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9-8-07 – Tracy, CA --- Kingsburg California’s Kody Swanson, wrested the lead from Idaho’s Mike Murgoito just past the halfway point of CASA/USAC’s “Best in the West” pavement sprint car 50 lap feature event at Altamont Motorsports Park’s wicked-fast half mile. The 2005 USAC Western States champion once again put the family-owned number 17 in victory lane - a familiar place he and his brother Tanner have both visited sharing the cockpit at different times throughout the season.
Reigning CASA, USAC, and “Best in the West” champ Tony Hunt laid down fast time in qualifications over a 17 car field. Heat one was captured by Murgoito and the second preliminary heat went to Eric Humphries earning his first event win on the big track in a sprint car.
Tim Barber and Murgoito paced the field to the green flag with Murgoito gaining the lead in his orange number 80. He held the point until Swanson, from the number five starting spot, overhauled him and never looked back. Murgoito held fast to finish second over Barber in third, CASA point leader and 2006 Rookie of the Year, Jo-Jo Helberg ran a strong fourth, and USAC and “Best in the West” point leader, Ryan Kaplan posting a top five finish.
Rookie Jimmy Riddell ran an excellent sixth, Ryan Burdett was seventh, Jim Kaiser was solid eighth followed by Scott Clough’s best run of the year in ninth and Brian McClish was credited with tenth.
Two-time CASA champion Nick Rescino Jr’s struggles continued as did the fortunes of heat winner Humphries, 2005 CASA Rookie of the Year Nick Green, Shauna Hogg, Matt DeMartini, and defending champ Tony Hunt who all rounded out the group of those not making it to the checkered flag for an assortment of reasons.
Next up: CASA will co-sanction with USAC Western States for round 8, the final event of the 2007 “Best in the West Series” when Madera Speedway hosts the championship clinching event at their beautiful third-mile on Saturday September 15th. For more information on CASA activity, visit www.casaracing.com
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Tony Hunt 17.086
2. Nick Green 17.104
3. Nick Rescino Jr. 17.130
4. Kody Swanson 17.139
5. Brian McClish. 17.149
6. Jo-Jo Helberg 17.252
7. Mike Murgoito 17.256
8. Tim Barber 17.292
9. Chad Nichols 17.303
10. Ryan Kaplan 17.400
11. Matt DeMartini 17.419
12. Shauna Hogg 17.580
13. Jimmy Riddell 17.698
14. Eric Humphries 17.701
15. Ryan Burdett 17.715
16. Jim Kaiser 17.764
17. Scott Clough 18.473
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Murgoito
2. Rescino
3. DeMartini
4. Burdett
5. McClish
6. Riddell
7. Clough
8. Nichols
9. Hunt
NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Humphries
2. Kaplan
3. K. Swanson
4. Hogg
5. Jo-Jo Helberg
6. Kaiser
7. Green
8. Barber
NT
FEATURE: (50 laps)
1. Kody Swanson
2. Mike Murgoito
3. Tim Barber
4. Jo-Jo Helberg
5. Ryan Kaplan
6. Jimmy Riddell
7. Ryan Burdett
8. Jim Kaiser
9. Scott Clough
10. Brian McClish
11. Nick Rescino, Jr.
12. Eric Humphries
13. Nick Green
14. Shauna Hogg
15. Matt DeMartini
16. Tony Hunt
NT
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-27 Murgoito, Laps 28-50 Swanson.
CASA Point Standings as of 9/8/2007
1 Joe Helberg 384
2 Jim Kaiser 350
3 Tony Hunt 345
4 Matt DeMartini 301
5 Scott Clough 237
6 Tanner Swanson 232
7 Kody Swanson 227
8 Jessica Helberg 129
9 Alan Harney 50
10 Tony Iacobitti 46
2007 “Best in the West” Series Points as of 9/8/2007
Driver Points Change
1 Ryan Kaplan 401 0
2 Joe Helberg 394 0
3 Shauna Hogg 370 +1
4 Jim Kaiser 365 +1
5 Nick Rescino, Jr. 347 +1
6 Tony Hunt 341 +1
7 Greg Anderson 334 -4
8 Eric Humphries 250 +5
9 Matt DeMartini 286 0
10 Laura Hayes 271 -2
11 Scott Clough 241 -1
12 Tanner Swanson 234 -1
13 Kody Swanson 233 +2
14 Brian Geiszler 209 -2
15 Richard Bailey 207 -1
16 Brian McClish 207 0
17 Anthony Simone 151 0
18 Jimmy Riddell 105 +6
19 Nick Green 152 0
20 Jessica Helberg 137 -2
21 Tim Barber 104 +5
22 Mike Murgoitio 59 N/A
23 Jimmy Sills 55 -2
24 Ryan Burdett 54 N/A
25 Evan Funk 51 -3
26 Dave Gilmore 50 -3
27 Alan Harney 49 -6
28 Johnny Rodriguez 49 -3
29 Garrett Peterson 45 -2
30 Tony Iacobitti 44 -2
31 Chad Nichols 43 N/A
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