rebelracewriter Posted March 13, 2011 Report Share Posted March 13, 2011 Opening night @ I-37 Raceway, 3/12/11 By J M Hallas Pleasanton, Tx.,(March 12th, 2011) It was a record breaking opening night at Pleasanton's I-37 Raceway Saturday night as action kicked off on the ¼ mile, semi-banked ,dirt track just south of San Antonio. A near capacity crowd(525) packed the grandstands while 84 cars filled he pit area to overflow. “This is our biggest opening night crowd,” stated track promoter Jim Knudtson. “We've had larger car counts during the season, but never this many on the first night. There are other drivers I've spoken to that still don't have their cars ready yet. I think we're looking forward to our best year ever.” The nights racing card included the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Southern Sportmods, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks and Front Runners. Several drivers picked up where they left off last season with winning performances, while two picked up their first ever victories in the always competitive IMCA Sportmod and Front Runner classes. Dinsmore Dialed-In for Modified Main Greg Dinsmore(Kerrville) showed his winning form and rebounded from a trouble plagued race at Abilene Speedway earlier in the year. Dinsmore wired the field leading every circuit in the 20-lap IMCA Modified main. On restarts, Dinsmore was hounded by Harris Racing Chassis mate, and last years champion, Bill Pittaway, but in the final green flag run was able to ease away for the victory. As the green waved Dinsmore, who redrew outside front row, beat polesitter Robert Liese jr. into turn 1 leaving him side by side with Pittaway as Rick Green and Dennis Taylor followed. On lap 1 Liese spun in turn 2 and kept it fired only to loop it again in turn 4 for an early caution. On the restart Pittaway tried to sneak in low on Dinsmore, while Jamie Campbell got by Taylor for fourth. Campbell then grabbed third from Green with Taylor moving in. Taylor put Green back to fifth on lap 5. Billy Meyer had his ride go silent rolling to a stop in turn 4 for a lap 5 yellow. Dinsmore got away clean on the restart with Taylor and Campbell side by side for third. At the crossed flags Dinsmore had built a lead over Pittaway, with Campbell, Taylor and Green rounding out the top five. Campbell put the pressure on Pittaway and got along side on lap 11, but was held off. Andy Anderson spun on the back stretch to bring out the final yellow on lap 12. Once back to green Pittaway again took a look on Dinsmore, while Green was trying high on Taylor. The waning laps saw Dinsmore able to inch ahead easily putting the racetechinfo.com, Sundowner RV Repair, Lowery Plumbing, Wells Designs, JBHotshots, Cen-Tex Motorsports, Wells Race Engines, Harris Chassis in the Winners Circle. “The motor I borrowed from Bill Pittaway in Abilene really pulled good,” said Dinsmore. “The car rotated good on the top. The track had a little bit more up there. The car liked it a lot. I talked with Bill about his set up and tried to help him along. He hot lapped my car and I think he liked it. That's what you do with (Harris) team mates. “The race was good and the car was awesome. I can't say much more than awesome. We had some bad luck in Abilene and I thought I was going run into more down here tonight. I was just waiting for the next thing to go wrong.” IMCA Modifieds 8g Greg Dinsmore 37 Bill Pittaway 29 Jamie Campbell 38 Dennis Taylor 82 Rick Green 77 Andy Anderson 67 Robert Liese jr 67j Jon Halstrom 99 Billy Meyer 12 Bob Leinweber---DNS 53x Matt Fox---DNS IMCA Modified heats Heat 1 67 Robert Liese jr 37 Bill Pittaway 82 Rick Green 38 Dennis Taylor 67j Jon Halstrom 99 Billy Meyer Heat 2 8g Greg Dinsmore 29 Jamie Campbell 77 Andy Anderson 12 Bob Leinweber--DNTG 53x Matt Fox---DNS Walker Runs to First Ever I-37 Win Michael Walker made his