|
Traditional Sprint Car FanSite |
See You At The Races!!! |
| Press Release |
|
|
|
CASA/USAC
Record Book Rewritten at Altamont – Galedrige Wins First Feature |
|
5-13-06 – Tracy, CA...When the California Asphalt Sprintcar Association/USAC “Best in the West” Series turned its attention to the newly remodeled Altamont Motorsports Park many expected fast times-a-plenty. Friday practice indicated a significant speed increase could be realized but Saturday the existing record book was obliterated. Brian McClish’s 1-lap track record of 17.208 seconds at 104.650 MPH set in March of 2004, was erased with a vengeance by Nick Green’s sizzling 16.595 at 108.466 MPH around Altamont’s newly upgraded wicked-fast half mile facility. The top ten qualifiers all posted sub-17 second laps and 13 drivers bested the former speed standard – in fact 23 of the 27 qualifiers averaged in excess of 100 MPH during time trials In furious 10-lap heat race action, former CASA champ Nick Rescino, Jr captured heat race number one over Glenn Hopper, Tim Barber, Tony Hunt, Brian Geiszler, Green, “Cowboy” Craig Smith, 1998 USAC champ Jeff Gardner, and Greg Anderson. Heat number two, also an entertaining tilt saw Mike Murgoitio, take the win over Brad Galedrige, McClish, defending USAC champ Kody Swanson, Ivan Worden, Shauna Hogg, Danny Ebberts, Canada’s Jimmy Pelk, and Matt DeMartini. The third heat race was yet another crowd pleaser as Darren Rusconi held off a determined Joe Helberg while Trever Cummins battled Jim Kaiser, Tony Iacobitti, Jessica Helberg, and Scott Clough to the checkers. At some point after the great heat races, an excellent Ford Focus feature and a well paced USAC midget event, the full moon rose over the foothills and transformed what was a smooth evening of racing into something bordering on the absurd. As 27 sparkling sprinters thundered into turn one to start the 50-lap feature under the fabulous new lighting at the raceway, some front starting cars tangled and set about stacking up the field. When the dust settled Scott Clough’s evening was over with front-end damage, Tony Iacobitti was cosmetically banged up, Matt DeMartini jostled around and Brian Geiszler was on his head in the infield. Geiszler was undamaged in his soft tumble and returned for the restart along with Iacobitti and DeMartini. With the racetrack still undergoing remodeling, the dust was literal. The extended rainy season has hampered AMP’s schedule and the grass infield is not yet complete. Consequently any transgression off the racing surface was cause for some cleanup activity. As the field took the complete restart McClish forged his way to the front until a lap ten caution, the second of several more to follow, was waved for Kody Swanson’s turn two contact with the hydro-barriers. The ensuing restart proved the old adage, “cautions breed more cautions” as another caution was displayed for Jim Kaiser’s spin on the front straight. Anderson had passed McClish but spun out of the lead a lap later. With that president apparently established, McClish later followed suit and spun from the lead as well. And yet another yellow waved for a turn four collision that found both DeMartini and Rescino with shorter wheel based cars against the concrete. After a few more laps were recorded with Idaho’s Murgoitio at the point, the course went yellow again for a multi-car tangle that retired Jessica Helberg, McClish, and Iacobitti. Hopper developed an oil leak and upon safety inspection retired during the caution without oiling down the track. With just over half of fifty laps in the books and having already stopped the field in the pits for fuel racing finally resumed, with Murgoitio in front, but so did the ugliness of the evening. Brian Geiszler on his mission back to the front from his earlier mishap tangled with Murgoitio on lap 31 and launched into a savage upside down impact with the front straight crash wall. The crash collapsed the roll cage of his #44 and the subsequent slide along the wall and track surface at speed; ground a significant portion of his helmet away. Safety workers found Geiszler unconscious, but within moments he began to respond and complained of a chipped tooth and a bitten tongue