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Baker Boys run 1st &
2nd again at Hollywood Hills Speedway
28 July 2007
Bob Ingram / Beth Hazlewood
San Felipe Pueblo, New Mexico. After being rained out last Saturday night the weather again looked bad for dirt track racing at Hollywood Hills Speedway. But fortunately for fans and drivers it turned out to be a beautiful night for racing. Due to the weather and several other factors the car count was down a bit from previous weeks but the cars that did show up definitely came to RACE. The Sprint cars had their lowest count of the season as a few drivers had damage from last weekends racing in Kansas. Most notably among this group was Jason Tanner driver of the Bill & Debi Richards #7. Jason suffered 3rd degree burns and is presently in the hospital at UNMH. Jason is expected to make a full recovery and be back to racing in the near future. Once again the fans of racing showed their support of a driver in need as the drivers from the Sprint car division passed through the stands with helmets in hand and collected an amazing $1651.00 to help Jason and his family through this difficult time. THANKS to the wonderful fans at HHS.
Although the Sprints had only 14 cars on hand, they put on some of the best racing of the year, especially in the Main Event as 13 of the 14 starters finished on the lead lap. Heat #1 was a thriller as the #21 of Paul Whitehead bicycled not once but twice between turns 3 & 4 but managed to keep all four wheels on the ground. Grants, N.M. driver Bo Baker took the win over the #78 of Jody Williams with the #77 of teenage rookie Colt Treharn taking the show position. Heat #2 saw Bos son Jessie Baker take the win in a caution free race over the #40X of Scott Box with the #9X of Kelly Denison coming home in the 3rd position. Since his win in the Main Event a couple of weeks ago Denison has gained a lot of confidence and has been throwing his car sideways in every turn on the high side of the track, much to the delight of the fans. The Sprint Cars ran a 4 lap Dash for Cash for $200.00 sponsored by A-1 Transmissions of Santa Fe. Kelly Denison in the #9X took the win over #11W Tim West. This was Denisons second Dash for Cash win this year. The Main Event saw all 14 cars on hand take the green flag and all but one car finish on the lead lap, as the car of rookie driver Chris Spiak spun early in the race and retired to the infield. All throughout this race the battle for the lead was fearsome, as the top 10 cars were nose to tail and side by side lap after lap. Bo and Jessie Baker put on quite a show as they came from their 6th row starting spots to pick cars off on nearly every lap until they were able to get to the front. For the last several laps with Jessie in the lead, dad Bo tried high and low to take the point, but in the end Jessie was again able to hold off dad for his second Main Event win of the year, both of which Bo was chasing him to the checkered flag. In the end it was Jessie Baker followed by Bo Baker with the #65 of a very hard charging Rick Johnson a very close 3rd followed by #11W Tim West and rookie #77 Colt Treharn in a very respectable 5th position.
The Street Stocks had a field of only 13 cars on hand, but as in the Sprints they put on some fantastic racing for the fans. This group of drivers were able to run both heats, a dash and their Main Event with only 2 caution flags during the Main Event. Heat #1 was a very close battle between the #66 of Clay Moseley who had suffered some major damage in a crash a few weeks ago and the #24 of Multi-Division racer Cooder Frazier, and another Multi-Division racer #97 Skimmer Leathem. In the end Moseley was able to hold off Frazier and Leathem in that order. Heat #2 saw the #27 of Jay Pape who has not raced in a couple of years doing battle with 3 of the fastest drivers in this class as the #96 of Joe Smithberger, the #72 of Jeff Whyman and the #1 of Ronnie Bell all raced within a few feet of each other the entire race. . In the end Smithberger took the win over Pape with Whyman taking home the 3rd spot. The Street Stocks ran a 4 lap Dash for Cash for $100.00 sponsored by abet Automotive of Santa Fe. This dash was won by the #1 of Ronnie Bell with the #72 of Jeff Whyman a close second. The Main Event saw all 12 of the cars on hand take the green flag. As in the heat race Smithberger was able to recover from an early spin and take the win over the #66 of Moseley with the #1 of Bell, the #97 of Leathem and the #72 of Whyman filling out the top five positions. These drivers in the Street Stock class possibly run the closest, cleanest racing in any division as they run lap after lap, side by side and rarely ever even touch each other. This makes for some of the most exciting racing for the fans at HHS.
