By Dennis Daniel
Contact:dennis@dirtmodifiedracer.com
September 25, 2010 – Siskiyou Motor Speedway (Yreka, CA) – On Saturday night, 21 ground-pounding IMCA Modifieds invaded the 3/8th mile clay oval of Siskiyou Motor Speedway located in the scenic mountains of far northern California, all searching for the $3,000 top prize. Yreka, Calif.’s Travis Peery was able to overcome a tangle with Kellen Chadwick just past the half way mark of the 50 lap Mountain Modified Challenge and take home the big victory at his hometown track. “That was a tough one. The hardest race of my life,” noted Peery in victory lane. He was able to pit after the tangle, replacing a flat tire, and drive back to the front, overtaking Albert Gill on lap 47 and holding on to score the big win.
The race began with dash winner Lenny Toolanen on the pole, along side Friday’s preliminary winner Kyle Casson. Peery, who had troubles on Friday but won his qualifying heat on Saturday, would start 13th but was quickly on the charge at the drop of the green flag. Early in the race, it was Toolanen grabbing the lead, with Kasson settling in behind him. On lap 2, Toolanen spun on the dry track in turn 4, bringing out the first of many cautions of the night.
Kasson assumed the lead over Gill, Dave Duste, Jr. and Vince Bowers. After a couple of more cautions, Peery was charging early toward the front. On lap 4, he moved by two cars into 5th position. Behind him, 16th starting Chadwick was being patient early on but also was making progress, as he had worked his way up to 9th after 5 laps. Duste was able to move by Gill for the 3rd spot while Bowers pulled off with mechanical woes.
Peery, who looked very strong in qualifying heat earlier in the night, wasted no time charging towards the lead. He overtook Gill for 3rd on lap 6 and looked to track down Kasson and Duste. Chadwick was also following in the tracks of Peery, as he moved up to 5th on lap 7. After yet another caution on lap 12, Peery was able to move into 2nd on the restart, while Chadwick moved by Gill for 3rd a lap later. With a mid-race break coming at the half way point, drivers were trying to survive all the early race cautions and get to the break, with a chance to refuel and battle it out over the final 25 laps.
On lap 16, Peery continued to pressure Kasson and he was able to get under him and make the pass on the front straight. Kasson, then tried to get back under Peery in turn 1 but would wind up spinning and bringing out another caution. Peery now had command of the race, with Chadwick, Duste, Mark Wauge, the defending Mountain Modified Challenge winner, behind him. Just before the half way break, Wauge would spin in turn 4, bringing out the final caution that led to the mid-race stoppage.
As crew members refueled the depleted fuel cells, got drivers a drink of water and some replacement tear-offs, the field readied for the second half. Seventeen of the original starters were still on track and in contention to take home the biggest IMCA prize in the state this year.
As Peery led the field back to green on the Delaware style restart (leader alone on front row, with all cars doubled behind), Chadwick would settle into second, while Gill moved by Duste for 3rd. After several laps, the leaders were approaching lapped traffic. Both Peery and Chadwick were making moves to get around the slower cars. After Peery cleared a car exiting turn 2, he slid to the high side of the track entering the back straight. Chadwick, seeing an opening, drove to the bottom of the track. Peery got a little out of shape, slowed and moved down the track to regain the handle. Chadwick was already there, and the contact resulted with Chadwick’s right front tire climbing over the left rear of Peery. The two leaders were hung up and slowed to a stop in turn 3. After the racing incident took out both front runners, Gill would take over the lead. Both Peery and Chadwick pitted to repair flat tires and Peery returned ahead of Chadwick with about 20 laps still remaining.
Gill lead over Duste, Wade Kennemore, Josh Cullen and Kasson. Peery restarted in 11th, while Chadwick was in 13th. As the green flag flew to resume the action, both drivers were ready to charge back to the front. With two laps, Peery moved into 7th, while Chadwick was in tow in 8th. After yet another caution, Gill maintained his lead over Duste, Wauge, Cullen and Kasson. On the restart, Peery raced by Kasson into 5th, while Chadwick moved up to 6th a lap later. Wauge, who had recovered from his early race spin, charged by Duste into 2nd on lap 38 before another caution flew for debris on lap 40.
With only 10 laps remaining, Gill would have to hold back late race challenges from Wauge, Peery, Duste and Chadwick. On the restart, Peery charged into 2nd on lap 41. Several more cautions slowed the action over the next few laps, not allowing for much action up front. On lap 44, Chadwick moved to the high side of the dry slick track, where most all other cars were hugging the bottom groove. His move paid off, as he overtook 3rd, behind Peery and Gill. After another caution, the field was again bunched up, will Gill trying to keep his car glued to the bottom of the track.
On lap 47, Gill slipped up off the bottom exiting turn 2 and Peery charged his car into the open door. Gill tried to close the door, and the two made door-to-door contact. The contact did not slow Peery and he once again had the lead with only a few laps remaining. Chadwick was continuing to try the high groove and caught up to the rear of Gill on the final lap. As Peery was taking the checkered flag, Chadwick and Gill crossed the finish line side-by-side, with Gill only inches ahead, claiming the second position.
“Albert (Gill) left the door open and I had to go for it,” Peery noted about his late race pass for the win. When asked about the contact with Chadwick that sent both to the pits with flats, Peery said “I checked up and it was a racing deal. I know it wasn’t on purpose; he’s a clean driver (referring to Chadwick).” Behind Gill and Chadwick, it was Duste and Kasson rounding out the top 5. Others finishing the feature were Wauge in 6th, followed by Kennemore and Todd Whipple.
Official results will be posted on Siskiyou’s website, www.scmaspeedway.com.
