Post by cassy14 on Aug 2, 2008 13:57:21 GMT -6
I-37 Raceway, 8/1/08
By J M Hallas
Pleasanton, Tx.,(August 1st, 2008) After an unscheduled week off when Dolly dumped six inches of rain in the area, I-37 Raceway’s 1/4 mile dirt track roared back to life Friday night with a full slate of racing. A night of surprises and excitement began when track manager, Jim Knudtson in son Eric’s Street Stock, rolled over after contact with the outside tire barriers in the heat race. Feature races would provide the fans even more excitement, with two features determined on the last lap, two first time winners and a four wide battle for the runner-up spot in the IMCA Modified main.
Dinsmore’s Dominance Continues
To say Kerrville’s Greg Dinsmore is on a roll would perhaps be an understatement. Once again Dinsmore quickly worked his way to the front, grabbed the lead and left the field in his dust, literally. The win was Dinsmore’s eighth in a row and nine out of the last ten race with his car hooked up and running on a string. Dinsmore hopes to parlay his success into a good run at Boone Speedway’s IMCA Super Nationals coming up in September.
The front row of Patrick Kelly and Bill Pittaway stayed wheel to wheel at the start of the 20-lap IMCA Modified main event. Kelly was able to beat Pittaway to the line to lead lap 1. Dinsmore split the middle of Chip Godfredson and Darin Leonard on lap 1 to move into third. Dinsmore then moved by Pittaway and was side by side with Kelly on lap 2, while Pittaway was looking to get by both. Dinsmore was able to secure the top spot on lap 3.
In the pack Godfredson and Leonard continued to battle side by side and as the two made a little contact, Randy Yount shot past for fourth. By lap 5 Dinsmore had built a comfortable lead over Kelly and Pittaway who had their own fight for second going on. Coming to halfway, with Dinsmore holding a straightaway lead, Kelly, Pittaway, Yount and Leonard had separated out.
Those gaps began to close up with Pittaway reeling Kelly back in by lap 13. As the two battled, Yount was about to close in, with Leonard on his heels. Yount gave up fourth to Leonard on lap 15 after sliding too high in turn 2. With Dinsmore out front on cruise control, the scramble for second came down to the last laps.
Yount briefly got by Leonard on lap 18 and got inside Pittaway, but Leonard fought back for the spot. As the white flag waved it was still anyone’s race for second. As the quartet dove into turn 3 it was nearly four wide, with no one giving. It was still almost three wide as they crossed line with Kelly holding the others off. Dinsmore in the Sundowner RV Repair, Big Worm Motorsports, Team Brain Freeze, Azul Margaritas, Lowery Plumbing, racetechinfo.com, Southern Spirits, Jeff’s Performance, Harris Chassis had enough lead to watch the battle for second as he slowed on the backstretch after taking the checkers.
“The car is just awesome here,” replied Dinsmore. “The track surface is becoming more predictable. Even after all the rain from the hurricane, it still went dry slick. There was one rut out there, but it was one you could use to get the car to shoot you off like rocket. The car would just hold like glue. It was just good to go.”
“I tried the bottom early, but moved back up top. The car would work either place. The car is just fast. The car is where it need to be to race here. I’d hate to have to get a new car. I think about anyone could get in it and be just as fast. It’s that driveable.”
“On the three wide passes I’m just hoping the guys will hold their line. I’m hoping they’ll respect me, as much as I respect them. If I feel them rub, I’ll lift and back out of it. I know if they feel me they’ll lift, move up or down. Whenever I feel someone, I’ll either move up or move out.”
“The competition here is always getting better, Darin Leonard has been coming on, Randy(Yount) is getting better every week. There are others that are stepping up their game and trying to figure out their spots. I try to help as many people as I can figure out their car. I like the competition. I’ll let anyone look at the back of my car. I’ve just found that sweet spot with this car, and it likes it.”
“We really put on a heck of a show for second through fifth,” said Pittaway. “I think we were three or four wide there on the last lap. You can’t take your foot out it. You just try to keep from getting the nose or tail clipped. I was a good show for the fans out here.”
