Thunder Hill Raceway recap, 7/3/04

[NickHolt]

FIREWORKS ADDED TO EXCITEMENT AT THUNDER HILL RACEWAY

 

By Jon Sagester

 

KYLE—It was all sparkle and glitter at Thunder Hill Raceway Saturday night with ten feature races and a full night of racing that was capped off by a dazzling display of fireworks.

 

Headlining the THR classes was Bobby LaFont of Volente, who won his second straight A-Line Auto Parts (AAP) Street Stocks feature race. After starting 11th, LaFont steadily moved up in four laps to take the lead, closely followed by Jim Teague, who started 13th. LaFont and Teague finished first and second, respectively, with Duane Toyne placing third.

 

The win moved LaFont up two places in the tightly contested AAP Street Stock points race. Bobby Teer, Jr. (2) is leading with 868 points. Just six points behind is Doug Ayers (02) with 862, and then follows LaFont 815, Marvin Buck 806, and San Marcos’ Cary Stapp with 801. Only 67 points separate the top five drivers.

 

In an unusual display of sportsmanship, Terry Tschoerner let a competitor in the same class drive his car. Doug Ayers was leading the Street Stock points race, but a broken timing chain in the heat race precluded his entering the feature race. In the tight knit family of stock car racing drivers frequently help each other, but seldom does a driver sit out a race so a competitor can use his car.

 

By being able to run the feature Ayers stayed in contention, dropping only one position in points. Terry Tschoerner is in 15th place with 328 points.

 

There was a similar circumstance in the THR Late Model feature when points leader James Reeder couldn’t get his car ready. Robert Lizotte of San Marcos loaned his Street Stock car to Reeder, allowing Reeder to enter the Late Model feature race.

 

Leland Waddell realized his first win of the season in the 35 lap Late Model feature race. Starting on the pole, Waddell led the 10 car field every lap. Marc Currey started on the outside pole and finished in second place, with Tommy Gural coming in third.

 

Although Reeder only completed 13 laps, he held onto his lead in the Late Model points race with 537 points. Robert Stewart is second with 479, and Michael Cullen is third with 463 points.

 

The Late Model points race is another class where competition is tight, with only 91 points separating the top seven drivers.

 

David Hassinger of Kyle, received his third checkered flag of the season in the Capital City Trade & Technical School Hobby Stock race, after starting sixth in the nine car field. In his first top five finish of the season, Tommy Darrity placed second.

 

Gary Chancellor had his chance for a three-peat dashed when he tangled with Kevin Bowen on the ninth lap of the 20 lap feature. Sent to the rear of the field, Chancellor worked his way through the pack for a third place finish.

 

The Hobby Stock points race is led by Hassinger with 983 points. He has placed in the top four positions in eight of the nine races this season. In second place is Joe Tschoerner with 901 points, and third is Tracy Tschoerner with 864.

 

The THR Grand Stock race featured nine cars racing 10 laps, with Walt Judkins winning his third race of the year, followed by the 57 car, and Eddie Siegmund in the newly painted 20 car.

 

The Bandoleros made a quick race of eight laps with Steven Abbey (37) winning, followed by Alex Hickman, (94) and Jacob Kruger (8).

 

Besides racing, the fans were entertained with a hot dog eating contest, during intermission, as the inaugural event of the THR Games. Thunder Hill Raceway has scheduled a different THR Game for each week until Aug. 28, with the THR Games Championships set for Sept. 18. Any THR fan 18-years-old and older can participate each week; all weekly winners will qualify for the THR Games Chamiponship. THR's marketing department will announce one of the THR Games grand prizes later this week.

 

The 2004 Texas Tornado Tour, comprised of the ROMCO Super Late Model tour, will be the feature race this coming Saturdya (July 10). The ROMCO drivers will run a 125 lap feature race. The ROMCO tour is back at THR after being rained out June 26.

 

The night will be Budweiser Night, and the ROMCO tour will be joined by the Texas Asphalt Modified Series (TAMS) and the home track regulars - the THR Late Models, A-Line Auto Parts Street Stocks, Capital City Trade and Technical School Hobby Stocks and THR Grand Stocks.

 

Grandstand gates open at 5:30 p.m. with opening ceremonies set for 7 p.m. Thunder Hill Raceway is located right off IH-35 at exit 210 (Yarrington Road exit), just 15 minutes south of Austin and 10 minutes north of San Marcos. For further information, visit the track's web site at www.thunderhillraceway.com or call the Thunder Hill office at (512) 262-1352.