Contact:dennis@dirtmodifiedracer.com
September 25, 2010 – Siskiyou Motor Speedway (Yreka, CA) – On Saturday night, 21 ground-pounding IMCA Modifieds invaded the 3/8th mile clay oval of Siskiyou Motor Speedway located in the scenic mountains of far northern California, all searching for the $3,000 top prize. Yreka, Calif.’s Travis Peery was able to overcome a tangle with Kellen Chadwick just past the half way mark of the 50 lap Mountain Modified Challenge and take home the big victory at his hometown track. “That was a tough one. The hardest race of my life,” noted Peery in victory lane. He was able to pit after the tangle, replacing a flat tire, and drive back to the front, overtaking Albert Gill on lap 47 and holding on to score the big win.
The race began with dash winner Lenny Toolanen on the pole, along side Friday’s preliminary winner Kyle Casson. Peery, who had troubles on Friday but won his qualifying heat on Saturday, would start 13th but was quickly on the charge at the drop of the green flag. Early in the race, it was Toolanen grabbing the lead, with Kasson settling in behind him. On lap 2, Toolanen spun on the dry track in turn 4, bringing out the first of many cautions of the night.
Kasson assumed the lead over Gill, Dave Duste, Jr. and Vince Bowers. After a couple of more cautions, Peery was charging early toward the front. On lap 4, he moved by two cars into 5th position. Behind him, 16th starting Chadwick was being patient early on but also was making progress, as he had worked his way up to 9th after 5 laps. Duste was able to move by Gill for the 3rd spot while Bowers pulled off with mechanical woes.
Peery, who looked very strong in qualifying heat earlier in the night, wasted no time charging towards the lead. He overtook Gill for 3rd on lap 6 and looked to track down Kasson and Duste. Chadwick was also following in the tracks of Peery, as he moved up to 5th on lap 7. After yet another caution on lap 12, Peery was able to move into 2nd on the restart, while Chadwick moved by Gill for 3rd a lap later. With a mid-race break coming at the half way point, drivers were trying to survive all the early race cautions and get to the break, with a chance to refuel and battle it out over the final 25 laps.
On lap 16, Peery continued to pressure Kasson and he was able to get under him and make the pass on the front straight. Kasson, then tried to get back under Peery in turn 1 but would wind up spinning and bringing out another caution. Peery now had command of the race, with Chadwick, Duste, Mark Wauge, the defending Mountain Modified Challenge winner, behind him. Just before the half way break, Wauge would spin in turn 4, bringing out the final caution that led to the mid-race stoppage.
As crew members refueled the depleted fuel cells, got drivers a drink of water and some replacement tear-offs, the field readied for the second half. Seventeen of the original starters were still on track and in contention to take home the biggest IMCA prize in the state this year.
As Peery led the field back to green on the Delaware style restart (leader alone on front row, with all cars doubled behind), Chadwick would settle into second, while Gill moved by Duste for 3rd. After several laps, the leaders were approaching lapped traffic. Both Peery and Chadwick were making moves to get around the slower cars. After Peery cleared a car exiting turn 2, he slid to the high side of the track entering the back straight. Chadwick, seeing an opening, drove to the bottom of the track. Peery got a little out of shape, slowed and moved down the track to regain the handle. Chadwick was already there, and the contact resulted with Chadwick’s right front tire climbing over the left rear of Peery. The two leaders were hung up and slowed to a stop in turn 3. After the racing incident took out both front runners, Gill would take over the lead. Both Peery and Chadwick pitted to repair flat tires and Peery returned ahead of Chadwick with about 20 laps still remaining.
Gill lead over Duste, Wade Kennemore, Josh Cullen and Kasson. Peery restarted in 11th, while Chadwick was in 13th. As the green flag flew to resume the action, both drivers were ready to charge back to the front. With two laps, Peery moved into 7th, while Chadwick was in tow in 8th. After yet another caution, Gill maintained his lead over Duste, Wauge, Cullen and Kasson. On the restart, Peery raced by Kasson into 5th, while Chadwick moved up to 6th a lap later. Wauge, who had recovered from his early race spin, charged by Duste into 2nd on lap 38 before another caution flew for debris on lap 40.
With only 10 laps remaining, Gill would have to hold back late race challenges from Wauge, Peery, Duste and Chadwick. On the restart, Peery charged into 2nd on lap 41. Several more cautions slowed the action over the next few laps, not allowing for much action up front. On lap 44, Chadwick moved to the high side of the dry slick track, where most all other cars were hugging the bottom groove. His move paid off, as he overtook 3rd, behind Peery and Gill. After another caution, the field was again bunched up, will Gill trying to keep his car glued to the bottom of the track.
On lap 47, Gill slipped up off the bottom exiting turn 2 and Peery charged his car into the open door. Gill tried to close the door, and the two made door-to-door contact. The contact did not slow Peery and he once again had the lead with only a few laps remaining. Chadwick was continuing to try the high groove and caught up to the rear of Gill on the final lap. As Peery was taking the checkered flag, Chadwick and Gill crossed the finish line side-by-side, with Gill only inches ahead, claiming the second position.
“Albert (Gill) left the door open and I had to go for it,” Peery noted about his late race pass for the win. When asked about the contact with Chadwick that sent both to the pits with flats, Peery said “I checked up and it was a racing deal. I know it wasn’t on purpose; he’s a clean driver (referring to Chadwick).” Behind Gill and Chadwick, it was Duste and Kasson rounding out the top 5. Others finishing the feature were Wauge in 6th, followed by Kennemore and Todd Whipple.
Official results will be posted on Siskiyou’s website, www.scmaspeedway.com.