“No one was backing off,” commented Leonard. “We all went in(to the corner) and we didn’t wreck.”
“I worked from fifth to second and back to fifth in two corners,” added Yount. “I drove it in there and saw nobody was lifting. It was a great race.”
IMCA Modifieds
1. 8g Greg Dinsmore
2. 84 Patrick Kelly
3. 37 Bill Pittaway
4. 26 Darin Leonard
5. 66 Randy Yount
6. 17b Bruce Barber
7. 85 Jeff Nix
8 11k Chip Godfredson
IMCA Modified heat winner, 8g Greg Dinsmore
Pittaway Picks up First I-37 Sportmod Checkers
A patient, but persistent, Bill Pittaway got the lead from early leader Rene Mares on lap 5. The Corpus Christi pilot then inched away from the field and went on to take his first ever I-37 IMCA Southern Sportmod victory, with only one other this year in Corpus Christi(South Texas Speedway).
Mares was first out of turn 2 with the lead at the start of the 20-lap IMCA SSM main, with Chris McLendon, Allen Torres and Pittaway falling in line behind. A. Torres looked inside McLendon for second, while Chip Godfredson was using the high side to get by Pittaway. Pittaway retook the spot while McLendon was inside Mares. McLendon got the bumper ahead to lead lap 4 as Pittaway got by A. Torres for third. Mares got back by McLendon, but it was Pittaway snagging the top spot away on lap 5.
Jason Stanley brought out caution on lap 6 when he spun in turn 4. On the restart Pittaway and Mares got away clean while Chris Swenson got by A. Torres for third. Swenson then got under Mares for second with the two making contact sending Mares sliding through the infield. Mares cut across the infield coming back on the track and into Swenson bringing out a caution. Mares was sent to the tail, Swenson was forced to pit with damage.
Once back to green, Godfredson was inside A. Torres, while Stanley worked his way back up to challenge Johnny Torres for fourth. At the crossed flags it was Pittaway, A. Torres, Godfredson, J. Torres and Stanley running in the top five with Pittaway now creeping away from the field.
Godfredson and A. Torres then ran side by side for second on lap 12, with J. Torres jumping inside Godfredson for third. Godfredson was now wheel to wheel with J. Torres on lap 13. A. Torres’ top five run ended on lap 15 when he broke and stopped off track on the pit entry road. In the final laps Godfredson only was able to close slightly on Pittaway who easily went on to the win in the C/D Electric, Mid Point Bearings, Wells Racing Engines, HOT Chassis.
“This was my first feature win here at this track,” replied a jubilant Pittaway. “I tried the bottom and got past a few cars early and the bottom groove went away. I had to go up top and just tried to hold it open as much as I could. The track was slick on the bottom, a little rough in the center, so the top was the place to be. I wasn’t able to tell where anyone was behind me, but I understand there were a few nipping on my tail for a while.”
“Running both cars helps me more in my Modified. Since I run the Sportmod first, I know what it’s going to need. I knew there wasn’t anything on the bottom for the Modified feature. Even though I started on the second row inside, I knew I needed to jump up top right away.”
IMCA Southern Sportmods
1. 37 Bill Pittaway
2. 11b Chip Godfredson
3. 66 Johnny Torres
4. 92 Jason Stanley
5. 22 Rene Mares
6. 11 Chris McLendon
7. 60 Pat Lyon
8. 48 Chris Swenson
9. 94 Allen Torres
10. 88 Mark McGahey
11. 771 Barry Codling
IMCA SSM heat winners, 37 Bill Pittaway, 94 Allen Torres
At the start of the 15-lap Super Stock feature, Howie Marcx, Gary Hunter and Richard Bartosh charged three wide into turn 1 for the lead. Marcx came out with top spot, while Moe VanKirk worked his way to second. VanKirk caught Marcx for the lead on lap 5, while Jed Rollins pressured the multi-time track champ, Hunter for third.
