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Swanson
Victorious at Madera in CASA/USAC “Best in the West” Series
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April 29, 2006– Madera, CA...Second round action of the California Asphalt Sprintcar Association/USAC “Best in the West” Series moved into California’s central valley where Madera Speedway and more normal California weather greeted 27 sprint cars for 50 lap program that found local star and defending USAC Western States Champion, Kody Swanson besting the field at his home track. For the second consecutive event, Idaho’s Mike Murgoitio laid down fast time with a very quick 13.788 lap during time trials around Madera’s one-third mile track. The top 18 qualifiers, assured of their starting spots in the evenings feature event, split into two very entertaining heat races. Heat number one saw third starting Shauna Hogg push her way to the front in the first corner then hold off the charge of Swanson, two-time CASA champion Nick Rescino, Jr., CASA rookie contender Joe Helberg, and fast-timer Murgoitio. Heat two found Matt DeMartini taking the ten-lap affair over Greg Anderson, Tim Barber, Nick Green and Brian McClish. The third, non-qualifiers heat, was won by Cody Veenstra over Glenn Hopper, Jim Kaiser, Ivan Worden returning from some shoulder surgery, and Scott Clough who showed signs of conquering his recent handling gremlins. In the evening’s feature event, Tim Barber paced the field to the green flag however Nick Rescino, Jr. was leading the field after a thunderous first lap that found 26 starters all jockeying for positions in the opening laps. Rescino led under all green flag conditions but was never comfortably in front. Unable to shake free of the pack and with Swanson stalking him after assuming second place, Rescino saw his lead striped away as Swanson made the move to take the point on lap 18. Swanson was able to put a little distance over the field but saw it evaporate on lap 22 when the caution waved for a stalled Brian Geiszler at the edge of the infield on the front stretch. When Swanson powered to the restart he again began to establish his mastery of both the track and the field and began lapping cars just past the halfway point of the race. Several laps later the yellow laundry was displayed again as Worden, Michael Trimble and Darren Rusconi all tangled in turn one with Trimble’s black number 15 making contact with the concrete wall. After demonstrating his displeasure over the incident, Trimble and both Worden’s and Rusconi’s mounts were retired to the infield. Again Swanson pushed ahead of the field on the restart but an odd combination spinout involving a couple top ten runners caused the yellow flag’s reappearance with only two laps remaining. All the cars involved kept running despite the spins but were relegated to the back for the restart. It was of little consequence to Swanson as he again dispatched all his challengers to streak to the checkered flag ahead of Rescino, Tony Hunt, Nick Green, and Brian McClish in fifth. Mike Murgoitio was sixth followed by Bradley Galedrige, Jeff Gardner in eighth, Shauna Hogg ninth, and Matt DeMartini completing the top ten. Rookie Joe Helberg had an impressive 11th place finish over Jimmy Pelk, Cody Veenstra, Tim Barber and Greg Anderson who were victims of the late caution. Finishing 16th was Jim Kaiser ahead of Jessica Helberg, Anthony Simone, Glenn Hopper, Ryan Baumgartner, Brian Geiszler, Scott Clough, and Tony Iacobitti who all finished the event. Next up: The CASA cars again co-sanction with USAC for round three of the CASA/USAC “Best of the West” Series on Saturday, May 13, 2006 at the newly remodeled Altamont Motorsports Park. For more information on CASA activity, visit www.casaracing.com 4-29-06 CASA Results QUALIFYING 1. Mike Murgoitio 13.788, 2. Tony Hunt 13.837, 3. Kody Swanson 13.852, 4. Brian McClish 13.928, 5. Bradley Galedrige 13.961, 6. Nick Green 13.982, 7. Nick Rescino Jr. 14.076, 8. Tim Barber 14.080, 9. Michael Trimble 14.096, 10. Brian Geiszler 14.127 11. Jeff Gardner 14.180, 12. Matt DeMartini 14.252, 13. Shauna Hogg 14.283, 14. Greg Anderson 14.332, 15. Joe Helberg 14.333, 16. Jimmy Pelk 14.372, 17. Jessica Helberg 14.493, 18. R. Baumgartner 14.537, 19. Anthony Simone 14.604, 20. Jim Kaiser 14.604, 21. Scott Clough 14.636, 22. Glenn Hopper 14.696, 23. Darren Rusconi 14.735, 24. Cody Veenstra 14.768, 25. Ivan Worden 15.019, 26. Tony Iacobitti 15.113 27. Marvin Mitchell NT. FIRST HEAT (10 laps) 1. Hogg, 2. Swanson, 3. Rescino, 4. Joe Helberg, 5. Murgoitio, 6. Galedrige, 7. Trimble 8. Jessica Helberg, 9. Gardner SECOND HEAT (10 laps) 1. DeMartini, 2. Anderson, 3. Barber, 4. Green, 5. McClish, 6. Hunt, 7. Pelk, 8. Geiszler 9. Baumgartner. THIRD HEAT (10 laps) 1. Veenstra, 2. Hopper, 3. Kaiser, 4. Worden, 5. Clough, 6. Simone, 7. Iacobitti, 8. Rusconi FEATURE (50 laps) 1. Kody Swanson, 2. Nick Rescino Jr., 3. Tony Hunt, 4. Nick Green, 5. Brian McClish, 6. Mike Murgoitio, 7. Bradley Galedrige, 8. Jeff Gardner, 9. Shauna Hogg, 10. Matt DeMartini, 11. Joe Helberg, 12. Jimmy Pelk, 13. Cody Veenstra, 14. Tim Barber, 15. Greg Anderson, 16. Jim Kaiser, 17. Jessica Helberg, 18. Anthony Simone, 19. Glenn Hopper, 20. Ryan Baumgartner, 21. Brian Geiszler, 22. Scott Clough, 23. Tony Iacobitti 24. Michael Trimble, 25. Ivan Worden, 26. Darren Rusconi FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-17 Rescino, Laps 18-50 Swanson. CASA Points as of 4/29/06 1 Tony Hunt 113, 2 Matt DeMartini 101, 3 Brian McClish 92, 4 Jeff Gardner 72, 5 Jessica Helberg 70, 6 Joe Helberg 70, 7 Glenn Hopper 66, 8 Greg Anderson 66, 9 Ryan Baumgartner 55, 10 Jim Kaiser 54, 11 Scott Clough 51, 12 Tony Iacobitti 49, 13 Marvin Mitchell 28, 14 Ivan Worden 21 |
