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HANFORD, CA - August 12, 2006... Something old, something new. Hanford’s (CA) Kings Speedway reopened for the first time in nearly a year under NEW management, but it was the same OLD story, a victory for Davey Pombo. Fresh from his victory in the Grand Slam event at Santa Maria on July 29th, Pombo completely dominated the SCRA 360 c.i. non-winged main event to record his third victory of the season.
The Kerman CA resident started the 30-lap event from fourth and began his march forward by passing Steven Williams on lap nine, then began working on pole sitter Chad Boespflug. Boespflug, who currently campaigns with USAC’s 410 division, was making his first start of the season with SCRA. That battle lasted only one lap as Pombo found the fast way around the 2005 series champion and proceeded to pull away from the field.
Working his way through heavy traffic, Pombo, used his savvy and experience (he’s competed at Kings for years) to increase his lead to nearly a half lap when flagman Lee Jaskowiak unfurled the checkers.
Boespflug jumped into the early lead but was harassed by Williams for the first eight laps. The fierce rivals, who finished one-two in last year’s championship, battled it out during that period, exchanging the lead several times. Then Pombo entered the picture and passed both youngsters at the start/finish line. As all three cars entered turn one, Williams’ brake caliper exploded and parts were spewed all over the track necessitating a red flag. After the debris was cleared, Williams returned to competition but his chances for a top finishing position were nil, and the dangers too great, so he wisely pulled into the infield.
With Pombo long gone from his competitors, all eyes focused on Evan Suggs, who started seventh. Suggs methodically passed one car after another until he was running third at the half-way point. Next in sight was Boespflug, whose car seemed to lose the handle somewhat. Suggs tried the high line, then the bottom as the laps wound down but Boespflug withstood the challenge. When the “five to go” sign was displayed, Suggs finally caught and passed the “Hanford Hornet” to gain the runner-up spot behind the highflying Pombo. Boespflug held on for the final podium spot just ahead of another Pombo, Albert, who worked his way from the eighth starting spot.
Meanwhile, another dogfight was in progress between Rusty Carlile and Kevin Kierce, who runs regularly at Ventura Raceway with VRA. Kierce returned to Kings Speedway for the first time in more than six years and began the finale in 11th position. By lap 12, he worked his way to sixth and rode the tail of Carlile as they negotiated traffic. Lap after lap Kierce dogged Carlile and finally dove deep into turn one and blasted by the No. 51 machine on lap 28 to round out the top-five. Carlile, Greg Porte, point leader Jonathan Logan, Derrick Hearron and Jeff Gardner rounded out the top-ten.
Fast qualifier Michael Trimble was the first casualty of the evening when he flipped his No. 15 machine entering turn three in the first heat. Trimble was heavy on the throttle and rode over the wheels of Logan, sending his car through a series of violent flips. Two laps later, Richard Brace did an “endo” entering turn one, bringing out the second red flag. Fortunately, neither driver was injured.
Boespflug, Brandon Thomson and Kierce recorded heat race wins while Boespflug, the hometown, crowd favorite, captured the Forrest Transportation Dash.
RESULTS
QUALIFYING:
1. #15 Michael Trimble 16.22, 2. #59 Richard Harvey 16.56, 3. #3 Davey Pombo 16.60,
4. #2r Richard Brace 16.60, 5. #47 Chris D’Arcy 16.66, 6. #51 Rusty Carlile 16.75,
7. #93 Steven Williams 16.79, 8. #3g Greg Porte 16.84, 9. #33 Evan Suggs 16.84,
10. #90 Chad Boespflug 16.87, 11. #35 Albert Pombo 16.93, 12. #91 Jim Thomson 16.94,
13. #97 Matt Day 16.97, 14. #19 Brandon Thomson 17.00, 15. #2 Kevin Kierce 17.12,
16. #32 Jonathan Logan 17.18,17. #51x Jeff Gardner 17.18, 18. #71m Jesse Mack 17.19,
19. #6 Todd Hunsaker 17.34, 20. #77s Brian Schuler 17.38,
21. #13 Bruce Douglass 17.63, 22. #36b Kevin Barnes 17.90, 23. #2x Gene Godepski 18.12,
24. #57 Derrick Hearron 18.31, 25. #44 Brett Lowder 19.79
HEAT #1 8- Laps: Boespflug, Logan, Hunsaker, Carlile, Day, Barnes, Lowder, Brace
HEAT #2 8-Laps: B. Thomson, Porte, Harvey, Schuler, Gardner, Godepski, A. Pombo,
D’Arcy
HEAT #3 8-Laps: Kierce, D. Pombo, Hearron, Williams, Mack, J. Thomson, Douglass,
Suggs
DASH 6-Laps: Boespflug, Williams, Porte, D. Pombo, Carlile, Harvey
“B” 12-Laps: Suggs, A. Pombo, J. Thomson, Barnes, D’Arcy, Godepski, Douglass, Lowder,
Brace DNS
MAIN 30-Laps: D. Pombo, Suggs, Boespflug, A. Pombo, Kierce, Carlile, Porte, Logan, Hearron,
Gardner, Harvey, Hunsaker, B. Thomson, Barnes, D’Arcy, J. Thomson, Schuler, Williams, Mack,
Day, DNS
TOP 30 POINT STANDINGS
Jonathan Logan 624
Rusty Carlile 616
Richard Harvey 506
Andy Ferris 374
Evan Suggs 321
Davey Pombo 308
Brent Kaeding 298
Kevin Barnes 291
David Press 274
Albert Pombo 274
Craig Smith 243
Steve Osborne 227
Jeff Fiscus 219
Peter Murphy 189
Daniel Hood 174
Jeff Gardner 164
Jason Yount 162
Richard Brace 150
Todd Hunsaker 143
Kurt Nelson 140
Steven Williams 136
Aaron Sirles 119
Aaron Chaney 107
David Key 103
Derrick Hearron 143
Michael Trimble 101
Brian Schuler 94
Robert Ballou 93
Matt Day 85
Jesse Mack 78
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