|
Traditional Sprint Car FanSite |
See You At The Races!!! |
| Press Release |
|
|
|
DAVIS STAYS PERFECT IN ARIZONA SPRINTS AT MANZY |
|
Phoenix, AZ (June 1)... Charles Davis, Jr. was supposed to be racing with
the Sprint Car Racing Association in Bakersfield, CA Saturday night but after
that race was cancelled he landed a ride in the Fred and Evelyn Bryan car and
proceeded to win his third main event in as many tries in the Arizona Sprint Car
Association races.
A sticking throttle almost cost the two time Arizona champion who now is a regular on the SCRA circuit, plus a determined drive by ASCA points leader Eric Wilkins was almost too much to overcome. The problem with the throttle started just past the midpoint of the 25 lap feature and Davis admitted that it was the toughest of his wins. "I was having to hit the throttle hard before it would release and I really had to brake hard to get into the turns. " he said. "And with Eric trying to make the pass on the bottom, I was worried but things worked out again, " he continued. Numerous yellow flags kept the field bunched and that worked to Davis' advantage as he knew that he would be in trouble if he had to start managing traffic. Nineteen of the twenty starters finished and all were on the lead lap. Davey Bateman lined up on the inside but had the lead before the first lap was completed. He was still in front when the first of seven yellow flags came out on the fourth lap due to a spin by Chuck Buckman. On the restart Davis, after starting on the inside of the sixth row, was still deep in the field . When rookie driver Brian Hacker spun on the ninth lap Davis was running second with Lonnie Sherman in third and Wilkins fourth. On the ensuing restart Davis stayed on the bottom of the one third mile track and claimed the lead exiting turn #2. Jeremy Sherman, another SCRA regular, had the Total Seal sprinter on the move and was battling for third when he spun on the 11th lap bringing out another caution flag. On the restart Bateman stayed high on the track and almost put his Arizona Race Mart car in front. Davis managed to hang onto the lead but took his F&E Development Buckley to the high side. When Josh Pelkey brought out the caution flag on the 17th lap Wilkins had moved into second and Marty Miller, up from 13th was running third. By this time the bottom groove was practically non existent but Wilkins had to try it since Davis was pushing the cushion. Miller almost took second away and Wilkins had to move back to the top. The yellow was waved three more times before the drivers saw the checkered flag. Mike Martin spun on the 16th lap, Chris Bonneau on the 20th and Hacker on the 21st. While Davis, Wilkins and Miller were running nose to tail, fourth running Bob Ream, Jr. got tired of following and went to the low side. That proved to be a mistake as Bateman sped past the ‘98 champion on the 23rd lap. Wilkins made one last desperate try for the win as he moved to the inside on the back straightaway of the final lap but Davis was faster on the outside and held him off for a two car length win. Behind the top five were Jeremy Sherman, Ricky Johnson, Buckman, Terry Belcher, Jr. and Jeff Henry. Nathan High, Wilkins and Davis won heat races and Miller beat rookie driver Brandon George and Belcher, Jr. in the semi. Unless another SCRA race is cancelled, the local forces will not have to contend with Davis again until August 3. SUMMARY ARIZONA SPRINT CAR ASSOCIATION Semi main: 1. Marty Miller 2. Brandon George 3. Terry Belcher, Jr. 4. Mike Martin 5. Travis Cooley 6. Ryan Linder 7.Theo McCarty 8. Brian Hacker 9. Chris Rhein 10. Jason Sutphen 11. Darrell Sickles 12. Ben Gregg 1st heat: 1. Nathan High 2. Ricky Johnson 3. Jeff Henry 4. Bob Ream, Jr. 5. Travis Cooley 6. Ryan Linder 7. Terry Belcher, Jr. 8. Brandon George 9. Darrell Sickles 2nd heat: 1. Eric Wilkins 2. Lonnie Sherman 3. Jeremy Sherman 4. Josh Pelkey 5. Marty Miller 6. Jason Sutphen 7. Chris Rhein 8. Theo McCarty 9. Shon Deskins 3rd heat: 1. Charles Davis, Jr. 2. Chris Bonneau 3. Chuck Buckman 4. Davey Bateman 5. Mike Martin 6. Ben Gregg 7. Brian Hacker 8. John Gaston Trophy dash: 1. Jason Sutphen 2. Ricky Johnson 3. Bob Ream, Jr. 4. Charles Davis, Jr. UNOFFICAL ASCA POINTS MOKRY WEIGHS IN WITH A WIN Mokry was first to the checkered flag the last time the Mini Sprints were at Manzy but he drove to his pits insteat of the scales after that win and was penalized two positions. The seventeen year old learned his lesson well and this time his win was official. Mokry lined up in the second row but had his Sunbelt Builders car in front before he completed the first lap. Dave Alexander, a former champion, started on pole and dropped back to fifth before he found the right groove and was second at the checkered flag. Former Dwarf Car champion Terry Palmer finished third in the Winzer main event with Mark Stoh fourth and Duane Adams fifth. Behind the top five were Ron Pickering, Jeff Henry, Mike Kuemper, Jeff Perry and Scott Pasmore. Dustin Carmony started in the front row and kept pressure on Mokry until he
spun and then Jeff Henry was closing when he too lost control. Semi main: 1. Ron Pickering 2. Jeff Perry 3. Dennis Parks 4. Billy Bolton 5. Kurt Stults 6.Don Keesler 8.Rick Alexander 9. Kevin Wolfe 10. Mark Shafer 11. Jim Mattison 12.Greg Thompson 13.Joey Strobel 14.Trey Deane 15. Judd Hathaway 16.Lance Peterson 1st heat: 1. Jeff Henry 2. Mike Kuemper 3. Jeff Greszler 4. Terry Palmer 5. Jeff Perry 6. Billy Bolton 7. Joey Strobel 8. Dennis Parks 9. Kevin Wolfe 2nd heat: 1. Mark Stroh 2. Dave Alexander 3. Duane Adams 4. Kiley Fellers 5. Don Keesler 6. Ron Pickering 7.Kurt Stults 8. Jim Mattison 9. Rick Alexander 3rd heat: 1. Charles Mokry 2. Dustin Carmony 3. Alex Pruett 4. Scott Pasmore 5. Judd Hathaway 6. Mark Shafer 7. Lance Peterson Trophy dash: 1. Mike Kuemper 2. Ron Pickering 3. Charles Mokry 4. Scott Pasmore |
