NeilTPS Posted October 23, 2005 Report Share Posted October 23, 2005 Lloyd Hart wins TPS Race – Sergio Hexsel wins TPS Title Thunder Hill Raceway, Kyle, Texas (October 22, 2005) By: Neil Upchurch, Texas Pro Sedans – Race Director It was the final race of the Texas Pro Sedans 30th consecutive season. The TPS Driver Champion and Rookie of the Year titles were decided. The race took a month to run due to a delay in the schedule caused by Hurricane Rita. It was the biggest race at the 3/8 mile D shaped oval in Kyle, Texas. It was the 9th Annual Thunder Hill Raceway “Stock Car Spectacular”. Ten classes, including the Texas Pro Sedans, showed their class to a very large grandstand crowd. It was a “Stock Car Spectacular” race night. In Qualifying Time Trials, Sergio Hexsel won the Feature Race pole position by posting the fastest time among a field of 19 Texas Pro Sedans. His fastest non-record lap time was 16.879 and earned him one bonus point. Hexsel drove his #VW Rabbit. The standing record of 16.830 is still held by Bill LaBarge in his BMW. Sergio Hexsel won the 2005 TPS Driver Championship, Tom Johnson won the TPS “Rookie of the Year” title and Lloyd Hart won the TPS 30 lap feature race. How they won their TPS titles follow. On the first lap of the TPS Feature Race, Sergio Hexsel kept the lead. Donnie Moore was in hot pursuit until he came into contact with Bill LaBarge’s BMW which had suspension damage and dropped out. Later in the race Moore spun and also dropped out due to mechanical trouble. Jack Dishman moved his Mustang into second place behind Hexsel. They maintained this very close formation for most of the race until Mike Knotts took the lead for one circuit on lap 27. On lap 28 Knotts, Jack Dishman and the Tom Johnson lapped car attempted to pass the slower Bryce Dishman Mustang who was occupying the racing groove. There was multiple contact between cars on the back straight. When the dust cleared, The Knotts VW Scirocco was out. Jack Dishman pitted and returned. Hexsel retired with an engine problems. The lead was inherited by Lloyd Hart in his #19 Honda. After leading the last two laps, he crossed the finish line with only 0.50 seconds separating his car in front of the second place Ford Probe driven by Ariel Arredondo. The race win was Hart’s first in TPS competition and one of the few times in the 30 year history of the Texas Pro Sedans that a “Rookie” driver has visited the Feature Race Winners Circle. With his tenth place finish, Sergio Hexsel of San Antonio won the TPS Championship by a total of fourteen markers ahead of Donnie Moore who finished in second place, for the second year in a row. Moore topped third place point earner Bill LaBarge by only six points. Tom Johnson’s 4th place finish in the race insured a 16 point finish over Lloyd Hart and clinched the “TPS Rookie of the Year” title for the Kingsland, Texas driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 The race win was Hart’s first in TPS competition and one of the few times in the 30 year history of the Texas Pro Sedans that a “Rookie” driver has visited the Feature Race Winners Circle. CONGRATS LLOYD! It's good to see one of the "Good Guys" win. Mel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legacy47 Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Agreed, awesome job lloyd. I wasn't able to watch the race because we raced next, but my dad gave me the play-by-play over the radio, congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoom Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Way to go Lloyd and 4 Harts racing. Way to show that attitude and persistance will pay off. What an inspiration you are to all of us. Again, Congratulations and enjoy. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hartracn19 Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Thanks Mel, Trey, and Mark, I really appreciate it!! All I can say is what a night. That was my first win ever, so it was definitely a great finish to my first season with TPS. (Icing on the cake was winning the final race of TPS’s 30th Season!!) I hope you guys had as much fun this season as I have had!! Also: Congratulations to Sergio Hexsel for winning the 2005 Championship, and to Tom Johnson for winning the Rookie of the Year!! As they say: Way to "Git r done!!" Lloyd Hart 4 – Hart Racing TPS #19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hartracn19 Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 What I should have said: After the last practice, it was running so bad (blasted carb gremlins) that we were thinking of putting the car back on the trailer. So going out and winning the race was really the last thing on my mind. I owe thanks to a lot of folks, and when I got to Victory Lane, I was still in shock, and for the first time I was speechless. When Chuck put the mike in front of me, here is what was going through my head, but couldn't get the words out, but this is what I should have said: First and foremost, Thanks be to God!! I am grateful. Special thanks to my wonderful wife, children, and parents, whom without their love and support, I wouldn't be out there racing and having such fun!! Thanks for all of the help with getting the car ready at this race (and all season long) to Bill Labarge and all of his crew, especially Jack and John, (who exterminated the carb gremlins in time for qualifying!! ) and Sergio Hexsel, and his crew Don. And thanks to the gentleman who tried to find a replacement throttle cable set screw after I dropped mine in the rocks in the pits. (I missed your name, but I believe you crew for Jamie and were helping Sergio.) Thanks to Mark Rahn for coming out and helping me in the pits for this race. And thanks to all of the TPS drivers and crew who have come and lent a hand or part both at this race and all year long. I could name everyone and still manage to leave someone out, so thanks to everyone. Thanks to: - TPS (Neil Upchurch, Bill Jordan and Bob Castleberry, and all of the TPS officials) - THR (all of the workers, officials, etc for putting on this Stock Car Spectacular.) Thanks to all of you for doing what you do, allowing us gear heads to race and have so much fun, (and especially for allowing the winner to drive around the track with the checkered flag. That memory is definitely a keeper!) Special thanks to the sponsors of the TPS race: Nelson Skinner, Attorney at Law Richard & Bea Villanueva of San Antonio Buggy Warehouse of San Antonio Emerald Garden Nursery & Water Garden, Austin Luke Hogan Hoosier Larsen Air Cooled Racing Engines, Wimberley, TX thru Randy Larsen Ellen Murphy - Hairstylist - SA Thanks to Chuck and "Sarge" for allowing the winners to say a few words, (even if I was in too much shock to say what needed to be said!!) Thanks to all of the racing fans who came out and saw some great racing!! And Marc Roy - Great photos as always. I will send you a PM later to buy some of the photos from the race!! Lloyd Hart 4 – Hart Racing TPS #19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 Hey Lloyd, I think you forgot to thank the checkout clerk at HEB! LOL Just kidding. You were a very attentive participant in the 2004 San Antonio Suspension Seminar and it has been fun working with you and watching you put your knowledge into that little red Honda. TPS teams had better keep an eye on Lloyd now that his carb problems seem to have vanished. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hartracn19 Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 See, I knew I would forget someone. If she hadn't sold me the Gatorade and ice... That was a great evening, and I am pretty happy and thankful. I am looking forward to the 2005 seminar. I will PM you later this week!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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