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Marysville
CA - May 17, 2008 --- A WELL WATERED TRACK GREETED THE NEARLY 100 DRIVERS TO 100
PLUS DEGREE WEATHER AS FAN APPRECIATION NIGHT GOT UNDERWAY SATURDAY NIGHT, MAY
17. THE DRIVERS WERE UP TO THE HEAT AND PROVIDED PLENTY OF THEIR OWN AS THE
RACERS DELIVERED STUNNING PERFORMANCES. PUNCTUATED BY THE OCCASIONAL MECHANICAL
FAILURE, IN PARTICULAR AT THE START OF TWO MAIN EVENTS, THE WINGLESS SPRINTS AND
MINI STOCK MAINS; THE SHOW SOLDIERED ON THROUGH THE RECORD HEAT GETTING THE
PEOPLE HOME BY 10:30 pm.
PAUL HAWES, PROMOTER, ANNOUNCED DURING THE DRIVER MEETING THAT CONTINGENCY
CONNECTION DID AN INTERVIEW WITH HIM THIS WEEK, AND THEY HAVE ADDED BONUSES FOR
THE RACERS IN ADDITION TO THE ALREADY ANNOUNCED MONEY AVAILABLE FOR THE RACERS
RUNNING THE PROGRAM.
WINGLESS SPRINT DRIVER TONY RICHARDS CONTINUED HIS WINNING STREAK, NOW UP TO
THREE IN A ROW, BUT NOT BEFORE JEREMY HAWES PUT A MOVE ON THE STARTERS THAT LEFT
THEM STRUGGLING TO KEEP UP. ON THE INITIAL START THE PURPLE 17 OF SHAWN TERNORA
STALLED IN TURN 3 AS THE DRIVERS CAME TO THE GREEN. THIS LEFT STARTER ROBIN
WRIGHT NO CHOICE BUT TO THROW A "KINDA GREEN" FOLLOWED BY A YELLOW
AFTER CARS GOT TO TURN ONE. SLOWING DOWN, SOME DRIVERS BANGED WHEELS RESULTING
IN A SPECTACULAR MIXUP FEATURING THE FRONT ROW STARTERS BUDDY OLSCHOWKA CLIMBING
THE RIGHT REAR OF POLESITTER WILLIE HORN JR's CAR AND HANGING ON THE CAGE,
POINTING TO THE SKY. ON THE ADVICE OF PROMOTER PAUL HAWES THE FIELD WAS SET UP
TO RESTART SINGLE FILE, WITH J HAWES STARTING THIRD.
JEREMY HAWES QUICKLY MADE IT TO THE FRONT, PASSING BRETT YOUNGMAN AND TONY
RICHARDS AND SET SAIL. HE WAS GREAT FOR THE FIRST 15 LAPS, PULLING AWAY AND
LAPPING WHEN IT WAS REPORTED HE GOT TOGETHER WITH A LAP CAR AND FLIPPED IN TURN
FOUR ENDING THE NIGHT. THE ENTHUSIASTIC CROWD CHEERED HIS WALK TO THE PITS.
AFTER THE CLEANUP, TONY RICHARDS ASSUMED COMMAND FOR THE FINAL FIVE LAPS, BUT
THE CHARGE WAS ON FOR 07 STREET STOCK CO-CHAMP PHIL SHELBY JR, A ROOKIE IN
WINGLESS THIS YEAR. RUNNING FOURTH ON THE RESTART, BEHIND JOHN C. ANDERSON AND
CORTNEY DOZIER, HE MADE AN EVASIVE MANUEVER THAT HAD THE CROWD ON THEIR FEET AS
DOZIER AND ANDERSON TANGLED SLIGHTLY. SHELBY HAD A FULL HEAD OF STEAM AND USED
IT WISELY, NEVER CRACKING THE THROTTLE AS HE PASSED BOTH CARS IN TURN THREE.
WITH THE ADRENALINE PUMPING HE HAD A CHANCE TO GET RICHARDS FOR THE WIN, BUT A
STALLED CAR IN TURN FOUR DEPRIVED HIM OF THE CHANCE TO TRY ON THE LAST LAP.
IT SHOULD BE MENTIONED THAT AFTER LAST WEEK'S CHECKERED FLAG WRECK, ALL THE
DRIVERS WERE OK, SOME A LITTLE SORE, AND ALL CARS WERE BACK. TIM SHERMAN JR WON
THE HEAT WITH A NEW TAIL TANK AND SHEET METAL. TIM BARNES HAD TO GET A DIFFERENT
CHASSIS AND WAS VISIBLY SORE AND STIFF WHILE FINISHING UP HIS PIT WORK BEFORE
THE RACES.
RESULTS:
WINGLESS SPRINTS
HEAT 1 - TIM SHERMAN JR, JOHN C ANDERSON, BRETT YOUNGMAN, BUDDY OLSCHOWKA. HEAT
2 - PHILLIP SHELBY JR, JEREMY HAWES, TONY RICHARDS, WILLIE HORN JR. MAIN -
RICHARDS (THREE WINS IN A ROW), SHELBY JR, CORTNEY DOZIER, ANDERSON.