On lap 6 the lead duo caught the slower car of Allen Jenkins with Marcx and Jenkins making contact. Jenkins was sent into the turn 4 tire barrier, VanKirk got collected with Marcx who pulled off with a broken right front suspension. VanKirk was able to continue and inherited the lead as the race resumed.
Rollins got by Hunter on lap 8 using the high groove and ran down VanKirk for the lead. VanKirk and Rollins then ran side by side for two laps before Rollins snagged the point on lap 13. VanKirk, whose car was slightly wounded in the earlier incident, pulled off on the last lap giving Rollins an unchallenged run to the checkers.
Super Stocks
1. 57 Jed Rollins
2. 14 Gary Hunter
3. 7 Richard Bartosh
4. 58 Moe VanKirk
5. 13 Howie Marcx
6. 97 Allen Jenkins
Super Stock heat winner, 58 Moe VanKirk
When green waved on the 15-lap Street Stock feature, the inside row got the jump on the field headed by A J Wernette. Tommy Casey got along side Wernette who led lap 1 by mere inches. Casey then got by in turn 2, while Wade Jones got past Craig Crawley for third. Jones got by Wernette for second on lap 4 and went in search of Casey.
Jones began to reel in Casey, but lost ground after getting loose on lap 7 allowing Wernette and Crawley to close back up on his bumper. Once righted, Jones again began to cut into Casey’s lead catching him on the final lap. As the two dove into turn 3, Jones drilled Casey in the quarter panel with two getting hung together. As they struggled to break free coming to finish line, Wernette and Crawly blew by both with Wernette stealing his first ever Street Stock victory.
Street Stocks
1. 37 A J Wernette
2. 6 Craig Crawley
3. 42 Tommy Casey
4. 41 Wade Jones
5. 5 Donald Lewis
6. 08 Alton Fambro
7. 107.5 Billy Kinneman
18 Shawn Moore---DNS(Broke driveshaft)
27 Jim Knudtson---DNS(rolled in heat)
Street Stock heat winners, 6 Craig Crawley, 41 Wade Jones
The 20-lap, 18-car Pure Stock feature saw Albert Mares first into turn 2, but it was Danny Schroat coming out of turn 2 with the point. In the pack, Justin Henley was cutting through the field catching Schroat on lap 3. J. Henley wasted little time getting by Schroat for the lead on lap 4. Former track champ, Janel Hilla suffered a flat after a four wide battle for fifth. As Hilla pushed up coming out of turn 4 she collected Mark Pivarnik and Jo Jo Horne to bring out a caution.
On the restart, J. Henley set sail while Danny Kasperwicz worked his way around Sean Terry sr. for third. Kasperwicz got by Schroat for second on lap 5, while Sonny Jones, Sean Terry jr. and Adam Torres were three wide for fifth. That battle continued and ran down Schroat. Henley caught traffic on lap 10 with Kasperwicz cutting the lead in half.
Schroat brought out a yellow on lap 12 when he spun in turn 2, a caution J. Henley didn’t want to see. The restart saw the top five lined up nose to tail as the green waved again. J. Henley was able to put a little distance back on Kasperwicz until he caught lapped traffic with two to go. J. Henley’s eight car length margin quickly shrunk as the white flag waved. J. Henley got hung behind a slower car going into turn 3 and Kasperwicz jumped on the chance diving under J. Henley in turn 4 and out racing him to the line for the checkers.
Pure Stocks
1. 74K Danny Kasprowicz
2. 96 Justin Henley
3. 23 Sean Terry
4. 66 Adam Torres
5. 14 Mark Pivarnik
6. 555 Sonny Jones
7. 25 Jo Jo Horne
8. 7x Janel Hilla
9. 9 Philip Haywood
10. 3 Albert Mares
11. 98 Eric Jenkins
12. 15 William Cavender
13. 87 Shaunette Gillispie
14. 7 Danny Schroat
15. 23t Sean Terry
16. 22 Brian Terry
17. 67 Joe Horne
18. 55 Charlie Henley
Pure Stock heat winners, 74k Danny Kasprowicz, 67 Joe Horne, 96 Justin Henley
By J M Hallas
Pleasanton, Tx.,(August 1st, 2008) After an unscheduled week off when Dolly dumped six inches of rain in the area, I-37 Raceway’s 1/4 mile dirt track roared back to life Friday night with a full slate of racing. A night of surprises and excitement began when track manager, Jim Knudtson in son Eric’s Street Stock, rolled over after contact with the outside tire barriers in the heat race. Feature races would provide the fans even more excitement, with two features determined on the last lap, two first time winners and a four wide battle for the runner-up spot in the IMCA Modified main.
