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Kaplan Wins CASA/USAC “Best in the West” Thriller at Altamont |
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8-18-07 – Tracy, CA --- In another action-packed CASA/USAC 50-lap feature, Chico, California’s Ryan Kaplan squeezed past 2005 USAC champ Kody Swanson with two laps remaining to take a thrilling win. The evening’s second heat winner Shauna Hogg paced the field with Richard Bailey, fresh back from his tumble at Madera along side, but two-time CASA champion and heat race number one winner Nick Rescino, Jr. powered into the lead from his third starting position before a lap was complete and held the point until lap eight when Swanson swept past for the lead. Action was hot and heavy throughout the pack of 15 starters. Cautions for Jimmy Riddell’s spin and go, a spectacular spark filed front stretch crash by Matt DeMartini after a left rear wheel separated itself from his mount catching Greg Anderson in the fray and relocating him to the work area to fix a dragging belly pan, and a second spin by Riddell helped keep an already close lead pack even closer. The leader Swanson had 2005 and 2006 CASA Rookies of the Year, fast timer Nick Green and Jo-Jo Helberg, engaged in a heavy battle just behind his bumper for a significant portion of the race. Equally close were Kaplan, Rescino, Hogg and defending CASA champ Tony Hunt. As the race evolved into a 150 MPH pressure cooker, contact was made down the back straight, and Green went spinning towards the infield for another caution. Green expressed his displeasure with the change of fortunes that ended his evening, and the field prepared for a restart. Swanson again held the point but Helberg and Kaplan kept applying the pressure; Helberg down low and Kaplan on the top groove. Kaplan’s momentum and pressure swept him past both Helberg and then Swanson and with two laps to go his Black #21 was in front. During the intense action at the very front, Tony Hunt had closed ground and was quickly on and past Swanson and Helberg as well. When the white flag waved not one position in the top four was secure. The furious last half-mile rush to the checkers saw Kaplan ahead by couple lengths at best and Hunt inching ahead of Swanson as the pack of four came off the last turn close enough to “fit under a blanket.” At the same instant Kaplan caught sight of the finish line, Swanson and Hunt touched on the front straight sending Hunt into a wild smoky spin across the line for second while Swanson evaded Hunt crossing third and Helberg dashed through the tire smoke for fourth. Greg Anderson in a fine drive returning from the back of the field took a well earned fifth place. Sixth place went to Brian Geiszler, seventh to Laura Hayes, eighth to Hogg, Jim Kaiser was ninth and Anthony Simone finished tenth. Riddell hung in for an 11th place finish at the checkers. Rescino who retired with a flat left rear tire during the Green caution was credited with 12th, Green 13th, DeMartini was 14th and Bailey’s early retirement dropped him to 15th. Next up: CASA will co-sanction with USAC Western States for round 7 of the “Best in the West Series” when Altamont Motorsports Park again hosts the pavement pounding sprinters at their ultra-fast half-mile on Saturday September 8th. For more information on CASA activity, visit www.casaracing.com QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Nick Green 16.877, 2. Jo-Jo Helberg 16.993, 3. Kody Swanson 16.951, 4. Ryan Kaplan 16.959, 5. Nick Rescino Jr. 17.024, 6. Tony Hunt 17.069, 7. Richard Bailey 17.142, 8. Shauna Hogg 17.147, 9. Matt DeMartini 17.206, 10. Greg Anderson 17.254, 11. Jim Kaiser 17.333, 12. Brian Geiszler 17.340, 13. Laura Hayes 17.375, 14. Jimmy Riddell 17.554, 15. Anthony Simone 18.017 FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Rescino, 2. Hayes, 3. DeMartini, 4. Green, 5. K. Swanson, 6. Kaiser, 7. Bailey, 8. Simone, NT SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Hogg, 2. Hunt, 3. Geiszler, 4. Anderson, 5. Jo-Jo Helberg, 6. Riddell, 7. Kaplan, NT FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Ryan Kaplan, 2. Tony Hunt, 3. Kody Swanson, 4. Jo-Jo Helberg, 5. Greg Anderson, 6. Brian Geiszler, 7. Laura Hayes, 8. Shauna Hogg, 9. Jim Kaiser, 10. Anthony Simone, 11. Jimmy Riddell, 12. Nick Rescino, Jr., 13. Nick Green, 14. Matt DeMartini, 15. Richard Bailey NT FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-8 Rescino, Laps 9-47 Swanson, Laps 48-50 Kaplan. CASA Point Standings as of 8/18/2007 |
