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Chowchilla, CA.....April 25......In
an impressive drive from the 10th starting spot, veteran Danny Olmstead passed
Steven Williams on the 9th lap and won the 25 lap NCMA Modified feature Friday
night at Chowchilla Speedway. Because of the threatening weather that saw light
rain fall several times during the night, the feature races were run first and
the drivers enjoyed ideal track conditions on the 3/8 mile clay oval. Williams
started 7th and had taken the lead on lap 5 from George Terry. Scott Holloway
got around Williams on lap 15 and ran second with Williams in third. The
addition of $30 tow money for the out of town drivers in the limited late models
and street stocks increased their fields and Antioch's Mike Martin returned and
won the 20 lap limited late model feature ahead of Mark Odgers and Mike Meazell.
Martin took the lead from John Asher with an inside move on a lap 15 restart.
Nathan Corn made it four straight wins in the 20 lap super street stock feature,
finishing 1/2 lap in front of Frank Hannah. Corn also won the heat race. Having
discovered that a collapsed radiator was causing his early season woes,
defending track champion Jimmy Brewer returned to 2002 form by driving around
Marshall Weaver on lap 16 and scoring the special $200 win in the hobby stock 20
lapper. Teenager Cory Gilmore also got by Weaver to finish second. The super
fours and mini fours were combined into a single feature and Porterville's
Dudley Reed returned after a one race absence and won that 15 lapper with his
dirt late model like super four. Ron German paced the mini four contingent with
a solid second place run ahead of Matt Myers.
It was the second 2003 season
visit by the traveling NCMA group and each time, they have had to run the
feature first rain format. The Williams' team was preparing their modified for
Friday night racing in Watsonville when that show cancelled at 10 AM. They
immediately switched their attention to the unwinged sprint car with plans to
run both Chowchilla and the special Saturday night Antioch show. The drivers
drew for their starting order in the 25 lap feature with George Terry and Jim
Janssen on the front row. Keith Shipherd started 6th, Williams 7th, S Holloway
8th and Olmstead 10th. Terry grabbed a quick lead over Janssen. Shipherd fell
back from third when he ran up on a rear tire of Janssen and nearly flipped.
Williams charged into second on lap 3 and Olmstead was third a lap later. An
outside pass in turn 2 netted the lead for Williams on lap 5 and Olmstead used
an outside run in turn 4 on the next round to take second from Terry. The first
yellow came on lap 7 when veteran Doug Gandy spun off the top of turn 1 and
rookie Bruce Slover also spun. Shipherd lost several laps as he pitted on this
caution. Olmstead took the lead from Williams on lap 9 and both S Holloway and
Ed Amador had moved around Terry for the 3-4 slots by the midway mark.
Bakersfield long tow John Fenton stalled for a lap 13 yellow flag and a strong
inside move in turn 4 netted second from S Holloway on lap 15. Janssen replaced
Terry in fifth. The final caution came on lap 21 as Slover spun. S Holloway
tried to challenge Olmstead over those final four rounds, but got out of shape
in turn 4 on the last lap and just managed to salvage second ahead of Williams.
Amador ran fourth ahead of Janssen, Gandy, Russ Wullenwaber, Darren Thomas,
Terry and Leon Holloway. The two heat races closed the night for the NCMA teams
and both Olmstead and Williams elected to not race in them. Amador won the first
heat ahead of the two car team of Thomas and Terry. Shipherd used an outside
pass on the final lap to win the second heat ahead of S Holloway and Wullenwaber.
The limited late model action
grew to 12 cars. Fourth starting Steve Ewbank blasted into the lead on the
opening lap and Antioch star Asher got by Levi Peterson for 2nd on lap 2. After
leading three laps, Ewbank's mount broke in spectacular fashion on the front
stretch and he parked in the infield without a caution. Asher was back out front
and Odgers raced by Peterson for 2nd on lap 7. Both Mike Slaney and Martin moved
around Peterson for the 3-4 slots on lap 8 and Meazell raced into fifth on lap 9
as John Harville made contact with the front wall. Asher enjoyed a 1/4 lap lead
on Odgers as Peterson began to draw the black flag for his smoking mount. As
Peterson tried to dive into the infield, he got tangled up Harville and ended up
slamming sideways into the idled Ewbank mount. No one was injured in the
spectacular incident and the red flag stopped the action. When third place
Slaney pulled off the track with fuel feed problems during the stoppage, this
gave Martin the opening he needed and he raced underneath Asher on the restart
for the lead spot. Asher developed a steering problem and was a late dropout as
Martin won ahead of Odgers, Meazell, defending champion Jerry O'Hagan, Joe Diaz
Jr, Jay Connelly and Larry Pedrelli. Only five cars elected to race in the heat
races, but the track stuck with the original lineups and had a three car heat
and a two car heat. Odgers and Meazell got the heat wins. After three point
races, Meazell is 13 points ahead of O'Hagan and 14 in front of Odgers.
The super street stocks
had an 8 car turnout, but Watsonville regular Scott Fuhrman trailered after hot
laps. Corn drew a fourth row starting spot, but was second on lap 2 as Hannah
paced the first 3 laps. Corn gained second when Rod Orozco pushed high on lap 2
and debris forced a lap 3 yellow flag. Corn drove around Hannah for the lead on
the restart and newcomer Paul Casner got tangled up with Alvin Ince on the
restart. Jack VanHoff was doing double duty with his hobby stock and he pulled
off on lap 5. M Fuhrman gained third on lap 7 as Corn quickly built a 1/3 lap
advantage. Trying for third in the former Lust car, Casner spun for a lap 13
yellow flag. Corn again pulled away over those final 7 laps for the easy
win with Hannah in second. Casner did retake third from M Fuhrman on lap 17.
