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| LATE PASS NETS CHANEY
BAKERSFIELD BANDIT WIN by Gary Jacob & Don Low |
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Bandit Sprint Cars and IMCA Modifieds |
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Bakersfield, CA -June 12, 1999--Taking the lead when
defending series champion Danny Sheridan got trapped in lapped traffic
on lap 18, Jarrett Chaney won Saturday nights 20 lap Bandit unwinged
360 sprint car feature at Bakersfield Speedway Park. Chaneys win was
worth $700 and Sheridan finished second ahead of Davey Pombo Jr. Doug
Thompson had a perfect night in the IMCA modified action, winning his
heat from the outside front row and then pacing all 20 laps of the
feature from the same starting position. Thompson wheels a GRT Chassis
and former champion Steve Smothermon was second ahead of Jeff Miller.
Millers 3rd combined with Kevin Nichols 12th threw the track title
fight back into a tie.
The second 1999 visit by the touring Bandit series drew a 13 car field and series point leader Brenden Olsen posted fast time at 13.106. Chaney was just a tick back at 13.181 and Pombo ran a 13.367. Gene Manhire won the first heat from third starting as Olsen ran second. Sheridan came from the back row to win heat two with fellow back row starter Chaney second. The lineup for the scheduled 30 lap main was an invert 8 with Chaney and Olsen in row 4, but third fast Pombo had problems in his heat and he tagged the feature lineup. After 25 minutes, only two laps had been scored with two yellows and two reds, so the officials warned the drivers that the race would end on the next caution or go 20 rounds. They ran the rest of the way without a caution to complete the 20 lap distance. Matt Day spun for the first two cautions, then both A J Burgin and Larry Deitz flipped for red flags. Chaney had led the two laps that were scored with Sheridan second ahead of Bobby Elliott. With the prospect of having a very short feature, the drivers were on their best behavior, but only 7 cars remained as Manhire, Olsen, Day and Bobby Davis Jr had joined the two flip victims in the pits. Sheridan took the lead from Chaney on lap 9 and outside groove racer Pombo was now fourth behind Elliott. Sheridan and Chaney were both running the bottom groove on the 1/3 mile clay oval when Josh Davis got the moveover flag. Davis was running in the middle, but dove to the bottom and blocked Sheridan. Chaney saw what was happening and charged around Sheridan on the outside to take the top spot with just three laps to run. Chaney won ahead of Sheridan, Pombo, Elliott and Dave Knott, the final lead lap car. The IMCA Modifieds had a 15 car turnout, but Jim Deines lost an engine in his heat to leave a 14 car feature. Heat winners were Thompson and Miller. Scott Pruett and Thompson had the front row assignments for the main and Thompson raced into the lead. Wayne Coffman took second from Pruett on lap 2 and 4th starter Smothermon was third on lap 3. Coffman was making an inside groove challenge on Thompson when some contact racing put Coffman in the infield. He raced across the grass to get back on the racing surface in second, but was penalized back to 4th on the only caution on lap 14. Rookie Miller traded third with Jimmy Reeves on lap 16 as Thompson raced away to the win. Smothermon was second ahead of Miller, Reeves, Coffman, Pruett and Chris Mendenhall. Recent West Coast Nationals winner Nichols struggled and was lapped late in the race as he finished 12th. Summary IMCA Modified Heat 1-Doug Thompson, Steve Smothermon, Kevin Nichols, Roger Varner, Kenneth Clevland. Heat 2-Jeff Miller, Wayne Coffman, Scott Pruett, Bryan Terry, Chris Mendenhall. Main-Thompson, Smothermon, Miller, Jimmy Reeves, Coffman, Pruett, Mendenhall, Terry, Varner, Lin Deines, Jim Keister, Nichols, Clevland, Bill Gates. Bandit Sprint Car Fast Time-Brenden Olsen 13.106 Heat 1-Gene
Manhire, Olsen, Josh Davis, Matt Day, Dave Knott. Heat 2-Danny
Sheridan, Jarrett Chaney, Bobby Elliott, Larry Deitz, Bobby Davis Jr.
Main-Chaney, Sheridan, Davey Pombo Jr, Elliott, Knott, Davis, Chad
Gillihan, A J Burgin, Olsen, Davis, Day, Deitz, Manhire. |