Dinsmore’s Dominance Continues
To say Kerrville’s Greg Dinsmore is on a roll would perhaps be an understatement. Once again Dinsmore quickly worked his way to the front, grabbed the lead and left the field in his dust, literally. The win was Dinsmore’s eighth in a row and nine out of the last ten race with his car hooked up and running on a string. Dinsmore hopes to parlay his success into a good run at Boone Speedway’s IMCA Super Nationals coming up in September.
The front row of Patrick Kelly and Bill Pittaway stayed wheel to wheel at the start of the 20-lap IMCA Modified main event. Kelly was able to beat Pittaway to the line to lead lap 1. Dinsmore split the middle of Chip Godfredson and Darin Leonard on lap 1 to move into third. Dinsmore then moved by Pittaway and was side by side with Kelly on lap 2, while Pittaway was looking to get by both. Dinsmore was able to secure the top spot on lap 3.
In the pack Godfredson and Leonard continued to battle side by side and as the two made a little contact, Randy Yount shot past for fourth. By lap 5 Dinsmore had built a comfortable lead over Kelly and Pittaway who had their own fight for second going on. Coming to halfway, with Dinsmore holding a straightaway lead, Kelly, Pittaway, Yount and Leonard had separated out.
Those gaps began to close up with Pittaway reeling Kelly back in by lap 13. As the two battled, Yount was about to close in, with Leonard on his heels. Yount gave up fourth to Leonard on lap 15 after sliding too high in turn 2. With Dinsmore out front on cruise control, the scramble for second came down to the last laps.
Yount briefly got by Leonard on lap 18 and got inside Pittaway, but Leonard fought back for the spot. As the white flag waved it was still anyone’s race for second. As the quartet dove into turn 3 it was nearly four wide, with no one giving. It was still almost three wide as they crossed line with Kelly holding the others off. Dinsmore in the Sundowner RV Repair, Big Worm Motorsports, Team Brain Freeze, Azul Margaritas, Lowery Plumbing, racetechinfo.com, Southern Spirits, Jeff’s Performance, Harris Chassis had enough lead to watch the battle for second as he slowed on the backstretch after taking the checkers.
“The car is just awesome here,” replied Dinsmore. “The track surface is becoming more predictable. Even after all the rain from the hurricane, it still went dry slick. There was one rut out there, but it was one you could use to get the car to shoot you off like rocket. The car would just hold like glue. It was just good to go.”
“I tried the bottom early, but moved back up top. The car would work either place. The car is just fast. The car is where it need to be to race here. I’d hate to have to get a new car. I think about anyone could get in it and be just as fast. It’s that driveable.”
“On the three wide passes I’m just hoping the guys will hold their line. I’m hoping they’ll respect me, as much as I respect them. If I feel them rub, I’ll lift and back out of it. I know if they feel me they’ll lift, move up or down. Whenever I feel someone, I’ll either move up or move out.”
“The competition here is always getting better, Darin Leonard has been coming on, Randy(Yount) is getting better every week. There are others that are stepping up their game and trying to figure out their spots. I try to help as many people as I can figure out their car. I like the competition. I’ll let anyone look at the back of my car. I’ve just found that sweet spot with this car, and it likes it.”
“We really put on a heck of a show for second through fifth,” said Pittaway. “I think we were three or four wide there on the last lap. You can’t take your foot out it. You just try to keep from getting the nose or tail clipped. I was a good show for the fans out here.”