The Mini-Sprints also had a low car count as several drivers were out of town or committed to programs at other tracks. Even though there were only 12 cars on hand these little MIGHTY RACERS put on a whale of a show. Heat #1 saw the #19X of Jordan Matson take the win over ever improving #22X of David Gay with the #12 of Kenny Brewer taking the 3rd position in the regular car of Devin Whiteherad. Heat #2 had the #74X of Josh ( The Jet ) Hodges take yet another win over the VERY fast #17 of young D.J. Snyder from Pagosa Springs , followed by the #68 of Brian Perea. The Minis also ran a 4 lap Dash for Cash for $200.00 that was put up by THE INNS at PAGOSA. Fittingly Snyder who lives in Pagosa Springs took the win over the #33 of Joe Monteith and Brian Perea. The Main Event saw only 10 of the Minis make the call as the cars of #45X Ryan Culpepper and the #19X Jordan Matson were unable to make the call as they had mechanical problems either in their heat or at the start of the Main. As in the last 5 times that the Minis have run at HHS, 12 year old Josh Hodges came from his last row starting spot to take the win over the very good running #17 of D.J. Snyder with the #68 of Brian Perea, #7H Jerry Higgenbotham and the #95 of Aaron Wheeler filling out the top five positions. At this point in the season Hodges seems to be nearly unbeatable, but the cars of Matson, Snyder, B. Perea and a couple of drivers from Arizona are chomping at the bit to take the first win by another driver besides the #74X.
The Hobby Stocks had the largest field of the night with 15 cars. Heat #1 saw the only female driver in this class take the win over a couple of veteran drivers. The #54 of April Trujillo took the win over the #24 of Junior Bustillos with the #68 of Kenny Wheeler taking the 3rd spot. Heat #2 saw the #86 of Dan Harmon in a new car take the win over the #5X of another multi-division Rick Boelter with the #28 of Skimmer Leathem taking the 3rd spot. A-Bet Automotive of Santa Fe, again put up $100.00 for a 4 lap Dash for Cash that was won by the #74 of Curt Neff, followed by the #0 of J.R. Bonesteel and the #28 of Leathem. The Main Event saw all 15 cars on hand take the green flag. The top five spots in this race were in doubt until the checkered flag fell. The #58 of Mike Mendoza took the win over #0 J.R. Bonesteel with #28 Leathem, #86 Harmon and #54 Trujillo filling out the top 5 positions.
Thanks to all of the drivers, crews, sponsors, fans and staff at Hollywood Hills Speedway for another night of great racing at the finest Dirt Track Racing Facility in the Southwest. Be sure to come out next Friday & Saturday as HHS has the one and only Winged Sprint car show of the season. On Friday the Sprints will be joined by the Hobby Stocks and Cruisers and on Saturday the Sprints will be joined by the Modifieds and Street Stocks for one of the best dirt track shows to be seen in the Southwest this year.
THE TRACK IS BACK
Have A Great Day
God Bless Everybody
Sprints
Heat #1
#611 Bo Baker
#78 Jody Williams
#77 Colt Treharn
#11W Tim West
#8 J.C. Powell
#17 Chris Spiak
#21 Paul Whitehead DNF
Heat #2
#22 Jessie Baker
#40X Scott Box
#9X Kelly Denison
#11M Cody Mansfield
#52 David Burns
#65 Rick Johnson
#24 Russell Gossett
Dash for Cash
#9X Kelly Denison
#11W Tim West
#77 Colt Treharn
#11M Cody Mansfield
Main Event
#22 Jessie Baker Battled with Dad for the win
#611 Bo Baker Great race trying to chase down Jessie
#65 Rick Johnson Never far off, lead a couple of times
#11W Tim West In the hunt for the win all race long
#77 Colt Treharn Having a great rookie year, a win to come soon ???
