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| Gandy
Gets First Season NCMA Sprints Win by Debbie Shipherd |
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Fernley, Nevada May 31... Doug Gandy from Oakhurst,Ca. scored his first NCMA feature win at Reno-Fernley's 3/8 mile dirt oval on Saturday May 31, in an impressive effort moving up patiently from his 7th starting spot aboard his Pizza Factory sponsored sprinter. A close battle for the front between Rick Eversult, Scott Holloway,Gandy, and Pat Ariaz on lap 15 resulted in Ariaz getting sucked up into the wall, flipping and pirouetting in front of the flagstands, which brought action to a halt. Ariaz was unhurt, but his Steve's Construction sprint car was severely damaged.On the restart the lineup changed drastically as TBS's Holloway pitted for a flat, and the front runners were Gandy, Rick Eversult, Bill Felver, and Western Tile's Keith Shipherd. A lap 17 caution flew when contact from behind sent Shipherd spinning, Holloway made a last lap pass on Russ Wullenwaber, and Gandy took the checkers followed by Eversult, Felver, Fenton, and Holloway.Gandy, a veteran racer since 1968, and 3 time Placerville Champion, was thrilled with his first NCMA feature win. In the trophy presentation dash winner Scott Holloway treated the Fernley fans to an NCMA t-shirt give-away by throwing 10 of the club's t-shirts into the stands, and racers were happy to autograph them after the races. Another first time win was in order for the heat races, when John Fenton kept his Cargil's Welding sprinter in the front from his pole start in the 1st heat all the way to the checkers, and scored his first win in a sprint car.George Terry sailed to victory with a huge lead in the 2nd heat, only to meet with rear end damage after taking the checkered flag, and parking for the remainder of the night. Fernley's track owner Judy Cable graciously gave me a tour of the spacious facility, which is only 3 years old and growing rapidly. They also have a paved drag strip and a road course nearby, and new skyboxes for private viewing of the races. Some of the grandstand and pit area seats are actually wooden chairs from the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympic Ice Arena. With nothing but an airport in close viscinity to the facility, the track has no DBA requirements, so cars can run without mufflers. The traveling NCMA teams equally shared tonight's purse to defray the long tow expenses, and their sportsman-like attitudes were in evidence when all crews pulled together to help make repairs on some of the cars.Missing from tonight's action was veteran Ed Amador, who was home sick in bed. Drivers and crews all got together after the races for a family pot luck barbeque, making it a pleasant evening for all. The next NCMA race will be at Chowchilla Speedway on Friday, June 6. Summary: Heat 1: John Fenton, Scott Holloway, Pat Ariaz, Burt Siverling, Russ Wullenwaber, Jim Janssen Heat 2: George Terry, Bill Felver, Rick Eversult, Doug Gandy, Mike Zarevich, Keith Shipherd Dash: Holloway, Fenton, Felver, Ariaz Main: Gandy, Eversult, Felver, Fenton, Holloway, Wullenwaber, Siverling, Shipherd, Janssen, Zarevich, Ariaz, Terry (DNS) |