“No one was backing off,” commented Leonard. “We all went in(to the corner) and we didn’t wreck.”
“I worked from fifth to second and back to fifth in two corners,” added Yount. “I drove it in there and saw nobody was lifting. It was a great race.”
IMCA Modifieds
1. 8g Greg Dinsmore
2. 84 Patrick Kelly
3. 37 Bill Pittaway
4. 26 Darin Leonard
5. 66 Randy Yount
6. 17b Bruce Barber
7. 85 Jeff Nix
8 11k Chip Godfredson
IMCA Modified heat winner, 8g Greg Dinsmore
Pittaway Picks up First I-37 Sportmod Checkers
A patient, but persistent, Bill Pittaway got the lead from early leader Rene Mares on lap 5. The Corpus Christi pilot then inched away from the field and went on to take his first ever I-37 IMCA Southern Sportmod victory, with only one other this year in Corpus Christi(South Texas Speedway).
Mares was first out of turn 2 with the lead at the start of the 20-lap IMCA SSM main, with Chris McLendon, Allen Torres and Pittaway falling in line behind. A. Torres looked inside McLendon for second, while Chip Godfredson was using the high side to get by Pittaway. Pittaway retook the spot while McLendon was inside Mares. McLendon got the bumper ahead to lead lap 4 as Pittaway got by A. Torres for third. Mares got back by McLendon, but it was Pittaway snagging the top spot away on lap 5.
Jason Stanley brought out caution on lap 6 when he spun in turn 4. On the restart Pittaway and Mares got away clean while Chris Swenson got by A. Torres for third. Swenson then got under Mares for second with the two making contact sending Mares sliding through the infield. Mares cut across the infield coming back on the track and into Swenson bringing out a caution. Mares was sent to the tail, Swenson was forced to pit with damage.
Once back to green, Godfredson was inside A. Torres, while Stanley worked his way back up to challenge Johnny Torres for fourth. At the crossed flags it was Pittaway, A. Torres, Godfredson, J. Torres and Stanley running in the top five with Pittaway now creeping away from the field.
Godfredson and A. Torres then ran side by side for second on lap 12, with J. Torres jumping inside Godfredson for third. Godfredson was now wheel to wheel with J. Torres on lap 13. A. Torres’ top five run ended on lap 15 when he broke and stopped off track on the pit entry road. In the final laps Godfredson only was able to close slightly on Pittaway who easily went on to the win in the C/D Electric, Mid Point Bearings, Wells Racing Engines, HOT Chassis.
“This was my first feature win here at this track,” replied a jubilant Pittaway. “I tried the bottom and got past a few cars early and the bottom groove went away. I had to go up top and just tried to hold it open as much as I could. The track was slick on the bottom, a little rough in the center, so the top was the place to be. I wasn’t able to tell where anyone was behind me, but I understand there were a few nipping on my tail for a while.”
“Running both cars helps me more in my Modified. Since I run the Sportmod first, I know what it’s going to need. I knew there wasn’t anything on the bottom for the Modified feature. Even though I started on the second row inside, I knew I needed to jump up top right away.”
IMCA Southern Sportmods
1. 37 Bill Pittaway
2. 11b Chip Godfredson
3. 66 Johnny Torres
4. 92 Jason Stanley
5. 22 Rene Mares
6. 11 Chris McLendon
7. 60 Pat Lyon
8. 48 Chris Swenson
9. 94 Allen Torres
10. 88 Mark McGahey
11. 771 Barry Codling
IMCA SSM heat winners, 37 Bill Pittaway, 94 Allen Torres
At the start of the 15-lap Super Stock feature, Howie Marcx, Gary Hunter and Richard Bartosh charged three wide into turn 1 for the lead. Marcx came out with top spot, while Moe VanKirk worked his way to second. VanKirk caught Marcx for the lead on lap 5, while Jed Rollins pressured the multi-time track champ, Hunter for third.
