BILL BINNS WINS NSCS AT UKIAH SPEEDWAY

Source: Moss/North State Challenge Series
Date: 05/30/2005

UKIAH, California -- It didn't take Bill Binns long to rebound from the engine problems he suffered in the last race at Shasta Raceway Park. Saturday night, with a new power plant under the hood, Binns led all 75 laps of the North State Challenge Series feature at Ukiah Speedway to capture the $1500 first prize and reclaim the point lead. Sounds easy doesn't it? It wasn't! Quick rookie Derek Thorn dogged Binns' bumper for the last 15 laps attempting to loosen him up and make a pass for the lead but the veteran Binns held him off for the win. Mike Doss, who came into the race as the point leader, had another strong run to finish third; Junior Roddy was fourth and Howard Ford fifth.

Thorn set fast time, for the second race in a row, clocking a 12.653 to Binns' 12.660. Roseville's Josh Bews posted a 12.713 and Redding's Sean Hays rounded out the dash field with a 12.753. Ukiah's Eric Graham just missed the dash with his 12.755. Hays held on to win the dash over Binns, Thorn and Bews.

The 4-car inversion put Hays on the pole with Bews sharing the front row. On the start, Hays broke a rear-end gear and limped to the pits as the field stacked up behind him, handing the lead to Binns, followed by Graham, Doss, Thorn and Ford. Bews appeared to get the worst of it, rejoining the field in ninth position. The first caution flag flew after six laps when C.J. Bawden and Luke Hall made contact and Hall spun. Three laps later, Graham spun, while running second, and made the first of three pit stops to adjust his ill handling car. Lap 19 saw a lengthy caution period as an undetermined car had oiled down both lanes of the 1/4-mile oval. As clean up continued, officials looked under every car to try to find who was leaking. Rookie Darin Snider was finally sent to the pits for repairs. For the restart, Medford's Ken Scales had moved into the top five with Bawden sixth and Bews seventh. Scales would spin after contact with Jim Stillman Jr. on lap 29. At the halfway point, Binns, Doss and Thorn were putting some distance on the second pack of Ford, Bews, Bawden and Stillman. Kelseyville's Bryan Denton had an engine expire on the 45th circuit, oiling down the track again, though he pulled off quickly and the oil was confined to the turn two area. With 25 laps to go, Thorn, who'd been fairly patient, decided it was time to go. After hounding Doss for many laps, he finally got by with 15 laps remaining and set out after Binns, only to come up short. "I'm glad the #75 (Doss) and the #33 (Binns) didn't spin," said Thorn later. "At least we showed that we're fast and I think we can win one this year!"

North State Challenge Series Results - May 28, 2005

See Also .:

News Index | E-mail to a Friend