VERNON RETURNS TO WINNER'S CIRCLE [RACINGWEST]

[an error occurred while processing this directive] VERNON RETURNS TO WINNER'S CIRCLE [RACINGWEST]


	VERNON RETURNS TO WINNER'S CIRCLE
	WINSTON RACING SERIES

Mesa Marin Raceway

BAKERSFIELD, CA -- It took him a couple of weeks to come back. Two weeks ago his fuel cell erupted during a last lap crash and last week mechanical failure dogged his bid to win, but in Mesa Marin's Saturday night main event, the Kern Asphalt 75, Kevin Vernon was all speed. The #51 Late Model Stock Car was fastest in qualifying and dominated the 75-lap main event to move from the seventh row inverted field and take the lead, the win and the point's race away from Mike Alsup.

After Vernon took the lead on lap 13, the race was for 2nd and 3rd between Alsup and Mike Duncan. Then Alsup's #61 headed for the pits and behind the wall for the night on lap 42. Duncan saw an opportunity to chase Vernon and looked like he might have something for him. On lap 62 he gave the crowd a show with a front straightaway spin, which put him at the back of the field. By lap 75 he made his way back to 2nd place.

"I was sorry to see Duncan spin," said Vernon in the winner's circle for the 3rd time in 1999. "I really thought he was going to give me a race." Vernon' s father, James, who normally crews for the Action Towing Team drove the Community Recycling #98 while Greg Pursley was out of the Late Model and into the NASCAR Southwest Series event. The elder Vernon finished 1st in an Ultra Wheel Spec Truck race in 1998 and finished the Late Model event in 5th. "Dad keeps getting better," said the younger Vernon. "I hope he races again soon."

Last week's winner Dan Holtz qualified 3rd but got into the marbles in the 4th turn during the Trophy Dash ending his bid for win #2. "We had an even better car tonight. I just thought I could pass Vernon (James) high and get an early win."

In the NASCAR Winston Racing Series ShorTrack Series, twenty-four Street Stocks battled twenty-five laps with more bumping and pushing than NASCAR would tolerate. The inverted field saw the fast cars of Tony Alvarez, Mike White, Mike Alexander, and Mike Riale make their way to the front to challenge Gary Dutton and Brian Richardson. Last week's winner Mike White was moving the fastest and took over 2nd by lap 18 and the lead by lap 21, but behind him was Alvarez bumping Alexander out of the way on lap 21 then beating on White until the #12 spun taking Alexander and Hardin with him. NASCAR black-flagged Alvarez, White had to start at the back and Ken Crabtree's #9 was at the right place at the right time to take the win. Gary Dutton and Brian Richardson survived at the front for 2nd and 3rd and Daren Blanton and Mark Roberts moved up to round out the top five.

"This is my second time out," said Crabtree. "The car works great and I'm having fun." Alvarez could not say the same after NASCAR suspended him for aggressive driving. In their first outing at Mesa Marin, the MSRA Pro-4 Racing Series, the series points leaders set the pace. They started in the top five and were matched closely enough to trade the lead and positions throughout the forty lap event and still finish with most of the starters still in front. Richard Lloyd of Upland topped Eddie Secord of Lakeside, Kenny Smith of El Monte, Jim Warden, Jr. of Anaheim, and Ed Reed of Orange.

In the 911 Race For Youth Series the Bakersfield City Fire Department took the win when their guest driver, Hugh McMahon, was able to take advantage of a hole and go low to pass the Bakersfield Police Department for the lead. The California Highway Patrol was close on his bumper, but couldn't catch him by lap #12 - the last lap. The Police finished over the Kern County Fireand Sheriff's Department. Next week, Mesa Marin features the Super TT Motocycles on May 22 in their second appearance. Both the infield and the ½-mile are re-configured to make up the course featuring jumps and curves. Racing begins at 6pm. NASCAR returns Memorial Day with the Southwest Series and Winston West and the two-100 lap events of the Late Models.

