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Press Release

Jeff Gardner Continues CASA Hot Streak at Madera
by Glenn Hopper

7-9-05 – Madera, CA....The California Asphalt Sprintcar Association made its return to Madera Speedway’s immaculate one-third mile oval as a make up for a rainout in the early spring and Fresno’s Jeff Gardner made his return trip to victory lane as well, capturing his fourth win in as many races with CASA this season. Gardner, fresh off his win last week in Carson City, had won in his previous CASA start at Madera last month and was strong from the outset in tonight’s program setting fast time at 14.28 and winning the trophy dash as well.

Nick Rescino Jr. and rookie of the year contender Nick Green paced the fast car dash but after two failed attempts at an even start, they were dispatched back one row and the Fresno duo of Gardner and Anthony Simone brought the field to green in perfect formation. Gardner got the win over Rescino, Simone and Green.

The first heat race found “Cowboy” Craig Smith of San Martin victorious in an excellent drive over Green, Gardner, Jessica Helberg, Scott Clough and Earle Stanton. Placerville’s Joe Hauck discovered a U-joint problem in qualifying and couldn’t make the call for his heat, however repairs were complete in time for the feature event. Second heat race action saw last years CASA championship runner-up Glenn Hopper of San Jose, fend of Rescino, Simone, and Tony Iacobitti, Ryan Baumgartner and Marvin Mitchell in a wire to wire win in the Lightning Sports Embroidery heat race.

The 50-lap feature saw 2003 CASA champ Tony Iacobitti aboard Carla McCreary’s #71 pace the field by virtue of his sixth fast qualifying effort as the field was set to a six-car inversion for the start. Rookie of the year candidate Jessica Helberg’s maroon #4 rounded out row one. As the field hustled off turn four to take the green flag, Iacobitti jumped to the early lead for lap one over Anthony “Cannonball” Simone but as the field entered turn three to complete lap two, contact was made in the tightly grouped pack and several cars ended up stalled in the corner including defending CASA champion Rescino, Green, fellow rookie contender Helberg, and Earle Stanton. Gardner escaped the stalling portion of the incident but received some significant cosmetic damage to the rear bumper and tail section. Not surprisingly, another car had matching front-end damage. Hopper had tagged Gardner in avoiding the mishap but both were able to continue without losing any positions. Not as fortunate were Rescino and Green. Both made hasty repairs and were able to return to action but neither was able to mount charges to the front-runner status they usually enjoy – Green with a balky front-end alignment and Rescino with damage to his braking system. Helberg and Stanton returned without noticeable damage.

When the restart green unfurled, Iacobitti and Simone entertained the crowd with a back and forth dual that lasted several laps. “Yak” would lead one lap, and then “Cannonball” another, only to find Iacobitti take it back away. Simone finally appeared to have it in hand when Gardner traded places with Iacobitti and began pressuring Simone. Simone gamely tried to hold off Gardner as he did Iacobitti, but Gardner’s #51 was just too strong and he powered past for the lead. Simone ran in his inimitable style with Iacobitti, Smith and Hopper bunched tightly behind for a majority of the next several laps.

Exiting turn four near the midway mark, Smith and Iacobitti made contact with Smith climbing up “Yak’s” left side wheels and both cars spun down the front straight. As cars flashed past the narrow opening, somehow sixth place running Ryan Baumgartner, aboard the Joe Hauck Racing #24, got airborne into the fence and executed a wild rollover into the safety barrier and landed on his wheels at the entrance to turn one. Baumgartner was OK, however his Oval Chassis Research car was not, and he was done for the evening. Smith was relatively unscathed and continued, and Iacobitti’s crew changed a left-front tire and he returned to action as the green flew over the field again. The top three stayed, Gardner, Simone and now Hopper but young Jessica Helberg had steadily raced her way back to a solid fourth place standing after being trapped in the earlier mishap. Green muscled his unruly mount up to fifth.

The last 20-plus laps were run caution free and Gardner was able to display his dominance by stretching his advantage over Simone to nearly a half-lap. And when the double checkers flew above Gardner, he had cruised to his fourth win of his last four CASA races. Simone maintained a half-straightaway lead over Hopper for second place, Simone’s second consecutive runner-up finish at Madera. Hopper ran a similar distance ahead of Helberg who had her best career finish in fourth. Green toughed out a hard fought fifth at the stripe.

Iacobitti rebounded to finish sixth over Smith in seventh. Rescino nursed his mount to eighth, Stanton came home ninth and CASA president Scott Clough rounded out the top ten. Joe Hauck’s #99 finished 11th, late arriving Marvin “I don’t need no stinking practice” Mitchell ran 12th and Baumgartner was credited with 13th place.

CASA makes their second visit to Ukiah Speedway’s high-banked quarter-mile in scenic Mendocino County wine country on Saturday, July 16th. The “Tire Burning Thunder” of the California Sprint Cars is excited to return to the wine country for a second exciting show. Please visit www.casaracing.com for more information on all CASA activities.

7-9-05 CASA Results

QUALIFYING
1. Jeff Gardner- 14.28,
2. Nick Rescino, Jr.- 14.53, 3. Nick Green- 14.53, 4. Anthony Simone- 14.73, 5. Jessica Helberg- 14.75, 6. Tony Iacobitti- 14.90, 7. Earle Stanton- 14.91, 8. Glenn Hopper- 14.95, 9. Craig Smith- 15.05, 10. R. Baumgartner- 15.10, 11. Scott Clough- 15.50, 12. Joe Hauck- 16.50, 13. Marvin Mitchell- NT

TROPHY DASH 
1. Jeff Gardner,
2. Nick Rescino Jr., 3. Nick Green, 4. Anthony Simone

50 LAP MAIN EVENT
1. Jeff Gardner,
2. Anthony Simone, 3. Glenn Hopper, 4. Jessica Helberg, 5. Nick Green, 6. Tony Iacobitti, 7. Craig Smith, 8. Nick Rescino, Jr., 9. Earle Stanton, 10. Scott Clough, 11. Joe Hauck, 12. Marvin Mitchell, 13. Ryan Baumgartner 

POINT STANDINGS 7-9-05

1

Nick Rescino, Jr.

394

2

Nick Green

371

3

Glenn Hopper

330

4

Tony Iacobitti

324

5

Jessica Helberg

311

6

Marvin Mitchell

279

7

Earle Stanton

279

8

Joe Hauck

274

9

Jeff Gardner

265

10

Scott Clough

228

11

Trever Cummins

198

12

Ryan Baumgartner

190

13

Craig Smith

154

14

Brad Bumgarner

124

15

Brian McClish

119

16

Ivan Worden

107

17

Anthony Simone

97

18

Michael Trimble

71

19

Jeff Burrows

66

20

Amy Barnes

63

21

Ed Amador

62

22

Burt Silverling

62

23

Pat Ariaz

61

24

Shauna Hogg

48

25

Eric Silsby

46

26

Alan Kaiser

40

27

Destiney Hayes

37

28

Pat Bliss

37

29

Rob Hammond

36

30

Bob Beck

34

31

Michael Zarevich

32

32

Allen Beck

32

33

Tom Haxall

28

34

John Silva

28

 

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