as well as “hurting everywhere.” The race was halted to tend to and stabilize Geiszler and a medical helicopter was dispatched to the raceway. With the young Oregon driver now responding satisfactorily and the track cleared, the race was restarted and Hunt assumed the point, but was soon overtaken by Galedrige who had steadfastly worked and maintained a position from which he could challenge during the previous situations. Galeridge dispatched Hunt on lap 33 then held off a charging Barber who worked his way into second. Last years Ford Focus Champion, Galedrige powered his way through to the checkered flag for his first sprint car feature victory over Tim Barber, midget winner Tony Hunt doing double duty yet again this evening, Jeff Gardner, and Mike Murgoitio rounding out the top five. Shauna Hogg edged rapidly improving CASA rookie of the year contender Joe Helberg for sixth, Jimmy Pelk came home in eighth, Darren Rusconi in ninth, and “Cowboy” Smith registered tenth. Ivan Worden ran 11th, Danny Ebberts 12th, Jim Kaiser and Trevor Cummins finished 13th and 14th respectively to mark those who completed the distance. The final continuation order read Geiszler, Anderson, Hopper, Jessica Helberg, Brian McClish, Tony Iacobitti, DeMartini, Nick Rescino Jr., and Nick Green who was felled by mechanical problems, Kody Swanson, Travis Berryhill, and Scott Clough. At this writing (Monday morning) Brian Geiszler’s mom Lori reports Brian is expected to return home to Oregon from Eden Valley Hospital in Castro Valley on a Monday afternoon/evening flight and despite the severity of the crash in which he suffered a concussion, a bitten tongue, some internal bruising and is dealing with some nausea, Brian is expected to make a full recovery and is hoping the spare car will be readied soon. Good news indeed from, and for, the Geiszler family. Next up: The CASA cars again co-sanction with USAC for a return engagement at Madera Speedway and round four of the CASA/USAC “Best of the West” Series on Saturday, June3, 2006. For more information on CASA activity, visit www.casaracing.com 5-13-06 CASA Results QUALIFYING 1. Nick Green 16.595 108.466 MPH - New Track Record, 2. Brad Galedrige 16.646, 3. Tony Hunt 16.697, 4. Kody Swanson 16.709, 5. Greg Anderson 16.737, 6. Mike Murgoitio 16.837, 7. Brian Geiszler 16.897, 8. Brian McClish 16.906, 9. Tim Barber 16.910, 10. Jimmy Pelk 16.937, 11. Craig Smith 17.124, 12. Danny Ebberts 17.136, 13. Jeff Gardner 17.141, 14. Matt DeMartini 17.246, 15. Nick Rescino Jr. 17.270, 16. Shauna Hogg 17.299, 17. Glenn Hopper 17.396, 18. Ivan Worden 17.446, 19. Jessica Helberg 17.492, 20. Trevor Cummins 17.518, 21. Joe Helberg 17.732, 22. Tony Iacobitti 17.787, 23. R. Baumgartner 17.802, 24. Scott Clough 18.174, 25. Darren Rusconi 18.258, 26. Jim Kaiser 18.323, 27. Travis Berryhill NT. FIRST HEAT (10 laps) 1. Rescino, 2. Hopper, 3. Barber, 4. Hunt, 5. Geiszler, 6. Green, 7. Smith, 8. Gardner, 9. Anderson. SECOND HEAT (10 laps) 1. Murgoitio, 2. Galedrige, 3. McClish, 4. Swanson, 5. Worden, 6. Hogg, 7. Ebberts, 8. Pelk, 9. DeMartini THIRD HEAT (10 laps) 1. Rusconi, 2. Joe Helberg, 3. Cummins, 4. Kaiser, 5. Iacobitti, 6. Jessica Helberg, 7. Clough. FEATURE (50 laps) 1. Bradley Galedrige, 2. Tim Barber, 3. Tony Hunt, 4. Jeff Gardner, 5. Mike Murgoitio, 6. Shauna Hogg, 7. Joe Helberg, 8. Jimmy Pelk, 9. Darren Rusconi, 10. Craig Smith, 11. Ivan Worden, 12. Danny Ebberts, 13. Jim Kaiser, 14. Trever Cummins, 15. Brian Geiszler, 16. Greg Anderson , 17. Glenn Hopper, 18. Jessica Helberg , 19. Brian McClish, 20. Tony Iacobitti, 21. Matt DeMartini, 22. Nick Rescino Jr., 23. Nick Green, 24. Kody Swanson, 25. Travis Berryhill, 26. Scott Clough, FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-10 McClish, Laps 11-12 Anderson, Laps 13-14 McClish, Laps 15-31 Murgoitio, Lap 32 Hunt, Laps 33-50 Galedrige CASA Points as of 5/13/06 1 Tony Hunt 168, 2 Matt DeMartini 127, 3 Brian McClish 126, 4 Jeff Gardner 118, 5 Joe Helberg 117, 6 Glenn Hopper 110, 7 Jim Kaiser 101, 8 Jessica Helberg 100, 9 Greg Anderson 98, 10 Tony Iacobitti 86, 11 Scott Clough 79, 12 Ivan Worden 66, 13 Ryan Baumgartner 60, 14 Craig Smith 39, 15 Marvin Mitchell 29, 16 Travis Berryhill 21, |