first trip up from The Valley a memorable one. Walker took over the top spot from early leader Travis Penney, who kept the heat on Walker until tagging the wall. Walker then had to fend off defending track champion Johnny Torres and a charging JJ Jennings to score his inaugural win. Eighteen cars took the green at the start of the 20-lap IMCA Southern Sportmod feature. Randy Yount lead the field into 1 with Barry Codling trying a crossover move that stacked up the field in turn 2. On the restart, Yount again led into turn 1, but Penney came off the top of turn 2 with the lead. Walker, Ray Doyon III, Yount and Larry Jernigan sorted out behind Penney. Kris Rye got up on two wheels and spun collecting Jeff Nix for a lap 1 caution. Once back to racing Walker wasted little time getting under Penney for the lead on lap 2. Torres was on the move getting by Jason Stanley for sixth, then Jernigan for fifth. Jernigan, Stanley and Jennings, who started out back, were three wide for sixth on lap 3. Torres continued his march forward getting beside Yount for fourth. Both gained a spot when Doyon went around from third and fell to the tail. Torres finally secured the spot on lap 6, while Jennings snagged fifth from Stanley. Coming to halfway it was Walker, with Penney on his rear bumper, Torres, Jennings and Yount in the top five. Penney tried the high side of Walker only to slap the front stretch wall, ending his night on lap 11. Walker got a slight advantage on Torres as the green waved again, with Stanley and Moe VanKirk wheel to wheel for fifth. As the top three pulled away VanKirk got fourth from Yount, while Rye fought his way back to a top five pot after his earlier spin. Walker, in the CW Racing, CM Graphics, CW Speedway, homebuilt chassis and in house motor, crept away from Torres to take his first I-37 Raceway checkers. “I just kind of guessed at the set up,” replied Walker. “This is my first time to run here. It was a little loose. After that caution the car really went away. I don't now if the tires went away or cooled down or what.” “I've got a good baseline that I start with. I just go off my ride heights most of the time. Then I just watch the track to see what it's going to do. I used to race in McAllen so I've run on dry tracks a lot. This was pretty slick and didn't rubber up like McAllen.” “We had some bad luck up at TMS Dirt track last week. We made the A-main but blew a radiator hose. We didn't change a thing from up there, our car was completely IMCA legal for that race. It was a bad day, we really missed the set up there.” IMCA Southern Sportmods 34 Michael Walker 66 Johnny Torres 26g JJ Jennings 58 Moe VanKirk 4$ Kris Rye 66y Randy Yount 92 Jason Stanley 18 Larry Jernigan 99x Michael Hernandez 9 Ray Doyon III 11 Tom Grothues 22 Randy Bennett 15c JC Pilcher 60 Pat Lyon 4 Robby Minten 10 Travis Penney 85 Jeff Nix 21c Barry Codling 828 John Kennebrew---DNS IMCA SSM heats Heat 1 9 Ray Doyon III 18 Larry Jernigan 66 Johnny Torres 21 Barry Codling 828 John Kennebrew 4 Robby Minten Heat 2 58 Moe VanKirk 92 Jason Stanley 4$ Kris Rye 10 Travis Penney 11 Tom Grothues 26g JJ Jennings Heat 3 34 Michael Walker 22 Randy Bennett 99x Michael Hernandez 66y Randy Yount 15c JC Pilcher 85 Jeff Nix 60 Pat Lyon Dinsmore Double in Limited Late Models Greg Dinsmore scored a second win for the evening despite a broken front suspension and sputtering carburetor. Dinsmore, who had to work his way from the back, battled hard with Trey Votion until getting the lead near halfway. Dinsmore was able to hold off Votion, and last years champ Richard Bartosh on restarts to take the victory. On the initial start Votion got out front, but Landon Farquar scraped the wall and stopped in turn 2. On the second start Bartosh beat Votion into turn 1, but Wesley Skains and Ron Sprayue made contact in turns 3-4 sending Skains around for another