DirtModifiedRacer.com
New Member
by Dennis Daniel, DirtModifiedRacer.com
January 15, 2010 (Tucson, AZ) – After runaway would-be winner RC Whitwell lost a driveshaft with less than 3 laps remaining, Adam Crippen and Alex Stanford put on quite a battle over the final 3 green flag laps, trading the lead on nearly every lap. Crippen took over the point when Whitwell slowed bringing out the final caution with Stanford right behind. The two would trade slide jobs nearly every lap, with Crippen holding off Stanford by about 3 inches for the $1,000 win on Friday night at USA Raceway.
Pole starter “Jammin” Jimmy Ray jumped to the lead in turn 1 and led down the back straight but young Canadian racer Aaron Turnbull overtook Ray exiting turn 4 to lead the first lap of the 25 lapper. Behind the front row starters, Chad Ayers moved to 3rd from his 5th starting spot, with a 3 wide battle for 4th ensuing. Fito Gallardo moved to 4th over Crippen just as a caution flew on lap 3, when Darrell Nelson and Eric Turner stopped after colliding in turn 4. Under the caution, Ayers dropped out of the race after suffering a flat right rear tire. Also pulling to the infield and retiring was Sunday’s Modified winner, Bumper Jones, as the 24 car field was trimmed.
Just as the race was restarted, Royal Jones, driving Holly Jones’ #121 pulled off, while Turnbull began to pull away. RC Whitwell began to show his strength, as he charged to 2nd over Gallardo as Ray began to fall back. Within a few laps, Whitwell caught Turnbull and the two traded slide jobs for the lead. Lap 6 saw Whitwell take command as the battles all over the 3/8th’s mile track were taking place. Entering turn 1 a little too high, second running Turnbull jumped up and over the wall and went into the billboards surrounding the track, bringing out a red flag. Turnbull’s night ended after such a promising start, while track crews had to get his car back to the pit area and repair the billboards.
As the cars lined back up for the restart, Whitwell now led over Gallardo, Crippen and Ray. When the green flag flew to restore racing action, Wednesday’s feature winner, Dereck Ramirez, shot by Ray for 4th. Crippen then set his sights on 2nd, with Stanford moving into the top 5. Crippen had just gotten by Gallardo for 2nd, when the caution flag flew again, negating the pass. The lap 10 yellow flew when Corky Thomas and Greg Jenkins collided and stopped on the front straight. Jenkins would continue but the night was over for Thomas. The action up front would continue when the race was restarted Delaware style (leader alone on front row, with cars doubled up behind).
As the racing resumed, special track announcer for the Wild West Shootout, Chris Stepan (www.fyemotorsports.com), described the battle for second a few laps later as “hot and heavy,” as Crippen and Gallardo looked to stake claim to the runner-up position. Up front, Whitwell began to open a comfortable lead, while Stanford charged to 4th over Ramirez, finding some momentum on the high side of the track. By lap 19, Whitwell began to close on the back markers, entering lapped traffic. Stanford was able to battle by Gallardo to claim 3rd as the cars completed 20 laps. A couple of circuits later, Christy Georges slowed and was lapped, as Whitwell continued to charge forward.
Whitwell had opened a straight-away lead over Crippen while Stanford and Gallardo chased. Turner found resurrection after being involved in an early race incident, now finding himself running in 5th with less than a handful of laps remaining. As the cars were running the 23rd lap, Whitwell slowed, pulled to the bottom of the track and stopped. The white driveshaft that propels the #96t lay on the racing surface, snatching victory from Whitwell’s grasp. The mechanical DNF ended the night for Whitwell.
While the near certain victory for 2009 track Champion Whitwell was gone, fans would be treated to a fierce duel between Tucson racer Crippen and California racer Stanford. Just as the green flag flew with only 3 laps remaining, Stanford put a slide job on Crippen entering turn 1. Crippen responded by sliding back under Stanford to retain the lead as they raced down the back straight. Turns 3 and 4 saw more slide jobs, as the two were trading spots for the lead. As the fans cheered, the two battled for the top spot over the final 2 circuits. On the final lap, they raced side-by-side down the back straight. After negotiating the final two turns, the duo was still side-by-side, heading for the checkered flag and the $1,000 payday. It was Crippen just nipping Stanford by approx. 3 inches at the finish line. Gallardo would bring it home in 3rd, followed by Turner and 10th starter Pat Doar.
