TPS at CCMS results and recap, 9/11/04

[NickHolt]

Donnie Moore wins 3rd TPS race at C.C. Motor Speedway

 

By: Neil Upchurch, Texas Pro Sedans – Race Director

 

Corpus Christi, Texas (September 11, 2004)

 

Donnie Moore of Hutto, Texas started 3rd but finished 1st in the Texas Pro Sedans race at C.C. Motor Speedway. The event was highlighted by four lead changes and several new names on the entry list.

 

The Texas Pro Sedans series contested their 3rd and final 2004 TPS race at C.C. Motor Speedway. The event was a week late in taking the green flag due to a rainout on September 4.

 

Qualifying Time Trials saw the fastest time posted by Corpus Christi driver, E.J. Gilpin, a regular CCMS competitor. He turned a 16.040 second lap in his Ford Mustang. His time was almost a half second off of the TPS track record. The record was posted by Corpus Christi’s Lalo Leal in his Ford Mustang on May 29th. The record stands at 15.560. Second fastest time was logged by California newcomer to the TPS ranks, Lloyd Hart, who has moved to San Antonio.

 

The Texas Pro Sedans four cylinder stock cars played to a large grandstand crowd with 17 of the 18 car field taking the green flag for the 30 lap TPS feature race. Gilpin took the lead over second fastest qualifier Lloyd Hart in his first TPS event in his newly purchased Honda CRX.

 

Gilpin, Hart and Moore dueled with their fast four cylinder stock cars. Each driver shared the lead. E.J. Gilpin from the start to lap 3, Donnie Moore took the point from lap 4 to lap 17, Lloyd Hart led the race from lap 18 through 20 with Moore taking the lead back for the last 10 laps when Hart’s Honda overheated and he retired to the infield. They were followed closely by impressive 3rd place finisher Jamie Garner in his 2001 VW Sedan. Bill LaBarge retired his BMW early from the race with mechanical problems and contact with Greg Wood’s VW Rabbit. The event was slowed five times by yellow caution periods. Donnie Moore won the TPS race by an extremely close margin of one tenth of a second over the eventual runner-up E.J. Gilpin.

 

A total of seven Texas Pro Sedan drivers completed the race on the lead lap. Recording 30 laps was Bobby Smith, 4th in his Ford Mustang, Sergio Hexsel placed 5th in his new VW Rabbit, 6th went to Ariel Arredondo of Corpus Christi in his Ford Probe. Rounding out in 7th place on the lead lap was Mike Knotts in his VW Scirocco.

 

The TPS Championship Points margin at the top of the standings list saw Donnie Moore increase his lead over Bill LaBarge by seventeen points with two races remaining in the 2004 Texas Pro Sedans season. Ariel Arredondo extended his lead in the TPS “Rookie of the Year” points competition by ten points when his nearest opponent Bryce Dishman had several steering and mechanical problems with his Ford Mustang.

 

The next TPS race will be held at Thunder Hill Raceway in Kyle, Texas on Saturday night, September 25th as part of a of seven touring series feature race event in the Eighth Annual Texas Stock Car Spectacular.

 

Official results of the 30-lap Texas Pro Sedan Feature at Corpus Christi Motor Speedway, 9/11/04

 

Finish, Car #, Name, Hometown, Make, Engine CC, Qualifying Time, Laps Completed

1 70 Donnie Moore, Hutto VW Scirocco, 1710 16.180 30

2 21 r E.J. Gilpin,Corpus Christi, TX Ford Mustang, 2338 16.040 30

3 33 Jamie Garner, San Antonio 2001 VW Sedan,1825 16.190 30

4 73 r Bobby Smith, La Blanca, TX Ford Mustang, 2300 16.480 30

5 20 Sergio Hexsel, San Antonio VW Rabbit, 2041 16.340 30

6 66 r Ariel Arredondo, Corpus Christi Ford Probe, 2338 16.330 30

7 48 Mike Knotts, Universal City VW Scirocco, 1648 16.290 30

8 8 r Pete Arce, Corpus Christi VW Rabbit PU, 1780 17.290 29

9 29 r Rico Guiterrez, Corpus Christi Ford Mustang, 2338 18.000 28

10 72 Candy Hogan, Cedar Park VW Sedan, 1915 18.170 28

11 19 r Lloyd Hart II, San Antonio Honda CRX,1645 16.120 20

12 26 Lalo Leal, Corpus Christi Ford Mustang, 2338 16.190 18

13 1 r Bryce Dishman, Devine Ford Mustang, 2338 dnt 13

14 7 Jesse Sandoval, Corpus Christi Ford Pinto, 2338 16.250 8

15 27 Bill LaBarge, Bryan BMW, 2083 16.310 4

16 54w Greg Wood, San Antonio VW Scirocco, 1588 16.710 4

17 2 Jack Dishman, Devine Ford Mustang, 2338 16.410 2

18 71m Bruce Mabrito, San Antonio VW Rabbit, 1648 dnt 0

 

r = Eligible for Rookie of the Year

Margin of Victory .09 sec.

Race Leaders #21 led laps 1-3, #70 led laps 4-17, #19 led laps 18-20, #70 led laps 21-30