rebelracewriter Posted October 3, 2010 Report Posted October 3, 2010 (edited) Reb Report sponsored by Browning Auto Parts I-37 Raceway Final Points Night, 10/2/10 By J M Hallas Pleasanton, Tx.,(Oct. 2Nd, 2010) After crowning the IMCA Modified(Bill Pittaway) and IMCA Southern Sportmod(Johnny Torres) as champions last weekend, I-37 held its last regular points race of the year on the ¼ mile, semi-banked, clay oval. Tonight would finish off points races for the Tator Plumbing Limited Late models, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks and Front Runner classes. Coming into the nights action two classes(Street and Pure Stock) points leaders had a virtual stranglehold on the title chase, basically just needing to start the features to lock up the points. However the Limited Late Models and Front Runners had a mere 22 points between the top three. With some new cars in the pits and points awarded for heat and feature race action, these new drivers had the potential to be spoilers and take some points away from the contenders. Dinsmore Does It Again The Modified season ended similar to he way it started, with Kerrville driver Greg Dinsmore in the winners circle. Dinsmore took the top spot away from early leader Brandon Blaylock then held off fellow Harris Chassis driver, Bill Pittaway on late restarts. Dinsmore may have found the right set up on his new 2011 Harris that saw him dominate early in the year before selling that chassis. As green waved on the 13-car, 20-lap Modified main Blaylock jumped ahead in turn 1 but Robert Liese jr and Joe Spillman tangled collecting George Fink. On the next start Blaylock again grabbed the early lead with Dinsmore quickly up to second and three wide racing for third with Cody Tidwell getting the spot. Lap 1 saw Mike McCarthy stop on the back stretch while Liese looped it in turn 4 to bring out a caution. On the restart Blaylock and Dinsmore squirted away, while Pittaway got around Darin Leonard for fourth. Dinsmore jumped up on the high side getting along side Blaylock on the back stretch and by in turn 3 to lead the third circuit, with Pittaway going past Tidwell for third. By lap 5 the top three had sorted out while Dennis Taylor was working his way by Tidwell for fourth on lap 6. In the pack, Leonard, Spillman and Chris Carroll were battling for fifth. Trying to work past a lapped car Blaylock found the turn 4 tire barrier to bring out a caution on lap 7 and end his night. This put Pittaway on Dinsmore's bumper for the restart. Pittaway tried to dive low in turn 1 as the race went back to green, but Dinsmore carried the momentum off the top to hold the point. Leonard was able to get past Tidwell on lap 8 for fourth with Tidwell giving up fifth to Liese. Coming to the crossed flags it was Dinsmore edging away, Pittaway, Taylor, Leonard and Liese in the top five. With five to go the field had strung out with Dinsmore now holding a full straightaway lead over Pittaway. Tidwell brought out the final caution on lap 18 when he rolled to a stop in turn 4. On the restart Pittaway again gave Dinsmore a look low but to no avail as Dinsmore in the Sundowner RV Repair, racetechinfocom, Lowery Plumbing, Wells Designs, AFCO Shocks, Fast Shafts, Cen-Tex Motorsports powered Harris Chassis inched away for the checkers. “I tried my set up on the new car at the beginning and went to Boone(Iowa) with it , but honestly I wish I listened to Bob Harris from the beginning.” commented Dinsmore. “Last week we kind of missed the set up and this week we changed it all over. We did all kinds of things different and the car felt real good. This car has a lot more forward bite and rotates in the middle better.” “I saw Brandon(Blaylock) sitting there and knew something had to happen to him. I found the high side and got around him and expected he'd follow along up there. Those things don't happen to Brandon, and I just hoped the same wouldn't happen to me.” “I saw Bills(Pittaway) nose a couple times on those restarts. The bottom had some moisture, but as long as I got my momentum on the top I knew he wouldn't be a problem down there. Once you got the car going and rotating through the