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| Stein, Robinson, Mull and McColloch strike gold at TCS |
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Marysville CA - May 30, 2004. Steve Stein, Robert Mull, Kenny Robinson and Kerry McColloch took home the winner’s gold at Clyde and Linda Tipton’s Twin Cities Speedway Saturday night. The TCS Stock Car show was a thriller. A series of early race crashes had cars spinning and flying through the air. On the original main event start Craig Eubanks caught a wheel and went up on two wheels. The resultant melee caused three cars to crash and spin and prompted a restart. Exit Eubanks. Point leader Jerry Bartlett and Cindy Sherman were in the mess and headed to the pits for quick repairs. The new restart ran a few smooth laps and produced another high-flyer as Wayne Turk went over a wheel and landed on top of a spinning Jeff Olshowka. Top 5 runner Kenny Robinson later spun to a stop in turn 4 during a quick yellow for Sherman’s second problem of the event. When the field restarted a frustrated Bartlett and Robinson dug their way toward the front. It looked like it would be to no avail as Donnie Fortney took off and hid from the rest of the field. Fortney looked destined for victory as he clicked off the laps. Charlie Duffey wrestled with Fortney as Bartlett and Robinson closed in. Fortney beat down the efforts of Duffey. A mid-race yellow flew and Duffey, Archie Flynn, Robinson and Bartlett camped on Fortney’s tail. Bartlett and Robinson were impressive as they sawed their way back to the front during this stage of the race. Then it was show time. Fortney drew away from the battling trio behind. Bartlett grabbed 2nd and Robinson Battled for 3rd with his teammate, Flynn. Then in one of the most impressive moves seen this year Robinson tried a banzai pass in turn 3 and eclipsed his teammate and Bartlett in one bold move. But Fortney was in trouble. The leader began to slow and had a driveline failure that secured the race for Robinson. Robinson beat Bartlett a charging Charlie Duffey and George Magenheimer to the flag. Flynn faded to 5th when lapped traffic caused him some problems and positions. Flynn gave everyone a scare in his heat race as he took a head-on shot into the 4th turn wall after a tangle with rookie Lonnie Taylor. Flynn was dazed and complained of a shoulder injury. He spent a short time in the ambulance, but, to everyone’s relief, recovered in time for his competitive run in the feature. The Wingless Warriors of the Speedway Sprint Car series provided another first time winner in Vacaville’s Steve Stein. Stein Started on the pole and had a worry free drive to victory lane. Some 4 car lengths back was perennial favorite Gary Koster. Koster fought the entire distance with Chris Magoon, last week’s winner Kenny Bair and the much-improved rookie, Jake Servin. Former drag racer Servin, in only his 9th race where left turns were a part of the mix, was impressive. A wall-banging incident sidelined fast qualifier David Goodwill at ½ way after his charge to 3rd place. Stein has left the world of winged sprinters and in only two outings without the board on top has finished 1st and 2nd. Koster, Magoon, Bair, and Servin eventually followed in that order behind Stein. In TCS Mini Stock competition, a deserving Robert Mull finally found his way into victory lane. As easy as Stein’s victory was, Mull’s was victory was not. The complete field inversion had hot shoes like Mull and point leader Kevin Sprague starting in the rear of the field. After a series of early race cautions pole sitter James Gillaspie, last week’s feature winner, James Castleberry, Mull, Sprague and lady challenger Heather Bartlett gunned their way to the front. Two and three wide racing was the norm as the minis finally settled down. By half way this group of five was joined by a charging Jeremy Blackshere. All six drivers bumped and rubbed for position. Mull got to the front, but couldn’t shake the players close behind. Castleberry finally got to the front with a nifty 3rd turn pass on Mull and set sail. Sprague and Bartlett were there and a blanket could be thrown over positions 2 through 5. Castleberry was in a zone all his own and inched away from the competition. Sprague experienced some bad luck toward the end as the point leader first had a flat tire, then experienced mechanical gremlins that relegated him to a 7th place finish. With 5 to go it was Castleberry, Mull, Blackshere and Gillaspie. Gillaspie got Blackshere. Then, Mull and Gillaspie started to reel in Castleberry. Castleberry tried to fight off Mull, but to no avail. Mull roared on by to take the lead. Mull checked out and Castleberry left the speedway a couple of laps later with an unknown malady. Mull continued on to a strong victory while Gillaspie, Blackshere and Bartlett finished under a blanket with the crowd on its collective feet. Shadowing that trio was Mike Merritt in 5th. Merritt continues to impress with cool, clean top 10 finishes every week. The Sprint 100’s of the SORA were also on the card. The race was a close one in the early laps, but Kerry McColloch once again dominated the proceedings with a program sweep. After McColloch took the lead from early race leader Tim McLaughlin he was never headed. McLaughlin and Reno’s Tom Goepner locked up in a tight scrap for the runner-up honors. Goepner got McLaughlin in the late going and claimed the position. McLaughlin was impressive in his first TCS outing since his victory here last August. Archrival Tony Gaoiran challenged McColloch in the early laps as the two speedsters cut and slashed their way toward the race leader McLaughlin. Gaoiran’s effort was thwarted with another frustrating mechanical problem. When Gaoiran left, McColloch went unchallenged to the end. This was McColloch’s 4th consecutive TCS win. Only Doc Bogart in the early 90’s showed this kind of dominance at TCS in S-100 competition. This Saturday night TCS will host the annual Mel Hall Memorial Race. The Pacific Sprint Cars will headline a 4-division program. The Wingless Warriors of the Speedway Sprint Car Series, the TCS Stock Cars and the TCS Mini Stocks will complete the 4-division program. More than 15,000 in prize money will be awarded throughout all 4 divisions. Pit gates open at 3; the grandstand gates open at 5 with racing at 7. Visit us on the web at the Official Web Site for Twin Cities Speedway at www.twincitiesspeedway.net or call (916) 985-2089 to reach the business office. All the latest updates are always posted to the website first. SPEEDWAY SPRINT CARS, MINI STOCKS, STOCK CARS SPEEDWAY SPRINT CARS MAIN EVENT MINI STOCKS MAIN EVENT TCS STOCK CARS MAIN EVENT |