yellow. Finally under green Votion got the point with Bartosh, Craig Crawley and Dinsmore quickly up to fourth. Dinsmore got under Crawley on lap 2 for third, then got second from Bartosh on lap 4. Dinsmore and Votion then went door to door for several laps with Votion holding the spot until yellow waved for Larry Lewis who went up in smoke and had a small fire. On the restart Dinsmore again got the nose under Votion and the battle was on again with Dinsmore sneaking his bumper out front on lap 9. Andrew Hessler spun in turn 2 for a lap 10 caution. Votion tried up top on Dinsmore as green waved again, but gave up second to Bartosh. Crawley slowed from fourth backing up that battle with Matthew Hodges getting by Gary Hunter and Robert Danielson for the position. Hodges would then go around in turn 4 giving up the spot. Hunter, a multi-time track champ, had a spin on lap 18 setting up a green, white, checkered finish. Dinsmore's car sputtered on green with Bartosh trying to get under and Votion high. The car picked up and Dinsmore held off Votion and Bartosh the final circuits in the TazRacing, Sundowner RV, Quality Ambulance, Culligan Water Conditioner, Texas Concrete, Climate Control, Hansco Demolition, reworked Dinsmore Chassis. “I've been non-stop with this car, night and day,trying to make it go,” explained Dinsmore. “As much as you work on them there's always something going wrong. I had two issues. First I broke the spring adjuster on the left front early in the race. I thought I was done, but it wasn't a ball joint, the tires were pointed straight and I was able to keep running.” “The car still felt ok, but you couldn't land it hard. You had to stay on the gas and brakes and drive it totally different. I almost pulled off. Once I got through traffic and got it to ride off the right rear it was better.” “Then with about five to go the carburetor started acting up. It would bobble and go. On the restart it wouldn't go. That one start I got hit in the rear and it took off. I was able to keep it going and pull away. It had a couple hiccups, but we got through it. The car was amazingly fast for what it is.” “I have to thank the Hunters for giving me this opportunity. The next three races I have one mission in mind.” Limited Late Models 14g Greg Dinsmore 99 Trey Votion 7 Richard Bartosh 1x Andrew Hessler 49 Robert Danielson 58 Matthew Hodges 14 Gary Hunter 6 Craig Crawley 95 Larry Lewis 25x Wesley Skains 42 Ron Sprayue 77 Landon Farquar Limited Late Model heat winners, 25x Wesley Skains, 99 Trey Votion The 11-car, 15-lap Street Stock feature saw Ben Blanford first into turn 1, but get loose with Dennis Hilla leading lap 1. Defending and multi-time champ, Wade Jones moved along side Hilla while AJ Wernette and Mike Lyon ran door to door for third. Jones got the top spot on lap 2 while Wernette secured third. As Jones puled away, Tommy Casey got past Lyon for fourth. As Hilla, Wernette, Casey and Lyon battled, Joseph Batot spun in front of them as he was being lapped. Casey got side by side with Wernette and took the spot only to spin in turn 4 for a lap 9 caution. Jones quickly edged away on green while Lyon, Wernette and AJ Dancer battle for third. At the checkers it was Jones in the Opiela Mechanical, Mission Racing, SABFI, Jeff's Auto Rebuilders, Camaro adding anther win to his impressive total. Street Stocks 41 Wade Jones 2x Dennis Hilla 37 AJ Wernette 52 AJ Dancer 84 Billy Denton 93 Aaron Leddy 5 Rick Schroat 15 Tommy Casey 40 Mike Lyon 31 Joseph Batot 53 Ben Blanford Street Stock heat winners, 41 Wade Jones, 40 Mike Lyon A field of seventeen cars took the green for the 20-lap Pure Stock feature with past track champ Janel Hilla getting the lead trailed by Brandy Ramzinski, William Cavender, Randy Frautschi and Rick Snider. Justin Henley and Hunter Flanagan tangled in turn 4 to bring a lap 1 yellow. Back