|
Traditional Sprint Car FanSite |
See You At The Races!!! |
| Press Release |
|
|
|
2006
CASA Season Finally Underway – Hunt Takes Opener
|
|
April 24, 2006...Stockton,
CA...After
record rains in California, Mother Nature finally held off long enough to get
the 2006 California Asphalt Sprintcar Association underway at Stockton’s
venerable “99” Speedway. The highly anticipated CASA/USAC co-sanctioned
“Best in the West” Series opened as well and with 24 sprinters taking to the
track the 50 lap feature was captured by Lincoln, California’s Tony Hunt
aboard the potent Alan Kaiser owned #4. Idaho’s Mike Murgoitio
set fast time at 13.213 (68.145 MPH) on the tight quarter mile to start things
off in qualifying. The CASA/USAC “Best in the West” format calls for the top
18 qualifiers to be locked into the feature and odd numbered qualifiers (1, 3, 5
etc.) comprise heat number one, even numbered qualifiers (2, 4, 6 etc.) run heat
number two. Tony Hunt was victorious in heat one over Matt DeMartini, Murgoitio,
defending USAC Champion Kody Swanson, Glenn Hopper, Jessica Helberg, Darren
Rusconi, Jimmy Pelk, and Bradley Galedrige. Heat number two saw Oregon’s Brian
Geiszler prevail over Brian McClish, Nick Green, 2-time CASA champ Nick Rescino,
Jr., Danny Ebberts, Jeff Gardner, Trever Cummins, Greg Anderson, and Shauna Hogg
who suffered rear end problems all evening. The third heat to determine final feature transfer spots
was won handily by inaugural CASA champion Tony Iacobitti over Ryan
Baumgartner, Jim Kaiser, Scott Clough, young Joe Helberg making his first ever
sprint car start, and veteran Marvin Mitchell. With
an eight car inversion, pole sitter Greg Anderson led front row mate DeMartini
and the field of 24 to the green flag with Anderson taking the point in the
early laps. Action was fast and furious throughout the field as everyone
negotiated traffic and the tricky old surface. Early action was slowed several
times by solo car spins, which put the field under the caution flag. Anderson
held fast at the front for many of the restarts despite a pushing problem that
limited his racing line options. The battle behind him was one he would be glad
to keep there as everyone jostled for position. But alas, on lap 38, Anderson
himself fell victim to the solo spin, and with his handling limitations elected
to retire from the event. Under the caution, Tony Iacobitti also called it an
evening, taking the hint from his rising temperature gauge. Racing
resumed with DeMartini assuming the point and holding it through lap 46 when
Hunt, from 11th starting applied the continued pressure that had
moved him to the runner up position and made the pass for the lead. Former USAC
Champ Jeff Gardner dispatched DeMartini to third a lap later but the following
lap saw contact between them and Gardner spun to a stop bringing out the final
caution on lap 48 and setting up a two lap sprint to the finish. Despite
DeMartini’s and third running Rescino’s best efforts Hunt was not to be
denied in his quest of the checkered flag. The feature event rundown was Tony
Hunt, Matt DeMartini, Nick Rescino Jr., fast timer Mike Murgoitio in fourth, and
Bradley Galedrige with a solid fifth place marker. Jimmy Pelk was a strong
sixth, last years CASA rookie of the year Nick Green ran seventh, Danny Ebberts
was eighth followed by 2005 USAC Champ Kody Swanson in ninth, and heat winner
Brian Geiszler rounded out the top ten. Jessica
Helberg recovered from an early spin to salvage 11th, Glenn Hopper
brought his new ride home 12th, Brian McClish, another spin victim
finished 13th, Trevor Cummins was 14th, and Darren Rusconi
finished 15th after a restart cluster nearly took him out of the
event. Jeff
Gardner was a displeased 16th, Joe Helberg’s first run netted him
17th, Ryan Baumgartner ran 18th, and Scott Clough’s 19th
completed those who finished the event. Next
up: The CASA cars again co-sanction with USAC for round two of the CASA/USAC
“Best of the West” Series on Saturday, April 29, 2006 at Madera Speedway.
For more information on CASA activity, visit www.casaracing.com 4-22-06 CASA Results |