Official Modified Event Results:
A-Main: Crippen, Stanford, Gallardo, Turner, Ramirez, Doar, Ray, Wallace, N. O’Neal, Daly, Williamson, E. Turnbull, Jenkins, Flowers, Gorham, C. Thomas, Whitwell, Georges, D. Nelson, Herring, A. Turnbull, R. Jones, Ayers, B. Jones, Jegtvig
Heat 1: Alex Stanford, Christy Georges, Aaron Turnbull, Blake Jegtvig, Mike Villineueva, Scott Ward, Shayne Laske, Jake O’Neal, Tim Thomas, Brian Graf
Heat 2: Chad Ayers, Jimmy Ray, Ed Turnbull, Royal Jones, John Stinson, Darrell Nelson, Greg Jenkins, Ryan Engalls, Lance Mari
Heat 3: Adam Crippen, Corky Thomas, Marlyn Seidler, Pat Doar, Bumper Jones, Shane Edginton, Jack Kokot, Neal Flowers, Terry Haven
Heat 4: RC Whitwell, Derek Ramirez, Toby Herring, Nick O’Neal, Cody Alvarez, Tim Ward, Eric Turner, David Karst, Dennis Gates
Heat 5: Fito Gallardo, Dickie Gorham, Clay Daly, Kenny Wallace, Jesse Williamson, Grant Junghans, Dennis Haven, Jake Bitker, Dean Deming
B-Main 1: D. Nelson, Turner, Herring, Williamson, E. Turnbull, Junghans, Karst, Ward, Villineueva, Kokot, D. Haven, Gates, T. Thomas, Mari, Bitker
B-Main 2: B. Jones, Wallace, Jenkins, Flowers, Stinson, Laske, T. Haven, Deming, Engalls, Graf, Edginton, Seidler, Ward, J. O’Neal, Alvarez
January 15, 2010 (Tucson, AZ) – After runaway would-be winner RC Whitwell lost a driveshaft with less than 3 laps remaining, Adam Crippen and Alex Stanford put on quite a battle over the final 3 green flag laps, trading the lead on nearly every lap. Crippen took over the point when Whitwell slowed bringing out the final caution with Stanford right behind. The two would trade slide jobs nearly every lap, with Crippen holding off Stanford by about 3 inches for the $1,000 win on Friday night at USA Raceway.
Pole starter “Jammin” Jimmy Ray jumped to the lead in turn 1 and led down the back straight but young Canadian racer Aaron Turnbull overtook Ray exiting turn 4 to lead the first lap of the 25 lapper. Behind the front row starters, Chad Ayers moved to 3rd from his 5th starting spot, with a 3 wide battle for 4th ensuing. Fito Gallardo moved to 4th over Crippen just as a caution flew on lap 3, when Darrell Nelson and Eric Turner stopped after colliding in turn 4. Under the caution, Ayers dropped out of the race after suffering a flat right rear tire. Also pulling to the infield and retiring was Sunday’s Modified winner, Bumper Jones, as the 24 car field was trimmed.
Just as the race was restarted, Royal Jones, driving Holly Jones’ #121 pulled off, while Turnbull began to pull away. RC Whitwell began to show his strength, as he charged to 2nd over Gallardo as Ray began to fall back. Within a few laps, Whitwell caught Turnbull and the two traded slide jobs for the lead. Lap 6 saw Whitwell take command as the battles all over the 3/8th’s mile track were taking place. Entering turn 1 a little too high, second running Turnbull jumped up and over the wall and went into the billboards surrounding the track, bringing out a red flag. Turnbull’s night ended after such a promising start, while track crews had to get his car back to the pit area and repair the billboards.