On lap 6 the lead duo caught the slower car of Allen Jenkins with Marcx and Jenkins making contact. Jenkins was sent into the turn 4 tire barrier, VanKirk got collected with Marcx who pulled off with a broken right front suspension. VanKirk was able to continue and inherited the lead as the race resumed.
Rollins got by Hunter on lap 8 using the high groove and ran down VanKirk for the lead. VanKirk and Rollins then ran side by side for two laps before Rollins snagged the point on lap 13. VanKirk, whose car was slightly wounded in the earlier incident, pulled off on the last lap giving Rollins an unchallenged run to the checkers.
Super Stocks
1. 57 Jed Rollins
2. 14 Gary Hunter
3. 7 Richard Bartosh
4. 58 Moe VanKirk
5. 13 Howie Marcx
6. 97 Allen Jenkins
Super Stock heat winner, 58 Moe VanKirk
When green waved on the 15-lap Street Stock feature, the inside row got the jump on the field headed by A J Wernette. Tommy Casey got along side Wernette who led lap 1 by mere inches. Casey then got by in turn 2, while Wade Jones got past Craig Crawley for third. Jones got by Wernette for second on lap 4 and went in search of Casey.
Jones began to reel in Casey, but lost ground after getting loose on lap 7 allowing Wernette and Crawley to close back up on his bumper. Once righted, Jones again began to cut into Casey’s lead catching him on the final lap. As the two dove into turn 3, Jones drilled Casey in the quarter panel with two getting hung together. As they struggled to break free coming to finish line, Wernette and Crawly blew by both with Wernette stealing his first ever Street Stock victory.
Street Stocks
1. 37 A J Wernette
2. 6 Craig Crawley
3. 42 Tommy Casey
4. 41 Wade Jones
5. 5 Donald Lewis
6. 08 Alton Fambro
7. 107.5 Billy Kinneman
18 Shawn Moore---DNS(Broke driveshaft)
27 Jim Knudtson---DNS(rolled in heat)
Street Stock heat winners, 6 Craig Crawley, 41 Wade Jones
The 20-lap, 18-car Pure Stock feature saw Albert Mares first into turn 2, but it was Danny Schroat coming out of turn 2 with the point. In the pack, Justin Henley was cutting through the field catching Schroat on lap 3. J. Henley wasted little time getting by Schroat for the lead on lap 4. Former track champ, Janel Hilla suffered a flat after a four wide battle for fifth. As Hilla pushed up coming out of turn 4 she collected Mark Pivarnik and Jo Jo Horne to bring out a caution.
On the restart, J. Henley set sail while Danny Kasperwicz worked his way around Sean Terry sr. for third. Kasperwicz got by Schroat for second on lap 5, while Sonny Jones, Sean Terry jr. and Adam Torres were three wide for fifth. That battle continued and ran down Schroat. Henley caught traffic on lap 10 with Kasperwicz cutting the lead in half.
Schroat brought out a yellow on lap 12 when he spun in turn 2, a caution J. Henley didn’t want to see. The restart saw the top five lined up nose to tail as the green waved again. J. Henley was able to put a little distance back on Kasperwicz until he caught lapped traffic with two to go. J. Henley’s eight car length margin quickly shrunk as the white flag waved. J. Henley got hung behind a slower car going into turn 3 and Kasperwicz jumped on the chance diving under J. Henley in turn 4 and out racing him to the line for the checkers.
Pure Stocks
1. 74K Danny Kasprowicz
2. 96 Justin Henley
3. 23 Sean Terry
4. 66 Adam Torres
5. 14 Mark Pivarnik
6. 555 Sonny Jones
7. 25 Jo Jo Horne
8. 7x Janel Hilla
9. 9 Philip Haywood
10. 3 Albert Mares
11. 98 Eric Jenkins
12. 15 William Cavender
13. 87 Shaunette Gillispie
14. 7 Danny Schroat
15. 23t Sean Terry
16. 22 Brian Terry
17. 67 Joe Horne
18. 55 Charlie Henley
Pure Stock heat winners, 74k Danny Kasprowicz, 67 Joe Horne, 96 Justin Henley