under green Ramzinski looked high on Hilla, while Devin Adler got by Snider. Hilla and Ramzinski were side by side for the lead when Cavender spun from third bringing out the yellow on lap 7. Ramzinski snuck past Hilla on the restart to lead lap 8, with Frank Okruhlik marching forward taking fourth from Snider and Mike Harrison following to fifth. At halfway it was Ramzinski, Hilla, Adler, Okruhlik and Harrison in the top five. Okruhlik got around Adler for third on lap 10 and a caution for debris on lap 11 rebunched the field. The top three stayed nose to tail on the restart, while Cody Leonard got by Harrison for fifth. Harrison, who was having power steering trouble, slowed to exit and got shoved out the pit entrance. Frautschi and James Watson tangled in turn 3 with a caution flying on lap 13. Once back to green Okruhlik was trying the high side of Hilla for second. Okruhlik grabbed the spot after a brief side by side battle and used the run to get along side Ramzinski for the lead. Okruhlik got the lead from Ramzinski who spun in front of the field, but was missed by everyone. Okruhlik. now out front for the lap 15 restart, quickly eased away, while Adler and Leonard fought for third. Okruhlik, in the Odie Racing, Ximenez Trucking, Chevy ran away while Ramzinski worked her way back to a top five finish. Pure Stocks 99 Frank Okruhlik 7x Janel Hilla 26c Cody Leonard 88 Brandy Ramzinski 117 Devin Adler 66R Rick Snider 19 Jarrett Barber 15 William Cavender 44 James Watson 58 Randy Frautschi 22 Bernie Jureski 71 Mike Harrison 10c Carolyn Campbell 89 Talon Minten 94 Adam Torres 96 Justin Henley 581 Hunter Flanagan 21j Dennis Cox---DNS 9 Jarrett Payton?---DNS Pure Stock heat winners, 99 Frank Okruhlik, 88 Brandy Ramzinski, 44 James Watson At the start of the 15-lap Front Runner feature defending track champ Nick Hencey was first to turn 1, but it was Jesse Sandoval using the high side off turn 2 to grab the lead. Hencey, Eric Jenkins, Roy Easler jr. and Hailee Marcx trailed Sandoval. Trevor Bettis got around Marcx for fifth but went too high in turn 4 giving back spots to Marcx an Charles Earnhardt III. A lap 7 caution for debris slowed the pace with Sandoval getting a jump once back under green. Easler was able to get by Hencey on lap 8, but was well behind Sandoval. Bettis and Landon Sowder made contact off turn 4 with both ending up in the infield, and no caution. Sandoval easily cruised ahead of Easler to take his first I-37 Raceway victory. Front Runners 7 Jesse Sandoval 12 Roy Easler jr 911 Nick Hencey 6x Eric Jenkins 113 Hailee Marcx 08 Landon Sowder 57 Trevor Bettis 9 Krystal Blevins 33c Charles Earnhardt III 67 Jimmy Carroll 66c Cindy Snider---DNS Front Runner heat winners, 37 Jimmy Carroll, 7 Jesse Sandoval Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted March 14, 2011 Report Share Posted March 14, 2011 jesse starting where he left off last season ......jesse likes the track ..thats something comeing from someone who didnt like dirt ...do they run 6 bangers ..i have a honda we will be running at cc ..hopefully soon ...would like to run it there sometime this year if it last the walls of cc .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SassyCassie14 Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 4 and 6 bangers are allowed. As long as they are front wheel drive. Call Jim at 210-478-0111 if you have any concerns about your car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KISS_Racing Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 4 and 6 bangers are allowed. As long as they are front wheel drive. Call Jim at 210-478-0111 if you have any concerns about your car. HT, Chassis Dyno will ship next week. We will have to put that 6 banger on there and do some "research!" Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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