NASCAR Winston Racing Series
Late Model Stock Cars

   Car Driver Hometown               Pnts Pl  W  T5 T10
 1 51  Kevin Vernon Bakersfield       242  2  3  4  5
 2 61  Mike Alsup Bakersfield         237  0  1  4  5
 3  9  Mike Duncan Bakersfield        231  0  0  5  5
 4 59  Steve Reaves Leona Valley      164  0  0  1  3
 5 26  Bobby Aldridge Bakersfield     159  0  0  1  3
 6 13  Barry Bradshaw Bakersfield     155  0  0  1  3
 7 83  Leslie Lipscomb Paso Robles    147  0  0  1  4
 8 98  Greg Pursley Sun Valley        134  0  3  2  3
 9 14  Jason Small Bakersfield        116  0  0  1  2
10 81  JR Jones Bakersfield            86  0  0  1  2
11 47  Charlie Watler Stevenson Ranch  71  0  0  0  2
12 17  Terry Henry Bakersfield         60  0  0  0  1
13 16  Dan Holtz Pacific Palisades     60  1  0  1  1
14 98V James Vernon Bakersfield        45  0  0  1  1
15 82  Rick Bogart El Cajon            44  0  0  1  1
16 11  Les DenHerder Bakersfield       44  0  0  1  1
17 65  Shawn Calderwood Bakersfield    43  0  0  0  1
18 90  Michael Burrow Bakersfield      40  0  0  0  1
19 20  Brendan Gaughan Las Vegas       39  0  0  0  1
20 44  Boyd Magdall Las Vegas          35  0  0  0  1
21  7  Jerry Cain Canyon Country       35  0  0  0  1
22 45  J. Baumgartner Sunset Beach     32  0  0  0  1
23 35  Rodney Peacher North Hills      26  0  0  0  0
24 09  Gary Jenkins El Cajon           25  0  0  0  0

NASCAR WINSTON RACING SHORTRACK SERIES
Street Stocks
   Car Driver Hometown               Pnts Pl  W  T5 T10
 1 51  Mike Alexander Bakersfield     239  0  0  4  5
 2 11  Tony Alvarez Bakersfield       199  4  1  4  4
 3  5  Daren Blanton Bakersfield      189  0  0  3  4
 4  1  M.Riale/Hammett Bakersfield    183  0  0  1  3
 5 81  B.Jamieson/J.Smith Bakersfield 169  0  0  1  2 
 6 24  JR Garcia Bakersfield          168  0  0  2  2
 7  4  Brian Richardson Bakersfield   160  0  0  1  3
 8 72  Gary Dutton Bakersfield        157  0  0  2  2
 9 55  J.Swift/E.Miller Lake Isabella 156  0  0  0  4
10 92  Kevin Jordan Bakersfield       154  0  0  0  4
11  3  Mark Roberts Bakersfield       150  0  0  1  3
12 17  John Hardin Bakersfield        143  0  0  2  2
13 22  Travis Newsom Porterville      134  0  0  0  1
14 12  Mike White Bakersfield         132  0  1  1  3
15 04  Robert Faihtinger Visalia      132  0  0  0  1
16 62  Kevin Sevenich Rosamond        125  0  0  0  3
17 20  John Avila Tulare               97  0  0  0  1
18 05  Ron Rogers Bodfish              92  0  0  0  0
19  9  Ken Crabtree Bakersfield        90  0  1  1  2
20 16  Lloyd Wren Bakersfield          88  0  0  0  0

911 Race For Youth Series
   Car Driver Hometown               Pnts  W  T5 T10
 1  5  CHP California                 193  1  4  4
 2  1  City Fire Dept Bakersfield     189  1  4  4
 3  2  Sheriff Dept. Kern County      185  1  4  4
 4  4  Police Dept. Bakersfield       140  1  3  3
 5  3  Fire Dept. Kern County         136  0  3  3

Related links of interest
Mesa Marin Raceway (off site)

Source: Mesa Marin Raceway
Posted: 5/17/99

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