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Deadlocked at the top
Lovell, Monahan tied for 1st as Wiesz, Bair and Ross win
Marysville CA - August 23, 2004. It is the closest battle in the thirty-six year history of Clyde and Linda Tipton’s Twin Cities Speedway. It’s pretty simple; there is going to be a one race shootout to determine the championship in the winged Featherlite Pacific Sprint Car series. After the hammer down festivities of Saturday night, Sparks Nevada’s Mike Monahan and three-time champion Korey Lovell of Yuba City are deadlocked at the top.

The fireworks began in qualifying when Colby Wiesz overcame ignition problems that prohibited the Colfax Comet from taking any practice laps. Wiesz didn’t need the practice as he promptly went out and blistered the hooked up quarter mile and turned an 11.249. For the second straight week the second fastest time ever recorded went into the record books. Kyle Schild timed in second with his fastest lap of the season. Monahan and Lovell were on the gas as well. Lovell picked up third quick time and Monahan was a tick off in fourth. Lovell picked up two points and Monahan picked up a single marker for their efforts. The pair came into the evening’s competition separated by just eleven points.

A fine field of racers clicked off three incredibly quick heat races. Four-time feature event winner, Kevin Lovell, won heat race number two. Kevin kept his slim championship hopes alive with the fine run. Sacramento’s Troy Degaton and Brent Dothage fired their mounts into victories in the other two heats. Clearlake’s Dothage turned in a stellar passing job in his heat race. Degaton ran away from the drop of the green in his. Monahan and Lovell both finished third in their respective heat races and received eight points each.

As the racing gods would have it, Wiesz drew a four inversion pill and the drama began. Monahan would be the pole sitter with Korey Lovell lined up outside. The atmosphere was electric as the two championship point leaders paced the field.

Monahan outgunned Korey Lovell as the field headed into turn one. Lovell’s racer got sideways in turn two and glanced off Schild who had made a nice move from his third starting slot. Lovell went over Schild’s right side tires and flipped. For the second week in a row Korey Lovell was upside down in turn two of lap one. Grayeagle’s Jim Richardson piled into the hapless Lovell and the red flag was displayed. The frustrated Lovell pounded the steering wheel.

Both cars were quickly repaired and restarted, but both drivers had to tag on to the rear of the field. Korey Lovell went from the front row to the last starting position as the race restarted. The new line up brought Wiesz forward one row to the outside pole position. The position vacated by Korey Lovell. That’s all Wiesz needed. The new green saw Wiesz fly into the lead with Monahan settling into second. Wiesz was gone. By lap five Wiesz was a straightaway ahead as Monahan wrestled with Schild.  Then Monahan hooked up and started to put distance between himself and Schild.

On lap six Kevin Lovell’s realistic chance at a championship came to an end. As Kevin Lovell approached Alvin Guilarte entering turn three, Lovell rode up over the Chico driver’s left rear wheel. Lovell got up on his left side wheels and masterfully kept his silver eighty-one from flipping. Lovell appeared to have it saved as he slid through turn three doing a half-spin. Lovell corrected and his car nosed toward the infield. As Lovell corrected Richardson slammed into him. All three cars came to a halt. The front of Richardson’s car was damaged and the left side exhaust header and suspension was bent on Kevin Lovell’s car. Guilarte had left side suspension damage where Lovell used it as a launching pad. Only Lovell restarted.

The race went green to its conclusion after the turn three accident and Wiesz trounced the competition. Lapped traffic toward the end gave Monahan some hope, but he could never really challenge Wiesz for the win.

A titanic struggle was going on for fourth position. Two-time champion Mike Wasina Jr. and Dothage traded the position five times in the final fifteen laps. All the while they started to catch third running Schild. On more than one occasion the duo placed lapped cars in a three wide sandwich as they battled. Wasina secured fourth position at the checkers after a real crowd pleasing duel. Schild held on to finish a strong third. Schild who has several victories at TCS to his credit had his best night of the year.

Korey and Kevin Lovell soldiered on in their wounded racers and salvaged eleventh and fourteenth places respectively in the final rundown. Korey Lovell has suffered an incredible string of bad luck since he took his main event victory three races ago. At the same time Monahan has taken advantage of Lovell’s circumstances and benefited with stellar performances of his own, including three top five finishes and quick time last week.

The final point tally at the end of the night showed Monahan and Korey Lovell deadlocked in the battle for first place in the championship point standings.