THE STREET STOCKS WERE IN FOR A ROUGH NIGHT AS THE FIRST HEAT WINNER WAS CRASHED
ON THE COOL DOWN LAP BY "PORK CHOP" JOHNSON. JEFF OLSCHOWKA DROVE TO
THE PITS AND ANOTHER CONFRONTATION WITH JOHNSON RESULTED IN A FINE AND
SUSPENSION FOR JOHNSON. RAY BENKOWSKI MADE A NICE HEAT 2 RACE WIN ON A ROUGH
TRACK AS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS HAD FORCED HIM OUT OF EVERY ATTEMPT TO RACE THIS
YEAR. HE FINISHED THIRD IN THE MAIN AS WELL. THE MAIN EVENT HAD LISA SHELBY FANS
ON THEIR COLLECTIVE FEET TIME AND AGAIN AFTER BILL KNOOP AND JEFF OLSCHOWKA
TRIED TO GET THE LEAD FOR SIX LAPS. A YELLOW MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR A HOLE SHOT BY
BILL KNOOP TO GET THE LEAD AWAY. OLSCHOWKA HAD A MUFFLER AND TAILPIPE FALL OFF
AT LAP 16 WHILE RUNNING SECOND. THE BLACK FLAG SENT HIM OFF, AND SHELBY WENT TO
SECOND AND FINISHED THERE, AT THE REAR BUMPER OF KNOOP.
STREET STOCKS
HEAT 1 - JEFF OLSCHOWKA, BILL KNOOP, JOHN "PORKCHOP" JOHNSON, LISA
SHELBY. HEAT 2 - RAY BENKOWSKI, ROBERT MULL, CARL STUDHALTER, KENNY ROBINSON.
MAIN – KNOOP, SHELBY, BENKOWSKI, COREY HALL.
MINI STOCKS WERE IN FORCE AGAIN WITH 28 CARS, WITH A B MAIN AND PLENTY OF
ACTION. TWO DRIVERS WERE WARNED WITH FURLED BLACK FLAGS BY TIM SHERMAN SR. AT
ONE POINT AND THE DRIVERS SETTLED A BIT AFTER THAT AND BY THE END, JAMEY OLLAR
TROUNCED THE FIELD. AFTER A QUESTION ABOUT SETUPS, HE SAID "WE HAVE A SETUP
NOW!" THE HEAVY TRACK WAS PERFECT FOR HIM AFTER LAST WEEK'S DRY SLICK. A
COUPLE OF YELLOWS WERE NECESSARY FOR MINOR SPINS, BUT ONE DRIVER HAD A DRIVELINE
POP OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION. WITH NO DRIVESHAFT LOOPS APPARENT, THEY COULD HAVE
BROKEN, AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN UGLY, BUT INSTEAD GAVE THE TOW TRUCK A CHALLENGE.
MINI STOCKS
HEAT 1 - JAMES GILLASPIE, FLOYD YOUNGBLOOD, PEDRO ALCALA, "JAMMIN"
JIMMY DAVIS. HEAT 2 - EDDIE STAVING, BRENT HALL, ERIC JONES, NATHAN MAYO. HEAT 3
- JAMEY OLLAR, BLANE BAKER, MISTY CASTLEBERRY, JOEL GIUSTI. MAIN - OLLAR,
CASTLEBERRY, HALL, STAVING.
SPRINT 100 RACING SPENT THE FIRST OF TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS AT MRP, WITH A NEW
DRIVER IN THEIR MIDST AND A RETURNING S100/WINGLESS WINNER BACK AFTER A FEW
YEARS OUT OF THE SADDLE.
DENMARK JUAN, STEP-SON TO TONY GAOIRIN MADE HIS DEBUT IN AN S100 AND SHOWED GOOD
FORM. THE SPRINT 100'S ARE COST EFFECTIVE SPRINT CARS FEATURING FOUR CYLINDER
ENGINES IN A SPRINT CAR CHASSIS.
KENNY BAIR SPENT THE NIGHT WINNING THE HEAT AND MAIN EVENT AFTER A 2 YEAR BREAK
FROM THE S100, AND A STINT AND MAIN EVENT WINS IN WINGLESS COMPETITION OVER 3
YEARS AGO. HE DROVE THE MCLAUGHLIN OWNED KELLYCO RACING ENTRY.
SPRINT 100
HEAT 1 - KENNY BAIR, TIM MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN CARDONI, JIM PHIFER. HEAT 2 - NICK
MCCOLLOUGH, GREG HANSON, P J PETERSON, CAMERON HANEY. MAIN – BAIR, MCLAUGHLIN,
MCCOLLOUGH, CARDONI.
Xtreme BOMBERS:
TEN LAPS, TASK: FIGURE 8 WET TRACK
WINNER: JOSH MILLER, DRIVER, HOWARD LAW, PASSENGER
NEXT:
MAY 24 360 SPRINTS, WINGLESS, FORD FOCUS MIDGETS, S100, MINI STOCKS
MAY 31 MEL HALL MEMORIAL
Pit gates always open at 3 with the grandstands opening at 5. Practice and hot
laps start at 6 with qualifying and racing to follow. Put http://www.marysvilleracewaypark.com
on your "favorites" button on your computer. Watch this site for press
releases, updates and complete results.
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