Greg Dinsmore Wins Twice on "SuperFullMoon" Night

[tqj3]

Kerrville's Dinsmore Wins Two at I-37 Raceway

 

Pleasanton – For the second week in a row Kerrville's Greg Dinsmore was involved in swapping parts at I-37 raceway. This time it was an axle plate he lent to another racer in the Limited Late Model class while last week he won the Modified race on opening night using an engine borrowed from Bill Pittaway. Pittaway finished second in the IMCA Modified feature behind Dinsmore last week and would chase Dinsmore to the checkers again this week, the 2010 track champion notching his second second place of 2011.

Those from other sports always seem surprised to learn that racers will not only lend each other parts, but will even help work on a damaged or disabled car to get it into the race, even (maybe especially) if the car and driver are in their own class.

Another defending champion, Lakehills' Johnny Torres, had a tougher night as he raced from the back of the pack to the win in the IMCA Southern Sports Modified feature. He was battling on two fronts, fighting to keep Kerrville driver Moe VanKirk behind him even as VanKirk was racing toward the front and fighting for the lead while working to stay ahead of Randy Bennett and Comfort's Randy Yount. Those two would finish third and fourth.

The Limited Late Model class was Dinsmore's second romp of the night, as it took him only two laps (maybe three with the first caution flag) to get to the lead in the only race that seemed affected by the "Super Full Moon." The rest of the field had plenty of chances to take a shot at Dinsmore, as it seemed there was a yellow flag about every two to three laps to bunch the field and give everybody a fresh start.

As it did last week, the race turned into a battle among Trey Votion, defending LLM champ Richard Bartosh of Pleasanton, San Antonio's Craig Crowley (back after a year off) and new driver Matt Hodge, who plans to race at I-37 all season. The popular Bartosh battled mightily to hold off Crowley and Hodge, who finished fourth and fifth.

Nearly a dozen Street Stocks were at I-37 for the opening race, but only half that many showed up for the second race. Not to worry, though, as the six that were there would likely have run in the top five or six anyway. A. J. Wernette has been hampered both weeks by not having the new racing engine yet. Still, the Floresville driver battled with defending champ Wade Jones of Jourdanton early while trying to hold off both Dennis Hilla and A. J. Dancer but finally dropped back to fourth. (In Texas it's easy to have two drivers in the same race named "A. J.")

Mike Lyon was in the mix until the last two laps, when he spun and caused the race to finish under the "green, white, checker" rule. Jones got the win with Dancer second and Hilla third, but none of these drivers (along with a few others) should be counted out of the championship chase.

Fifteen cars started the feature in the Pure Stock class, with the heat races almost predicting the finish. The feature race began with a mishmash that necessitated a complete restart, but once they got under way the race looked to be a fight among the three heat race winners, Frank Okruhlik, Brandy Ramzinski and Janel Hilla. Justin Henley had other ideas, fighting past each of the heat race winners and going for the lead, challenging Okruhlik.

It wasn't that easy, of course, and the final order was in doubt right up until the last lap and then some. Okruhlik was leading as they came to the white flag, but he went wide in turn four and gave Henley an opening which he took, slipping under Okruhlik to take a lead Okruhlik wasn't able to take back on the last lap. But it was close. Ramzinski and Hilla finished third and fourth.

Eleven Front Runners started the feature, but one was gone almost immediately as Roy Easler, Jr. spun in turn two and was hit by two other cars, ending his night in the rapid Geo Metro. Only ten cars restarted, with Hailee Marcx in eighth in her new car. She would run to a strong fourth-place finish while up front Jimmy Carroll was holding off Cody Earnhardt and Eric Jenkins for the win.

I-37 Raceway has made several changes this season to get both drivers and fans home earlier on Saturday night, including an earlier start time (7:00 pm) and the use of radios (one way radios) to help get the cars lined up quickly after caution flags. On opening night, the racing was finished at 11:15 pm. On the second night, despite the Super Moon, all the races were over at 10:30 pm and the track is working to improve that.

The track opened the season with a three-week run. The last race of the three will be this Saturday night, March 26. Remember, the track is not just inexpensive entertainment, but is within an easy drive of Pleasanton, Atascosa County and South San Antonio. The spectator gates open at 5:00 pm and the action starts at 7:00 pm.

 

T. Q. Jones, Media Director PH: (512) 261-5236 Email: tqjones13@earthlink. net