corner I could walk away. I thought about trying the bottom, but as long as I wasn't challenged I just kept it up on the top.” “The last show here at I-37 will probably be the only big show I try to make this year. Candace and I working on having a baby and with her coming that's what we're focused on right now. This is something we both want so we're going to lay off towards the end of the year.” Modifieds 8g Greg Dinsmore 37 Bill Pittaway** 38 Dennis Taylor 26 Darin Leonard 15 Chris Carroll 67 Robert Liese jr 44x Joe O'Bryan 44s Joe Spillman 20 Mike McCarthy 17 Cody Tidwell 137 Brandon Blaylock 24 George Fink 67x Gilbert Amezquita Modified heats Heat #1 8g Greg Dinsmore 37 Bill Pittaway 38 Dennis Taylor 137 Brandon Blaylock 17 Cody Tidwell 24 George Fink---DNTG 20 Mike McCarthy---DNTG Heat #2 26 Darin Leonard 15 Chris Carroll 67 Robert Liese jr 44s Joe Spillman 44x Joe O'Bryan 67x Gilbert Amezquita Blaylock Best in Sportmod Finale Once again one of the Blaylock brothers showed their strength in the Sportmod class. Tonight it was Brandon Blaylock in the Diamondback Transport, Bebo Race Designs, Central Ready Mix, Spreen Racing Engines, HOT Chassis by Blaylock showing the way. Blaylock battled with early leader Moe VanKirk and was able to keep Steve Whiteaker jr at bay in the final laps for the win in a race that surprisingly went green to checkers without caution. It was three wide for the lead in turn 1 as the the 20-lap, 15-car Sportmod field took the green. VanKirk eased out front going into turn 3 with Ray Doyon III looking low and Blaylock looking high. Mickey Helms joined the fight going three wide with Blaylock and Doyon. Helms then fell back into the clutches of Whiteaker who got by on lap 3 for fourth. Whiteaker got along side Doyon and snared third on lap 4. The lead trio caught slower traffic on lap 5 with Blaylock getting inside VanKirk. The two were wheel to wheel for the lead with Blaylock getting the nose out front on lap 6. VanKirk battled back, while at the same time trying to hold off Whiteaker. Blaylock and VanKirk were again side by side on lap 7 with VanKirk getting a slight lead at the line on lap 8 and Whiteaker challenging Blaylock for second. Blaylock, using the high side got back around VanKirk for the top spot on lap 9 followed by Whiteaker. At halfway it was Blaylock, Whiteaker, VanKirk under a blanket while Doyon and Helms rounded out the top five. Helm took fourth from Doyon on lap 11 with track champ, Johnny Torres getting fifth from Doyon on lap 12. With five to go Blaylock and Whiteaker had broken away from VanKirk who had a gap back to Helms, Torres, JJ Jennings coming from the back and Doyon. As the white flag waved on Blaylock he had about an eight car length advantage over Whiteaker as he took the victory. “I noticed during the modified race some moisture coming back up,” replied Blaylock. “It actually got a little tackier as the race went went on. So I had it set up for wet track. I got a glimpse of an orange nose at one time, but didn't try to pay any attention to it. I just drove as hard as I could from there. I don't like to look back at anything.” “When I'm racing with some of the guys like Steve(Whiteaker) and others I think of myself as just as fierce of competitor as they are. So I don't try to psyche myself up. I know they're going to race me clean. If I just hold my line I won't mess with them and they won't mess with me.” “I'm not sure what James and I have found out here. We've had about six different Chassis' out here and pretty much won in all of them. I think this is six out of seven wins for the Blaylock brothers here. This track just seem to fit our driving style. You can drive real hard and not have to pedal the car.” “I was really hoping for some cautions. I was kind of tired after the modified race. I was trying to get around a lapped car on the high side and couldn't get off the gas quick enough or on the gas any harder and just to try to drive through it.” “I want to give a get well shout out to my dad who is in the hospital and special thank you to my fiancé and her family for bringing he car up from McAllen just so I can have some fun.” Sportmods 