As the cars lined back up for the restart, Whitwell now led over Gallardo, Crippen and Ray. When the green flag flew to restore racing action, Wednesday’s feature winner, Dereck Ramirez, shot by Ray for 4th. Crippen then set his sights on 2nd, with Stanford moving into the top 5. Crippen had just gotten by Gallardo for 2nd, when the caution flag flew again, negating the pass. The lap 10 yellow flew when Corky Thomas and Greg Jenkins collided and stopped on the front straight. Jenkins would continue but the night was over for Thomas. The action up front would continue when the race was restarted Delaware style (leader alone on front row, with cars doubled up behind).
As the racing resumed, special track announcer for the Wild West Shootout, Chris Stepan (www.fyemotorsports.com), described the battle for second a few laps later as “hot and heavy,” as Crippen and Gallardo looked to stake claim to the runner-up position. Up front, Whitwell began to open a comfortable lead, while Stanford charged to 4th over Ramirez, finding some momentum on the high side of the track. By lap 19, Whitwell began to close on the back markers, entering lapped traffic. Stanford was able to battle by Gallardo to claim 3rd as the cars completed 20 laps. A couple of circuits later, Christy Georges slowed and was lapped, as Whitwell continued to charge forward.
Whitwell had opened a straight-away lead over Crippen while Stanford and Gallardo chased. Turner found resurrection after being involved in an early race incident, now finding himself running in 5th with less than a handful of laps remaining. As the cars were running the 23rd lap, Whitwell slowed, pulled to the bottom of the track and stopped. The white driveshaft that propels the #96t lay on the racing surface, snatching victory from Whitwell’s grasp. The mechanical DNF ended the night for Whitwell.
While the near certain victory for 2009 track Champion Whitwell was gone, fans would be treated to a fierce duel between Tucson racer Crippen and California racer Stanford. Just as the green flag flew with only 3 laps remaining, Stanford put a slide job on Crippen entering turn 1. Crippen responded by sliding back under Stanford to retain the lead as they raced down the back straight. Turns 3 and 4 saw more slide jobs, as the two were trading spots for the lead. As the fans cheered, the two battled for the top spot over the final 2 circuits. On the final lap, they raced side-by-side down the back straight. After negotiating the final two turns, the duo was still side-by-side, heading for the checkered flag and the $1,000 payday. It was Crippen just nipping Stanford by approx. 3 inches at the finish line. Gallardo would bring it home in 3rd, followed by Turner and 10th starter Pat Doar.
Official Modified Event Results:
A-Main: Crippen, Stanford, Gallardo, Turner, Ramirez, Doar, Ray, Wallace, N. O’Neal, Daly, Williamson, E. Turnbull, Jenkins, Flowers, Gorham, C. Thomas, Whitwell, Georges, D. Nelson, Herring, A. Turnbull, R. Jones, Ayers, B. Jones, Jegtvig
Heat 1: Alex Stanford, Christy Georges, Aaron Turnbull, Blake Jegtvig, Mike Villineueva, Scott Ward, Shayne Laske, Jake O’Neal, Tim Thomas, Brian Graf
Heat 2: Chad Ayers, Jimmy Ray, Ed Turnbull, Royal Jones, John Stinson, Darrell Nelson, Greg Jenkins, Ryan Engalls, Lance Mari
Heat 3: Adam Crippen, Corky Thomas, Marlyn Seidler, Pat Doar, Bumper Jones, Shane Edginton, Jack Kokot, Neal Flowers, Terry Haven
Heat 4: RC Whitwell, Derek Ramirez, Toby Herring, Nick O’Neal, Cody Alvarez, Tim Ward, Eric Turner, David Karst, Dennis Gates
Heat 5: Fito Gallardo, Dickie Gorham, Clay Daly, Kenny Wallace, Jesse Williamson, Grant Junghans, Dennis Haven, Jake Bitker, Dean Deming
B-Main 1: D. Nelson, Turner, Herring, Williamson, E. Turnbull, Junghans, Karst, Ward, Villineueva, Kokot, D. Haven, Gates, T. Thomas, Mari, Bitker
B-Main 2: B. Jones, Wallace, Jenkins, Flowers, Stinson, Laske, T. Haven, Deming, Engalls, Graf, Edginton, Seidler, Ward, J. O’Neal, Alvarez
