside spot of the third row. The black cloud

hovering over Hudak struck again when on lap twenty-four, Hudak ended his run for a win when he spun in turn three, hitting the outside wall hard while trying to avoid lapped traffic.

 

Meanwhile, up front, Chris Schild and Mike Yale were putting on a show for the fans with some top-flight racing. Schild grabbed the lead on the opening lap by diving under pole-sitter Lloyd Alexander in turn two and powering to the front of the field on the back straight.

 

Schild lead the field to a blistering pace and Alexander fell in behind the leader appearing to be willing to just ride. The leaders started to lap the slower cars on lap sixteen. Going into turn one, Alexander got a little out of shape when he was forced to go high to avoid punting a lapped car.

 

That opportunity was when Yale moved to second by diving low under the near mess and setting his sites on Schild. Yale closed the gap between Schild over the next few laps and started looking inside Schild for his chance on lap thirty-seven. Schild did a good job of keeping the door closed until lap sixty-three when lapped traffic again played into the results. Schild, trapped behind a slower car, had no way of stopping Yale who got the line to take the lead on lap sixty-four. "The lapped cars worked to my advantage,"

said Yale about his pass for the lead. "I think Chris (Schild) was anticipating the lapped cars to go a different way than they did. When the lapped car went high it opened the door for me and we went by quick.

 

On lap sixty-eight second place Chris Schild and third place Jeff Pollard tangled in turn 4 causing both cars to spin and both sustained damage. Schild immediately went to the pits and his pit-crew worked feverously to

get him back out. Schild caught a break when the mandatory competition yellow flew allowing his team five minutes to strip away the damaged sheet metal. Schild was judged not to be at fault in the accident and on the restart was given his second place spot back.

 

In spite of this hard work by the crew, Schild ended his night early when he and Ryan Englehardt banged hard in a spectacular wreck in turn four bringing out a red flag. Both drivers were fine, but both their chances for the win were done for the night.

 

From that point, Yale simply had to keep the door shut on Lloyd Alexander who had steered clear of all the problems in front of him to recapture the second spot. Track condition due to the wrecks made driving a challenge all the way to the end. "I was just tip-toeing through there," explained Yale. "I didn't know if it was going to be loose or push, I had no idea."

 

Alexander got a couple of good looks under Yale, but just couldn't get the run he needed and over the last laps Yale opened up a safe lead to win the first leg of the Texas Super Racing Series Triple Crown.

 

"The car was working great all night long," sited an exhausted Yale after the victory. "It was a little loose coming off four the last few laps. I don't know if it was all the speedy dry or if it just started to loosen up a

bit. We'll take it back to the shop and look it over."

 

When asked about extending the points lead Yale added, "I very happy so far. The cars that needed to finish behind me did and it worked out good for us." With his second win Yale extended the lead to thirty-five points over Beau Bukowski who moved into the runner-up spot this week with his third

place finish.

 

Following Yale across the line was Lloyd Alexander, Beau Bukowski, Brian Schild, Allen Alexander, Don Fowler, Ian Webster, Alvin Stewart, Pat Lyon, and Henry Guerra rounding out the top ten. The D C Eagle Hard Charger Award was a tie between Alvin Stewart and Allen Alexander who both improved nine

positions for the evening. Yale was also awarded a $25.00 Gift Certificate for his win from American Radios.

 

The next stop for the Texas Super Racing Series will be June 5th at Corpus Christi Motorspeedway. For more information on series dates or rules please visit the series web site at www.manracingpromotions.com.

 

Race Information:

Name: Mike Yale

City: Houston

Age: 38

Years in racing: 8

Chassis: Dillon

Body: 5 Star/Monte Carlo

Engine Builder: JK Engines

Brakes: Willwood

Shocks: Carerra

Sponsors: Lone Star Car & Dog Wash, DC Eagle Paint & Body, Poly Dyn, TX 7, Performance Coatings, Oval Components

Cautions: 7 for 48 laps

Fastest green flag lap: Mike Yale 15.555 - 90.267mph

Lap Leaders:

Chris Schild 1-63

Mike Yale 64-125

Time of race: 49:18