9B Brandon Blaylock 89 Steve Whiteaker 58 Moe VanKirk 175 Mickey Helms 66 Johnny Torres** 26g JJ Jennings 3j Jesse James 22 Randy Bennett 66y Randy Yount 18 Larry Jernigan 4 Newton Barta jr. 37 Bill Pittaway 3D Ray Doyon III 44 Joe Spillman 47+1 Ruben Montes 4$ Kris Rye---DNS 11 Jason Grothues---DNS Sportmod heats Heat #1 66 Johnny Torres 3d Ray Doyon III 22 Randy Bennett 66y Randy Yount 4 Newton Barta jr 4$ Kris Rye(blew motor) Heat #2 18 Larry Jernigan 175 Mickey Helms 37 Bill Pittaway 44s Joe Spillman 47+1 Ruben Montes 11 Jason Grothues---DNTG Heat #3 89 Steve Whiteaker jr 9B Brandon Blaylock 58 Moe VanKirk 3j Jesse James 26g JJ Jennings The Tator Plumbing Limited Late Models had the closest points battle coming into the night with Richard Bartosh holding a small, seven point margin over Wesley Skains who had a 15 marker advantage over multi-time track champion, Gary Hunter. Coming to green polesitter Harlin Covert jumped out front followed by Ron Sprayue, Hunter, Craig Crawley and Eric Floyd. Floyd got inside Crawley to take over fourth on lap 1 with Sprayue spinning from second on lap 2. On the restart Floyd got beside Hunter finally wrestling the spot away on lap 3, while Skains took fifth from Crawley. Skains threw away any title hopes on lap 5 when he slapped the front stretch wall coming off turn 4. Once back to green Floyd tried low on Covert while Crawley tried the bottom on Hunter. Neither could complete the pass. Jason Lawrence brought out a yellow on lap 6 when he went around in turn 4. This time Floyd used the high side as green waved again and took the lead on lap 7, while Crawley and Bartosh ran side by side for fourth. Debris on the back stretch brought out a yellow on lap 8, with Crawley slowing and pulling off. Floyd got a big jump on the restart with Patrick Kelly taking fourth from Bartosh. Kelly caught Hunter and was putting the heat on, but had trouble and pitted. Sprayue worked his way back up snagging fourth from Bartosh on lap 10 followed by Chris Brock. Lawrence looped his ride again in turn 4 on lap 12 to bring out the final caution. Floyd, piloting the Amo's Service Station, Union Compression, Service 1st, Hoodrat Industries, (late)Mike Kubecka sponsored car again eased away to the checkers once back to racing leaving Covert to hold off Sprayue in the fight for second. Tator Plumbing Limited Late Models 26f Eric Floyd 60 Harlin Covert 42 Ron Sprayue 14 Gary Hunter 7 Richard Bartosh** 25 Jason Lawrence 18 Shane Moore 50 Jerry Neal 10 Chris Brock 84 Patrick Kelly 6 Craig Crawley 25x Wesley Skains Limited Late Model heat winners; 26f Eric Floyd, 25x Wesley Skains Holding a forty point lead ahead of AJ Wernette, all Wade Jones had to do was take the green flag to defend his Street Stock championship. Not satisfied to sit back, Jones and Justin Henley put on one of, if not the best Street Stock battle all year long. Dennis Hilla beat polesitter Greg Lackey into turn 1 to take the lead on the 14-car, 15-lap feature. Henley moved up to second trailed by Lackey, Wernette and Jones. Wernette got around Lackey leaving him three wide with Jones and Mike Lyon. On lap 1 Lyon got hooked up with an infield tire, while Jason Kelly went for a spin in turn 2 to bring out a caution. On the restart Jones and Tony Blankenship got by both Wernette and Lyon. Jones then picked off third from Lackey on lap 2. Henley got under Hilla in turn 2 and took over the top spot on lap 4. Hilla tried a crossover, while Lyon made it around Lackey for fifth then Blankenship for fourth a lap later. Yellow waved on lap 5 for a spin by Wernette off the back stretch. On the restart Lackey half spun to the edge of the infield to bring caution back out. Finally back under green it was nearly three wide for the lead between Henley, Hilla and Jones. Henley held the spot leaving Hilla and Jones door to door for second. After two laps Jones got the spot with Lyon now along side Hilla for third and Tommy Casey side by side with Blankenship for fifth. Jones got inside Henley in turns 1-2 for the lead, but Henley crossed under Jones in turn 4 to keep the point. The two repeated the same moves on lap 9 and were still tied