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The next North State Racing Association championship event was held last Saturday at the Ukiah Speedway. Featured were the Airport Auto Brokers Late Models, Rental Solutions Modifieds, Street Stocks, and Bud Bombers.
The fans were treated to a special event. Famed racing veteran Bob Strauss took a few lucky fans for a ride in his custom-build two-seater Modified. Not for a couple of parade laps, this was a full firesuit and helmet set of laps at full racing speed. The excited fans reported that the ride was thrilling, the acceleration awesome, and that they felt the wall was a whole lot closer than they imagined.
Crews worked hard throughout the week to clean up and make the track ready after the events during the Redwood Empire Fair. The track was reportedly nice and tight, and the afternoon breeze made for perfect racing conditions.
Airport Auto Brokers
Late Models
Mike Lovell from Willits set the Late Model fast time of 12.329s, 9.1 hundredths faster than Kevin Ostern.
Jimmy Stillman and Dallas Shane led the 14 car field to the 75-lap main event start and stayed there for a little more than half the race while the mid-pack shuffled positions. Gradually, Corey James, Mike Doss, and Mike Lovell made their way up to the leaders.
The three shuffled Shane back to fifth in lap 44. James took the lead in lap 55 when Stillman suddenly developed problems and had to retire to the pits.
James, from Laytonville, claimed the checkers followed by Doss, Lovell, Shane, and Kevin Ostern. For more details on this race and the current championship points, browse to the Airport Auto Brokers Late Models website at “http://www.AABLM.com”.
Rental Solutions
Modifieds
The Modified fast time of 13.148s was set by Dustin DeRosier from Cloverdale, just 4.9 hundredths faster than Darrin Knight. Nine Modifieds qualified but, unfortunately, Terry McIntire was unable to start the main event.
The poll row of the eight car main event field was held by Mikey Snider and David Lyndall. Snider took the inside lead with Eric Johnson in third. Wade Coleman fell back on the outside pushing Dustin DeRosier with him, but Darrin Knight managed to dive to the inside between fourth place Andy Vander Veer and Andrew Snider.
Johnson drifted high and wiggled loose, sending him back to fifth between Knight and DeRosier. Lyndall swung outside M. Snider to take the lead in lap seven. Knight and Vander Veer followed as DeRosier caught up after passing Johnson. A. Snider spun on the frontstretch in lap 14 for the first yellow flag.
Three quick yellow flags followed. Lyndall and Knight touched in turn three sending Knight over the berm. This put both to the back. During acceleration for the restart, A. Snider got hung up on the rear of Richie Potts sending Potts into M. Snider and over the turn four berm. Since this was officially a no-start, everyone kept their positions. A. Snider and Knight tangled in turn three sending Knight over the berm again. Knight had to retire and A. Snider restarted in the back.
This all put Vander Veer and DeRosier up front for the final restart of lap 15. Vander Veer took the lead as M. Snider faded back behind Potts to be passed by Lyndall. DeRosier rallied back on the outside and took the lead in lap 20.
The field strung out except for Lyndall who stole the inside groove from Potts and passed him in lap 26. DeRosier crossed the line first followed by Vander Veer, Lyndall, Potts, and M. Snider.
Street Stocks
George Mavrakis set the Street Stock fast time of 14.170s, a bare 9 thousandths faster than Wade Coleman.
The eight car field was led to the main event green flag by Bill Mucci (driving the 63 of David Jones) and Mike Bray. Mucci fell back on the inside pushing Ron Duke Jr., Terry Pittman, and George Mavrakis with him. Bray held the lead for one lap before losing it to Simi Tour. Wade Coleman followed outside Bray into second. Tony Ramazzotti tried as well but wiggled loose in turn two and fell back.
Duke and Pittman passed under Ramazzotti and were side-by-side battling for fourth when they caught up to Bray. Pittman was pinned back on the inside by Bray and was passed on the outside by Ramazzotti and Mavrakis. When Ramazzotti settled in behind Duke, both Mavrakis and Pittman passed both on the outside. In lap 20, Ramazzotti spun out on the backstretch and retired to the infield for the only caution of the race.
Tour and Coleman led them to the restart, stayed side-by-side for a lap, and then Tour took the inside lead. Mavrakis followed him into second. Coleman tried to rally back but broke loose in turn two and fell back inside Pittman.
On the white flag lap, Coleman and Pittman were dead even in third coming out of turn four. Tour finished first and Mavrakis second. Pittman found the better grip down the frontstretch and finished third ahead of Coleman and Duke.
Bud Bombers
The Bomber fast time of 15.885s was set by Jimmy Sorrels, just 1.3 hundredths ahead of George Abella. The top five Bombers were within 2 tenths, and the top six within half-a-second.
The 12 car pack was led to the main event start by Tim Simmons and Bradley Brackett (driving the 4 of Kevin Brackett). Robert Brackett (substituting for Brandon Verde) had to retire after a couple of laps with starter problems.
Simmons took the lead while Rick Jelton advanced on the outside past Lori Macdonald, Brackett, and finally Simmons to take the lead in lap three. Macdonald fell back while the pack scrambled around her. Matt Gerjets dove high and Isaac Snodgrass low to pass her three-wide in turn three.
Gerjets had just passed outside Simmons into second and was advancing on the leader Jelton, Brackett and Snodgrass were just behind, and Abella was outside Ron Duke Sr. in sixth when they touched on the frontstretch and spun into the infield. Both immediately got going again but Duke suffered a flat and had to stop in turn two bringing out a yellow flag. During the yellow, Gerjets was forced to visit the pits and had to restart in the back.
Two more yellow flags quickly followed when Jimmy Sorrels and Simmons collided and spun in turn four, and Brackett spun in turn two.
This put Jelton and Snodgrass up front for the restart. Snodgrass fell back on the outside pushing Helm, Sorrels, and Gerjets back. Caity Miller swung outside Jelton and took the lead in lap 12. Jelton was quickly shuttled back on the inside by Helm, Gerjets, Sorrels, and Abella.
Miller kept the lead as Gerjets swung inside Helm and Abella inside Sorrels. In lap 18, Brackett slowed with problems in turn one and went high through turn two preparing to exit to the pits. The leaders caught up to him exiting turn two and Gerjets wound up high pushing Helm right behind Brackett.
Helm managed to dive back inside in time, but the reaction spun Sorrels across the backstretch to the infield. Duke made it by Sorrels but Gerjets was collected and a yellow was thrown. Sorrels and Gerjets had to retire.
Miller and Helm got them going again. Helm took the lead while Abella and Gerjets started to work around the outside of Miller. Simmons spun in turn four, slowed Macdonald, and recovered. This caused the leaders to quickly lap them, pinning Abella and Gerjets back behind Miller. Over the next five laps, both would finally overtake Miller. This all gave Helm a formidable lead with three laps to go, but Simmons spun out in turn four in lap 27 for the last yellow closing them all up again.
Helm and Abella led the final restart. Abella slowly advanced each lap and Gerjets tried to follow. Abella, from Lakeport, won his eighth main event this season. Gerjets broke loose in turn one of the final lap taking third behind Helm. Miller came in fourth and Duke fifth.
