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Hot racing matches hot day Richards,
Knoop and Dothage win |
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July 22, 2006...Tony Richards
of Paradise, “Bad Billy” Knoop of Yuba City and Clearlake’s Brent
Dothage took home the trophies Saturday night at Twin Cities Speedway.
The mercury soared at Greg
and Linda Kearns quick clay ribbon. The oppressive conditions did not hamper
the level of competition displayed by the three divisions competing. An
unusually tacky surface despite the weather conditions allowed for lightning
fast speeds all night.
A stirring battle for the
top spot highlighted the Hunt Magneto wingless sprint car feature.
“Chargin’ Charlie” Marrs and Tony Richards slugged it out for fifteen
consecutive laps before Marrs made a move on the front stretch that almost
sent him for a big ride off of turn one.
Richards and Marrs bolted
into the lead at the green flag. Richards used his own personal cushion
riding technique to keep Marrs at bay. Time after time, lap after lap Marrs
pressed Richards and often pulled along side. Time after time Richards
answered and held on to the top spot. It was a memorable slice and dice
match race that held everyone breathless. Cut and slash open wheel racing
was being presented with style.
On lap fifteen, Marrs had a
great turn three and four and decided it was time. He pressured Richards out
of four and tried a daring high side pass as the pair went into one.
Richards altered his line into the turn by a few feet, but Marrs had made
the outside move and launched over Richards’ right rear. Marrs familiar #7
went over the banking as Marrs fought for control. Marrs saved the big one,
but spun to a stop. Marrs did not restart as a mechanical problem thwarted
his effort to rejoin the race.
With Marrs out of the
picture, Richards ran away with the victory. A second group of cars had been
battling all race long and Tim Sherman Jr. had been able to keep Rick
Eversult and heat race winner Kevin Sprague behind him. This trio had a
terrific race for position. They finished that way behind Richards. James
Postell finished fifth in his best effort to date.
Billy Knoop had a race long
duel with point leader Phillip Shelby. While Knoop was scored the leader of
each lap, Shelby was making him work for it. Shelby actually poked his nose
into the lead as the pair raced down the back chute at mid race. Shelby had
won a thrilling dash for cash event earlier in the evening.
Knoop was holding on to the
feature event lead by the slimmest of margins when the car began to smoke
with five to go. It turns out that Knoop had a hole in his oil pan and was
pumping his oil out at an alarming rate. The checkers dropped just in time
for the fleet veteran who had to push his car to the victory lane interview.
Not only did Knoop win the race, he moved into first place in the point
standings. Knoop celebrated the victory with his patented “Roof Dance”.
Jeff Olshowka finished a distant third with Brad Magenheimer and Ray
Benkowski in fifth.
Brent Dothage had to race
his way into the lead as he scored yet another feature event victory in the
Pacific Sprint Car division. Dothage showed up in third as the field charged
into turn one after starter Tim Dillon’s green flag. Dothage made short
work of Pat Harvey who had fallen into second when Sacramento’s Dennis
Harvey bolted into an early lead (the Harveys are not related).
Dothage started to reel in
Dennis Harvey immediately after getting into second. By lap six Dothage was
on Dennis Harvey’s tail and threw the Red and Yellow 2b into turn three
with abandon. The move worked and Dothage was gone.
Dothage extended his point
lead on his nearest challenger, Yuba City’s Kevin Lovell. Lovell battled
mechanical ailments all night long and finished sixth. Pat Harvey finished
second followed by Brandon Dozier who continues to climb in the point
standings. Cort Dozier finished fourth with Dennis Harvey hanging on to
fifth.
The Pacific Sprint Cars, the
Hunt Magneto Wingless Warrior Sprint Cars, the TCS MiniStocks and the TCS
Stock Cars will bring their heart-stopping brand of competition to TCS this
Saturday night. Gates open at 5 with racing scheduled for 7 PM.
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