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Hanford
Hornet Stings Bandit Field |
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(APRIL 9, 2005 - HANFORD, CA) “The Hanford Hornet”, otherwise known as Chad Boespflug earned his first Bandit victory of the young season for this second year driver in an impressive fashion by working his way past Australian driver Peter Murphy and pole-sitter Jonathan Logan. Boespflug gained his victory by piloting the family owned #98 past several cars in the 18th lap from his mid pack starting position working his way to the front after a furious battle to get there. Murphy took the lead on the 9th circuit only to give it up as he bobbled coming off of turn two to the charging Boespflug on the 18th lap. The entire field drove with a great sense of urgency with the track hooked up and lightning quick causing passing to be at a premium as battles were taking place throughout the contiguous string of cars. The start of the event the pressure of starting of the front proved too much for Rusty Carlisle and rookie driver Grant Jones. Jones’ near turn one flip led to a red flag on the first attempt to get the race under way. The second attempt for a race start had several cars again getting out of shape which let to Carlisle’s tank-slapper high side flip in turn two bring out the race’s second red flag. From there on out this race ran at it’s fever pitch USAC regular and Past Champion Danny Sheridan fought an ill handling mount, in the Kittle Motorsports entry, to a fourth place finish narrowly missing a podium position, followed by the 2003 Series Champion Greg Port both drivers rounding out the top 5. The top 10 were filled out by emerging stars Evan Suggs and Aaron Cheney, comeback driver A.J. Burgin, TCR Chassis’ Davey Pombo, and the 2004 Rookie-of-the-year Jimmy Reeves racing in his Okie's Towing Special. Fast time was set by the Ausie driver and a crowd favorite Peter Murphy’s 15.880 in his Tarlton Motorsports black #21. Qualifying was begun by many who missed the set up and went out with very tight sprint-cars with several bicycling cars nearly turning over. Many cars from the middle of the order back got the point from their predecessors and were able to loosen their cars up with the notable exception being San Jose California’s own Chris D’Arcey who capped an exciting qualifying session with a high flying, air catching barrel roll from a turn one rut, landing this experienced driver 50 yards off the racing surface. D’Arcey had the quote of the week-end race fans when he was safely outside of his destroyed race car, stating: “I knew I was in trouble when I got so high (up in the air) that I had time to get scared!” Davey Pombo, Aaron Cheney, and Rick Gifford won heat races. There was one red flag race stopper when rookie contender Jerry Wise, Jr., of Fresno, caught the back wall and flipped hard on the backstretch. All drivers who brought out red flags on this night walked away under their own power. With weather impeding track preparations and canceling other Central California racing the Bandit Sprint Car Series put on a great show before a large crowd at the “King of Dirt Tracks”- King Speedway in Hanford, California. Wet weather mid week put a damper on track preparation which led to some rough going early in the evening, also a storm front put a halt on racing at neighboring race tracks, but did not slow Saturday’s great show. 24 teams were on hand with drivers turning out from a 200+ mile radius making the tow. Eric Severson got the hard luck award making the tow from Torrance, California only to break early in warm ups. Tyler Spath made the tow from Chico in Northern California. Race fans, the series picks up next week as the series moves to the 1/3-mile Santa Maria Speedway clay oval on the beautiful Central Coast of California for round # 3 of this 11th season for the California Bandit tour. RESULTS: Qualifying -> Fast time Peter Murphy, Tarlton #21. Heat #1: Pombo, Logan, Carlisle, Murphy, Burgin, Albert
Pombo, Wise Heat#2: Cheney, Steve Thomas, Sheridan, Tyler Spath, Suggs,
Jason Montgomery, Ray Knight Heat#3: Rick Gifford, Boespflug, Porte, Reeves, Jones, Jeff
Gardner, Charles Turner. Feature: Boespflug, Handford, BBR#98; Murphy, Fresno, Ca., Tarlton Motorsports #21; Logan, Hanford, Ca., Logan # 32; Sheridan, Santa Maria, Ca., Kittle Plumbing # 4; Porte, San Luis Obispo, Ca., Porte Trucking #3G; Suggs, Scotts Valley, Ca., Suggs #33; A. Cheney, Fresno, Ca., Martin Cheney # 69; Burgin, Kingsburg, Ca, Burgin #2; D. Pombo, Kerman Ca., TCR Chassis # 3; Reeves, Laton, Ca. Jim Phelan’s Okie Towing # 0; A. Pombo, Kerman, Ca., Pombo #35; Montgomery, Templeton, Ca., Montgomery #3K; Gifford, Bakersfield Ca., Gifford #5; Gardner, Fresno Ca., Gardner # 51T; Jones, Visalia, Ca.,Jones #12; Spath, Chico, Ca., Spath Bros.# 35X; Carlisle, Bakersfield, Ca., RCR # 51;Thomas, Tulare Ca., Hasebee #2H. |