Orozco was a lap down in fifth.
There was a 19 car
turnout in the hobby stocks and Brewer returned after only completing a handful
of laps in his first three 2002 appearances. The health issues of father Odell
had limited Brewer's off season prep work. Brewer lined up 11th for the start
with Gilmore in 5th and Weaver in 3rd. Pole starter Syd Finn grabbed the early
lead over Weaver and Gilmore. Brewer broke into the top five on lap 3 and he
took fourth from rookie Mike Stockton on lap 5. As the front threesome entered
heavy traffic, Brewer made it a four car duel for the top spot. Brewer grabbed
third from Gilmore on lap 11 and leader Finn got into the turn 2 infield on lap
12 with Gilmore the new leader over Weaver and Brewer. Finn recovered in fourth.
Jeff Whatley's race ended in a tangle with Roger Dory and both Weaver and Brewer
raced back by Gilmore on lap 13. Weaver had trouble lapping Wayne Hall, giving
Brewer the opening he needed to take the lead for the first time on lap 16. The
first and only caution fell on lap 17 as George Lefler Jr spun. On the final
lap, Weaver made a run at leader Brewer in turn 3. They made contact and both
nearly spun, but Brewer recovered to collect the win and Gilmore was able to
dive underneath point leader Weaver and finish second. Weaver was third ahead of
Finn, Stockton, Thomas McAbee, Watsonville visitor Steve Worstell, VanHoff and
Jarod Fast. The three heat races closed the show and heat wins were collected by
Finn, Gilmore and Weaver. Weaver ended the night with an 8 point lead over
Gilmore in their track title duel.
The mini stock action saw
3 super fours and 9 mini fours. Track dominator Dudley Reed wasted little time
pulling away from the pack on the start with German taking third from M Myers on
lap 3. In five laps, Dudley Reed enjoyed a 1/3 lap lead and David Mullet settled
into fourth ahead of the mini truck of Antioch's Nikk Holt. Kristi Myers spun as
previous week mini four winner James Donaldson broke into the top five. In the
closing laps, Dudley Reed put fifth place runner Donaldson a lap down. The final
lap saw third place duelers D Mullet and M Myers survive a couple incidents. D
Mullet ran off the top of the track in turn 1 and M Myers got tangled up with
Holt. Both broke free and Dudley Reed won ahead of German, M Myers, D Mullet,
Donaldson, Robbie Loquaci, Brett Mullet and Darrin Lemarre. M Myers won the mini
four heat race ahead of D Mullet and Donaldson. Dudley Reed did not race the
super four heat and Darren Reed beat Holt in that event. Dudley Reed has a large
point lead in the super fours and D Mullet is 27 points ahead of Tara Smith in
the mini fours. K Myers is just 6 points back of Smith.
Summary
Mini Four
Heat-Matt Myers, David Mullet, James Donaldson, Darrin Lemarre, Robbie Loquaci.
Super Four
Heat-Darrin Reed, Nikk Holt.
Combined Main-Dudley Reed, Ron German, M Myers, D Mullet, Donaldson, Loquaci,
Brett Mullet, Lemarre, Holt, Tara Smith, Kristi Myers, Darren Reed.
Hobby Stock
Heat 1-Syd Finn, Mike Stockton, George Lefler Jr, Thomas McAbee, Wayne
Hall.
Heat 2-Cory Gilmore, Jimmy Brewer, Steve Worstell, Donna Stephens, Danny Rose.
Heat 3-Marshall Weaver, Jarod Fast, Dan Stephens, Jeff Whatley, Kevin Pettitt.
Main-Brewer, Gilmore, Weaver, Finn, Stockton, McAbee, Worstell, Jack VanHoff,
Fast, Hall, Dan Stephens, Lefler, Donna Stephens, Roger Dory, Brenda Castillo,
Rose, Pettitt, Ray McCann, Whatley.
Super Street Stock
Heat-Nathan Corn, Rod Orozco, Paul Casner, Frank Hannah, Melissa Fuhrman.
Main-Corn, Hannah, Casner, Fuhrman, Orozco, Alvin Ince, Jack VanHoff.
Limited Late Model
Heat 1-Mark Odgers, John Asher, Jay Connelly.
Heat 2-Mike Meazell, Larry Pedrelli.
Main-Mike Martin, Odgers, Meazell, Jerry O'Hagan, Joe Diaz Jr, Connelly,
Pedrelli, Asher, Mike Slaney, Levi Peterson, John Harville, Steve Ewbank.
NCMA Modified
Heat 1-Ed Amador, Darren Thomas, George Terry, Leon Holloway, Bruce Slover.
Heat 2-Keith Shipherd, Scott Holloway, Russ Wullenwaber, Doug Gandy, John
Fenton.
Main-Danny Olmstead, S Holloway, Steven Williams, Amador, Jim Janssen, Gandy,
Wullenwaber, Thomas, Terry, L Holloway, Slover, Fenton, Shipherd.
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