at the door posts on lap 10 when yellow came out for a spin by Kevin Hyland. The top four were locked nose to tail on the restart until Henley slipped up in turn 4 allowing Jones to get the lead on lap 13. Caution came out on that lap for a spin by Casey in turn 3 and Max Helms stopping in turn 4. On the green, white, checkered finish Jones eased away on green, but Henley gave him one final shot on the last lap but came up short as Jones in the Opiela Mechanical, Mission Racing, SABFI, Jeff's Auto Rebuilders, Camaro took home the win and the 2010 title. Street Stock 41 Wade Jones** 96 Justin Henley 40 Mike Lyon 2x Dennis Hilla 35 Tony Blankenship 5 Ricky Schroat 57 Jason Kelly 41g Greg Lackey 37 AJ Wernette 15 Tommy Casey 72 Kevin Hyland 53 Max Helms 98 William Saunders 53b Stan Blanford Street Stock heat winners; 96 Justin Henley, 41g Greg Lackey In the Pure Stock all Marc Roy had to do to defend his title was take the green flag as he came into the night with a 39 point lead over Frank Okruhlik. Problems befell both championship contenders throughout the race, but Roy's finish was good enough to hang on and back up his 2009 championship. Brandy Ramzinski and her brother Jarrett Payton stayed side by on lap 1 of the 20-lap Pure Stock feature with Ramzinski getting the advantage. Okruhlik ran door to door with former champ, Janel Hilla for third finally getting spot on lap 2. Okruhlik caught Ramzinski for the lead on lap 4 and was quickly by for the top spot on lap 5. Ramzinski tried to battle back, while Roy moved up to fourth behind Hilla when yellow waved for Talon Minten stopped in turn 1. On the restart the top three got away with Roy fending off Aaron Leddy for fourth. Roy then moved back in Hilla and had just made the pass when spun on lap 9, but kept going without caution. Yellow did come out on lap 10 saving Roy from being lapped, when Brent Reeves went around coming off turn 4. Leddy spun coming to the yellow in nearly the same spot. Okruhlik got a big jump back under green while a pair of fifteen's, William Cavender and James Dear battled for fifth. Okruhlik caught a bad break on lap 14 when he tangled with the lapped car of Minten sending him around in turn 4. Okruhlik was sent to the tail for the contact. This handed the lead to Ramzinski for the lap 15 restart. Back under green Cody Leonard got by Cavender for fifth, then picked off fourth from Dear on lap 16. On the final lap Leddy spun in turn 2 collecting half a dozen cars running in the top ten, including Roy. Okruhlik somehow dodged the melee, while up front Ramzinski driving the Rampayge Racing, Clay's Auto Parts, Roudee 8 Performance Mufflers OTW Racing Service, 6-Pack Racig, sponsored car and Hilla were giving the I-37 ladies a one-two finish, their second of the year. Pure Stock 88 Brandy Ramzinski 7x Janel Hilla 99 Frank Okruhlik 1 Tim Watson 71 Mike Harrison 44 Eric Watson 09 Phillip Haywood 15 William Cavender 24 Marc Roy** 93 Aaron Leddy 26c Cody Leonard 9 Jarrett Payton 19 Brent Reeves 15d James Dear 3D Talon Minten 66r Rick Snyder 58 Hunter Flanagan---DNS Pure Stock heat winners; 88 Brandy Ramzinski, 99 Frank Okruhlik, 7x Janel Hilla Coming into the final race for the Front Runner season Nick Hencey held a slim margin over Cameron Smith(18) who had only a four point edge over James Samford. As the race began C. Smith jumped into the lead followed by Hencey and Texas Thunder Speedway's Texas Twister track champion, Austin Smith coming down from Lampasas running third. The top three quickly broke away while Steven Stanley and Greg Rohmer, giving a ride to a lucky spectator, ran side by side for fourth. Rohmer,running just for fun, got the spot with Samford and Cody Earnhardt passing Stanley for fifth and sixth. Samford and Earnhardt made slight contact battling for fifth with Zach Grier sending Samford around. Both were black flagged for rough driving. Back to racing action, A. Smith got inside Hencey to snag second on the restart. The two Smiths were side by side for the lead on lap 6 with A. Smith grabbing the point on lap 7. Cody Earnhardt moved in to battle with Rohmer for third on lap 8, but got tangled with the slower car