In the Speedway Sprint Car Series Chris Magoon claimed the inaugural championship while watching from the grandstand. Magoon’s potent number seventy-seven broke its camshaft in qualifying and the point leader became a spectator.

Runner-up in the standings was Sacramento’s Rick Eversult. His only chance for an opportunity at the championship was for Magoon to break and Eversult to sweep. With phase one complete, Eversult nearly ended all his chances by sailing over the cushion in turn three on his qualifying attempt. Eversult saved the car but suspension damage prevented him from posting a time. Eversult fought his way into fourth position in his heat race keeping his slim chances alive. That race was won by Auburn’s Jimmy Steward. Jeremy Hawes took the other heat race in a nice smooth ride. Eversult had to line up in the last row of the feature, having not posted a timed lap.

The feature was a whirlwind of racers vying for position as the field made short work of the first few laps. Woodland’s Kenny Bair rocketed to the front at the start and was never headed. Bair had his sparkling racer flying.

The race wandered through two minor yellows and then everyone got serious. Especially Eversult. Eversult carved through the field in his best drive ever. He was in second with four laps to go and started to catch Bair. A yellow flag appeared with but three to go. This was just what Eversult needed.

The new green had Eversult camped on Bair’s tail. Eversult tried high and low to no avail. On the last circuit Eversult drifted high in turn two and Bair moved away. But, the yellow flag flew before Bair could get to the checkers. By rule the race was reverted to a green-white-checkered and Eversult had another shot at it. The final two laps were great. Eversult did everything but stand his car on its nose to get by Bair. He pulled along side leaving turn two on the last lap but Bair was up to the challenge. Bair remained steadfastly in control of the top spot and won. It was Bair’s second triumph of the current campaign.

Magoon won too. Eversult could not amass enough points to have a shot at the title next week. A couple of costly early season flips may have been the difference in Eversult’s being able to take advantage of Magoon’s misfortune.

Corning’s Nathan Johnson, Steward and Tim Sherman followed Bair and Eversult across the line.

The Nor Cal Dwarf cars were the visitors this week, and, as always, put on a rip-roaring show.  Howie Ross won again as he bested a fine field of stars. His job was easier when Zack Hurst, Mike Grenert and Steve Albirdi all had problems by the time the race reached half way.

It’s Featherlite Championship Night at Twin Cities Speedway this Saturday night. The winged Featherlite Pacific Sprint Cars will headline the competition. The Speedway Sprint Cars, the TCS Stock Cars and Mini Stocks will also be featured. This will be the final point race of the 2004 championship season and all divisions will crown their champion. It should be a thriller!!

Gates open at 5 with racing set to get underway at 7. Visit us on the web at the Official Web Site for Twin Cities Speedway www.twincitiesspeedway.net or call (916) 985-2089 to reach the business office. All the latest updates are always posted to the website first.  

FEATHERLITE PACIFIC SPRINT CARS, SPEEDWAY SPRINTS
TWIN CITIES SPEEDWAY - MARYSVILLE, CA
AUGUST 21, 2004 - POINTS RACE #18
Pepsi Night

FEATHERLITE PACIFIC SPRINT CARS
FAST QUALIFIERS 
1. 21- Colby Wiesz, 2. 16- Kyle Schild, 3. 71- Korey Lovell, 4. 49- Mike Monahan

HEAT RACE WINNERS 
Brent Dothage, Roberto Kirby, Kevin Lovell

MAIN EVENT 
1. Colby Weisz, 2. Mike Monahan, 3. Kyle Schild, 4. Mike Wasina Jr., 5. Brent Dothage, 6. Troy DeGaton, 7. Steve Watts, 8. Roberto Kirby, 9. Dennis Wood, 10. Randy Lathrop, 11. Korey Lovell, 12. Brandon Dozier, 13. David Sprigg, 14. Kevin Lovell, 15. Leigh Armstrong, 16. Christine Zaveson, 17. Jim Richardson, 18. Alvin Goularte

SPEEDWAY SPRINTS
HEAT RACE WINNERS 
Jeremy Hawes, Jimmy Steward

MAIN EVENT 
1. Kenny Bair, 2. Rick Eversult, 3. Nathan Johnson, 4. Jimmy Steward, 5. Tim Sherman, 6. #12, 7. Charles Williams, 8. Steve Stein, 9. Jeremy Hawes, 10. Blane Varner Jr., 11. Ty Hawkins, 12. Jason Sanders, 13. Chris Magoon

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