#40X Scott Box In the mix all night long
#8 J.C. Powell - Ran great, led some early
#78 Jody Williams Fast all night, caught some bad breaks
#24 Russell Gossett
#11M Cody Mansfield
#9X Kelly Denison
#52 David Burns
#21 Paul Whitehead
#17 Chris Spiak DNF
Street Stocks
Heat #1
#66 Clay Moseley
#24 Cooder Frazier
#97 Skimmer Leathem
#619 Lalo Saenz
#13 Steven Dutcher
#1c Trevor Combs DNF
#3 Josh Cain DNS
Heat #2
#96 Joe Smithberger
#27 Jay Pape
#72 Jeff Whyman
#1 Ronnie Bell
#M7 Cameron Martin DNF
#21III Avie Chavez III DNF
Dash for Cash
#1 Ronnie Bell
#72 Jeff Whyman
#619 Lalo Saenz
#97 Skimmer Leathem
Main Event
#96 Joe Smithberger Had to come from the back after early spin
#66 Clay Moseley Race long battle among the top six cars
#1 Ronnie Bell Also in a battle for the win the entire race
#97 Skimmer Leathem Led early, fought to the end
#72 Jeff Whyman Also came back from early spin, smoothest car on the track
#3 Josh Cain
#619 Lalo Saenz
#21III Avie Chavez III
#13 Steven Dutcher DNF
#24 Cooder Frazier DNF
#1C Trevor Combs DNF
#27 Jay Pape DNF
Mini Sprints
Heat #1
#19X Jordan Matson
#22X David Gay
#12 Kenny Brewer
#8 Chris Perea
#7H Jerry Higgenbotham DNS
#95 Aaron Wheeler DNS
Heat #2
#74X Josh ( The Jet ) Hodges
#17 D.J. Snyder
#68 Brian Perea
#33 Joe Monteith
#45 Ryan Culpepper
#77 John Massey
Dash for Cash
#17 D.J. Snyder
#33 Joe Monteith
#68 Brian Perea
#45 Ryan Culpepper DNF
Main Event
#74X Josh ( The Jet ) Hodges 6 Main Event wins in a row at HHS, undefeated for the year ????
#17 D.J. Snyder Young Pagosa Springs driver getting faster every week
#68 Brian Perea The fastest of the older group of drivers
#7H Jerry Higgenbotham Good consistent race
#95 Aaron Wheeler Ran up front most of the race
#22X David Gay
#8 Chris Perea
#77 John Massey
#33 Joe Montieth
#12 Kenny Brewer DNF
#19X Jordan Matson DNS
#45 Ryan Culpepper DNS
Hobby Stocks
Heat #1
#54 April Dutcher Trujillo
#24 Junior Bustillos
#68 Kenny Wheeler
#74 Curt Neff
#14 Bennie Chavez
#06 Staci March
#36 Anthony Castillo
#13 Jim Willis Jr.
Heat #2
#86 Dan Harmon
#5X Rick Boelter
#28 Skimmer Leathem
#0 J.R. Bonesteel
#58 Mike Mendoza
#43 Dan Glass
#89 Steven Kapinski
Dash for Cash
#74 Curt Neff
#0 J.R. Bonesteel
#28 Skimmer Leathem
#68 Kenny Wheeler
Main Event
#58 Mike Mendoza Great run from 11th starting spot
#0 J.R. Bonesteel Close all the way
#28 Skimmer Leathem Great Battle in top five all race long
#86 Dan Harmon Also in the top five all race
#54 April Dutcher Trujillo Stayed close all night
#24 Junior Bustillos
#89 Steven Kapinski
#43 Dan Glass
#06 Staci March
#13 Jim Willis Jr.
#5X Rick Boelter DNF
#74 Curt Neff DNF
#14 Bennie Chavez DNF
#68 Kenny Wheeler DNF
#36 Anthony Castillo DNF
These results are unofficial and we apologize for any errors in drivers names or finishing positions.
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