of Elizabeth Brander and fell back. Up front A. Smith was pulling away in the Smith Construction, Cullen-Dixon Trucking, Custom Transmissions, Grayson Trucking sponsored car to snare the win. Hencey's third place finish was good enough to give him his first track championship. Front Runners 313 Austin Smith 13 Cameron Smith 911 Nick Hencey** 9 Greg Rohmer(no points) 33 Cody Earnhardt 96 Steven Stanley 57 Trevor Bettis 20/113 Hailee Marcx 98 Amber Clay 98E Elizabeth Brander 66c Cindy Snyder 67 Jimmy Carroll 33c Zack Grier---DQ(Rough driving) 35 James Samford---DQ(Rough driving) 12 Roy Easler---DNS 55 Corey Samford--DQ/DNS(Rough driving in heat) 33 Charles Earnhardt III---DQ/DNS(Rough driving in heat) Front Runners heat winners; 67 Jimmy Carroll, 96 Steven Stanley, 13 Cameron Smith **=2010 Track Champions Brian Wells jumped out front at the 20-car DCRST feature took the green but a multi-car melee in the pack brought the field under red. Wells again got the lead on the second try with three wide racing in the pack. Wells was challenged early by Billy Groff who lost the spot to Gary Buchanan. B. Groffs trouble continued as he slipped in turn 2 giving way to Chris Silvas, Butch Havelka, Jerry Young and Randy Yount. Havelka got by Silvas on lap 2 for second and was in the prime spot when Wells spun himself from the lead on lap 3. With Havelka on the point, J. Young got by Silvas for second on the restart followed by Yount to third. J. young began pressuring Havelka for the lead trying high and low. Arden Vikre worked his way up getting a top five spot from Silvas near halfway. Wells got hung up on an infield tire for a lap 12 caution. On the restart Vikre and Chris Knandel got by Yount who was slowing with a deflating tire. J. Young got by Havelka on the high side for lead when Yount stopped with a flat on lap 14. Once back to green J. Young and Knandel pulled away with Knandel getting the lead on lap 15, while Chuck McCormick and Vikre battled for third. J. young did a half spin into the infield on lap 16 giving up second and leaving Knandel with a big lead. Knandel then found himself going around in turn 2 giving up the lead to Vikre with two to go. From there Vikre went unchallenged to checkers. Dwarf Car Racing Series of Texas 72 Arden Vikre 20 Chuck McCormick 60 Richard Smith 27 Butch Havelka 15 Billy Groff 85 Chris Silvas 13 John Flake 8 Dwain Groff 18 Jerry Young 16 Chris Knandel 30 Brian Wells 66 Randy Yount 55 Gary Buchanan 88 Rusty Young DCRST heat winners; 30 Brian Wells, 20 Chuck McCormick I-37 Raceway concludes it's 2010 with the 3rd Annual Thousand Buck Shootout, October 22nd/23rd featuring $1,000 to win in the Modified and Sportmod classes. The fender classes, Limited Late Model, Street Stock, Pure Stock and Front Runner all pay $500 to win. Friday night racing(8PM) includes Front Runner Trophy race, 30-lap features for Pure Stocks and Street Stocks, with qualifying heats for the Sportmods. Saturday night(7PM) finishes the season with 30-lap features for the Modifieds, Sportmods and Limited Late Model, plus a 50-lap Front Runner Enduro. Edited October 4, 2010 by rebelracewriter Quote
storm'71 Posted October 4, 2010 Report Posted October 4, 2010 Did I just count 105 cars at I-37 Saturday night? Got to say I'm thrilled to death to read that...the track has come A LONG WAY in the last year-year 1/2... Those are counts reserved usually for the likes of HOT and Kennedale... PM Quote
Jamie Posted October 4, 2010 Report Posted October 4, 2010 Did I just count 105 cars at I-37 Saturday night? Got to say I'm thrilled to death to read that...the track has come A LONG WAY in the last year-year 1/2... Those are counts reserved usually for the likes of HOT and Kennedale... PM Yeah, that was close to if not the count. The track has comne a long, long way from what it was. Everyone should give this track a shot, or even come back. A great time would be for the 1000 Buck Shootout! Quote
DirtRacer9s Posted October 4, 2010 Report Posted October 4, 2010 The best part about all those cars was it was only 7 classes. So that's a great count in each class. Quote
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